Page 24 of Stubborn Puckboy (Puckboys #9)
TWENTY-TWO
Colby
As much as it’s tempting to reply to Novi’s message: Coming over tonight?
with a “Hell yes,” I don’t. He’s not entirely grasping this subtle and down-low thing.
It’s not like he’s outright screaming that he and I are sleeping together, but like I told him, the more we sneak into each other’s places, the more he flirts out in the open under the guise of getting coaching advice, the higher the chance of getting caught.
I am all in on this, but I’m determined to be smart about it.
Me:
I have a video meeting to prepare for in the morning. Why don’t you ask Turkey to come over if you want company?
Novi:
Because I can’t fuck Turkey.
Me:
And you don’t want to… right? I might have caught your half naked hug in the locker room earlier.
Novi:
Someone sounds jealous. If you come over, I can give you fully naked hugs.
Me:
Not jealous. And I’m not coming over. But I thought Turkey was mad at you. Did you make up?
Novi:
I came out to him. Sort of.
Jesus. I hit Call on his number because I know he hates texting.
“You on your way yet?” he answers.
“No. You came out to Turkey?”
“Sort of. A little.”
“How do you come out to someone a little ?” I’m proud of him, but isn’t he supposed to be the one who’s used to keeping quiet? If Turkey knows about him, then it’s not going to be a big leap to figure out our history and that we’re together now. I guess he really has decided he’s ready.
If it weren’t for my position with the team, I’d be ready for more too.
“I simply told him that he was mostly right about me, but not in the way he thinks, and then I asked if he would stand up for me like he does with you.”
“Like for me?” I’m trying not to panic, but also mentioning me in his coming out speech? He might think he’s being subtle, but he really isn’t.
“I pointed out he was willing to cut ties with me to stick up for you. So I told him that I deserve to exist too, even if it’s in secret.”
My panic completely dissipates at that. “He took it really well, I’m guessing by that hug.”
“You are so jealous, but that’s okay. I would be too.”
“If I hugged another man?”
“No. If I were you. I’m a sexy man. As soon as I come out, men will fall at my feet, and I will have to say, ‘Sorry. I have very jealous boyfriend.’”
I snicker. “I can’t wait to see that.”
“It’s true,” he says vehemently. “I will have to beat off with my stick.”
“You mean beat them off.” Even if that also sounds wrong.
I swear I hear him smile. Damn it. I corrected him again.
“Back to my question. Are you on your way over yet?”
It’s so tempting, but I really do need to prepare for this meeting in the morning, and I’m not going to let Novi learn that he can ask for something and I’ll immediately give it to him. He can figure that out at a later date.
“You have an early skate and then a video meeting tomorrow. A video meeting that won’t be ready if I go over to yours.”
“Fine. Tomorrow night, then.”
“You have your game.”
“I mean after game.”
He’s so pushy, and if it was any other guy and not Novi, I would think he was being way too clingy, but just like I can see his actual bubbly personality under his I-will-kill-you face, I know he’s only trying to tempt me.
“How about this? You have home games through this weekend, but I’m on the road with you next week. We can wait until then.”
“I do not approve of this plan.”
I snort. “Maybe file your complaint with management.”
“You don’t play fair.”
“And your face isn’t built for pouting.”
“It is too. Have you not been listening? Very handsome. Very approachable.”
“There’s that delusion. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
I end the call before he can protest and ask me to come over again because I’m dangerously close to caving in.
A few seconds later, my phone lights up with a message.
Novi:
I will definitely see you at work.
Why does that sound like a threat?
When I arrive at the office while the team is still on the ice for their morning skate, I find Ackerman throwing things around the room.
“Where the hell is it?” There’s paper strewn everywhere, and he looks like he’s about to tear his hair out.
“Missing something, boss?”
He turns to me wide-eyed. “You know that stash of electrical tape you got me a few weeks back? It’s gone.”
“I brought you three rolls of it. What do you mean it’s—” Fucking Novi. “—gone …”
“You didn’t move it?”
No, but I have a pretty good idea who did. “Maybe the cleaning crew moved it. I’ll go grab some more.”
“Thanks. It has to be here somewhere, but I give up. It was right here yesterday.” He taps our small storage cabinet. “I know because I used it.”
I came in through the employee entrance, so I didn’t walk past the ice, but if I had to guess, Novi isn’t out there doing his job. He’s waiting for me.
“No sweat.” I drop my bag at my desk. “I’ll be right back.”
I charge down the hall, not because I’m eager to see Novi—I am, but that’s not why I’m moving fast—but because the next person to walk through that storage closet door will wonder why Radimir Novicov is in there. He probably has his “Sorry, I don’t speak English” excuse ready.
Only when I open the door to the small room, the light is off, and there isn’t a single sound coming from inside.
I flick on the light and head down the aisle between shelves, and when I turn the corner to where the electrical tape is kept, there he is, in his sweats, hair freshly washed and wet from the shower, and his smug “Got ya” face on his mostly emotionless expression.
People might not be able to read him, and maybe if I hadn’t spent that season with him, I wouldn’t be able to either, but I know him, and I know how he thinks. Like right in this moment, he thinks he’s being smart.
He’s not.
“I bet you weren’t expecting to see me,” he says.
“Actually, you were exactly who I was expecting.” I walk over next to him. “Were you seriously waiting in here for me with the light off? Aren’t you supposed to be on the ice?”
“I start early, finish early.”
I hold up a roll of tape. “By the look of it, you got started extra early.”
“Good invitation, no?”
I cock my head at him. “It is subtle, I’ll give you that. But what if Ackerman came instead of me? What would your excuse be?”
“Ran out of stick tape, so was going to use this instead.” He picks up a roll and hands it to me.
“That’s better than the I don’t speak English excuse I was expecting you to say.”
“That was going to be my second excuse when he tells me I can’t use electric tape for my stick.”
I laugh. “I should be flattered that you went to such lengths to see me, but you’re being reckless again.”
“Not reckless. Romantic.”
“I don’t think you understand what that means in English.”
“Locking you in a room so I can kiss you without you getting away is not romantic?”
I pretend to think about it. “It’s one of those things where it’s only romantic if the other person wants it. Otherwise, I think it’s called kidnapping.”
“Why would someone nap on a kid?”
I point at him. “You know that’s not the right phrase, and I’m not going to play your game anymore. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you writing notes in your phone whenever anyone corrects your English.”
Novi unleashes one of his amused smiles, which is really only the quirk of his lips on one side. “Now, that’s romantic.”
“What? No it’s not.”
“Not me keeping score, but you noticing that I do it.”
“I still don’t think you know what romantic means.”
“I do. It means this.” He wraps his arm around my back and pulls me to him, pressing his lips to mine.
I don’t hesitate to kiss him back, but I’m not completely present for it because my ears are on high alert.
Anyone could walk in, and while we have some coverage from the shelves stacked with office supplies, being in here at all with a player is an odd occurrence that has already happened once. Twice? Totally suspect.
I break my lips from his. “Novi,” I whine.
“You are cracking already.”
Cracking, melting, same thing.
“You’re going to ruin me,” I whisper.
He kisses the tip of my nose. “Only in the right ways. I promise.”
And stupidly, even if he’s being reckless, I believe him.
I hold up the electrical tape. “I need to get this to Ackerman.” I turn on my heel before he can make me forget what I was doing in here with his lips.
He follows me. “But you can’t. The lock is broken.”
I get to the door and turn the handle. “I hate to break it to you, but Ackerman got it fixed after the last time we got stuck in here.”
Novi mutters under his breath. “Damn him and his competence.”