Page 44 of Overtime Goal (Buffalo Warriors Hockey #4)

riley

A few days later, the morning drifted on, and we still hadn’t moved.

Our breakfast plates sat empty on the terrace table while a breeze carried off the last crumbs of cornettos and sfogliatellas.

Logan sat across from me, shirtless, with his legs stretched long under the table.

He was reading, chuckling quietly now and then, but turning the pages slowly, as if the sound of paper might disturb the peace.

I’d sprawled out too, phone in hand, scrolling through emails.

Some were worth answering, but I was too lazy to type and too content to care.

It was hard to believe it was July already, and our last day in Italy.

Tomorrow we’d be on a plane out of Naples, back to the real world.

Bittersweet didn’t begin to cover it, but instead of being nervous, I was calm.

Positano had burned away the noise in my head and warmed something deep inside me. When we arrived, I’d been trying to make sense of what was happening with Logan and how I felt about it. For weeks before that, I’d tried not to think about him too much, but that had been an epic fail.

Our time in Italy had changed everything.

Logan and I were together now, and I knew exactly what this was and who I wanted.

Still, I couldn’t stop looking at him, half afraid I’d blink and discover I’d imagined the whole thing.

Every glimpse of him made my heart race.

I loved him so much the old me would have panicked and bolted, but now it just felt right.

Leaning back, I enjoyed the view and tried to memorize the smell of the salt air and lemon trees.

I’d miss all this. We’d taken pictures of the view, but they’d never do it justice.

For a moment, I wished I was a painter. I’d set up an easel and create the most gorgeous painting ever: Logan almost naked, with Positano and the sapphire sea in the background.

“You’re quiet.” Logan hadn’t moved from his relaxed sprawl, but the corners of his mouth had curved upward.

“I’m thinking,” I said.

He snorted. “Dangerous.”

“You may be right.” I set my phone on the table and sighed. “This trip has gone by so fast. It’s like we turned around a few times, and now it’s time to go home.”

He closed his book and took off his sunglasses. “I feel exactly the same way.”

“It’s not…” His eyes seemed brighter than the sky, and his windblown hair called out to me, making me want to run my fingers through it.

This incomparable man had my heart pounding like timpani, and I had to wait for it to settle down before I could speak.

“This trip has given me so much more than I expected.”

He tilted his head. “How so?”

I gave him a little smirk. “Well, the best sex of my life, for one thing. It’s given me you, and the peace I needed to figure things out without so much pressure.”

“You have it all worked out, then?”

“I do. I’m definitely bi, and I’m proud of finally getting that straight.” I let out a breath, and grinned. “And I’m falling harder for you every damn day.”

He returned my smile. “Ditto on falling harder every day. I’m crazy about you, Riles, and I’m glad you feel good about who you are.”

“Me too. I always knew something wasn’t right, that I didn’t quite know myself.

I spent so long in denial, chasing every skirt in sight, trying to live up to some big image.

Womanizing was something solid I could grab when the rest of my life was out of control.

Somewhere along the way, I started confusing it with who I was.

When I fell for you, ‘best friend’ was the only label I had.

It’s weird because I’ve known bi guys since I was in high school, but I didn’t know a damn thing about bisexuality. ”

“It makes sense, especially considering what you went through growing up. You were probably grabbing on to anything you could, trying to find stability.” He paused and spent a moment looking at me, as if he might have to draw me from memory.

“How are you going to deal with women back in Buffalo? I don’t mean that in a bad way, but since dating has always been such a big part of you, I can’t help wondering. ”

I almost cracked a joke, my default move when things got heavy, but thank God I didn’t. This was important, and he had every right to ask how I’d handle things. “I’m not confused anymore,” I said. “I know how I feel about you and us. I’m still attracted to women, but?—”

“You always will be.”

“Yes, just like you’ll always be attracted to men.

But that isn’t the point. Love isn’t about all the people out there we find attractive.

It’s about who we choose . And I choose you , Logan.

You make me feel like the most special person who’s ever lived.

You’re the one I trust with everything. We have a lot of fun together, and the sex is mind-blowing, but we’re more than that.

We fit. You’re all I need, and I’ll never betray that. Never. ”

His eyes went glassy, and he reached for my hand. “Thank you for saying all that. Nobody has ever made me feel the way you do either. You’re it for me. I don’t ever want anyone else.”

We held hands and stared into each other’s eyes, and I wished we’d never have to get up again. No sooner had I thought that than my phone buzzed. After a long sigh, I picked it up and squinted at the screen.

MAD DOG: Yo. Where are you? Holky thinks you got lost at a poetry retreat. Should we send up a drone?

I laughed and showed the screen to Logan.

He raised an eyebrow. “Nobody could guess what that means.”

“You don’t think they’re onto us already?”

He chuckled. “How long did it take us to figure out what they were up to?”

“But we’re not even in the US. How could?—”

“They’ve probably been suspicious since we missed golf in LA. Our nosy brothers-in-pucks aren’t slow on the uptake.”

“Fair,” I said, typing a reply.

RILEY: Still alive. No poetry retreat. Just sunshine and carbs.

MAD DOG: Tell Logan to wear sunscreen. His forehead was sunburned in his last Insta post. You know, the one where you posted a selfie taken in the exact same spot a few minutes later.

I snorted and read Logan the message.

He shook his head. “I hate Dog.”

“You love him.”

“I guess.” Logan rolled his eyes. “Most of the time.”

I typed another message.

RILEY: See you soon. Try not to break Holky.

I tossed my phone onto the table. “Maybe we’re not as subtle as I thought.”

Logan shrugged. “Do we want to be?”

I opened my mouth, then hesitated. That wasn’t a rhetorical question; it was the question. What should we do when we got home? Try to keep things under wraps or walk into training camp together and let people talk?

Before I could answer, Logan leaned forward. “I’ve loved this time with you, Ade, and I don’t want to lose it when we go back.”

“You won’t. Not a fucking chance.”

“Then maybe it’s time to talk about what this is.”

“Let’s do it.” I rubbed my palms over my thighs. “So, to be sure we’re on the same page, we’re both thinking this has been a lot more than vacation fun?”

His mouth twitched. “Little late for it to be that, don’t you think?”

“Yeah.” I grinned, but my heart was hammering too hard to joke. “I’m in this a hundred percent. I don’t want to see anyone else. I only want to be with you.”

He nodded. “Same for me. I’ve felt this way since… Well, I haven’t wanted to see anyone else for a long time.”

“You mean before Positano?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Since before LA. A long time before LA.”

I swallowed hard, trying to control the tears threatening to break loose. There would be a time for crying, but we needed to talk first. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize what was going on with either of us.”

“If you hadn’t been who you were, you wouldn’t be who you are now.”

Though I was pretty sure I knew the answer to my next question, I was still nervous about asking. “We’re exclusive, right? That’s what I want.”

He nodded. “Neither of us wants to see anyone else. Isn’t that what exclusive means?”

It took a second for my voice to work. “Yeah, and I’m so happy about it. I’ve never liked anyone enough to be exclusive.”

“I love you, Ade. In case you forgot since I said it the last time.”

“Me…” The damn lump in my throat was growing. “I love you too.”

A breeze stirred the napkin under Logan’s glass. From somewhere down the hill came the sharp rev of a scooter engine, followed by laughter echoing up through the trees.

“Should we tell people?” I asked.

Logan took a moment to answer. “Not yet.”

I nodded. “You’re probably right.”

“But I don’t think we should lie,” he said. “Especially not to the team.”

“No way. Those busybodies can smell a lie from a mile away, plus I don’t want to date anyone but you. Not even the fake-dates Frank sets up.”

Logan laughed. “It’s hilarious that you call them busybodies.”

“That’s what they are.”

“Yep,” he said. “Aidan Riley included.”

I snickered. “Logan Grayson too.”

“No argument. And I’m all for no fake-dates, though I have to say they’d be an effective distraction.”

What the fuck was he talking about? “The fake-date with Natalie was a distraction all right. It almost destroyed us.”

“Things are different now.”

“Maybe so, but I told you before I don’t want to keep us a secret. If I need a date, tag, you’re it.”

He smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. Besides, the boys would see right through it. So until we tell them, let’s not lie. We just won’t volunteer anything. Evasive truth-telling isn’t being dishonest unless it’s combined with lies.”

“Agreed. As long as you don’t think I’m trying to hide anything because I’m ashamed. I’m proud to be with you, and I don’t want to keep our relationship hidden long term.”

“We’re on the same page then.” He thought for a moment. “I came out a long time ago, but this will be a huge change for you. I don’t want you feeling pressured until you’ve had space to get your mind around how it will affect everything.”