Page 40 of Overtime Goal (Buffalo Warriors Hockey #4)

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Morning haze still clung to the sea as I kicked the Vespa to life. Riley wrapped both arms around me from behind, already smelling like sunscreen and the citrus cologne he’d bought earlier in the week. We pulled onto Amalfi Drive, the main road twisting along the coast.

The view was breathtaking. Terraced lemon groves stepped up the mountains to our left, and on the right, the Mediterranean spread out far below. The air was sharp with a mix of salt, lemon blossoms, and engine exhaust.

Riles leaned into me when we rounded a curve, yelling, “Fuck yes!” We both laughed like maniacs over the Vespa’s growl.

It was midmorning when we reached Ravello and parked under a vine-draped pergola.

Piazza Duomo was quiet, anchored by the pale stone cathedral at one end.

Café tables and canvas umbrellas were scattered throughout the square.

Ade and I picked up bowls of granita from a stand, lemon for me and almond for him, and claimed a tiny table overlooking the gardens.

“This is delicious,” he said, wearing a big grin.

“Mine too. Really hits the spot.”

“Here.” He held out a spoonful of his. “Try it.”

I hummed with pleasure as I swallowed. Without thinking, I leaned over and gave him a playful kiss, then marveled at my luck while I stared into his brilliant green eyes.

My insides buzzed as I gave him a bite of my granita.

After years of trying to hide my feelings, being able to love him openly was incredible.

“The lemon’s fantastic.” He smacked his lips. “I love the tang.”

I bounced my eyebrows. “I’ll show you tang as soon as we get home.”

“Holding you to that,” he said. “Or maybe we’ll find a hidden spot along the road.”

We joked around while we ate our granitas, then sat quietly, enjoying the peace.

After a while, he said, “This is perfect.”

“Sure is,” I said. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

“I’m game if you are. Do they have hockey here?”

We lingered a few more minutes, but the heat finally drove us into the cathedral. Inside, the air was cool and still. A docent took our contribution and told us the building dated back to 1068. Whitewashed walls rose into arches, emphasizing the paintings and statues scattered throughout.

Riles leaned in. “A thousand years old. Think they used elephants and giraffes to build it?”

I gave him a look, and he twisted his lips into a “gotcha” grin. He looked around, clearly impressed by the space. When his eyes stopped on the pulpit, he let out a low gasp. It was marble, perched high on twisting columns. They were supported by lions so lifelike they seemed ready to leap.

“Okay, that’s badass,” he whispered. “Lions holding up the preacher’s stand. No wonder people showed up.”

I shook my head, but his smile put a beautiful ache in my chest. Leave it to Riley to turn a centuries-old pulpit into something playful without sounding disrespectful. He sure made me see it differently.

After our informal tour, we went back to the Vespa and headed west until we saw a beautiful spot under the cliffs. I found a turn-off and parked, and we took off our shoes and started walking down the beach.

“Is this where you show me that tang you talked about?” he asked.

I glanced around. “There’s no one else here, but if we tried that, it would be our luck for the police to come along.”

“You’re probably right. We don’t need that kind of publicity along with news of me going gay.”

He took my hand, and we laughed as we walked on. Soon, we came to a cove that wouldn’t be visible from the road.

“If we can’t have sex,” he said, “let’s at least go skinny dipping.”

I put a hand on my chest and acted shocked. “In broad daylight?”

He waved me off. “It’s Europe. People aren’t as uptight as most Americans, so get naked. God knows you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

We stripped down and ran toward the sea.

I stayed behind him, eager for a look at his amazing ass.

He didn’t disappoint; the way his muscles shifted as he moved made my dick twitch.

Since getting hard right then probably wasn’t a good idea, I shoulder-tackled him, laughing until I nearly choked on salt.

He sank to his knees and kissed me until I was lightheaded.

We swam until the sun was high.

“We should get going,” I said. “More to see.”

He wrapped his arms around me and pressed kisses to the back of my neck. There was no avoiding it this time; I got as hard as a rock.

My voice came out husky. “You’d better stop that unless you’re ready to do that other thing we talked about.”

He ground his erection against my butt. “Thought you didn’t want to. I’m definitely up for that.”

I pulled free and turned to face him. “I haven’t seen anyone else since we got here.”

“Over there,” he said, pointing to a grassy area about forty feet away, in the deep shade of the cliff. “Come on.”

We stopped in Amalfi for lunch. After pasta and salads, Riles slipped his hand into mine. “This is the best day. Being with you makes everything perfect.”

“You’re just saying that because you got laid on the beach.”

He shook his head. “I’m saying it because I got laid by the man I love, and because we’ve finally realized what we can have.”

I teared up. Since the lump in my throat was too big to say anything, I squeezed his hand instead.

He kissed my cheek and whispered, “You’re everything, babe. You don’t regret shooting that puck back on the beach, do you? Because I sure don’t.”

I laughed at the analogy. “I’ll shoot pucks with you anytime.”

We paid the bill and explored the shops on Ruga Nova Mercatorum before stopping for a limonata. By then, the afternoon was winding down, so we climbed onto the scooter and rode back along the coast, enjoying the cooler air as the sun dropped behind the cliffs.

After leaving the Vespa at the rental agency, we walked home and collapsed onto a couch in the living room, tired but happy.

Riley was lying with his head in my lap. “Today was amazing,” he said.

His hair had fallen over his eyes, and it was so cute it took me a minute to ask, “How so?”

“Well, this is us, having a lot more fun than we’ve ever had.”

I pushed his hair back off his forehead. “Spoiler alert. We’re only getting started.”

“I love that.” He looked up and met my eyes. “It was fun having sex at the beach. Maybe we can do that again while we’re here.”

“Just say the word. I’ll never get enough of you.”

We were quiet while we wound down, but Riley eventually broke the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

He sat up and turned to face me. His eyes were serious. “You’ve fucked guys before, right? I mean… really fucked? You inside them?”

A jolt of nervous energy hit me, not because I minded the question, but because I wasn’t sure where he wanted this to go. “Yes. Why?”

He took my hands. “Because I want to do that with you. I’ve been thinking about it since the first time we were together, and I want you on top. I need to feel you inside me.”

Heat surged through me at the mere thought of fucking him. “I’d love that, but are you sure you’re ready? The first time can be intense.”

“I’m sure it will be. But I love you so much, and I want to share that with you, be that close. I mean…” His cheeks turned red as he looked away, then back. “If you like it the other way, we could take turns or something. But what I really want is you taking the lead.”

“I’m definitely a top, but you’ve never been fucked, right? What is it about bottoming that appeals to you?”

He chewed his lips, then let out a long breath.

“I hope this doesn’t sound silly. We’re both hockey players, and I’ve always put on a tough-guy act.

But when you take care of me, I feel safe.

That’s something I never had before you, and I think you fucking me would be natural for both of us.

” He held my gaze. “I’ll take care of you too. Whenever you want, whatever you need.”

His hair had fallen into his eyes again, so I brushed it back.

“That’s not silly. It’s the kind of trust most people spend a lifetime looking for.

” I kissed the corner of his mouth, then whispered, “I’d love to fuck you.

I’ll be open about what I need, but taking care of you is at the top of the list.”

He smiled. “Sounds perfect then.”

“Let’s go slow,” I said. “We’ll let it build, and if you ever want to try it the other way, we can.”

“Can we do it after dinner? You fucking me, I mean, not the other way around.” The wicked grin he’d flashed on the beach had returned. “I’ll need to eat first to get up my strength.”

I pressed his hand against the outline of my cock. It was already throbbing inside my shorts. “Feel that? Just from talking about it.”

His breath caught. “Okay. Let’s go get dinner over with.”