Page 36 of Beastkin

I took one last glance at Phoenix up in the stands and blew out a long sigh. Well, there was no avoiding it anymore. I had no idea what I was doing or what I was going to say, but it was going to happen. One way or another.

Chapter 15

Karrick

Lingering in the locker room with Phoenix on my mind wasn’t an option. I was barely able to contain my arousal once I was free of the jockstrap. A quick, very cold shower, was all I could muster before I dried off and stuffed my uncooperative dick back into my jeans. When I finally headed for the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned back to see Silver standing there in just a towel, his body still dripping from the shower.

“You got this, buddy,” he said, giving me an encouraging nod.

I didn’t dare turn all the way around, not when my jeans were full to bursting with a boner that refused to go away. “Thanks,” I muttered, and pushed my way through the door.

The afternoon sunlight momentarily blinded me as I stepped outside, but I quickly spotted Phoenix waiting on a bench nearby. He was wearing that same loose, cream, button-up and those suspenders that made him look a little bit like a character fromAnne of Green Gables. The sight made my heart skip a beat and my already uncomfortable situation even worse. He looked up when he heard the door, those orange eyes locking with mine, and rose to his feet.

“Hi,” he said, his voice soft but determined.

“Hey.” I shifted uncomfortably, trying to subtly adjust myself. “You really waited this whole time.”

“I told you I would.” He smiled, a tentative thing that made my chest ache. “Can we talk now?”

I glanced around the practice field. Several of my teammates were filtering out of the locker room, and a few curious glances were already being thrown our way. The last thing I needed was an audience for whatever was about to happen between us.

“Not here,” I sighed, nodding toward a wooded path that led behind the athletics complex. “Follow me.”

Phoenix fell into step beside me, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke that seemed to cling to him. It was intoxicating, and I found myself breathing deeper just to capture more of it.

“You played well today,” he offered as we walked.

I snorted. “No, I didn’t. I was terrible.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know,” he admitted with a small laugh. “I’ve never actually watched football before.”

That surprised me. “Never? Not even on TV?”

He shook his head. “My parents thought sports were beneath us. Especially ones played by...” He trailed off, but I knew what he meant. Ones played by monsters.

“Right,” I muttered, a familiar bitterness rising in my throat.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, the path narrowing as we entered the woods. The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows across Phoenix’s face. He looked both familiar and strange to me. He was the boy I’d known in those childhood summers and the beautiful man he’d become, all at once.

“Where are we going?” he asked finally.

“There’s a clearing up ahead,” I said, pushing aside a low-hanging branch for him. “It’s quiet. Private.”

The trail opened into a small glade, sunlight streaming through a break in the canopy to illuminate a fallen log and a patch ofwildflowers. It was one of my favorite spots on campus, a place I came when I needed to think or be alone. I’d never brought anyone here before.

Phoenix stepped into the clearing, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the peaceful scene. “It’s beautiful,” he said softly. “It reminds me of...”

“The woods behind my house,” I finished for him. “Where we used to play.”

He nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “You remember.”

“I never forgot,” I said, the words coming out harsher than I intended. “That’s the whole point. I remembered everything, every moment we spent together. While you...”

Phoenix took a step closer, those orange eyes locked on mine. “I know. And I’m so sorry, Karrick. If I could go back and change what happened?—”

“But you can’t,” I interrupted, unable to stop the rush of emotions flooding through me. “And neither can I. We can’t just pick up where we left off like nothing happened.”

“Why not?” he asked, his voice so earnest it made my chest ache. “We’re both here now. We’re both free. My parents can’t control me anymore.”