Page 26 of Puck My Stepbrother (Pucked and Possessed #2)

LEVI

I stayed up late, waiting for Quinn to return home. I glanced up at the clock and found the hands at ten o’clock—much later than his usual return time. Trust me, this kid was usually in his room by eight.

He’d been avoiding me. How could I not know? But I understood why. He’d done it for the same reason I’d felt so sluggish on the ice.

He was consumed by thoughts about me.

He was in love.

Oh yeah, he wouldn’t cop to that in a million years, but that didn’t make it any less true.

He was in love, and he wanted to be with me. I was in love and wanted to be with him. It made too much sense not to pursue it.

I waited downstairs for him on the couch, watching the Sabres vs the Leafs, wondering when I’d see my former teammates Erik De Ruiter or Kayden Preston in uniform.

The sound of the front door opening tore my focus from the TV.

When Quinn passed through the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder, and he froze as if caught committing a crime.

“Where’ve you been?” I asked.

“Just out.”

He muttered rather than forming actual words. He opened the fridge, grabbed a carton of milk, and poured some into a glass. I hopped up off the couch and shuffled over to meet him.

I stood behind him, putting my hands on his arms, and he drew in a deep breath. Then his head tilted back and I kissed his lips. I knew he’d turn into putty in my hands the moment I did that, and I wasn’t wrong. Kissing Quinn felt so natural, and I knew he felt the same.

But he pulled away from me and darted to the opposite side of the kitchen, like he couldn’t allow that to happen again. Then he leaned against the sink like he might be willing to listen to me.

“Come here and let me kiss you again,” I said. “I know you love it. So do I.”

He looked away, like he wanted to protest, but he knew deep down how much he loved my touch.

“We’ve got things to talk about,” I said.

“Yeah, I think we do.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, you know, about you and me. After what you told me, I know what the right next move is.”

He paused and sipped his milk, but didn’t respond.

“We need to be together,” I said, “you and me. And it’s not just about sex, not just us wanting each other. We need each other. That’s why we should be a real couple.”

“I already told you what I think about that, Levi.”

I wouldn’t let the plaintive notes in his voice deter me.

“Yeah, and this time I’m not taking no for an answer.”

When he sipped his milk, I noticed his hands trembling slightly.

“I’m being serious,” I said. “I know what you told me. And I totally agree with some of it. If we’re going to be together, I’ve got to be open with everyone about who I really am.”

“Levi, that’s not all I?—”

“No, no, I get it. In a way, I’ve always wanted to be open, to not have to hide. The problem was I didn’t totally understand who I am. I didn’t realize that a label applies to me.”

“What label would that be?”

“Bisexual, I guess. Like I said, I didn’t think of it that way before, but I totally get it now.”

“You’re saying you came to grips with it after all this time?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What made you realize it?”

“You, Quinn.”

He stood there in silence for a few moments. Quinn could be a tough cookie. He’d been that way from the very start, but I understood that persistence would pay off.

“How did I make you realize it?” he asked. “Because you realized how much you love fucking my ass?”

“No, Quinn, of course not. Fucking your ass has just been an awesome bonus.”

He snorted.

Then I finally said what was on my heart.

“I realized it because I love you, Quinn.”

He fumbled his glass enough to make milk slosh over the rim and splatter onto his shirt. He rubbed the stain with the bottom of his fist.

“Careful now.” I laughed when I said it, but he didn’t seem to see the humor.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “What did you just say?”

“I said I love you. Didn’t you hear me the first time?”

He nodded, but still looked confused.

“I love you, Quinn.”

“You don’t really mean that.”

“Of course I do.”

“Don’t give me that. You don’t really love me. Guys like you will say anything to get what they want.”

“Quinn, do you know how many times I’ve said those three words to anyone?”

“How many?”

“None.” I made a “zero” sign with my thumb and index finger.

That made him pause.

“Seriously?” he asked.

“Yeah, seriously. I’ve never said it. I mean, I’ve been around a lot of girls. Some of them actually said it to me?—”

“But you didn’t say it back?”

“That’s right. Part of me thought I should. It would’ve gotten me laid, wouldn’t it?”

“I guess so.”

“But it would’ve been empty. I can’t say something like that if I don’t mean it. I’m a pig, but not that much of a pig. With you, I really do mean it. I love you, Quinn.”

If this had been a TV show, the audience would’ve been cued to go awwwwwww . Yeah, those words must’ve sounded extra sweet coming from the muscle-bound hockey player who loved to hit the ice and bust heads, but it was the truth.

As I looked into my stepbrother-to-be’s beautiful eyes, I knew why I’d never loved anyone else.

I loved Quinn Standish, and only Quinn. I didn’t want anyone else.

“And you love me,” I said.

If Quinn had been taking a sip of his milk, he probably would’ve spit it out.

“Don’t you believe me?” I asked.

“Where hell did you get an idea like that?”

“I just know, Quinn. I can tell.”

“What, is it the look in my eyes or something?”

“Well that, yeah, but it’s also in the way you walk and talk. You’re doing everything in your power to avoid admitting it, especially to yourself, but you love me as much as I love you. It’ll come out sooner or later.”

Quinn said nothing, like he could forever cling to denial.

“I used to think I just had a crush on you. Now I realize I can’t live without you, Quinn.

The few years I didn’t see you…God, it felt like an eternity.

And when we wound up in this house together, I had no idea how I ever survived not being so close to you.

Can you really say you didn’t feel the same way? ”

“Well, sort of.”

“And it didn’t make sense to you before. Now it does. I wanted you, and you wanted me.”

“I wanted you in a different way.”

“But you’ve pretended not to want sex from me either, and we saw how that turned out.”

He groaned. I knew this conversation was driving him crazy, but I couldn’t let go. I needed to talk sense into him.

Quinn tensed up some more, drew a deep breath through his nose, and shook his head.

“No, Levi,” he said. “I can’t do this. I’m with Jeff.”

“But it’s not official.”

“Yes, it is.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“What, are you calling me a liar or something?”

“It’s not that I’m calling you a liar. I’m just saying I know you’re not really in a couple with him. You wouldn’t be able to with me in the picture.”

He gave me an ugly look.

“And he’s coming to the wedding,” he said. “He’ll be sitting at the head table and everything. That means you’ll need to behave.”

“When have I ever not behaved?”

“You’re not being serious, are you?”

“Of course I am.”

“Look, I’m not going to sit here and discuss this with you. I don’t love you, Levi. I never have. I’m in love with Jeff.”

“Quinn, you’re not even being?—”

“You can try to dictate my feelings to me all you want, but that doesn’t change anything. You’ll just have to find some other ginger nerd to fuck.”

And he left the room. I reached out, trying to grab his arm, but I missed. Part of me wanted to chase after him, but I knew I couldn’t. He’d put up a fight no matter what. He was as strong-willed as I was.

How would I ever win him over?