Page 42 of Pucked Up (Punk as Puck #2)

“Can’t relate.” When I glanced at him, he shrugged. “You’ve met my dad, and just imagine my mom is another version of him, except she’s more open with her spite.”

I winced. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I mean, if one of us can have amazing parents, that’s a win, right?”

I supposed so, but it made me angry that Boden grew up resented by the two people genetically meant to love him the most. I walked over once he was on his feet and slid my arms around his waist. He grinned and tipped his head up as I leaned over to kiss him.

“I love that I can do that now,” I told him, “but I do need to know if you mind people figuring it out.”

“Figuring out what? About us? Because I’m very bisexual and have been open about that for years. I know you and Reid were in the closet?—”

“No. No, we weren’t. He always said he was allergic to press, so we kept things quiet to avoid paparazzi following us around.” I shrugged as I slipped into my shoes, then grabbed his crutches from where he’d dropped them. “I just want you to be comfortable. ”

“Well, I’d like to tell the guys before the world finds out, but I don’t think most people are going to give two shits about who I am until my contract goes public.”

I swayed further into his space. “About that?—”

“I’m going to take it. I don’t care what Orlando or Portland have on offer. I know you’ll move with me, but I’m not ready to sacrifice time with my family. Boston is a good offer. It’s an amazing offer for a fucking geriatric rookie who?—”

“Was good enough to qualify for the Paralympics twice?” I interrupted, cradling his jaw. “A player who won gold? And the fact that you call yourself geriatric when you’re what, twenty-seven?”

“Twenty-eight in June,” he said with a sniff. “But I’m not eighteen and fresh-faced. I have scars.”

“You won’t be alone,” I reminded him. The PPHL didn’t recruit the same way the NHL did.

Maybe they’d get the chance to snag the young and up-and-coming athletes in another decade once they were done finding all the hidden talent that had been passed over before the league existed, but for now, Boden was one of many. So he wouldn’t be alone.

“Kiss me.”

I grinned down at him and obeyed, our lips pressed together, chaste but still so fucking needy.

“Mm. Let’s go to my room so I don’t look like a complete douche canoe at breakfast, then we can try to find Micah and Ford. I want them to know so I can kiss you in public. ”

“You’d better let Tucker know too.”

His eyes were bright. “I actually have the perfect idea.”

The guys weren’t in the room when Boden went to change, but it was clear they’d been having a good time. The remnants of a blanket fort were still up between both beds, and there were room service trays lying just outside the door waiting for pickup.

Boden sent a couple of texts, then changed quickly, and we headed down for the buffet, where we found Ford and Micah waiting on a table.

“Dickhead,” Ford said, punching me in the arm. “You scared the piss out of me last night. Tell me you’re okay.”

It was odd thinking of him as a friend, but something had shifted. “You can’t call me that on the ice,” I warned him.

He grinned and winked at Boden. “Whatever you say.”

Micah reached out for me, and I took his hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there last night,” he said. “I felt like a complete fucking jackass after I realized why you needed a friend.”

I squeezed his fingers. “I wasn’t alone. And it looks like you both had fun. ”

“Don’t tell us about the porn you watched,” Boden warned.

Micah let me go and held up his hands in surrender, his cane hanging off his wrist by the strap. “No porn. We binge-watched all the Dragon Training movies.”

“ How To Train Your Dragon ,” Ford clarified.

I had no idea what they were talking about, but they all looked happy, so it didn’t matter.

“I didn’t jizz in your sheets, I promise,” Micah added. “But I have a feeling you can’t say the same thing.”

“We respected your bed,” Boden said, his smile a little wider. He turned to me, then grabbed me by the front and tugged me into a kiss.

“Oh shit, they’re kissing,” Ford told Micah. “Oh my God, it’s so intense. He’s using tongue. I think he’s hard?—”

“Shut the fuck up!” Boden said, pulling away to smack Ford. “Do me a favor and FaceTime Tucker.”

Ford looked delighted. “Two seconds.” He tapped his screen, and then I heard the noise of the call ringing.

“Hey, babe! Deo, Ford’s FaceTiming me. You missed me, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s been torture. You would not fucking believe what I have to put up with.”

Micah leaned over and smooshed his cheek next to Ford’s. “It makes me wish I had eyes so I could claw them out. The smacking. The slurping. That wet mac-and-cheese sound? It’s too much. ”

“Uh…what the fuck ?” Tucker asked.

Before I could react, Boden yanked me into another kiss—deeper and messier than the one before.

I knew it was for show, but it was so easy to lose myself in him.

I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and tilted his head, kissing him the way I liked—the way he loved. He moaned against my mouth.

“Fuck off. Fuck all the way off, come back around, then fuck off again! Do you see this, babe?”

“They look happy,” Amedeo said softly.

Those words snapped me out of it, and I broke the kiss, holding Boden close as I turned my gaze to the phone. Tucker and Amedeo were smiling at us both. “I am happy.”

Tucker rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you. This is some romance novel–level bullshit.”

“Says the man who drunk married the love of his life in Vegas,” Boden shot back, flipping him off.

Tucker burst into laughter. “So this is real, right? It’s a thing? We don’t have to pretend that you two don’t have giant emotional boners for each other anymore?”

“Putain. Was I really that obvious?”

Tucker grimaced. “Sorry to say, Coach, but yeah. You were.”

After a beat, I shrugged and lifted Boden’s knuckles to my lips, kissing them. “I can live with the shame.”

“Gross! Boo! Shame! Fine!” Tucker called .

“A hundred dollars fine for that sappy-ass shit!” Ford added.

“A thousand. He can afford it,” Micah added in.

I just grinned and turned to kiss Boden again. “Happy?” I murmured against his ear.

“No. It’s more than that,” he whispered back. “It’s everything.”

He was right. It absolutely was.