Breakaway for Love (Hockey & Love #1)

6. Hot and Cold

6

HOT AND COLD

Nico

It's happening again!

Miller's lips have found mine. This time, though, he’s not as gentle as he was last night. Neither am I. Our mouths collide and we fight for the upper hand. Daniel wins. His right hand has slid to the back of my neck again. With one touch, he has me under his spell. Why is that so exciting?

I’m not totally subdued, though. My tongue pushes into Miller's mouth as if I'm fucking him with my tongue. Today, he tastes like coffee. My need is clear and Daniel spreads his legs a little more, grinding his hips into mine. He’s rock hard, and I gasp excitedly into his mouth.

He obviously knows what he's doing. But how? I tear my mouth from his, and for a moment, I just stand there facing Miller. Everything feels like a surreal repeat of last night, and yet, so different. But it’s me who pulled back from the kiss. Me who is seconds away from bolting — again.

Miller seems to sense it. His mouth curves into a gentle smile and he reassuringly strokes my upper arm. It's a comforting gesture, but it’s encouraging and hopeful too. It’s an invitation.

He offered me his friendship so naturally yesterday — was it really only yesterday? — now he’s offering me more. How does he do it?

"It's okay," he whispers.

Nothing is okay!

The door of the dining room swings opens and I hear the buzz of voices. I realize for the first time where we are and the situation we've gotten into.

Damn! This was way too close. We can't go on like this.

Everything in me is begging me to turn and run, but that would draw everyone’s attention to what we’re doing. I blink and take a deep breath, trying to get my rising panic rising under control. My whole body feels numb and my heart is racing so fast that I worry how long it can keep up its crazy pace. Cold sweat starts running down my back.

Then Miller takes my hand. It helps. It pushes back the black that was clouding the edges of my vision and threatening to overwhelm me. I should be grateful, but him stopping me from fainting doesn’t mean I want to stay. I need to go now!

"Not here! Not now!" I say gruffly.

Miller smiles wryly at me. Why is he so relaxed about this?

"I still have your hat," he says.

Clothes are the last thing I'm interested in right now … Unless they’re his clothes and I’m ripping them off!

Oh god! Stop it! I yell at myself.

Luckily, before I work myself into a full-blown panic attack, Miller continues, "I'll bring it to you after lunch."

As he says this, he looks at me intensely. I have the nagging feeling that he is trying to tell me something that I’m not picking up.

Maybe sensing my confusion, Miller adds quietly, "To your room."

Oh!

Nothing could stop me now. I turn and walk as steadily through the lobby towards the elevators as I can. It’s not as nonchalant as I’d like, but at least I'm not running.

The training goes like clockwork again. And I’m frankly amazed, because my thoughts are bordering on chaotic.

Miller wants to come to my room! What does he want to do when he’s there?

Sudden cheering brings my attention back to the training session. There are some spectators here this morning. Besides the red-haired witch Miller used to hang out with back in school, half of the Terenberg Capitals fan club seem to be here. Don't they have anything better to do on a Thursday morning? Doesn't anyone work around here? Our actual game against the Capitals isn’t until 6:00 pm!

Juri, Emil, and Matthias must have a bunch of supporters, but Miller’s being cheered on too. Mostly by a lot of screaming girls who must have skipped school especially for him.

With a little more force than necessary, I flick the puck across the ice and it lands right on Miller's blade. He takes this pass gracefully and seconds later it sails into the goal. Our right wing Gabriel races toward me and hugs me so hard I almost lose my balance. I'm not used to being so involved in the celebrations. Even my teammates in Toronto have learned to give me some space. But Gabriel is like a hurricane that bulldozes everything in his path, and if I'm honest, his excitement is doing me a load of good. I’ve never felt so part of a team.

Seconds later, Miller jumps on tops of us. You'd think we'd already won the gold medal, not a training goal against our own teammates.

Miller.

His gaze seems to sparkle, especially when he looks in my direction. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking!

The coach calls us in sternly and we dutifully head for the players' bench. Edvarden's expression today is not quite as pinched as usual. Maybe that’s even a tiny smile playing around his lips which he’s clearly trying to suppress.

His talk is all hot air, and I fidget restlessly. "Play like that tonight against the Caps ... Keep up the good work ... Don't forget to fight!" Phrases I've heard countless times at countless games from countless coaches. He lets us go at last, but not before unexpectedly giving us the afternoon off to rest before the game.

My stomach tightens. With anticipation or with nerves? Miller promised — no, stated — that he’s coming to my room after lunch “to return my hat” … whatever that means.

Just that, the angel on my shoulder reassures me.

Don’t be stupid, the little devil scoffs. It’s obviously a euphemism for sex!

Sex? My stomach flips.

Now that we have the whole afternoon free, Miller has time to do more than pop in, return my beanie, and get back to training. We’re all supposed to rest in our rooms, so if he "dropped in" on me then stayed longer, no one would notice. He could even stay the whole afternoon ...

Something stirs below my waist but my heart clenches painfully. I’m a wreck. Will I really … do it? And if I do, will Miller notice how inexperienced I am?

Don’t think about it, I tell myself.

Somehow, I make it through our team lunch without anyone calling me out on why I’m so edgy. I swallow hard as I stand up. I've finished my lunch, my glass is empty, people on my table are getting ready to go. It’s time to head up to my room.

My gaze wanders over the players' heads and finds Miller's dark mop of hair. It’s mingling with his redheaded friend’s. Why do they always have so much to talk about? Was breakfast, and now the whole of lunch, not enough? Or is there something going on between them after all?

That thought threatens to bring my lunch back up — that’s all I need!

I stride as quickly as I can through the dining room and out into the lobby, but instead of returning to my room, I wander out through the front doors into the open air. The cold air instantly makes me shiver because the thin shirt I’m wearing isn’t designed to withstand temperatures like these. It does do me good, though. The icy cold calms my racing thoughts — something I haven’t been able to do all day.

I take a deep breath. This feels so good!

I stay outside for as long as I can stand it, but even I can’t ignore my shaking forever, so I make my way to my room.

Surprisingly, I cover the short distance through the hotel to my corridor without panicking. The cold is still clinging to my body as I turn the last corner, then I falter. Sitting on the patterned carpet, his back against my door, is Miller. He must have left right after me.

There’s something tempting about him with his head thrown back against the door, his eyes closed. He looks exhausted, though. I hesitate, unsure of what to do. Should I walk over? Or run back to the lobby and hide in the public restroom?

The little angel and the little devil on my shoulders find the last suggestion ridiculous, and they’re right!

Before I can make a decision, Miller notices me. A smile spreads across his face, reaching his tired eyes, and I can’t remember anyone ever looking at me like that before. A thought that manages to depress me and give me butterflies all at the same time.

Miller jumps up and holds out my gray hat to me like a trophy. Shaking my head, I walk up to him and take it. When our hands touch, his forehead wrinkles.

Have I done something wrong?

Daniel

"You're freezing," I state, frowning.

What's happened to Nico’s famous hot blood? Is he getting sick?

I’m still waiting for an answer when he turns towards the door and tries to insert his keycard into the slot. He’s shaking so badly, though, that he keeps missing. Without overthinking it, I grab the electronic key from his cold hand and open the door for us. Then I bundle him straight into the bathroom.

"Get undressed!" I urge him, while turning the shower on.

When I turn back to him, he’s still rooted to the spot, fully clothed. He seems dazed and is trembling quite violently. Fear begins to constrict my throat. The same questions as before rush through my head: Is he coming down with something? What happened to him after he left the dining hall? Should I call for help?

To mask my increasing concern, I tease him. "Have you gone shy all of a sudden?"

It snaps him out of his stupor, and his hands wander slowly to his shirt buttons. I watch him fiddle with them for a moment, then I step forward and push his fingers aside.

When the first button slides through the buttonhole, Nico exhales loudly. I take that as a good sign, as he no longer seems quite so catatonic. I work quickly, freeing him from the rest of his clothes. When I pull his pants and underwear down, his cock jumps into my face. It’s long and smooth and proudly rock hard.

This masterpiece of a penis doesn’t escape my notice despite how worried I am about my friend — I mean, my teammate — heck, the teammate I've already kissed twice ...

Jesus, it's enough to make my head spin. I’m standing in front of the guy who refused to be my friend, but kissed me anyway. And now I’ve getting a full view of the most perfect cock I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’d love to take it deep in my mouth, taste it, trace its beautiful shape with my tongue ...

A croak drifts from Nico's throat that brings me back to the here and now. How can I have fantasies about someone who’s obviously not well? I’m sick!

I lead him gently towards the shower, and Nico steps under the warm water in a daze. His trembling becomes even more violent and I realize I should have called for help sooner. If I leave him now, though, he might collapse or lose his balance on the slippery tiles. Instead, I remember that shared body heat is the fastest way to deal with hypothermia, so I strip as quickly as I can and climb into the shower behind him. I wrap my arms around him from behind and press him as tightly against me as I can.

Nico turns to me then and his expression is one of sheer gratitude — it touches me deeply. Then he turns, wraps his arms around my neck and clings to me as if I were a buoy in the stormy sea. I hold him and stroke his back soothingly with my hand.

Who knows how long we'll stand like this, Nico’s muscular body pressed against mine. Our stiff cocks are pressed tightly but we ignore them. My only concern is feeling Nico’s icy body slowly getting warmer, although I’m still wondering how he got this cold.

Eventually the shivering stops, and when Nico's body no longer feels like ice under my fingers, I turn off the water and wrap him in one of the huge, soft bath towels the hotel provides.

"What happened?" I ask, hoping to finally get an answer.

Nico nestles into the soft cloth covering his body. I rub the outside of the towel to dry him off quicker. One of his hands stretches out to meet my touch as if he were craving some form of physical contact.

"Couldn't think," he finally mutters to himself. "That's when I went out."

What?

"You went out in the cold in those thin clothes?"

"Not for long," he states quietly, before mumbling something about me being a "California Boy.” Despite the situation, the cheeky muttering brings a smile to my lips.

It was only last night that I felt firsthand how superheated this guy usually is, so I try to work out how long he was out there. I left the dining hall shortly after him, and I must have been waiting outside his room door for about fifteen minutes. So, he was outside without winter clothing that whole time. Granted, it's only around freezing point, but there’s a sharp wind, and given how little he wearing it’s no wonder he's hypothermic!

I grab a towel and dry myself off quickly. I have to make sure that Nico doesn't lose the warmth that the shower brought back. So, I take his hand and lead him out of the bathroom into the bedroom. It’s identical to mine, even down to the same small sailboat painting above the bed.

Nico settles down on the bed, and I’m about to cover him when his hand grips mine.

"Get in! Please!"

For the first time since I saw him coming towards me in the hallway, Nico seems completely lucid, and I’m more relieved than I can say. I slip under the thick covers behind him.

There was no way I would have left him alone in his condition, but I thought that making myself comfortable on the chair would be more appropriate. However, Nico's command has made me brave.

When he snuggles up to me, it’s the most fabulous feeling ever.

When I wake, the light outside the small window is dim, and it takes me a moment to get my bearings.

Shit! Nico! The game!

After everything that happened, I forgot to set an alarm for us.

Without stopping to appreciate the naked, hot body next to me, I jump out of bed and rush into the bathroom. I hurry to where I discarded my pants and rummage in the pocket for my cell phone. I check the screen and curse again. We have just twenty minutes before we have to be back at the rink.

I rush back into the bedroom and wonder how best to wake Nico . I’d like to snuggle up to him again and smother him with kisses, but would he like that, too? I know we’ve already kissed twice, but both times he’s run off straight after. Plus, there’s a distinct possibility that he went as far as getting frostbite earlier to avoid talking to me. Then again, he seemed to take comfort from my closeness when he asked me to join him in his bed.

Luckily, I don't have to figure out an answer because, as I peer into his face, his eyes are wide open. Is that fear in them? And if so, what can I say to make it go away? But then he blinks and his gaze sweeps slowly over my naked body. When our eyes meet again, fear and doubt have disappeared from his eyes. Instead, they’re full of unspeakable lust.

Oh my god! I reach for my cock which has become instantly hard and swipe it once or twice — it doesn’t help!

"Stop looking at me like that," I say half desperately, half lustfully. "We don't have time! We have to be at the rink in twenty minutes."

I can see the wheels turning in Nico's brain, then he jumps up from his bed as if stung.

Now it's me who scans his naked body covetously, and — damn! — he’s perfect. His pale skin is so flawless, there’s not even a single birthmark to mar his body. His powerful muscles are so clearly defined that every move he makes brims with strength. Then my eyes wander over the six-pack and track the finest happy trail down to his perfect prick. My mouth waters, but I force my eyes back up to find his face is not as pale as usual.

Is Nico blushing?

Nico

Whenever I have a game, I'm usually in the arena at least an hour before I’m expected to be there. The quiet atmosphere of the empty locker room helps me mentally prepare myself. Now, I’ll have to hurry to even make it on time!

Anxiety is already making me edgy. This game has to go well!

I jump out of bed and freeze. The way Miller is looking at me reminds me that I’m completely naked. Just like him. Then I remember I spent a whole afternoon stark naked in bed with another man. Even though nothing happened … unfortunately.

Still, I can't remember the last time I slept so well, and it’s a bit of a revelation. I suddenly realized what I've been missing these last few years. How wonderful it can be to share a bed with another person, to enjoy their closeness, their warmth.

I don't have any more time for deeper thoughts right now, though, because Daniel is devouring me with his eyes. I’ve never been looked at with such hunger by another man before, and I can't stop the heat from rising to my face.

How does this guy throw me off balance so easily? Maybe the even better question is: Why is he so relaxed about all this? I wasn’t the only one naked in bed, and now he’s walking around without clothes and totally uninhibited. With a stiff cock. Or rather, with a prick that became instantly hard the moment I looked at him. Then he has the balls to play with himself in front of me — acting like all this is totally normal.

Before I can stop myself, the question pops out of my mouth: "How come you’re so relaxed?"

"Because of the game? It's just a practice run." He shrugs carelessly.

Daniel clearly hasn’t understood me at all, but he's right. As hard as this whole thing is for me, I can plunge into an existential crisis later. Thoughts of naked men, especially this naked man, are banished from my mind because there’s something more urgent to concentrate on: ice hockey.

After this mental reminder, I go to the closet and take out the first suit I lay my hands on, silently cursing the rule that we have to show up to a game in suits. I'm not one hundred percent sure I'm capable of tying a tie right now.

Despite my motivational self-talk, having a naked man in my room is throwing me off a bit, but before I’ve pulled myself together, Miller is standing in front of me fully dressed. How did he manage that so quickly? His hand grips my chin possessively, and I’m surprised by the quick kiss he plants on my lips — he literally takes my breath away.

"I have to go to my room real quick to change.” He says before turning to the door. “See you at the arena, sweetheart!" He adds before leaving.

Sweetheart?