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holky

We lost in Denver but pulled out wins in Dallas and St. Louis. By the time we made it back to Buffalo late Sunday night, Chuck and I were running on fumes. We barely managed to drag our bags inside before collapsing into bed and snuggling under the covers, too tired to do more than pass out in a pile of limbs.

Criswell had canceled Monday’s practice, so we slept in—deep, dreamless sleep that felt more like a coma than rest. During the trip, we’d snuck around like a couple of high schoolers, sharing a bed more nights than not. Sometimes I held him, and other times, he held me. It didn’t matter who did what, only that we were together. I slept better next to Chuck, and he said it was the same for him. One thing was sure—I’d never been happier than when I woke up beside him.

This morning, I drifted awake, my face buried in his armpit with his arm slung heavy across my waist. His soft snores made me smile, and the heat radiating off him was enough to warm the whole bed. I stayed there, soaking it in and letting myself believe this was real—him, here, us. Like maybe we were a couple. Like maybe this was something we could keep.

But it didn’t take long for reality to creep in, sharp and cold. We were both straight. That hadn’t changed. Women would come back into our lives, and whatever this was—whatever we were—might not survive the return to normal.

God, I don’t want normal. Not anymore.

Someone down the street started a snowblower, making Chuck snort. A groan and a sigh later, he moved, gave a sleepy chuckle, and pinched my ass. “You having fun down there?”

“Mm-hmm. You smell good, like a man who’s been working hard.”

“Glad you like my stink.”

“If I remember correctly, you liked mine the other night.”

“Goddamn right I did.”

I dragged my head out of its nest and winced at the daylight flooding the room. “Fuck. Why didn’t we close the blinds?”

“You passed out thirty seconds after we hit the bed.” He rubbed his eyes. “I couldn’t find the remote. Where do you keep it?”

“Hell if I know.” I yawned and stretched, still half-buried in warmth. “The remote’s basically a cryptid around here. We’ll find it eventually.”

When he closed his hand around my dick and squeezed, I couldn’t contain a groan of satisfaction. “That feels fucking fantastic,” I said. “Two can play this game.” I reached for his cock, slick with precum, and gave it a few tugs.

“Yessss.”

“You’re hard.”

“So are you.”

In unison, we asked, “Want to do something about it?”

On the roadie, we’d discovered how much fun it was to put on a jerk-off show for each other, and we agreed it was a good morning for that.

“I should brush my teeth before we get started,” he said.

“Fuck that.” I gave him a lazy kiss, followed by a teasing smile. “Your breath’s fine, but that scruff makes me feel like I’m doing the nasty with a guy.” I wrapped my fist around his cock again. “How the hell did you grow such a big dick, Chuck?”

“Good genes, I guess.” He chuckled as he ran his fingers around the head of my cock and spread precum over my balls. “Damn, you’re ready to go.”

“Hell yes,” I said. “Who goes first?”

“Hmm.” He bit my lower lip and kissed me. After a moment, he drew away and said, “Why don’t you do the honors this time? Beat it for me?”

“As long as I can jack you afterward and use my cum for lube.”

He gave me a crooked smile. “I know you like to get me begging, but this morning, could you not stop at the edge so many times? I hate it when you do that.”

“No promises. I love the way my Dog howls when I finally let him come.”

* * *

The next couple of weeks blurred past in a haze of flights, hotel rooms, early-morning practices, and games that left us sore, bruised, and wrung out. We played hard. Despite tough losses to Detroit and Toronto, the team’s energy remained high—probably thanks to decisive wins over several teams, including the dreaded Montreal Lynx. Dog was quickly becoming a fan favorite, thanks to his knockout looks and big, endearingly goofy grin. He’d racked up two more goals and made a gorgeous backcheck save in Philly that landed on the highlight reel.

Off the ice, we fell into a rhythm that felt both solid and dreamlike. We hadn’t defined anything, and we didn’t need to. Most nights on the road, we ended up in each other’s rooms, watching dumb movies, trading chirps, and falling asleep tangled together like it had always been that way.

The heat between us escalated so fast we could barely keep up, with every touch and glance igniting another level of need. It was sexual, no question, but deeper too, like we couldn’t breathe right unless we were close. Riley kept shooting us loaded looks, and Logan muttered “domestic” one morning when we showed up to breakfast with matching bedheads and shit-eating grins.

There were no grand declarations, only quiet moments stacked like bricks, unspoken proof that whatever we were building, it had a firm foundation. Whether we were ready to share it with the world or not, it was real.

One Tuesday night, we were crawling through traffic on the Skyway, headed to a home game against the New Jersey Fury. The heater blasted, trying to keep pace with the twenty-degree chill. Snow flurries danced in the headlights, and the windows fogged no matter how high I cranked the defroster.

Dog ran a finger along the dash’s wood inlay. “You like this car?”

“Love it. I’ve had Audis since I came to Buffalo, and they’ve never let me down.” I glanced at him. “Thinking of getting one?” His old Ford Escape had seen better days.

He shrugged, chewing his bottom lip. “Not for me. For Nana. She’s still driving a rusty Oldsmobile that barely made it to the store last time I was home. Once we meet with that financial guy you mentioned, I want to get her something reliable.” He looked over, wearing a shy smile that hit me square in the chest.

“That would be an amazing thing to do for her.”

“She always took care of me,” he said quietly. “Worked her ass off to keep me fed and get me to practice. She made sure I had what I needed and bought me new gear instead of used whenever she could. Since she retired, she doesn’t have much to live on. I’ve wanted to help her for years, and maybe now I can.”

The warmth I felt had nothing to do with the heater. Traffic came to a halt again, and I looked over. “You’re a good man, Chuck.”

He glanced away, then back. “Got you fooled.”

“The appointment’s next Tuesday,” I reminded him. “They’ll help you set everything up, and you can get her whatever kind of car she wants.”

His face lit up. “Think an Audi would be good for her?”

“Hell yes. Audis are good for anyone.” I hesitated, but what the hell? “You should get one too. Your SUV is on life support, and you deserve something nice. You made The Show, bud. Celebrate it.”

His smile dimmed. “I don’t know. I probably shouldn’t go nuts. Don’t want to end up broke right away.”

I knew that feeling too well, staring at all those zeroes on my contract and wondering if it was some kind of trick, if spending any of it would be tempting fate.

Traffic started moving again, and I eased forward. “No one’s saying blow it all, but you can buy two cars without sweating it. Use your signing bonus if you want. Or you could finance them and pay them off in a year. Either way, you earned this. Your nana deserves a treat, and so do you.”

He let out a long breath and tapped a finger on the door handle. “We’ll see what the money guy says. If he gives me the green light, will you come with me to pick them out?”

“Fuck yes.”

We fell quiet and watched the snow thicken outside. Half a mile later, he cleared his throat. “Speaking of Nana, do you have plans for Thursday?”

It took me a second to remember it would be Thanksgiving. “Not a thing. Want to order a feast? We could invite your nana and go pick her up.”

He flicked his eyes toward me before, then out at the road. The snow wasn’t that interesting, and I wondered what he was thinking about.

Finally, he turned his head. “I promised her I’d go to Ithaca for Thanksgiving. Will you come with me? It’ll be us and her. She’s an amazing cook and always makes enough food to feed a whole team. She’d love having you.”

I glanced at him. “You serious?”

“Yeah, if you want to.” He tried to play it casual, but I heard the hope in his voice. “I told her I’d be there tomorrow. We could call tonight and let her know you’re coming.”

My heart was keeping time with the wipers. I wanted to go, but part of me whispered that maybe I should keep some distance. That voice got tossed straight into Lake Erie. “Count me in if she’s okay with it.”

Damn if the smile he gave me didn’t knock the wind right out of my lungs.

* * *

We pulled into a gravel driveway beside a small white house with a crooked chimney and a front porch big enough for a swing. The yard was buried under a soft layer of snow, and the trees stood bare, their gnarly branches stark against the gray sky. It was the kind of street where all the houses looked like they’d been best friends since the 1950s.

Dog beamed at me. “Welcome to where the magic started.”

I snorted. “Hard to believe such a nice-looking place could crank out a menace like you.”

“Fuck off, Holcomb.” He smacked my arm, and his smile grew even wider. “You’ll love Nana.”

The front door swung open, and out came a woman in a red sweater and jeans, with her silver hair in a messy bun, looking like she’d stepped out of a Thanksgiving ad. Chuck had told me she was seventy-three, but left on my own, I’d have guessed sixty. I glanced at him, then back at her, and immediately noticed they shared the same bright, mischievous smile. Something told me she wouldn’t hold back on giving the other team hell when she came to a Warriors game.

“Come on.” Chuck was out of the car before I even had my seat belt off. “Nana!”

She threw her arms wide, and he barreled up the steps and scooped her off her feet. She laughed so hard it echoed in the cold air while he spun her around like she weighed nothing. I grabbed our bags and went to join them.

When he set her down, she turned her brilliant smile on me. “You must be Nate. I’m so happy to meet you. Chuck’s said such wonderful things.”

“He’s told me great things about you too, Mrs. Madison.”

I offered my hand, but she rolled her eyes and batted it away. “None of that, sweetie. I’m Nana—or Mary, if you prefer—and Chuck’s friends get hugs.” Before I could blink, she pulled me into a hug so tight my ribs creaked. When she finally let go, she looked me up and down with a wide grin. “My word, you’re as solid as my grandson.”

I laughed. “Guess that’s why they keep us around.”

“I was thrilled to hear Chuck had made a friend so quickly. That’s not always easy to do.”

“How could I resist him? I need a goofy friend to make me laugh.”

She threw her head back and cackled. “I like you already. He makes me laugh too.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then looked at me. “Didn’t I tell you she’s the best?”

“Come on in before you freeze your tails off,” she said. “I’ve got dinner going.”

Chuck grinned as he brushed his hand against mine. “You’ll be cooking all day tomorrow, Nana. We were planning to take you out.”

She scoffed. “Not when I have a perfectly good kitchen. Besides, I’m making your favorite.”

His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “No way. Pot roast?”

“What else?” She winked at me. “Hope you like pot roast, Nate.”

“My stomach’s already growling. I haven’t had a roast in a long time.”

Chuck’s eyes sparkled even in the meager light. “You’re in for a real treat, then. Nana’s the best cook in New York.”

“Silly boy. I hope you’re both hungry.”

“Born hungry.” Dog shot me a grin. “And Nate eats more than I do.”

“All right, then.” She went into the house, and Dog and I picked up our bags and followed.

I groaned as soon as we crossed the threshold. The place smelled like heaven, as long as heaven was made of nostalgia and smelled like beef and mashed potatoes. As I breathed it in, memories of Mom’s pot roast hit me. My throat closed as I tried not to think about the missing piece in my life.

“You all right?” Dog’s voice was low, soft enough that only I could hear.

I’d gotten teary, but when he brushed a hand against my arm, I couldn’t resist looking at him. His smile was a beacon, his brown eyes pure comfort.

I nodded. “The roast smells amazing. Reminded me of something.”

His smile wavered as his eyes grew cautious. “Good memories?”

“A little sad but nice.”

He squeezed my arm and called out, “Nana? Is it cool if Nate stays in my room?”

She came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. “Of course, but there’s not much space in there. I made the bed in the basement.”

“I’ll be fine,” I said, already dreading sleeping alone.

Dog shot me a look, and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. He turned back to Nana. “It’s one night. Remember how we used to do it when a buddy stayed over? Nate can have the bed, and I’ll use a sleeping bag.”

“As long as it works for you two, it’s fine with me. I’m putting together a little snack, so go get settled.”

“A little snack?” Dog glanced at me. “She’s probably making a meal, and then we’ll have dinner a second time.”

“Just a charcuterie board,” she said.

“Mm.” Chuck sounded a little like he was about to come. “Did you get the meat from Marino’s?”

“Where else? I’m going back to the kitchen, so you two hurry. I don’t want either of you getting hungry.”

“Come on,” Chuck said. “You’ll love the salami.”

The stairs led to a hallway with a bedroom on either side and a bathroom straight ahead. Chuck nodded at the door on our left. The room looked like a time capsule from his teenage years. Trophies lined one set of shelves, a framed Mohegan jersey hung over the double bed, and another set of shelves was stuffed full of dog-eared paperbacks. A chest of drawers was against one wall, with a small desk crammed in beside it.

“Chuck?” I turned and found him standing in the doorway, chewing his lower lip.

“That’s me.”

“I can just see you, stripped down to your boxers, lying on the bed with your phone at your side and a book in your hand. You were probably texting your girlfriend while you read whatever shit you had to for school.”

“Sounds about right.”

I picked up a trophy. “MVP for the All-State Hockey Championship? Damn, you’ve been showing off since high school.”

“Guilty.” He set our bags down and crossed the room. “I’m so glad you came.”

Before I could say anything, his arms were around me, pulling me close. Our lips met, and my nape tingled as warmth bloomed in my chest.

Goddamn, how does he have this effect on me every time we touch?

This was no quick, checking-in kiss. I cradled his cheeks in my hands, and when he started drawing away, I put a hand behind his head and slipped my tongue into his mouth. My dick lengthened while I enjoyed his taste—peppermint gum and Chuck.

He pressed himself against me, making my heart pound with excitement. I loved being with him and sharing things we both enjoyed. It felt so right that I already hurt when I thought about it ending.

A voice from downstairs interrupted my thoughts. “Come and get it, boys, or I might eat it all by myself.”

We pulled apart, grinning like fools. “Be there in a minute, Nana,” Chuck called out, then looked into my eyes.

I wanted to kiss him again, but she was waiting for us. “Guess we should go,” I whispered.

“Guess so.” He brushed a thumb across my cheek. “Remind me to get a sleeping bag from the basement.”

Dread coiled in my gut, cold and heavy. “Are we actually using it?”

“Hell no, but Nana doesn’t need to know that.”

He gave me a quick peck on the lips, and my breath caught. This was all so easy.