Page 40 of Don't Puck Up

His response was simple.

Thank you. To both. But mostly for the latter??

We kept going like that, V sending me a picture of the beach in the background, perfect waves curling as they crashed onto the shore, and a coffee in the foreground.

From earlier this morning

What coffee do you drink?

Chris asked, the first thing he’d said all day. Chris was on an away trip with the team. He’d been gone for four days, and it would be another three before he was back. He’d been transitioning between cities today, getting settled into a new hotel and having a pre-game warmup.

I never got used to the away games, no matter how many years he’d played. The different time zones, the time apart, sleeping alone, then sleeping together again when he was back, but I’d put up with them for as long as Chris chose to play. He loved the game, and it was a small sacrifice on my part for him to be able to do the only thing he’d ever dreamed of.

V's text response had me cringing.

I’m a simple kind of guy. A long black with milk, not creamer, or a caramel latte if I want something sweeter

Weirdo

Who doesn’t drink creamer?

Chris’s picture came through a moment later—a plate of grilled chicken and vegetables, a bowl of pasta with what looked like a bolognaise sauce with crusty garlic bread, and a chocolate protein shake. That was his lunch. Dinner would be a light snack before he hit the ice, then something more substantial when they finished.

You eat more in each meal than I do in a day

V was right, Chris did eat like a machine. But he’d burn off every one of those calories before the night was out.

Means I can go all night

V responded.

You’re a regular Energizer Bunny

Chrismessaged back instantly.

I have a few hours to kill between now and the game. I should be resting but I can’t sit still. What should I do? What are you doing now? I’ll do that too

Paperwork

Urgh. No thanks. V?

An image of a white jacket, crossed over at the chest with a black belt tied around his waist came through. There was just a hint of a curve from his pecs and the top of his six-pack visible from the angle of the camera. I wanted to run my tongue over all that golden skin.

Training. I’m about to do a karate lesson, then I have a sparring session with my sensei lined up

I swallowed hard. Seeing him run was hot, but watching him fight? Damn, I’d do almost anything to see that.

Gulp. Thinking about you in that… uniform—is that what’s it’s called?—and fighting… damn sexy

A laughing emoji came through.

The uniform’sa gi, and it’s really not sexy watching me fight. It’s mostly just me getting sweaty and trying to stop my sensei from dropping me like a sack of potatoes

Chris, you should start karate

Don’t think I’m allowed

Stupid hockey rules. I’d love to watch the two of you get sweaty together and fight. Can we do it naked though?