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Jeremiah Blake

I slept like the dead.

I didn’t think I’d be able to fall asleep with Ben watching me. I thought I’d feel awkward and overly aware of myself, but I didn’t. My head hit the pillow, and I was out like a light.

Since then, he’s watched over me every night. Either that, or he messages once Luca has gone down and invites me over, and I sneak into his house and spend the night in his bed. I set the alarm for five and creep out before anyone else wakes up.

It’s fun.

Every morning, I’m back at my post on the swing with coffee for Ben once the sun is up and everyone’s showered. Ben makes a big deal of asking how I slept and how I am despite having seen me a couple of hours before, and let me tell you, I eat that shit up.

It occurred to me a while back that in order to fight the fear I feel when I’m not with him, all I have to do is be with him all the time, and since then, we’ve fallen into an easy routine of spending almost every waking moment together.

Today, we’re switching things up a little. Robbie and Ant from across the road have invited us over for a barbeque this evening. Ben was dragging his feet about going, saying things like, “Ugh, people,” but Robbie not so subtly mentioned that someone called Luddy would be there, and Ben immediately changed his tune.

“Ready?” Ben says, offering me his hand when I get to his place. He laces our fingers together and squeezes gently as he leans in to give me a kiss. It’s a quick kiss. Just a little one. Lips with no tongue because history has taught us that kisses with tongue lead to one thing and one thing only—and that thing is me getting railed.

“So, like, will everyone there be hockey players?” I ask.

I’ve come a long way as a hockey fan, but it’s just that a lot of the players look very same-y. I’ve tried to study their faces and remember their names, but the problem is that Ben is all I can see, which makes it so hard to retain boring information.

“No, Robbie said his parents will be there, and his sister Beth. I think there’ll be five or six Vipers, but not the whole team. Most of them are bringing wives and girlfriends, so there’ll be plenty of non-hockey people for you to talk to.”

“I don’t need to talk to non-hockey people, Ben. That’s not what I’m saying. You, of all people, should know I’m a huge fan of the game. I can easily talk to players. In fact, I’m going to go up to every player there and tell them I’m their biggest fan. Professional athletes love that kind of thing.”

His hand is in my hair in a flash, curling into it and pulling just hard enough to make me look up at him. “Don’t you dare, darlin’, or I’ll force myself to work through the issues I have with marking this little ass, and I’ll light you up when we get home.”

A big hand snakes down my back, past my waistband, and scoops up a denim-clad cheek, testing its weight before kneading it gently.

The hand in my hair releases and works its way down my body, finding my other cheek and giving it the same treatment. Everything slows and reality recedes, and before I know it, Ben and I are the only things that exist.

Ben sighs softly and rests his forehead against mine as he resorts to patting my ass lightly instead of spanking it.

“Shit,” he chuckles, shaking his head at himself. “I can’t do it.” Both hands work in concert, sweeping my butt in big, slow circles that make my eyes drift closed. “It’s too sweet.”

He kisses me again. Properly. With a quick flick of tongue that sets me on fire. I open my mouth and let him take whatever he wants. What he wants is a hard, demanding kiss that tastes like everything. Everything good. Everything I’ve ever wanted.

It makes my knees knock.

“Are you sure we have to go, Ben? We could…call in our excuse, or send a message, or…”

“Fuck,” he groans. “No. We have to go. I can’t have Luddy thinking I didn’t show because he’s there.” He kisses me once more, tilting his head and sweeping his tongue into my mouth as he grips my ass cheeks firmly and spreads them a little. A tiny amount. Just enough to give me a crystal-clear idea of what he’s going to do to me the next time we’re alone together. I feel it in my toes. And my fingers. And my spine . “We won’t stay long though, okay? I promise.”

Robbie and Ant’s house is nice. It’s a little rough around the edges on the outside. The front yard is overgrown and could do with some serious pruning, but inside it’s lovely.

“Wow,” says Ben as Robbie invites us in. “I like all that.” He gestures to a very stylish entrance table with an art deco lamp and an arched mirror on the wall behind it. “We need more stuff like that at my place, don’t you think?” he says to me.

Robbie looks pleased. “Let me know if you need help with furniture or decorating. I know a great designer. Alessia’s the best. Seriously, she’ll hook you up.”

Ant leans over and speaks to me out of the corner of his mouth as Robbie and Ben lead the way to the living room. “Word of advice, bud. Don’t let that man anywhere near Alessia unless you’re with him.”

He seems incredibly stern about it, so I say, “Oh, um, thanks. I won’t,” despite having no idea what he’s talking about.