Page 32

Liam

It’s been close to a month since the Thunder Knights lost to the Silver Bears from Silverlake University. It’s crazy to think how much has changed since then.

At present, I’m sitting on the cold metal bleachers, my hands tucked inside my hoodie’s pockets as I watch Hayden and his teammates tearing across the ice with fierce determination.

The air in the rink is saturated with power and iron-clad intent. The Knights have to win the next game or risk losing their place in the state championships.

Every pass, every shot has a sharper edge to it.

The team is practicing right now but it feels like they’re already on the battlefield. It’s as if everyone’s decided that failure is not an option.

My gaze follows Hayden as he effortlessly glides across the ice. He’s so damn powerful but absolutely in control of his movements. There’s a certain elegance in the way he skates that leaves me mesmerized.

Hayden flies between two of his teammates, scoring a goal.

“Go, Hayden!” I shout, cheering for him.

It’s a moment before I realize that some of Hayden’s teammates and the coach have stopped to stare at me. Since it’s just a practice session, the bleachers are nearly empty, making my cheers sound too loud.

My cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I quiet down and sink my chin into my hoodie, wishing I could hide somewhere.

Thankfully, no one minds me and everyone goes back to practice.

Even though I’m more composed now, I still feel a rush of exhilaration every time Hayden scores a goal. Maybe it’s just Hayden’s charm or just me feeling proud and happy to see him doing so well.

From time to time, I glance over at Coach Sullivan.

He’s wearing the team colors of blue and gold, his eyes as sharp as a hawk’s as he follows the progress of each player. He nods every time Hayden scores, clearly approving the way he’s practicing and training.

Next, I look over to the goalie.

Logan, the Knights’ captain, is back in the rink. He has recovered from his injuries and is giving his best. I hear him shouting encouragements to his teammates, feeding them his undying enthusiasm and energy.

A rush of warmth flows through me as I watch him and Hayden play against each other. Logan is the reason I’m able to sit in the bleachers and watch Hayden practice with his teammates.

Logan, Pavel, and Coach Sullivan have been extremely supportive of Hayden. Their acceptance has made a world of difference to the way Hayden feels about himself.

Hayden is happier and much more confident in himself.

With each passing day, he feels more and more comfortable spending time with me on campus. Sometimes, he even holds my hand when we walk through the grounds.

“Again!” the coach’s yell breaks me out of my thoughts.

Hayden gets into position, his body radiating power and determination.

He pushes off, weaving past two defensemen, aiming for the net.

Logan also positions himself, determined to keep the puck away from the net.

A fierce battle of will ensues.

Hayden misses the goal but comes back again and again, attacking Logan from every angle until he scores.

Watching them makes my heart pound with excitement.

With a start, I realize I’ve finally become a part of Knightswood University’s student body. Within just a few months, I’ve become a fan of ice hockey too!

Eventually, Coach blows his whistle, signaling the end of practice.

The players finally relax, skating toward the benches. Some take their helmets off, letting the cold air skim over their sweaty, overheated cheeks. They catch their breaths while some of their teammates playfully shove each other on their way to the locker rooms.

My gaze soon locks on Hayden.

Peeling his helmet off, he runs a gloved hand through his sweat-drenched dark strands. His gaze sweeps over the bleachers until he finds me.

Pavel also notices me. Grinning like a happy kid, he skates past Hayden, waving his hand. “Damn, Bastian. I’ve never seen you train so hard. Was it because your boyfriend was shouting your name the whole time?”

My cheeks warm up as Hayden flips him off.

Pavel cracks up, joining Logan and his teammates to grab some energy drinks from the bench. They all glance at me, making me feel even more embarrassed.

I wave awkwardly toward them but I can’t help smiling.

At least, I don’t have to hide or sneak around to be with Hayden. I can openly watch him practice from the bleachers without him fearing the consequences.

Hayden reaches me and leans over the board. Sweat clings to his skin but his silvery eyes glow with excitement.

“You like watching me?” Hayden teases.

“Yup.”

He grins. “Good. I like it when you keep your focus on me all the time.”

“That’s a stretch!” I say, chuckling. “How can you tell I look at you all the time?”

He winks. “I know you do.”

I shake my head, chuckling as he continues to tease me.

“You want to go to that ice cream place you like?” he asks.

“Absolutely!”

“Then, wait for me outside by the gates,” he says. “I’ll clean up in fifteen minutes and be ready to meet you.”

I nod, watching him skate away from the rink.

Rubbing my cold hands together, I make my way toward the exit gates.

A chilly evening breeze blows by, making me dig my hands into my jacket’s pockets. The weather’s starting to get colder now. It’s almost insane to be eating ice cream right now but I just love the cute, cozy café on campus that serves a variety of scrumptious sundaes.

Hayden soon walks out of the stadium with his teammates.

They tease and slap his back but I find Hayden grinning at the attention he’s receiving. He casually ambles over to me, looking amazingly handsome with his damp, tousled hair falling over his eyes.

“Hi,” he says, leaning in for a quick peck.

The scent of his shower gel wafts into my nostrils, making me close my eyes.

A part of me almost wants to cancel the date and directly head to my apartment.

“Ready to go?” he asks, shouldering his massive gym bag.

I nod, grabbing his warm hand.

“This feels good,” I say after a while.

“What are you talking about?” Hayden asks with a sliver of confusion in his eyes.

“This,” I say, holding up his hand. “Even walking with you feels good.”

“Damn, babe,” he says, leaning in to quickly take a bite of my earlobe. “How can you make everything sound so romantic?”

“It’s a talent,” I say, chuckling.

Soon, we reach the ice cream parlor. Even though it's cold and most people are walking around in coats and hats, the booths inside the shop are almost full.

We’re lucky to find our usual table free in a cozy nook of the shop.

“Oh, this is perfect,” I croon, huddling into the booth with Hayden.

Hayden orders one of their giant sundaes to share while I take in the pastel-pink walls and the vintage décor. A deliciously sweet, fruity aroma hangs in the air, making me feel like a child.

“What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?” he asks as we wait for our order.

“I have a tutoring session scheduled tomorrow, so I’ll be busy the whole afternoon,” I tell him.

“You should’ve just continued to be my tutor,” he says, threading his fingers with mine. “We’d get some extra time to make out in between our classes. It’d keep things so much more interesting, you know.”

“Hayden!” I snap under my breath. “Will you stop bringing it up? It’s unethical behavior and I’m not going to be a part of it.”

He frowns, leaning in to press a kiss against the side of my neck.

A shiver goes through me.

Hayden notices instantly. Shifting closer to me, he kisses me on the same spot again.

“Someone will see, Hayden,” I groan but loving the burst of heat that explodes in my belly each time his warm lips touch that sensitive spot.

“I wish I could lay you out on this table and taste every inch of you,” he whispers in a husky voice.

Heat spreads over my neck and cheeks. “Hayden,” I moan, my mind already imagining the scenario.

Thankfully, our waitress appears with our order just as Hayden’s hand creeps up over my thighs. At least, now he’ll have something to distract him from trying to get me hot and hard.

“Damn, this is good,” Hayden says, taking his first bite.

I shake my head as he digs in eagerly without waiting for me.

“Are you even tasting the ice cream?” I ask, picking up my spoon. “You’re just inhaling everything.”

Hayden grins with a smudge of chocolate at the corner of his mouth. “Why don’t you start eating too? Once you start, you won’t be able to stop.”

A chuckle escapes me as I lean over and swipe my thumb over his lips to clean the mess.

Hayden stills, his eyes darkening as he watches me pop my thumb in my mouth.

“Are you trying to kill me?” he groans.

I laugh and scoop up some strawberry ice cream. “Here, try this before you finish off all the chocolate!” I say, holding the spoon out to him.

He wraps his lips over the spoon and closes his eyes as he nods. “Mmm, this is good too but you taste so much better, Liam.”

I choke on the wafer I was eating. “Hayden,” I growl, coughing.

Hayden grins before suddenly grabbing a piece of brownie from the bowl.

“Hey! I was about to eat that!” I protest at once.

Grinning, he picks up another piece of brownie and puts it whole into his mouth. “You’re too slow, babe,” he says through the mouthful.

“That’s it!” Before Hayden can react, I grab a can of whipped cream from the table and squirt a generous dollop on his nose.

Hayden blinks, too stunned for a second. Next moment, though, a slow, wicked grin spreads on his face. “Is this how you want to play?”

Before I know what he’s planning, Hayden springs to his feet and comes over to me. He doesn’t give me a moment to prepare as he lungs at me, hugging me tightly as he rubs his cream-laden nose all over my face.

“Hayden, stop!” I scream through the laughter escaping me.

“There,” he says, finally stopping and staring at me with a satisfied look. “You’re good enough to be savored now.” Leaning in, he swipes a tongue over my cheek.

The feel of his warm, velvety tongue sends a tendril of heat through me. A moan escapes me as I meet his dark gaze.

My stomach plummets.

This is no longer about brownies or chocolate ice cream. They’ll never be enough to satiate the hunger we’re both feeling right now.

“Come on, I’ll help you clean up,” Hayden says in a husky voice.

“Uhh—I,” I hesitate but Hayden’s already grabbed my wrist and tugging me out of my chair. “Hey, hold on!”

Hayden guides me to the back of the dining area and down a darkened hallway that has a sign “Staff only” on the wall. Pushing open a door, he leads me inside a single-stall restroom.

“I look like such a mess,” I groan, glancing at my reflection in the mirror over the sink.

“Nah. You look good enough to eat,” Hayden croons, leaning in to lick some cream off my cheek.

“Hayden, don’t,” I groan. “All this cream is making my face too sticky and greasy.”

“Okay, fine,” he says, moving away from me. He grabs some tissues from a box and starts wiping my cheeks.

At first, I stay still, letting him help me.

“Close your eyes,” Hayden mumbles. “You’ve got some stuff on your lashes.”

I obey, closing my eyes for him.

A moment passes before I realize Hayden’s no longer concentrating on my face. Opening my eyes, I find him kneeling on the floor, wiping the front of my jeans.

“You had a little mess here too,” Hayden says, grinning up at me. His fingers brush over my crotch and suddenly it doesn’t feel like an innocent act of helping me “clean up”.

“Hayden,” I mutter in a low, warning tone.

“I’m just cleaning up the mess,” he says, massaging over the hardening tent at the front of my trousers.

My breath hitches. “There’s no mess there,” I say in a choked voice.

His lips quirk into a cheeky grin. “You sure?”

I grip the edge of the sink behind me as he slowly rises to his feet, crowding me in the tight space. The smell of soap, chocolate ice cream, and whipped cream wafts into my nostrils, messing with my brain.

“What’s happened to you?” I mumble. “You used to be so damn scared of being found out by people. And now, you’re doing this in a public restroom!”

“No one on my team minds,” Hayden says, leaning in. “So, I don’t care anymore either.” With that, he captures my lips in a hot kiss.

This is such a bad idea , my mind screams as I melt into him and pull him closer by grabbing a chunk of his hair.

Deepening the kiss, Hayden slides his hand under my hoodie, his palm warm against my skin. I gasp into his mouth as he continues kissing me.

“You’re more addictive than chocolate,” he croons against my lips before devouring me again. His hand slides down my stomach and over my waistband.

“Hayden, not here,” I moan as his fingers dip inside my waistband and grab hold of my hardened shaft.

“But I need you right now,” he says, pumping my shaft. “And no matter how much you deny it, you want me too.”

“But there’s nothing here except soap,” I mumble as my head falls back against the wall.

“I have pre-lubricated condoms in my pocket,” Hayden whispers in my ear.

My eyes pop open.

A dark grin comes onto his lips as he takes out a pack and tears it open with his teeth. “This will work just fine,” he tells me.

Fire courses through my veins, burning away the last shreds of any sane thought in my head. Gasping for breath, I simply watch Hayden loosen his belt and take his cock out. He rolls out the condom with steady fingers and puts it on.

When did my shy, closeted boyfriend turn into such a sex expert?

Pre-lubricated condoms? I repeat to myself. I didn’t even know such a thing existed!

“Come here,” Hayden mutters, suddenly whirling me around so that my chest is pressed against the cold bathroom wall. “Hold on for support.”

“Hayden,” I groan as he kneels on the floor.

“Don’t worry, babe,” he says in a low, rough voice. “I’ll take care of you.”

His wet tongue probes over my ring, sending a delicious shiver through me.

My knees tremble as I feel him pushing a finger deep inside me. The tip must have some lube on it because it slides down my tight channel smoothly.

“Hayden,” I groan, my head falling back.

He inserts another finger inside me while he massages my left ass cheek.

“Please, Hayden,” I moan, feeling my cock throb in response to his touch.

“You’re ready, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I moan, pushing my ass against his face. “We need to hurry. This isn’t exactly my bedroom, you know?”

A rough chuckle escapes him as he straightens up. Warmth seeps from his clothes and into my skin, making me hyper-aware of his hard, muscled body positioned right behind me.

Hayden grips my waist tightly as he aligns his thick head against my rim.

My entire body throbs with need. The lube on the condom helps but I still can’t help crying out as his thick length penetrates me, stretching me wide open.

Hayden thrusts in again, nearly shoving me against the wall.

My hands splay on the wall before me to support myself but it’s of no use. Hayden’s just too big and powerful. His every thrust presses me up against the cold wall, making me gasp out.

“It feels so damn good to be inside you,” Hayden whispers in my ear as he plunges inside me. “It’s like your ass was made for me, Liam.”

A chuckle escapes me despite the storm of pain and pleasure clashing inside me.

“You still have the nerve to laugh?” Hayden says through clenched teeth, plunging inside me at a harder, faster pace. “Looks like I’m not doing my job right.”

“Hayden, stop!” I gasp out, unable to bear the intensity of pleasure and pain that’s wrecking me from the inside out. “I can’t take it...I’ll come any second if you don’t slow down.”

Hayden seems to have gone deaf as he thrusts in hard and deep.

I can’t believe we’re fucking in this tiny bathroom while there are people out there, eating ice cream and having cute conversations. Hayden and I were also among them but somehow, we landed up here.

“Aah!” I cry out, unable to keep my voice down.

Heat and pleasure course through every cell in my body, drowning every thought in my mind. For a long, blissful moment, I don’t even remember we’re inside a public restroom.

“I’m almost there,” Hayden grates through clenched teeth, his fingers wrapping over my impossibly hard, throbbing cock. He pumps me while continuing to thrust inside me.

Within a minute, I’m crying out as a tsunami of hot pleasure crashes over me, shattering me completely. My cum splashes out in thick ropes, making a mess on the wall in front of me.

At the same time, I feel Hayden’s cock swell up against my tight channel. He thrusts in one final time, his body jerking and shuddering against mine.

“Liam,” he gasps, biting a sensitive spot on my neck as he slides out of me. He holds me by my waist, helping me stay on my feet as I struggle to catch my breath.

With a gentle tug, he pulls out of me.

I stay leaning against the wall while Hayden throws away the used condom and cleans himself up.

“Our sundae must’ve melted by now,” I say, grabbing some tissues from the box by the sink.

“This was a much better treat,” Hayden says, grinning. “Don’t you agree?”

An easy chuckle escapes me as I pull up my pants. “It was but I still want more ice cream.”

“Then, let’s just get out there and—” A loud knock sounds on the door before Hayden can finish what he was saying.

“Shit!” I mutter, hurriedly grabbing some more tissues to clean up the mess I made on the wall.

“Come on, Liam!” Hayden urges. “We’ve got to go.”

“Just a minute,” I say, panicking. The haze of lust still forms a veil over my senses, barely allowing me to think clearly. “Are my clothes fully on?”

Hayden laughs loudly. “Yeah, but that’s not going to help you.”

“What’d you mean?” I hiss as the person outside the stall knocks again.

Hayden gestures toward the mirror.

To my horror, my cheeks are flushed a deep red. My lips are swollen like they’ve been kissed and chewed on. And the biggest red flag that screams what I’ve been up to is my hair.

“My hair looks like I got electrocuted!” I groan.

Hayden chuckles. “You never looked more beautiful to me,” he says, kissing my mouth deeply.

“What’s taking so damn long?!” An annoyed female voice shouts from the other side of the door.

“She’ll know what we were doing when we both walk out of here,” I say as my cheeks heat up with embarrassment.

“It’ll be fine,” Hayden says, grabbing my wrist and pulling me alongside him.

Next moment, he opens the door and walks out with me.

A tall, skinny woman in a dark suit stands in the corridor. Surprise flickers through her face as she stares at both of us.

“I was just helping my boyfriend clean up some cream,” Hayden says, grinning at her without a hint of shame or embarrassment. “Sorry, we took our time.”

“Cream, huh?” the lady says, her gaze raking me from head to foot.

“Yeah, the ice cream is delicious here,” I say, offering her a sheepish smile.

Hayden coughs, biting back a laugh.

The lady raises an eyebrow.

“Come on,” I hiss, tugging on Hayden’s hand. “Let’s go before our ice cream melts off.”

With that, I drag Hayden past the lady manager and down the hallway.

We don’t even stop to check if our sundae is still intact. We practically run until we reach the door of the restaurant.

The moment we step outside, we burst out laughing, leaning against each other under the warm glow of the streetlights.

“I hope she didn’t recognize you,” I say, pressing my face against Hayden’s chest. “Otherwise, we’re banned for life from entering these premises.”

Hayden laughs. “I think she was too stunned to see us walk out of that tiny bathroom.”

“My stomach hurts,” I say, still chuckling and laughing.

“Let’s buy some ice cream on the way to your apartment,” Hayden says, wrapping his arm over my shoulders. “I want to see how good it’ll taste when I lick it off your bare ass.”

“Hayden!” I say, slapping his arm at once. “You’re crazy!”

“Nah, I just have a good appetite,” he whispers, leaning in to gently bite my earlobe.

A moan escapes me. “You’re impossible.”

I want to be mad at him but I know it’s not going to last long. Not when I’m feeling so damn exuberant from all the ice cream and orgasm I just had.

“Let’s just go and buy some ice cream,” I mumble, walking forward.

“Yes!” Hayden cheers loudly like he’s just scored a goal.

Shaking my head, I let him wrap his arm around my waist and pull me closer as we walk down the campus lane.