Page 25

CHAPTER 25

AXEL

“ I s this your first time here?”

Someone was talking to me. I think?

I was busy watching Jace as he bent over the pool table, setting up the break shot. The sight of his sexy ass in those worn jeans was painfully distracting, so distracting that I didn’t even notice the guy talking to me. Shit.

“You’re Axel, right? Axel Lund. You play for the Cougars.”

At the sound of my name, I turned around to find a tall, lanky guy with big green eyes, dark hair, and a shy smile greeting me. He looked familiar but I didn’t know where from. One of my classes, maybe? He was leaning against the wall, a bottle of Dr. Pepper in hand, surveying the room.

Free Ball —yep, that was the name of the pool hall—was packed. With twelve tables on the first floor, and video arcade games on the second, the place was crawling with students and locals alike. There wasn’t much nightlife in a small town like Sutton so I could see why a venue like this was popular. I hadn’t explored the town much since I arrived, preferring to keep myself to myself. Growing up in a college town where everybody knew your business didn’t exactly endear me to this one. Not at first. But, like the cockiest forward on my hockey team, Vermont was growing on me.

“That’s right, and yeah, first time here,” I replied. “Have we met before?”

“Not formally. I’m Archie Dunn,” he offered his free hand. “I’m friends with Jackson. We row crew together.”

“I thought you looked familiar,” I said as we shook hands. “Were you in the crowd last night?”

He nodded and raised his bottle. “Hell of a game. You did Sutton proud.”

“Thanks. It was a tough one. I used to play for Langston.”

“Ouch. Well, you did good. Better than that. Your assist in that last period was phenomenal,” Archie commented and glanced at Jace. “So, you’re here with Jace.”

“Yeah, we needed a break between hockey games,” I explained, hoping like hell I didn’t start blushing. “You know him?”

“Oh yeah,” Archie replied, his face turning bright red.

Wait, was this one of Jace’s hookups? My blood pressure went from normal to dangerously high in the blink of an eye.

“I mean, I’m friends with Hailey and Tyson,” Archie added quickly. “They know him better than I do.”

Hailey certainly did. And Tyson? Fuck me. It was another reminder that Jace could have, and did have, anyone he wanted. What was he doing here with me?

“Awesome,” I bit out, not knowing what else to say but forcing my mouth to move. “Are you here alone?”

“My friends are upstairs in the game room. I came down to use the bathroom and grabbed another drink.”

“You want to play with us?” I asked, trying to break the awkward tension.

“Thanks, I’d love to,” Archie grinned and placed his drink aside.

I turned back to the table only to find Jace giving me the side- eye.

“What?” I mouthed.

He shook his head but stood up and offered his hand to Archie.

“Hey, Dunn, how are you?” Jace asked with a tense smile.

“I’m great. Finally got to meet Axel.” Archie smiled at me. “Jackson’s talked about your game, but watching you play on Friday was something else.”

I wasn’t comfortable with accolades and waved him off.

“I mean it.” Archie leaned in. “But a guy like you, who can push it hard every period, you should be rowing, not skating. Ever think about it?”

I laughed out loud at that idea. No way.

“Me, sitting in that tiny boat? Pfft. I’d sink like a stone. Plus, pro hockey, dude. Come on.”

“Why don’t you stop by the club sometime and try it out?” Archie offered, running one hand through his thick hair. “I’d be happy to take you out. I mean, obviously in the spring, when the lake isn’t frozen. And, after hockey’s done, of course.”

It sounded like fun and probably a good way to stay in shape in the offseason. I was about to reply when Jace slid up beside me, offering me a cue and a warning look.

“We’d love to,” he replied.

“We?” I turned to him.

“I’m sure the rest of the team would love to try it out,” Jace added with a polite smile. “We could make a day of it. Or, a weekend.”

“Sure, why not?” Archie replied. “Jackson’s been talking about getting the teams together for a while for a competition. That’s a great idea.”

“Super,” Jace muttered and tapped my ass with the end of the pool cue. “You’re up, Hot Shot.”

“Okay, Honey,” I teased him.

“Honey?” Archie’s eyes widened.

“It’s our team nicknames,” I explained. “Thanks to Ethan Walker. I’m Hot and Jace is Honey.”

Archie nodded in understanding and stared at me. “I can see it.”

“Are we going to stand around or are we going to play?” Jace asked as he put a hand on my lower back.

Was he even aware of what he was doing?

I leaned into him, closer than I probably should’ve, closer than I did with any other teammate, and Jace finally met my gaze head- on. I should’ve stepped away, but I didn’t. Was Archie staring at us? Did he know? I didn’t care, or rather, all I could focus on was Jace. And his proprietary gesture was hot as hell. So hot that I couldn’t move.

Not for anything.

An hour later, and the pool game was a wipeout. Archie won. I offered to buy him dinner too, but he declined and excused himself to meet up with his friends again.

While Archie headed back upstairs, Jace and I gathered our stuff to head out.

“Where do you want to eat?” I asked Jace.

“You still want to take me out?” he replied, his voice clipped.

He’d been tense the entire time we were playing pool. Which wasn’t like him.

“Of course. Or, we can go back to the dorm and order in.”

“Dorm,” he replied curtly as we stepped outside.

“Everything okay?”

“Fine. Great. Just, you know, I’m hangry.”

Snow crunched under our boots as we made our way down Main Street.

“Is that all?” I teased him, but I got no response.

“Don’t push me, Ax. I’m like dry tinder at this point.”

“I can handle it.”

“I don’t think you can. Or that I can.” Jace stopped and stared at me. “I don’t know what I’m…what we’re doing. Or why you’re…I mean, what even is this?”

“Not here,” I replied and motioned for him to keep walking.

“In case someone overhears us?”

“That’s not my concern.”

“It should be. We’re flirting in public, for fuck’s sake,” he hissed.

“I know,” I admitted. “I can’t help it.”

“You?” he looked at me with incredulous eyes. “I’m the flirty one.”

“Yeah, you are. You’re also possessive. You didn’t like Archie talking to me or asking me to join him at the rowing club.”

“Oh really?”

I nodded, grinning at him, finally gaining the upper hand.

“You could’ve just grabbed that cue chalk and marked your initials on my ass,” I quipped. “And for some reason, I more than like that idea. It’s so fucking hot.”

“Argh!” Jace held up both hands and then stormed off.

I caught up to him, reaching for his arm.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Don’t make things worse.”

“Fine,” I replied. “Let’s go back to your room and make it better.”

He shook his head.

“I just…I can’t handle this right now.”

“Can’t handle the fact that you want me?” I asked him. “Or that this is more than fucking?”

“Both.”

His admission left me reeling.

“Alright,” I replied calmly. “Can I at least walk you back to the dorm?”

He shook his head.

“If you so much as take one step closer, Ax,” Jace licked his lips. “Just one step.”

I wanted to, fuck, did I want to. But my instincts told me not to push him. Instead, I motioned to the campus.

“Go on. Go. I’ll see you at practice,” I muttered in resignation.

Jace hesitated for a second and then nodded. “See you then.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets and watched Jace as he walked off. Every step grew fainter and yet the silence when he was finally out of sight, when I was alone, was really loud.

“Fuck.”

Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I pulled out a smoke. Okay, smoking was feeling sorry for myself. And not what Coach would’ve wanted. Still, it was better than losing my temper.

After I’d sucked the cigarette down to the filter, I crushed it under my boot and wandered back to the dorm. I checked my phone and decided that now was as good a time as any. Preston still hadn’t responded to my text, so I called him.

When he didn’t answer, I left a simple message.

“Call me when you get this. We need to talk about Jace.”

Jace

You did the right thing. You can’t be losing your head over some guy.

Not just any guy. Axel.

I hardly slept Saturday night. Or, Sunday either. I could barely eat, never mind study. When I did eat, my anxiety reared up and so did my urges. Instead of wallowing in guilt because I wanted to binge and purge, I reached out to my therapist. We had an online session Sunday night. Afterwards, I felt better, but I was still unsettled.

All I could think about was Axel.

I hadn’t heard or seen him since I’d walked away Saturday.

By Monday night, I found myself pacing my room and since I was about to lose it, I gave in.

Jace: How was your meeting with the advisor?

He surprised me by responding right away.

Axel: It’s all set. I’m pumped.

Jace: That’s great.

Ugh. I’m so lame.

Axel: Can I come down to your room?

My dick grew heavy in my jeans, but I ignored it.

Jace: Probably best that you don’t.

Axel: Best for who? I need to see you. It’s been two long fucking days.

Jace: I know.

Axel: I can’t think about anything but wanting to touch you. I’m going crazy here. Don’t tell me you don’t feel the same.

Jace: Jesus, you’re relentless.

Axel: You bet your sweet ass. And speaking of ass, I want to eat yours.

That sexy image had me shoving my free hand down my jeans so I could grab ahold of my hard cock.

With only one hand left to type, it took me forever to write out a message.

Jace: You not freaking out is still freaking me out. You’ve never been with a guy before. Why are you all in?

There was a knock on my door.

Jace: Hold on…

I placed my phone on the nightstand, took a few deep breaths to calm myself down, and stalked over to the door.

Without actually knowing who was on the other side of it, I knew. I just fucking knew.

When I opened the door, I wasn’t in the least bit surprised, but I sure as shit was excited. Excited, and a bit scared. Okay, a lot scared. I couldn’t get a handle on my emotions when it came to Axel, and for the first time in so long, I didn’t want to.

He leaned against the doorjamb, in threadbare jeans and a Cougars t-shirt, his phone in one hand and a white paper bag in the other. His smile was indecent, and so was his sexy scruff. The playoff beard was here to stay, and it was a total turn on. But it was those fucking eyes of his that did me in. I couldn’t resist them, or him. I was so fucked.

“Can I come in now?” he asked, his voice a husky murmur.

“What’s that?” I pointed to the bag in his hand.

“It’s a gift.”

“For me?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes, for you. Is there anyone else here?” he replied, his lips curling in a wide smile. “Now let me in.”

Axel was here. And he’d bought me something? A gift? What was he doing? And how was I going to resist?

“If you want me to beg, Jace, I’ll do it. In fact, it’s all I’ve thought about for the past two days. Getting down on my knees for you. I have no idea how to suck cock but?—”

“Get in my room,” I hissed and reached for his arm, pulling him inside.

His filthy chuckle was loud, and I shushed him, hoping my neighbors wouldn’t hear. Not because I was embarrassed, but because I was protective.

Of him, and us. Whatever ‘us’ was.

“No one’s in the hallway,” he reassured me as he stepped into my room, placing his phone and the bag on the side table. “And even if they were, fuck ‘em.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself.”

Axel came at me, walking me backwards with the same intensity he displayed on the ice, until my ass hit the wall, and I was surrounded by him.

“I’m sure.” He cupped my face in his rough palm. “Are you?”