Page 34

-MALCOLM-

THE MOMENTBecki’s lips touch his skin, every cell in my body freezes. Her arms are thrown around his wide shoulders, hanging off his neck, with one leg kicked back. And North’s half-hunched over her, his sweat-slicked hair spiked, and leaning into her kiss with his eyes slightly closed. Savoring it.

The noises around me mute to a dull ringing in my ears, and I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach.

While I watch, transfixed, he opens his eyes and looks up over the top of her head. Our eyes meet for a split second and guilt flashes across his face. And for a moment I forget how to breathe.

I spin and march toward the locker room, my whole body rigid, until the concrete wall stands between us, then stop and lean against it.

They look so good together, the perfect all-American dream.

My throat feels tight. Why do I need to get my breath back, like I’ve taken a gut punch? This is fucking ridiculous. I specifically told him he could go out with other people if he wanted. I made it very clear that we weren’t romantically involved and that he was available. That’s what I said to him.

After he said he liked me.

Yeah, and I shot him down because I don’t do relationships. Remember?

I fight to get my chest to expand, draw the air in. The pads feel too restrictive, and I want to tear them off.

It doesn’t make any sense. I have no reason to feel like this.

I push away from the wall and work to unclench my fists as I move down the hallway toward the locker room. If North wants to kiss popular preppy girls then he’s welcome to. It has nothing to do with me.

A shout comes from behind me, over the noise of the team laughing and talking as they make their way back to the locker room.

“Hey! Malcolm!”

North hurries after me, carrying his helmet under his arm, cleats clacking on the tiles. I want to keep on walking, but I have no reason to be pissed at him, so I stand and watch him jogging toward me.

“Sorry about that, Becki just kinda came out of nowhere—”

I shrug and cut him off. “OK.”

I don’t want to hear his apologies or excuses, I don’t want to care. I keep on walking, and he skips to catch up, trying to get in front of me to see my face.

“Are you upset?”

Yes.

“No. Why would I be upset?”

“Oh. Ok,” he says. “It’s just, on the field you looked kinda upset.”

I need him to stop talking. I need to change the subject. I need to remind him what’s important here, and it sure as fuck isn’t Becki or some insignificant kiss.

The door to the equipment closet is behind him, and I spin and reach around him, jerking it open and dropping my helmet. I smack his out of his surprised hands, and it hits the floor and rolls away. With one shove he trips backward, catching himself against the row of shelves just inside the door. His hand knocks a stack of cones, sending them to scatter across the floor. I follow him in and close the door behind me, catching a glimpse of his face before the light cuts off.

It’s dark in here, and North is a warm shadowy shape in front of me, the sound of his breathing loud in the sudden quiet. As my vision adjusts I can just make out his wide eyes, reflecting the scrap of light that slips in under the door. He’s waiting for me to speak. He’s already fallen back into the familiar sub space so easily, with just the slightest push. I let the moment drag out, enjoying it. Becki might be able to kiss him, but can she do this to him?

He keeps silent, waiting, ready for my instructions.

“To be honest, Nolan, I’m not sure what to do with you right now. You played that game like a fucking pro. But I still need to punish you for being an idiot with your EpiPen.” He makes a noise, small and needy, that gives me a rush. The power I have over him is like a drug. “So do I reward you, or punish you first?”

North gulps, his Adam’s apple bobbing. I step closer to him and place my hand around his neck, feeling the way his throat moves and the way his skin burns. Possessive where Becki was clingy.

“Well? I asked you a question.”

“Reward,” he croaks, then clears his throat. “Reward first, please.”

“OK.”

I push him backward by the throat and he goes easily, his cleats tapping on the floor. The back of his calves meet an old wooden bench, and he sits with a creak.

“Don’t move.”

I search around the room for something I can use. I didn’t plan to do this here, but after seeing him with Becki . . . well, plans change. So I’m going to have to improvise. On one of the shelves is a box of jump ropes. I pull some free and turn back to him, straightening them between my hands as he watches me while gripping the edges of the bench.

“Lie down.”

When he’s on his back, I pull his arms underneath the bench, then tie his wrists together with one of the jump ropes. He shifts against them, small, excited movements that make me want to flip him over and fuck him hard right here.

Instead, I ease his shoes off one at a time and throw them behind me, where they crash into something. He stifles a snort, and I can’t help smiling. I jerk his pants off, tear away his jock strap, then spread his legs, with his feet on the floor on either side of the bench. Now he’s lying with his hands tied beneath him, naked from the waist down, with his cock standing long and hard. The fact that he’s still wearing his gear on his top half only accentuates his nakedness, and makes the scene look even more obscene.

I stand over him. “OK, I’ll give you your reward first. And I’m going to let you decide your own punishment.”

He’s staring up at me, his hair splayed out on the bench around his head. “I know there’s a catch to that,” he says, breathless and amused. Smart boy.

“I’m going to suck you off,” I say. He makes a choking noise, his shaky intake of breath is enough to make my own cock twitch. I haven’t sucked anyone off in years, but for some reason I feel the need to do it now. But why? Becki’s lips on his cheek flash through my head and I push it away. “And then, after you’ve come, I’m going to punish you. But it’s up to you how long the punishment lasts. Every time you make a noise while I’m blowing you, I’m going to add half an hour to your punishment. Understand?”

“Oh, god. Ok. But I don’t think I’m gonna have much opportunity to make any noises, I’m pretty sure I’m going to explode in record time.”

I smirk. I know he’s joking, but the chance to tease him is too good. “Well then, I’ll just have to see how long I can make it last. Really draw it out.”

“Oh, god,” he mutters.

He already sounds wrecked, and I haven’t even touched him yet. I’d like to see wholesome Becki have this effect on him. I pinch the bridge of my nose. Stop thinking about Becki!

“Safeword?” I say.

“Baseball.”

“Safe signal?”

He snaps his fingers and it rings out in the quiet space.

“Every noise you make,” I remind him, settling between his spread knees on the bench, and running my tongue over my lips. “So you better keep quiet.”