Chapter 25
25
ELLIOT
“ E lliot!” Gerard stands in the lobby, a giant slab of beef in a pink suit and bowtie that looks ready to burst at the seams. The outfit is hideous, but it’s also kind of amazing—like a flamingo had an identity crisis and decided to become a bodybuilder.
His wavy blond hair is mussed, and his blue eyes are frantic as he scans the room. Even from here, I can see how the tight trousers struggle with his hockey butt. The whole ensemble screams, but not as loudly as he just did.
He spots me at the circulation desk and rushes over. I sink lower into my chair.
“Elliot, I need to?—”
I hold up a finger. “Gerard. We’re in a library.”
Sarah smirks and adjusts her ponytail. She’s enjoying this way too much.
“I need to talk to you,” Gerard whispers, which for him is still loud enough to carry across the stacks.
I look down at the chessboard. Sarah has me cornered, and she knows it. We’ve been at this for an hour, and I’m stalling because I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of winning.
“We’re kind of in the middle of something,” I say .
Sarah shrugs. “I don’t mind pausing.”
Of course, she doesn’t. She knows she’s already won.
Gerard shifts on his enormous feet, his black loafers making little squeaking sounds. Did I mention that he’s wearing pink dress socks?
“It’ll just take a second,” Gerard huffs.
I give him the talk-to-the-hand gesture and turn back to the chessboard. Sarah’s grin is insufferable, but I’d rather endure that than whatever Gerard thinks is so urgent.
“Fine,” Gerard says. He sounds hurt, but I don’t look up.
I study the pieces, trying to see a way out. Sarah leans back in her chair and stretches like a cat who just ate a canary. She’s about to say something smug when Gerard lunges forward and starts swiping at the board.
“Hey!” Sarah and I shout in unison.
Gerard’s massive hands move with surprising speed and precision, repositioning knights, bishops, and pawns like he’s rearranging furniture. In three seconds, he steps back and crosses his arms. “Checkmate.”
We stare at the board, then at each other, then back at the board. He’s right. My queen has Sarah’s king pinned down with no escape route. It’s a goddamn miracle.
“You know how to play?” I ask, incredulous.
Gerard shrugs. “I’m not completely dumb, you know.”
Sarah mutters something under her breath that sounds like “fucking jock” as she glares at the board.
“Where’d you learn to play?” I stare up at him in wonder, still gobsmacked at the fact I’m still learning so much about him.
Gerard loosens his bowtie. “My mom taught me during a blizzard when I was ten. We were snowed in for three days, and she got sick of me whining about being bored.”
I picture a tiny, chubby ten-year-old Gerard with the same wavy blond hair, pouting as he moves pawns around a checkered board. It’s absurdly adorable .
“That explains the outfit,” Sarah says. “Did your mom pick that out, too?”
Gerard grins, not even the least bit offended. “Nah, I picked this bad boy out myself.”
I roll my eyes. “Why are you here, Gerard? Shouldn’t you be at the banquet hall downtown?”
Gerard’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about! I left early because I couldn’t wait any longer.”
“Couldn’t wait for what?” I ask, even though I have a sinking feeling I know exactly where this is going.
He takes a deep breath, his cheeks flushing pink to match his hideous suit. “Elliot Montgomery, will you go out on a date with me? Like, a proper date. Dinner, a movie, the whole shebang.”
I stare at him, my mouth slightly agape. Is he serious? I know I’ve been jerking him off for a couple of weeks, but a date? That’s a whole different ballgame.
Gerard must sense my hesitation because he turns his attention to Sarah. “Hey, help me out here. You know how Elliot feels about me, right?”
I scoff and cross my arms over my chest. “What makes you think Sarah knows anything about my feelings for you?”
Gerard rolls his eyes. “Oh, come on, Elliot. You’re gay, and Sarah’s a girl. I’d bet my hockey stick that you’ve told her everything about us. Including how much you love my nearly nine-inch cock.”
My jaw drops open, and I feel the heat rush to my cheeks. I sputter, trying to form a coherent response, but my brain has short-circuited.
“I have never, ever told Sarah that,” I finally manage to choke out, albeit sounding like Mickey Mouse.
Gerard’s eyes widen as he realizes his mistake. A deep crimson blush spreads across his chiseled cheekbones, making him look sheepish and even more adorable.
Sarah, meanwhile, grins like the Cheshire Cat. Her eyes flick down to Gerard’s crotch, then back up to his face. “Nearly nine inches, huh? Impressive.”
Gerard clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I, uh…I shouldn’t have assumed. My bad.”
I bury my face in my hands, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole. This is not how I imagined this conversation going. At all.
“Look, Gerard,” I sigh, peeking at him through my fingers. “I appreciate the invitation, but I’m not sure a date is the best idea right now. We’ve got a good thing going, you know? Why complicate it?”
Gerard’s shoulders slump, and for a moment, he looks like a kicked puppy. But then he straightens up, a determined glint in his eye. “Because I want more than just a good thing, Elliot. I want a great thing. An amazing thing. I want to take you out, show you off, and make you feel special. Is that so wrong?”
My heart flips in my chest. Damn him and his sincerity. It’s like trying to resist a golden retriever who wants to cuddle and play fetch.
Sarah leans forward and places her elbows on the desk. “Elliot, if you don’t say yes to this date, I will never forgive you. And I will tell the entire campus about Gerard’s massive dong.”
Gerard perks up, his eyes hopeful. “I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman. I’ll even wear a normal suit.”
I sigh, rubbing my temples as a headache forms. “Fine. One date. But don’t get your hopes up, Gunnarson. I’m not making any promises.”
Gerard flashes a smile so bright it could power the entire library. “Yes! You won’t regret this, Elliot. I’ll make it the best date ever.”
He does a little victory dance, his massive frame jiggling in all the wrong— right —places. Sarah snickers as I bury my face in my hands again. What have I gotten myself into?
Now that that’s all settled,”—Sarah turns her wicked grin on Gerard—“care to play a round of chess and tell me more about your massive dong?”
Gerard’s blush deepens to an almost alarming shade of red, and he stammers something unintelligible. Sarah cackles, clearly enjoying every second of his discomfort.
He glances at me, pleading, but I do nothing but shrug. It’s not like I can save him from Sarah’s relentless teasing even if I wanted to. And honestly, after the bomb he dropped, I think he deserves a little squirming.
Sarah pulls up another seat. “Come on, big guy. I’m dying to hear all the juicy details while you crush me like you crushed our game.”
Gerard hesitates, glancing between me and the door as if he’s calculating his chances of escape. With a resigned sigh, he unbuttons his gaudy jacket and sinks into the chair.
“I was joking about the dong talk,” Sarah says as she sets the pieces in their starting positions with swift, practiced motions. “Mostly.”
I should walk away and get back to work since this is clearly going to take a while, but something keeps me rooted in place.
Is it the morbid fascination of watching Gerard navigate this minefield he’s created? Or is it wanting to see how he handles talking about us when I’m not the one putting him on the spot?
“Are you bi now?” Sarah asks without warning. “Or is Elliot nothing more than an experiment?”
My spine stiffens at her bluntness. Yes, I’ve wondered the same thing, but hearing it out loud—especially from a friend—feels like a punch to the gut.
Gerard pauses, his massive hands dwarfing the tiny chess piece he was about to move. “I don’t know what I am. All I know is that I like Elliot. A lot. ”
Well, fuck.
I’m a nervous wreck.
It’s been a long time since I’ve dated someone. The last person I went out with was back in high school, and I never saw the guy again.
A lot can change in five years. People change. Circumstances change. And me? Well, I’ve changed too.
My world has been turned upside down in the month and a half since meeting Gerard. Before, I was content living in my little bubble and keeping everyone at arm’s length. Jocks, especially hockey players, were the last people on earth I wanted to associate with. I had my books and my studies, and that was enough. Or so I thought.
But then Gerard came crashing into my life, quite literally, with his missing hockey stick and those crystal-blue eyes that saw me in all my grumpy glory. And, suddenly, I found myself drawn to him, a moth to a flame.
Living in the Hockey House has been a major adjustment. I’m surrounded by these larger-than-life personalities, each one more boisterous than the last.
There’s Oliver, the nurturing den mother who keeps everyone fed and cared for. Kyle, a grumpier man than me, and who’s only nice around Alex. Drew, the shameless flirt, has a new conquest every week and has been hanging out with Jackson more and more ever since Halloween. Nathan, who I think still thinks I’m mad at him for almost running me over.
And then there’s Gerard. The sweet-as-pie boy with a heart as big as his fist.
Despite my initial reservations, I’ve grown fond of these hockey players. They’ve welcomed me into their tight-knit group despite my many flaws. We’ve shared laughter over ridiculous antics, bonded over late-night study sessions, and even had heart-to-heart conversations about our hopes and dreams after college. And then, when I’m lying next to Gerard, my whole world stops—except for him.
Gerard has impressed me. He listens intently when I ramble about my favorite books, surprises me with my favorite coffee order, and always knows what to say to make me smile.
It’s terrifying, really, how quickly he’s become such an integral part of my life. I think about him constantly, and my heart skips a beat whenever he enters a room.
I never thought I’d be the type to fall for a hockey player, but here I am, waiting for our first official date to begin. My stomach is filled with butterflies, and my mind races with possibilities of where our first date will take place.
A sharp rap of knuckles against wood startles me from my thoughts, and my heart leaps into my throat. That’s him. He’s ready. But am I?
What if I stumble over my words or forget how to make small talk? What if I’m so nervous that I miss my mouth when drinking and ruin my nice shirt?
What if all this leads to Gerard deciding he wants nothing to do with me and kicks me out of his room or, worse, the house?
That thought alone makes me nauseous. I don’t want this night to end before it even starts. As much as every instinct screams at me to run away and hide, I know that’s not an option anymore. Not when there’s a lot at stake.
Here goes nothing.
I open the door to see a devastatingly handsome Gerard in a fitted blue button-down that makes his eyes sparkle even more than usual. His blond hair is combed, and his signature radiant smile lights up his face as his gaze meets mine.
How is this Adonis of a man interested in me, of all people?
Gerard opens his mouth to speak when Jackson and Drew appear out of nowhere and barge into the room. They shove me back—lightly, of course—and block Gerard’s view of me.
Jackson dramatically clears his throat, puffs out his chest, and starts speaking in an aristocratic tone. “Young man. What exactly are your intentions with our dear Elliot tonight?”
Is he pretending to be my dad?
Drew raises his voice a few octaves and adopts a maternal tone. “Yes, we want to ensure that our precious boy is in good hands. Isn’t that right, honey?”
He affectionately pats Jackson’s arm, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing at the absurdity of the situation. The mental image of them as my parents is disturbing, and I don’t know whether I should be mad or appreciative.
Gerard doesn’t miss a beat, engaging them as if this is an everyday occurrence. “Of course, sirs. I completely understand. My intentions are nothing but honorable. I plan to take Elliot to Olive Garden for a lovely dinner.”
Jackson narrows his eyes and strokes his chin as if deep in thought. “Olive Garden, huh? I hear they have excellent food.”
“The best in town, sir,” Gerard confirms. “And their breadsticks are to die for.”
Drew gasps and places a hand over his heart as he bats his eyelashes at Jackson. “Oh, breadsticks! Honey, remember when we shared a breadstick on our first date?”
Jackson’s facade cracks for a split second. “How could I forget, sweet cheeks? It was love at first bite.”
Drew smirks and turns his attention back to Gerard. “But what about after dinner?”
“After dinner, I plan to drive Elliot home and give him a chaste kiss goodnight.”
My heart swells at his words. He’s thought this through, hasn’t he? It’s the little things that make me realize how attentive and considerate Gerard truly is.
Jackson and Drew exchange a glance, communicating silently. It’s freaky how they can do that after only knowing each other for a short time. But then again, I haven’t known Gerard for much longer, and I’m falling for him faster than a skydiver.
After a moment, they both nod, and Jackson fixes Gerard with a stern expression that’s discredited by the twinkle in his eye. “Alright, we approve. But we expect you to have our boy home by midnight. And no funny business, you hear?”
“Yes, don’t do anything I would do,” Drew adds .
Gerard places a hand over his heart. “I swear on my hockey stick, sirs. Elliot will be treated with the utmost respect and be returned to you safe and sound.”
“Oh, he better be. Because if we find out you’ve taken advantage of our precious little bee…” Drew lets the unspoken threat hang in the air.
I roll my eyes. These idiots. They’re ridiculous and overprotective, but I kind of love them for it.
Finally, Jackson and Drew step aside, allowing Gerard to enter the room. He grins as he takes in my exasperated state.“You ready to go, bumblebee?”
I glance at Jackson and Drew. I can’t speak for Drew, but I know, without a doubt, Jackson is beyond excited to see me going on a date. I also know I’ll be grilled about what happened first thing tomorrow morning.
Gerard’s eyes travel appreciatively over my outfit. I’m wearing a polo shirt Sarah bought me when I told her I didn’t have anything worthy of a first date and a pair of black jeans. I even attempted to style my hair, to minimal success.
I know I don’t hold a candle to Gerard’s effortless handsomeness. He could be the cover model of a GQ magazine with his well-defined features and confident swagger. Meanwhile, I’m over here, a scrub in comparison.
Gerard bites his plump bottom lip, worrying it between his bright white teeth, and that one small action is enough to set my soul on fire. He’s undressing me with his eyes, peeling back all the layers of self-doubt and insecurity to see the real me underneath. The me that he finds more than satisfactory, if how wide his pupils get is any indication.
The butterflies in my stomach have morphed from harbingers of doom into tiny little cheerleaders urging me to seize this opportunity for all it’s worth. “Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
I shiver when Gerard takes my hand and leads me out of the room. This is the first time we’ve ever held hands, and I hope it’s not the last.
His long, thick fingers interlock perfectly with my slim, delicate ones. The warmth of his palm soothes me from the inside out. But it’s him gently stroking my knuckles with his thumb that has my heart doing somersaults.
That simple caress, whisper-soft yet searing, tells me all I need to know. He wants this night to go well as badly as I do.
Gerard peers down at me and flashes a million-dollar smile. “I promise tonight will be amazing.”
And I believe him.