Page 43 of Perfect Storm (Toronto Thunder #1)

“I don’t know, I was there when they saw each other for the first time, and it wasn’t exactly a romantic reunion,” Trevor said.

“Maybe they were hiding it?” Wes suggested.

Levi wanted them both to shut up before they accidentally stumbled on the right answer. “Guys,” he chided. “It’s fine. It’s not . . .it’s not something. It’s not anything. Just let it go, okay?”

Wes didn’t look convinced but Trevor was too nice to keep up the interrogation after Levi had told them to quit it.

At least then, Zane got their attention, deciding they were going to run another play.

He kept Levi in for another few plays, which was a great distraction, but then he sent him back to the sideline after that.

Turned out watching Aidan and Mo chatting it up like the last three years hadn’t happened was bad enough from a few dozen feet away, but it was worse up close.

Levi resisted the urge to run up to Aidan, plant a flag on his back, and hiss at Mo like a cat, because Aidan was his.

Except Aidan was not his. Aidan didn’t belong to anyone but himself.

Logically he knew that. The problem wasn’t with logic, it was with everything else—all those stupid feelings that kept churning away in his heart.

“Hey, Banks,” Aidan called out, “come over here and meet Mo.”

God. Aidan hadn’t called him Banks since this summer, since they’d kissed for the first time.

Still, what was he going to do? Argue? Tell Aidan no? That would make everything even weirder.

He could go over there and perform basic new teammate niceties, but he still dragged his feet doing it, stopping by and grabbing a bottle of Gatorade before heading over to where Aidan and Mo were still standing together.

“Finally,” Aidan said, shooting Levi a fondly exasperated look. “Mo, this is Levi Banks, my new left tackle.”

“Hey,” Levi said, accepting Mo’s outstretched hand. They shook briefly.

Mo was even better looking up close. Tan skin and dark eyes and hair. A jawline that looked like it had been chiseled from marble.

Levi wanted to hate him.

Wanted to hate the affectionate glance, full of a long familiarity, that Mo sent Aidan’s way. “So this is the guy that meant I couldn’t crash in your condo, huh?”

At least there was that. Levi supposed it could be worse. Mo could be moving in with Aidan. Aidan could be asking Levi to leave, so Mo could move in.

Of course, it wasn’t like he was doing much sleeping in the guest room these days, but Levi had a feeling that Aidan wouldn’t be admitting that—especially not to Mo.

“Yep,” Aidan said, not sounding like he regretted that at all. “You got places you can stay, dude.”

“Yeah, I’m just giving you shit,” Mo said. “Makes me wish I hadn’t sold the condo in your building though. I’m sure to buy it back is gonna cost me more.”

It was petty but Levi hoped that it was so ridiculously expensive that Mo went someplace else. Levi didn’t want him that close, and Aidan hardly needed that either.

Though Levi could see the potential in making Aidan scream so loud Mo finally got the memo that he belonged to someone else now.

“A lot more, probably,” Levi said, not quite eliminating the hopeful note from his voice.

Aidan shot him a questioning look. Mo, on the other hand, didn’t look all that surprised. Had Aidan told him? No. There was no way Aidan would’ve.

“So you’re the youngest Banks, huh?” Mo asked.

His gaze slid over Levi’s body, not in an I find you hot way, but more in an I can’t quite believe you’re the youngest way.

Levi got both of those a lot, but he wasn’t surprised Mo had landed on the latter.

He was straight. Or at least that was what he’d told Aidan.

And if a guy didn’t go gay for Aidan Flynn, then he was pretty damn straight.

“Yep,” Levi said.

“And the others, they’re bigger than you?”

“Nah,” Levi said, subtly flexing. Sure Aidan had said he loved Mo. But if it came down to it, he could totally take Mo in a fight. Maybe he was strong, rippling biceps evident under his practice jersey, but Levi was stronger.

“No way,” Aidan added, chuckling. “Levi’s just built different.”

“Well, you’re gonna keep this dude safe, so you’re a friend in my book,” Mo said, giving Levi a reassuring smile.

The problem with hating Mo on sight was that he wasn’t particularly hateable.

He clearly cared about Aidan, and so did Levi. As much as he didn’t like it, they had that in common.

“You’re the worst,” Aidan said fondly but Mo just grinned.

Levi had expected that some of Aidan’s feelings might bleed out when he had to watch him and Mo interact one-on-one. But so far, they only seemed to him like old friends, reunited again.

It left Levi so confused. He’d been so positive that he could see beneath Aidan’s mask, but now he wasn’t so sure. Was there another, deeper one, underneath? Had he missed that? Levi didn’t think he had.

“You looked good out there,” Aidan said, turning to Levi. “Solid.”

“Felt solid,” Levi said.

Football was blessedly simple, compared to whatever the complicated shit was going on in his personal life.

“I’m not playing tomorrow.” Aidan made a face. “Zane just told me.”

“I’m sure I’m barely gonna play,” Levi admitted.

“I told Zane to put me out there, but he just laughed,” Mo said, commiserating.

Aidan elbowed him. “You don’t even know the playbook yet.”

“Yeah, I do. Run down the line and let you hit me.” Mo grinned. “Just like old times.”

“Yeah,” Aidan agreed, “just like old times.”