Page 37 of Perfect Storm (Toronto Thunder #1)

“How was the game?” Logan asked Levi as he lay in bed.

Aidan was gone, at brunch with his agent, who’d swung up to Toronto on a trip to the East Coast to check in with his players before the season started.

Usually he and Logan FaceTimed, but Levi had specifically told his brother he was naked in bed, so he wouldn’t have to additionally explain that he was naked, in Aidan’s bed.

Because the big bed, the room, the decor, the floor-to-ceiling windows with the sunlight streaming in, told the whole story and Logan wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t the guest room, and Levi didn’t want to lie to his older brother and tell him it was.

“It was fine,” Levi said. “I played like, a series. I don’t know, like ten plays? We scored a TD. Beautiful fucking slant to Trev. Don’t know if you saw it.”

“Sure did,” Logan said. “Flynn looks strong.”

Strong and gorgeous and confident.

Levi had never been more proud to block for a quarterback in his life, and he knew that meant something, but he was feeling a lot better about it if he didn’t look at that too closely.

“Yeah, for sure,” Levi agreed.

“And you at left tackle.” Speaking of pride, it was practically leaking out of Logan’s voice. “Didn’t think you’d ever want to make the switch.”

Another bit of motivation Levi didn’t really want to examine too closely. But it was bone-deep in him at this point. He wanted to protect Aidan and shield him and make him smile, too. Relieve even just a fraction of the weight he carried around on those capable shoulders.

And not just because the sex was great, though it was, but because Levi had begun to see that nobody had ever done that for him before.

“It was the right choice,” Levi said simply.

Logan’s silence was telling. “Oh yeah? Just you volunteering to move over? To deal with a whole new set of problems?” His voice was arch. He’d clearly been reading the media chatter surrounding Levi’s switch. Levi didn’t know if he was flattered by that, or annoyed.

Or maybe it was more fear that Logan would assume all the right things.

“Like you’ve never done that,” Levi muttered.

“Yeah, I sure have, but you? I can’t say never, ’cause you’re a Banks, through and through. Never saw a challenge you didn’t want to meet. But mostly, you just didn’t see them.”

It was an uncomfortably accurate assessment. Typical Logan. Levi wished he was slightly less observant.

Before he could drop any more truth bombs, Levi changed the subject. “And how was the sideline for you yesterday, bro?”

Logan groaned. “I had to watch Dylan suit up. It sucked. I hated it.”

“Dude, you’re never even on the field at the same time as your guy. Not in preseason. Not in a regular game, either.” Logan played center on the offensive line and Dylan, his boyfriend, was the Piranhas’ kicker.

“I know.” Logan still sounded frustrated. “It still sucks? Like he was involved and I was just . . .there.” He echoed all the things that Levi didn’t like about the preseason, either.

They really were both Bankses, through and through. Levi had a feeling if they got Landry on the phone, it would be the same for him. He’d whine about how he’d had to watch Riley throw to some other tight end that wasn’t him.

“Season starting soon, though,” Levi promised.

“Yeah,” Logan agreed.

Levi wet his lips. Wondering if he should say something about what was really on his mind. Why he’d really called his brother. Even if he was nebulous, Logan might guess—but then, why should he? He didn’t know about Aidan.

Landry did, which was why it was Logan he’d called. There was a slightly better chance Levi might be able to talk about this and not give it all away.

“So um, I gotta ask,” Levi said, “I know you’re crazy about Dylan—”

“That’s nothing new,” Logan said.

“No, I know. Which is why I gotta ask. How did you know you wanted him to be more than just a hookup?”

Logan went deathly quiet. Unfairly, Levi thought. Logan had had his hookup phase, just the same as Levi had. He’d never made any secret about it and had never had any shame either. Sure, Levi’s had lasted a year or two longer, but they weren’t that different.

It wasn’t like Levi was allergic to relationships or emotionally stunted. He’d never just looked at someone and wanted and wanted and wanted. Wanted so much he didn’t think he’d ever find the bottom of it.

But he was beginning to think that was the situation with Aidan.

“Are you serious?” Logan asked. “Who is it?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Yes, and why am I not surprised that’s your first question?”

“Well, bro, you haven’t been in Toronto that long.”

Levi almost told him it had started before that. This summer, even.

Maybe it had started a long time before that.

It wasn’t like he’d never looked at Aidan and thought, holy fuck he’s hot. He’d just never believed he could do anything about it, not until Aidan had come out to him.

“No, but isn’t that what people say all the time?” Levi wondered. “Time doesn’t matter. Like when you know, you know.”

“If that was true, you wouldn’t be calling me up about it, asking how I was sure I had feelings for Dylan and didn’t just want to get into his pants.”

“I don’t want to be wrong.” Levi didn’t know if he wanted to be feeling this at all, if he was being honest. Aidan might never feel the same. After all, this whole thing had started because he’d told Levi he was in love with Morris Jeffries.

Aidan might still be in love with Morris Jeffries. He might be in love with Morris Jeffries forever.

That did not bode well for Levi’s potential feelings.

“You’re not stupid,” Logan said, which was shockingly unhelpful.

“Duh,” Levi retorted.

“I’m just saying, the fact that you have to ask me how I knew I didn’t want to just hook up with Dylan? Well, that tells you something right there.”

Levi was afraid of this, which was why he hadn’t brought it up before now. Not only why he’d been cautious about it, but no question it was a factor.

“And,” Logan added, his voice growing kinder, “you know what just wanting someone feels like. When you’ve nutted, you’re kinda done, you know? With Dylan, I never feel like I get enough. I want him around all the time. Just to talk. Or laugh. Or whatever.”

Yeah, Levi knew. Sure, they were living together, so they’d be together anyway, but Levi looked forward to pretty much every moment they hung out.

Even if it was as stupid as sitting together on the plane back from California, with three-quarters of the team asleep in the cabin around them, as they watched their touchdown drive on Aidan’s tablet and broke down every single play they’d run and how they could run it better next time.

Normally, that would be work. An obligation that Levi did because he had to, not because he wanted to.

But he’d enjoyed every single moment of it, because it was Aidan he was doing it with. Aidan he could poke gentle fun at. Aidan he could make smile. Aidan he could knock his knee against and watch as his blue eyes grew just a little smoky with barely banked heat.

“You gonna tell me who it is?” Logan asked again.

Like hell he was. If he told Logan, there was no way Logan wouldn’t tell Landry—and that would be yanking open a whole can of worms.

Levi hesitated.

“I get it—it’s probably someone on the team,” Logan said.

“Yeah,” Levi said. He could admit that much. It would at least keep Logan off his back, because Logan would assume that they weren’t out publicly yet and that was why Levi was being close-lipped about their identity. That was also true. But that wasn’t really the reason Levi wasn’t saying.

“I never thought you’d be the one asking these questions,” Logan said.

There it was again. Just because Levi enjoyed hooking up and had never really felt like he needed more from someone, he was never going to want more. Levi made a face, glad again that Logan couldn’t see.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Logan clucked, like the eighty-year-old grandmother he wasn’t.

“Hey, you got around plenty pre-Dylan,” Levi said, before his brother could make any more disapproving noises.

“Sure,” Logan said.

“Then why the judgment?” Levi demanded to know.

“I just . . .we just . . .we worry about you.”

Logan didn’t need to go into detail about who the we consisted of. Landry and Lyla, no doubt. All uniting against him and his perfectly understandable desire to have a good time. “God, I’m almost jealous of Riley. Only one older sibling to worry about.”

“Come on,” Logan chided. “I’m just saying. I’ve been telling you that sex that isn’t just sex to get your rocks off is pretty damn good.”

He had been saying it, for literal years now, but then Levi was also sure that was because he was head over heels with and completely, entirely dickmatized by Dylan.

“Yeah, ’cause you found the right guy to have that sex with.”

Levi couldn’t blame him; Dylan was a great guy and also happened to be perfect for his brother. Hot and funny and smart. Easygoing and easy to get along with, with none of Logan’s dramatics. And a damn good kicker, too.

Competency porn was totally a thing.

Levi might’ve gotten a little hard watching Aidan throwing that touchdown to Trevor.

The soft touch with the ball. The accuracy and how he’d put it where only Trev could catch it.

Fifteen years of college and NFL experience condensed into one single throw.

It was easy to see why Aidan had two Super Bowl rings, looking at a throw like that.

“And,” Logan said bluntly, “maybe you’ve finally found the right guy, too.”

God, Levi almost hoped that wasn’t true. He liked Aidan so much, but dating him would be complicated.

There was the Flynn connection. Then the fact they were teammates. And of course, the most complicated part of all: that three months ago, Aidan had told him he was in love with someone else.