Page 9 of Actions and Reactions (All It Takes #5)

Silas

Uncle Hulk dragged Vinny away for a “lake talk” almost as soon as Lottie and I got to the gazebo, and I had to assume it wasn’t a coincidence.

Ruko “the Hulk” Jankowski is far more intuitive than anyone gives him credit for, and only our families really know it.

I was scared about having the talk with Vinny when they got back and we were alone on the dock after he pushed everyone into the lake, and though it did take me by surprise, I was unreasonably grateful when he pushed me in.

Being singled out for anything hasn’t been good for me since I lost hockey, but before the accident it was great, especially because I had Vinny by my side being singled out as well .

Being singled out now... not so fun, but our time by the lake was, though.

It felt more like family time than anything has in years, and I hate to even think it, but I know it’s thanks to our meddling mothers.

Now, getting ready to start a game of Monopoly, I watch Vinny as he leaves the room, and when I hear the door to his room close, I focus back on the coffee table we have for board games in the living room.

Mom, Lottie, and Ruko are sitting on the floor, and I appreciate Dad and Lex for following my lead and sitting on the couch because I can’t actually sit cross-legged. I could maybe pull it off by stretching my legs out under the table, but there’s not a lot of room down there.

Mom has this glint in her eyes I know very well, and I have no idea why Vinny thinks he’s going to be able to sleep once she starts screaming—because as soon as the game really gets going she is going to scream—and that plants a seed in my mind I can’t get rid off.

So much so, that I intentionally lose all my money after only three rounds.

Mom looks disappointed in me while everyone else rejoices in my failure, and I stand and try my best at pretending to be sad about it.

“I’m going to bed,” I announce.

“What? Why?” Dad asks.

“I just want to put my leg up,” I lie. “Good night.”

I go around to hug everyone, and then I buy some time getting a glass of water. I want them all back in game mode so there’ll be enough noise that they won’t hear me go into my room to change and then walk back out to go to Vinny’s.

Lottie’s voice has risen enough by the time the glass is almost full, and I take my shot.

I try not to walk too fast, because they’d be able to hear that too, but it’s hard.

The anticipation of being close to Vinny again... of being alone with him in a room with a door that locks...

I open my door and stop in my tracks.

He’s here.

Fuck, great minds really do think alike.

He left the nightlight on, and it’s enough for me to see he’s completely naked.

.. and asleep. I don’t mind that, not one bit.

His body is a work of art, full and strong.

.. steady. Even if the accident hadn’t happened, I doubt I’d be in that kind of shape.

Pure luck and ability were enough for me to be the best on the ice.

.. and that’s not bragging, it’s a fact that haunts me more than it fills me with pride.

I had nothing to do with the talent I was born with. I had nothing to do with the opportunity to become the best from a very young age. Sure, I put in the work, but it was never actually work. It was love.

And since that’s done now, has been for so long, I really should just fucking get over it already, shouldn’t I?

It’s not hard to focus back on the present, not when the view is so enticing. Vinny clearly wants to be close to me, and I want the same, so this is perfect, right?

Right.

I go through my nightly routine and decide to sleep naked, just like he is, since I liked it last night and slept deeply that way. It’s not always a guarantee, so I’ll take it.

I’m as careful as I can be when I climb into bed, but he still shifts and mumbles something I can’t discern. I roll onto my side to stare at his peaceful face for a while, and can’t resist shuffling closer.

The moment when I realize this is much more than I can handle?

When he rolls over and burrows close until his nose is pressed against mine.

I don’t want to move, maybe not ever again, but I roll away carefully, turn the light off, and then shut off my brain as well. Then I roll back over and pull him in closer.

The rest of the week passes with more of the same.

Vinny and I sleep in the same bed every night, sometimes mine, sometimes his, and I do get a repeat of our first night but we don’t go any further, it’s not needed.

I feel like I’ve discovered this insatiable hunger, that’s somehow just awakened but was also always there somehow. I spend every day eager for the night to come because... it turns out, blow jobs and hand jobs are fucking awesome.

And kisses. God, I love how Vinny kisses me.

I don’t mention doing anything... more, and neither does he, which makes me wonder if he knows about my inexperience, but I don’t dare bring the subject up .

It’s easy.

When we’re alone, his lips are almost always pressed to mine, so talking only really happens when we’re trading blow jobs.

During the day we talk plenty, with everyone else.

I can see our moms feel vindicated and like everything is right with the world, and though it isn’t, for those six days it feels like it could be.

I have great chats with Dad and Uncle Hulk, and I get an answer as to why Dad asked me to watch that special episode of their program—he was fed up with Nilsson and wanted him off the show, so he knew he was going to start a fight with him.

I think he might’ve thought he was defending me, and maybe wanted me to feel ... cared for?

I honestly don’t know, but Dad’s never been one to lie or fib so I take him at his word.

Lex is also very talkative, telling me all about his time at the boarding school Vinny and I were supposed to attend together. I smile and grit my teeth during that conversation, and I do my best to show my support, even though every excited word out of his mouth is like a dagger to the heart.

As promised, Vinny wakes up extra early every day and goes out to the lake to do laps around the dock, and then he goes out running. I ignore that part of his daily routine, and I make sure no one else can tell how much attention I do pay to everything else he does.

When the time comes to say goodbye to our families—with promises from our parents for visits—it’s a lot easier for me to accept that I’ll be trapped in a plane with Vinny for hours to come.

And as I suspected, we spend most of those hours kissing.

“Did you leave your car here?” he asks when the jet is taxiing to the hangar.

“Yes, you?”

“Yeah, and I wanted to ask?—”

My phone starts blowing up with notifications and I take it out with a frown, but that goes away when I remember.

“What is it?” he asks.

“I just set up a bunch of reminders to go off once I was back here,” I explain.

“Huh, I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Yeah, it’s a great trick when you travel so much.”

“Can you show me how to set that up? I could use the reminders to handle laundry when I get back from a two week roadie.” He snorts and shakes his head.

I don’t have that experience, and thinking any deeper about it would only be fucking depressing so I do what I always do—what I’m great at—and push it away.

“Of course.” I smile easily and put the phone away.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, and kisses me softly, then... not so softly. It’s only the flight attendant clearing her throat that makes us unglue ourselves.

“Sorry,” she tells us, then she nods back to the opened door. “You can descend now.”

“Thank you, Sarah,” Vinny tells her and stands up quickly .

I follow suit, and only once we’re in the terminal do I remember.

“You were going to ask me something before.”

“Ah, yeah, well...” he hedges, and I stop short.

Vinny isn’t one to hedge, he doesn’t have an ounce of patience in his body, so I’m instantly on alert.

“What is it?” I ask quietly.

“So I was wondering if you have any reservations about me telling the guys about…” he points between us.

“About me being gay?” I ask, though I’m pretty sure I know that’s what he means.

“Yes, if you want to do it yourself, not tell anyone, tell only some people?”

I give it some serious thought as we walk down the stairs and when we’re there I know the answer.

The only people I have ever been hesitant to tell are Vinny and my parents.

That’s why it was so easy to confide in Lottie.

I knew she would be fine with it and be a champion for me if I ever needed it.

“I don’t care about anyone at work knowing,” I tell him honestly. “I do want to be the one to tell my parents, though, so if you tell Lex or your parents?—”

“I won’t, but if I do for some reason, they won’t tell your mom and dad.”

I nod, happy we sorted that out, I don’t really want to think about telling them right now, I know they don’t have homophobic views or a single bigot bone in their bodies, but I’m their son, and things are always different when it comes to me .

“Would you like to come to my place? Stay with me?” His voice is tense when he asks and I wonder briefly if that’s what he wanted to say the first time, but it doesn’t really matter, does it?

He doesn’t meet my eyes, and that insecurity and uncertainty looks so alien on Vinny that I’m even more uncomfortable.

I have a lot of work to catch up on.

I’ve managed to stay somewhat up to date this week, but still... the remodeling crew is going to be at the rink tomorrow, and I have to finalize the plans for each player’s marketing strategy with Ana, the marketing director.

But still . . .

“Of course, I’d like that,” I blurt, then swallow hard at Vinny’s smile.

God, he’s pretty.

“Awesome,” he whispers. “You can come right now, or go to your place first if you want.”