Page 27

TWENTY-SEVEN

TEDDY

R hys is acting weird. He’s too quiet. Like the ham-stir in his mind is going too fast. Too many trains on not enough tracks and everything is on fire. I can’t let him leave here like this.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Rhys says, playing with my fingers in his lap.

“Of course, we’re boyfriends.” I open the door, but he doesn’t move. “Are you not coming in?”

He looks past me and sighs. “It’s late.”

“So? The fancy clothes suitcase is in my room along with your clothes.”

“I can get those another ti?—”

“No. Either you’re coming up or I’m going to your place.” He’s not leaving here all grumpy face. “You’re taking this stupid thing off me, taking yours off, hugging me while we’re naked, then putting on comfier clothes.”

He cocks an eyebrow at me. “Oh I am?”

“Yes, you are. Choose.” I cross my arms and wait.

“And if Tobi sees us? I’ve been avoiding him.”

“You have to get your fancy clothes bag thing.” Obviously, he’s tired and not thinking clearly. Good thing he has me. I close the door and buckle my seat belt again. “We’ll just go to your dorm. To the New York Gods campus, my good man,” I say to the driver.

“You have practice in the morning.” He tells me but interlaces our fingers.

“I’ve practiced on less sleep.”

We get to Rhys’ place and I’ve barely made it into the lobby when I start pulling my shoes off, moaning when my feet are free.

“Whoever invented foot torture devices is a horrible person.” I wiggle my toes and flex my feet.

“They’re dress shoes.” Rhys lifts a brow at me. “Really? In the hallway?”

“Torture. Devices. I’m not staying in those any longer than I have to.” I carry the stupid things to the elevator and start pulling on my tie. Who enjoys this? I feel like I’m slowly being murdered.

“You really don’t like to dress up, do you?” Rhys chuckles as I get it undone and open the top button of my shirt with a sigh.

“No. Who the hell does? This sucks. It’s so uncomfortable.”

When the doors open, I half expect Tobi to be standing there, ready to jump scare us. I peek my head out and look down the hallway, but he’s not there. Probably at my door waiting for me…

“It’s clear,” I say as I step out. “I’m so hungry. All that rich people food is ridiculous. No wonder everyone is so tiny. They don’t eat anything.”

Rhys chuckles as he gets his door open. Looks like his roommate is either out or asleep. Good.

“Just because you’re a giant?—”

“They prefer height inclined.” When we get into his room, I toss the horrible excuse for shoes to the side and turn to face Rhys.

My man looks tired.

Reaching for his jacket, I slide it off his shoulders, letting my fingers linger, before tossing it on the bed. He goes for the tie, but I slap his hand away.

“Let me do it.”

“You want to undress me? I thought I was supposed to undress you.”

“It’s like opening a present. I like presents.” Gripping both ends of the murder fabric, I pull his face to mine for a kiss. I think kisses are my favorite. There’s so many different kinds and ways. They don’t get boring.

“You sure you don’t just want to fuck again?”

“I wouldn’t say no, but maybe I just want to take care of you.”

He hums but lets me continue unbuttoning his shirt while touching every inch of skin as it’s exposed.

Rhys’ lips turn up a little in a smile as I play, but he stays relaxed, just watching me.

The shirt joins the jacket, and I unbuckle his belt. As I reach for his slacks, he stops me.

“I would do shoes first, if I were you.” There’s a little bit of a smile in his voice which warms my heart. He’s amused but not making fun of me.

I glance down at his feet and see his point. “Solid suggestion.”

Quickly, I kneel and purposefully don’t look at him. Not yet.

Pulling off his shoe, I get the sock too and set them aside, then do the other foot. From my place on the floor, I lift my gaze up Rhys’ body. Slowly dragging my gaze up his legs, lingering on his growing groin.

“Keep looking at me like you can already taste me, and I’ll make sure you do.”

If I thought for a single second that an orgasm was what he wanted, I’d already have his cock in my throat. But it’s not what he wants.

Grabbing his hips, I pull myself up, but the quick change makes me light headed and I stumble, knocking Rhys into the wall with a grunt.

“Are you okay?”

My head swims, and my heartbeat is loud in my ears. With one hand on his shoulder, I shake my head to clear it but lose my balance. His desk jams into my thigh, giving me a dead leg. I hiss at the pain of that and lurch forward too fast, slamming my forehead into the wall.

Hands grab for me, but I’m falling and there’s nothing Rhys can do about it. I hit the floor on my knees with a hard thud, but I finally stop moving.

“Mother fucking son of a bread bag!”

“Fucking Christ, are you okay?” Rhys pulls on my wrist to see my head, squatting in front of me. “How did you not break the skin? You cracked the plaster!”

I rub the sore spot on both my thigh and my forehead. “That did not go the way I planned.”

Rhys gives me a no shit look, but I’m kind of distracted by his lack of shirt and unbuckled belt. It’s a sexy, disheveled appearance that I would very much like to explore more later.

“Seriously, look at me.” He lifts my chin and meets my eyes. Probably checking for pupil dilation.

“I don’t have a concussion, I’m just clumsy. I get it from my mom.”

“How about your leg?” He nods toward the hand still rubbing at it.

“I’m sure I’ve had worse.”

“You really are a panda bear.” Rhys chuckles and tells me to lie back so he can help me out of my fancy ass pants. He makes quick work of the belt and between the two of us, we get them past my butt and off.

“That looks like it’s going to bruise.”

“If anyone asks about it, I’m telling them it was a sex injury.”

“And if you have a mark on your forehead?”

“That one too.” I sit up and lean back on my hands.

“And what are you going to tell them when they ask how you got them?” Rhys unbuttons my shirt, but he’s got a little smile on his face. “You have practice tomorrow?”

“Yup.”

He stands and offers me a hand up. Once I’m standing, he pushes my shirt off and I get his pants off, then pull him against me. Skin to skin is the best.

Rhys turns his face into my neck and sighs, some of the tension leaving him. Good job, self.

I kiss his hair, and I can feel him smile against my skin.

“Thank you. I guess I needed this more than I thought.”

“Everyone needs hugs. It’s like an iguana brain thing.”

“Lizard.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

He lifts his head, and I drop my mouth to his. This kiss is slow and comforting. Content.

“Oh! I have something for you!” I forgot I hid something in his closet a few weeks ago. Perfect timing, skull-jello.

He groans and steps back as I move. “How do you have something in my room?”

“Goalie magic, obviously.” I open the closet and find the white box that’s decorated like a little house tucked behind some other shit and give it to him.

“Build-A-Bear?” He seems confused.

“Open it!”

Rhys takes the box and sits on the bed, so I follow and sit next to him, too excited to see what he thinks.

He peels back the flaps that create the handle and glances inside. Pulling out the fuzzy brown bear in a hockey jersey, he sees it and smiles.

“A teddy bear?”

“So you can have Teddy Bear hugs any time you want one. But that’s not the best part, look.” I reach for the foot with the store’s logo on it and squeeze it. A recorded message starts playing.

“I just start talking? Oh shiiii-takii mushrooms, cuddle snakes, Crocs, when you smile at me, Oreo’s obviously, snow people, sewer gators.”

Rhys laughs and it flutters in my stomach.

“The lady asked if I wanted to try again but I told her no, those are all my favorite things. There were kids in there so I couldn’t say anything inappropriate.”

With a big smile on his face, he cups my neck and presses his forehead to my cheek.

“This is perfect.”

“Obviously. I only give the best gifts.”

Rhys lifts the box and pulls out a piece of paper before putting the bear inside. It’s a birth certificate for the bear, with his name, Tendy Bear, on it. He’s clearly a goalie.

The alarm I had set on my phone goes off, jerking me and Rhys awake with its shrill old telephone sound.

“I hate your alarm,” Rhys grumbles.

“It works though.” I get up and dig in my fancy pants for the stupid thing then turn it off. Instead of crawling back into bed where it’s warm and cozy and smells like Rhys, I get dressed in his clothes. They’re a little tight but oh well. I’m just going to practice. He even ordered me some Crocs last night so I don’t have to put on the torture devices again.

“Do you really not have socks?”

I slip on my new Summerset Crocs and give him my most offended look. “I do not wear socks with Crocs. How dare you.”

He sits up and scrubs a hand over his face. “Let me get this straight?—”

“You can’t cause you’re not straight.”

“—wearing those abominations is okay but putting socks on is going too far?”

“Only dads and sociopaths wear socks with Crocs or sandals.”

“I’m not awake enough for this.” He shakes his head, and I pull on a hoodie he found for me, determined to not take it personally since he’s evidently not thinking clearly. “Come kiss me.”

“Apologize for thinking I would wear socks with these.” I cross my arms and give him a stern look. Wait. That’s a dad look. Oh no. Am I becoming a dad?

“What’s that look for? You look scared.” Rhys stands in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Am I becoming a dad because you breed me? Am I going to start wearing cargo shorts and flip-flops with socks and getting angry at technology?”

I watch Rhys try to rein in the laugh he clearly wants to let out and force the smile from his lips but I can still see it. “Being bred does not turn you into a dad.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Super promise? Swear it on the Frozen Four?”

This time he does laugh but he kisses my forehead. “I swear it on the Frozen Four.”

I sag in relief. The Frozen Four is sacred. I can trust this.

Rhys cups my jaw and kisses me soft and sweet. As much as I love the rougher stuff, I really like when he’s sweet too.

He kisses my nose and steps back. “Did you call a car?”

“Nah. Unlike you, I know how to navigate the city.”

“It’s snowing out there and I won’t be able to warm you up when you get home. If you don’t call a car, I will.”

“I’ll be fine.”

I turn to leave but he blocks the door and with his phone in hand, I watch him order a ride.

“You’re ridiculous,” I tell him.

“I can’t have you losing a toe to gangrene. It’s like two miles.”

“That’s not real.”

“It really is and it’ll be real hard to play hockey with no toes.”

I huff at him, and he grabs my pocket to pull me against him. “I’m not letting you hurt yourself because you’re being stubborn.”

“I get more injuries on the ice and you know it.”

“But this is preventable.”

I don’t have a good response to that, so I lean into him and kiss him against the door instead. We get lost in the kiss, enjoying the connection and playfulness of the moment until my stupid phone goes off again. That’s the reminder to leave.

Rhys sighs and opens the door. “I’ll walk you out.”

“How do you wear these pants? My ass is going to split the seam.”

“My ass is smaller?”

“I’m going to have to change before the boys see me or I destroy these. I don’t think I can sit in these. I don’t need my brown eye making an appearance.”

“Especially since your trouser snake allegedly made an appearance last night.”

Teddy changed Rhys’ contact to Breeder

My Glory Hole: the driver was playing dad music

Breeder: What is dad music?

My Glory Hole: 90s emo stuff or wutev

Breeder: I honestly don’t know if you’re fucking with me right now.

My Glory Hole: blink 182. lighthouse. dad music.

Breeder: We need to have a serious talk about music.

As I step off the elevator, I stop short when I find Tobi leaning against my door with his arms crossed. Uh oh.

I slide my phone into my pocket and lift my chin in a nod. “Hey Tobi, what’s up?”

Using my keycard, I unlock the door and he follows me in without a word, closing the door behind him.

“I don’t know if I’m more insulted that you think I’m stupid or more betrayed by all the lies.”

Fuck.

“That’s not?—”

“Shut up!” Tobi yells, then clenches his jaw. “I know you were just at Rhys’ overnight . And you’re wearing a fucking Gods hoodie! Why?”

I look down at my chest and groan. Shit. I didn’t realize it had a logo on it since there wasn’t much light. I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what he knows or what Rhys is planning on telling him.

“Rhys was invited to another thing with his brothers, we were exhausted so we crashed at his place. I obviously don’t have clothes there.”

One of his eyes twitches. “And last week when he was here all night?”

“Are you stalking him? How would you know where he was all night if he wasn’t with you?” That urge to protect Rhys is fighting against wanting to protect my brother. I don’t know what to do or who to help more. Either way, I’m hurting someone who matters. I fucking hate this.

“I wouldn’t have to if you guys would stop lying to me! He’s my best friend, Teddy! Mine! And now I find out you’re seeing him, and I can’t even get him to text me back!” he yells the last word and steps toward me. I swear I can feel his words like a physical hit. “You’ve never given two shits about him or what he was doing. Why all of a sudden are you hanging out? Pretending to date him? It’s fucking suspicious!”

“I’m helping him out!” I pace to the window and back, desperate to find a way to deflect without throwing anyone under the bus. “You’re the one who got sick to begin with and left him drowning in a shit creek with no paddle! So I stepped up and helped. It’s not my fault they assumed we were dating so I’ve been invited to other shit.” I want to cry at the look of pain on his face. Even my dumbass doesn’t misunderstand what that is. It might as well be written in text on his skin.

“You demanded to be taken with him the second time. You could have let him tell them you broke up, but you didn’t. Why?” His hands are in tight fists like he wants to hit me, and I would let him if he took the swing. I more than deserve it for this. He’s right. He deserved a lot better than what we are doing to him.

“It’s better for me to go than for him to have to face it alone, isn’t it?”

Keep fucking digging your grave, you idiot.

Tobi will never forgive me for this when he finds it all out. It’ll be the final break in our chain.

“It would have been better for you not to go at all then I could have gone to the dinner thing with him!”

“This isn’t about you! It’s about being there for Rhys. He needed someone at his back, and I was there. I was doing this in part for you too! He matters to you, so he matters to me!”

Tobi looks at me like he’s going to cry. What the fuck is happening right now? What am I missing?

“Look me in the eye and tell me that’s all it is. You’re fake dating him to help him out with his brothers.” Tobi steps up to me, almost chest to chest. He’s breathing too hard, and I can’t tell why exactly.

“I’m just trying to do the right thing and help him out.”

Tobi watches me a heartbeat longer than is comfortable, and I’m holding my breath as he does. My lungs burn and my heart aches at the lies I’m spewing. The guilt is going to eat me alive like one of those flesh-eating bacteria things.

“Fine.” Tobi turns and leaves, slamming the door behind him as he goes.

I sag onto my bed, feeling like a piece of bird shit on the sidewalk, and drop my face into my hands. Why is this so hard? Why does it feel like my insides are being twisted like a corkscrew?

Shit.

I have to warn Rhys.

My Glory Hole: tobi is inside 2 us

Breeder: Fuck