Page 14

And what is that supposed to mean, Viking?

Nine

Arne

Ididn’t like the way Max looked at me when I said I wasn’t interested in the red-haired woman.

Want me to clarify? No, I will not take her home. I am only interested in one person, and since I can’t have him, I will keep my dick in my trousers.

I’d sort of taken a vow of celibacy right after we had returned from Scotland. That was when I realised the depth of feelings I harboured for Max.

His performance impressed both Coach Jerke and me from the start. Max Gruber was a smart kid with bite. Even before I’d fallen head over heels for the Raven, I’d decided I would takehim under my wing. He wasn’t from Veitsreuth and didn’t have any friends or family in the area.

He needed a friend.

A friend isn’t what you want to be, though. God, you suck as his captain.

I wish I could say I tried to stop him from kissing me, but I’d always been honest to a fault. I had gone all in: tongue-sucking, and lip biting—the full ride.

Max tensed, hand tightening around his cocktail glass, and a barely audible groan escaped him when I pressed my knee to his. The need to touch him overwhelmed me.

“You okay?” I murmured and got a tiny nod back.

I pulled my leg away, eyes fixed on his hands.

When did they get so sinewy and strong?

I shouldn’t have noticed how much more he worked out and the effects it had on his body. Only from a professional perspective. He’d bulked up since joining our team, and it looked good on him.

Stop thinking about his ass again! Yeah, the way you drool over Max’s ass might have made you guess that you’re bisexual.

Before I could beat myself up some more, Bo and Ollie got up, and then Guns, Nik, and Decks followed suit.

They looked like Arthur’s knights rising for battle. Everyone except Max and I cracked up at their hilarious performance.

“We’re heading home,” Bo chuckled, throwing his arm around Ollie’s shoulders. The latter had arrived a few days ago, but I figured you could never get enough time alone with the person you loved.

Ten

Max

We said goodbye to the others.

“Let’s finish these, yeah?” Arne suggested once they had left. “How about we change to a smaller table so they can use this one for someone else?” Arne got up and walked over to a tiny round table tucked into a corner.

We were both way too tall for it, which meant our legs were all in each other’s spaces.

Lean in; you could kiss him again.

Arne realised this a moment later, when I shifted in my seat and our legs made contact. A hand gripped me just above the knee, strong fingers digging into my quads.

He sank into my eyes as willing prey, ready to drown. Then, Arne emptied his beer in one deep draught and let go of me.

“Drink up, I’ll walk you home.”

I finished the Demonic Slap that hadn’t had the effect I’d hoped for, grabbed my coat, and got up.

Leading the way out of the bar, I took a few steps into the crisp night, then turned back around to face my captain.