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Twenty minutes later, I leave the locker room and find Liam waiting for me outside the building, a blue tinge to the lips that barely contain his chattering teeth. “Seriously?” I notice his coat isn’t zipped all the way to his chin and I grip the cool tab, tugging it up for him, though for some reason my hand lingers there even though I can’t pull the zipper any further.
I can’t recall ever fixing someone’s clothes like this, and with my fingers mere inches from Liam’s lips, I realize it’s kind of an affectionate gesture. Protective almost, which tracks with his claim that I have a hero complex. I always interpreted the hero thing as an effort to rescue rather than protect, but maybe it’s both. I certainly feel the urge to protect Liam.
Though my eyes are fixed on the space between my fingers and his lips, I feel the weight of his gaze, and when I meet it, my breath gets caught in my throat. Eyes that I always thought were hazel are actually a mix of brown and green and gold, swirling together in a chaotic blend that’s a fitting complement to Liam’s complex moods.
The stunning combination makes me lose my train of thought, until his warm breath on my fingers reminds me I’m still holding his zipper.
“It’s almost forty degrees.” I drop my hand as I clear my throat. “That’s basically a heat wave in Colorado. How are you ever gonna survive a spring sport?”
“I’ve got months to acclimate. But don’t tell Cam and Jagger.”
“Don’t tell us what?” Jagger sneaks up behind us, and with one look at Liam bursts out laughing. “Lacrosse players are tougher, huh? Better hope the rest of your team isn’t so sensitive to the cold or they’re gonna start calling you the popsicles instead of the bighorns.”
“So, you two coming?” Cam asks.
“Uh.” I turn to Liam. “There’s a party at our teammate’s frat house. You know the one. Do you want to go?”
“Aiden mentioned it. He seemed pretty insistent that we should stop by.”
“I thought…” I trail off, realizing I can’t say any more without revealing that he has a history with Aiden, and even though my teammates know Liam’s gay–seeing as I let that slip–I remember how that sort of crossed a line. I’m not about to repeat the mistake by doing it again. His past hookups will stay between us.
“You thought what?” Jagger asks me as he starts walking toward the party as if the rest of us will fall into step, which we predictably do, with Cam walking next to him and Liam and I a few paces behind.
“Oh. I thought—” I swallow as my brain searches for an answer that won’t invade Liam’s privacy.
“He thought I’d want to avoid Aiden’s frat since I don’t want to hook up with him anymore.” Liam saves me from concocting what would surely be a flimsy lie. I shoot him a sideways glance, and while he looks a little stiff, he doesn’t have a look of regret. Good for him.
“Why not? He’s a good-looking guy,” Cam says without missing a beat, and another quick glance at Liam tells me he’s relieved, maybe even happy, with that response.
“You know him?” Liam asks.
“I’ve met him at the parties. Seems like a cool guy,” Cam says. “But you don’t think so?”
“I do, I’m just not really feeling anything more than that, I guess. And I don’t want to be the kind of guy who leads someone on.”
“That’s why I’m a one-and-done kind of guy,” Jagger says. “I like sex, but I don’t want to be a dick about it.”
“Some people would say one-and-done is a dick move,” Liam points out, then seems to think better of it. “Just saying.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Jagger gives us a thoughtful look over his shoulder. “But I’m clear about it up front. I tell them I’m down for a good time, but I’ve got too much going on with school and football to get into anything more.”
“And girls are cool with that?” I ask.
“They say they are.” His shoulder lifts and lowers in a ‘who knows’ sort of gesture. “So, you and Aiden are cool, then? Even if you aren’t hooking up anymore?”
“We’ll find out, I guess, but he was fine when I talked to him at the game,” Liam says.
“So, did you enjoy the game? I mean, aside from freezing your balls off?” Jagger turns his head long enough to wink at Liam, letting out another boisterous laugh.
“Sure.”
“Sure?” Cam asks. “That was probably our best game of the season.”
“You guys were neck-and-neck until the fourth.” Liam looks at Cam like he’s delusional, which has no effect since he’s walking behind him.
“That’s what makes an exciting game.” Cam’s head swings back and forth like he can’t believe he has to say that. “Especially when the good guys dominate in the last quarter and come out on top.”
“I’d rather dominate the whole time,” Jagger says.
