Stick By Me: A Nerd Jock Hockey MM Romance (Desert Ice Hockey Book 1)

Chapter 2

“Dude, what the hell are you making?” I broke three eggs over a frying pan on our worn-out white stove top, so old the burners were made with those round electric elements. Then I twisted around to Jonah, my best buddy from home and the left winger of our college team, the Devils.

Jonah shook his straight, black hair off his forehead and his tongue peeked out of the corner of his mouth, his big hand holding down the lid on our blender and stabbing the buttons on it with the fingers of his other hand. “Never you mind. It’s a secret blend of lean proteins and shit that’ll make me fly on the ice tomorrow.”

“Why? ‘Cause all the fucking gas it’ll give you will shoot you down the ice?” I chuckled and slid a spatula under my eggs, then flipped them over. I didn’t like the yolks to be too runny.

“Ha ha, what a funny guy you are.” He bumped his shoulder on mine, then kissed my cheek. “Good thing I love you so much or I’d have to slap you for that comment.”

“Naw, leave the slapping or more like, the punching, to Mason.” I flicked a wave of blond bang off my head, then adjusted the waist of my thin, black joggers. I’d put on one of my team shirts after breakfast. Sometimes the kitchen got hot when we were cooking.

He stopped blending and poured the thick, green concoction into a tall, plastic glass. “Man, can you believe he got kicked out of Monkey Pants Bar last night for fighting again?”

“I hope Coach Patterson doesn’t find out, or we’ll be fucked without our best center when we play U of A this weekend.” I carefully slid my eggs onto a plate, then threw the bagel with cream cheese and lox that I’d made earlier next to them. “When do you think the other guys will be up?”

“Fuck if I know. I’m surprised they’re still in bed.” He slapped my ass, then made his way toward our dining table. It reminded me of something you’d see at a farm, a big oval thing with tall-backed chairs. But what the hell, Myles’ family, our right winger, had given it to us, so I couldn’t complain.

I picked up my phone and checked the time, my reflection catching on my brown eyes, my lashes so thick the guys sometimes teased me for wearing mascara. Fucking morons. I joined Jonah at the table, sitting beside him. Funny how we all had our regular seats, even when it was only the two of us sitting at the table and not having a squad house dinner. I cut into my eggs, watching him slurp down his smoothie. “So, what’s really in that thing?” I slipped the eggs into my mouth.

“The usual shit, protein powder, Greek yogurt, creatine and I used one of those green machine drinks.” He set his smoothie on the table. “I’m just sick of eggs right now. I’ve been eating boiled eggs every day for a week.”

“I know. That’s why I changed it up and fried mine.” I let my gaze roam over his thick biceps, stretching the sleeves of his maroon athletic shirt, how it folded at his thinner waist, then his thick thighs, under his black joggers. Maybe his smoothies would help me put on a little more muscle. “Could you make me one of those tomorrow morning?”

He drank some down, his blue-eyed gaze meeting mine. “Yeah, sure.” He poked at one of the many tattoos on my arm. “I’m thinking about getting a few of these things. What do you think I should get?”

“Uh…crossed hockey sticks?” I snorted. Here we go…

“Dude, everybody does that. I want something special.” Shaking his head with a smirk, he gulped down more of his smoothie.

“You could get my name tattooed over your heart with little butterflies all around it.” I chortled. He was going to be sorry he ever asked. But we’d been fucking with each other since we’d met at our first hockey camp at ten years old. And had been fast friends ever since.

“More like I’ll tattoo your name on my ass.” He grumbled, then huffed a laugh. “Speaking of fine asses, when are you going to tell me what happened with that hot keyboard player?”

“Oh, Milo.” I pushed my last egg around on my plate. I’d really liked him, but once I’d seen him with his firefighting best friend, I knew it was over. “Turns out, his best friend wasn’t as straight as he’d thought, and Milo was in love with him.” An ache filtered through my chest. If only I could find a guy. Girls weren’t doing it for me anymore. Plus, coming out to Dad hadn’t been easy, but now I was out, I wanted to try having a boyfriend.

He patted my back, then wrapped an arm around my shoulders for a quick side-hug. “That sucks, man. I’m sorry. I’m sure there’s some nice guy out there just waiting to meet you.”

“Yeah, whatever.” The two of us were so alike it was uncanny. Both from Minnesota, both bisexual and both done with women. I bit into my bagel, the cream cheese mixing with the salt of the smoked salmon. This was my Sunday treat.

He unwrapped his arm from me, then slid his phone out of his front pocket. “Anyways, we gotta get going. We shouldn’t be late for our volunteer work at the Humane Society. It wouldn’t reflect well on the team.” He stood up with his empty cup in his hand. “Are you driving, or am I?”

“I’ll drive.” I ate the last of my eggs. “You drive like a lunatic, and we need to be injury free this week.” With a grin, I flicked my gaze up to his.

“You drive like a grandma.” He set his glass in the sink and rinsed it. “Scratch that. You drive slower than my grandma.” With a chuckle, he set his glass in the dishwasher.

“Yeah, whatever.” As I ate my bagel, I perused our old home in Tempe, not far from campus and the rink. The place had been renovated sometime in the eighties to maximize the number of college students it could house and now had six bedrooms. The main room was probably a lot smaller than the original floor plan, but it meant all six of us queer guys on the team could live together. Just how we’d planned it. The squad. That was us.

My gaze landed on our old, green sectional sofa and the oak tables surrounding it. Every piece of furniture had been donated by somebody’s parents. To the right of the sofa was our covered patio and beyond, our own personal swimming pool. Never thought after living in Minnesota I’d have a pool in my backyard. But it was pretty common in the Arizona desert. Funny to think we’d all be playing hockey out here, but it was where we found it would be easiest to all get on the team after juniors.

“Dude, what the fuck are you thinking about? Eat up. We’ve got to go.” Jonah patted my shoulder and gave me a sly grin.

“Yeah, yeah.” I stuffed the rest of my bagel in my mouth and stood up. I hated being rushed to eat, but he was right.

“But while we’re here, did your dad ever call after the game on Friday?” He slurped down more of his drink.

“No, he didn’t call. Probably doesn’t even know we won.” I breathed through the familiar wrench in my gut. He probably didn’t watch the game and it didn’t matter.

“That sucks.” He set his drink on the table and pressed his lips together. “Your mom was watching from heaven though. We both know that.” He eyed me up and down.

“Yeah…” My heart stuttered. Did he have to go there? I ate the last of my eggs.

“She was the best, man. She was always at every game back in Minnesota.” He scoffed. “That fucking accident?—”

“Okay, okay.” I held my palm up to him. I knew he meant well, but fuck, I didn’t need to be reminded of it right now. I stuffed my bagel into my mouth and chewed.

“Sorry. Just…you know I’m here for you.” He drank the rest of his smoothie. “Now, hurry up and eat.” He gave me a lopsided grin.

After drivingthe short distance to the animal rescue, we stepped out of my blue Honda CR-V, a hand-me down from a cousin up in Minnesota with rust inside the corners of the doors to prove it. After meeting Jonah in the front of my vehicle, I ran my gaze across the squat, masonry walls of the building, painted in white with a cartoon animal mural across it. Tall chain-link fencing ran along one side of the building, and a few dogs wagged their tails at us from inside. My heart ached. “Fuck, look at those poor things.” I pointed at a black dog, now jumping up on the fence. The things these dogs must have gone through before getting here.

“Hey, we’re going to make sure these pups have the time of their life today.” He patted my arm, then grabbed my elbow, and led me to a small glass door tucked away under an awning.

After stepping through the door, we stopped at a small desk sitting on a concrete floor. An older woman with dark hair and eyes peered up at us, lines wrinkling her face. “Hello, can I help you?” She flashed us a smile. “Looking to adopt?”

I scanned behind her at the rows of cages lined up on either side of the hallway behind more fencing. How many animals were living here? “Uh, no, we’re from the Devils hockey team. We’re?—”

“Oh, here to volunteer. Right on time.” She stood up and held out her hand. “Name’s Delores. We’ve got a few volunteers here already.”

I shook her hand. “I’m Archer and this is Jonah.” I ticked my head at him.

Shaking her hand, he said, “Pleased to meet you ma’am.”

With a clap of her hands over her chest, she beamed at us. “Right this way. We’re cleaning out cages right now.”

Jonah’s gaze flicked to mine and he pinched his nose.

Leaning in, I whispered, “Stop it. I’m sure there’s more to it than that.” When Coach Patterson had asked us to go out and volunteer somewhere, I’d been the one to pick this place. It was something I’d always wanted to do, but never had the time.

“The dogs are getting some outdoor play time while we clean,” Delores said with a flip of her hand. She stopped at a cage and pointed inside. “Leo, I’ve got someone here to help you, dear.”

A man, bent over and picking up dog poop with a scooper and a bucket, tipped his dark head of hair up and his sultry brown eyes focused on me. Giving a million-dollar smile, he waved at us. “Hi. The dog that’s staying in here is like, a hundred pounds, so…”

My heart flipped in my chest as I raked my gaze down his tall, lean body wrapped up in a v-neck t-shirt and designer jeans. I swallowed hard. This guy was fucking hot. Older, but hot. “Uh, hi, name’s Archer.” I stepped toward the cage fencing with my hand out.

Leo glanced at my hand, then focused on my face, and brushed his palm down the back of his head. “Uh, can’t um, shake your hand through the cage.”

“Oh, shit.” With a soft snort and my cheeks heating, I stuffed my hand into my front pocket and peeked at Jonah. He better not say a fucking word about my stupidity.

Shaking his head, Jonah said, “Uh-huh. Well, how about I leave you to help Leo. I’m sure we don’t need three people cleaning out one cage.” He turned to Delores. “What else you got? Anything that doesn’t involve huge mounds of doggy doo?” He flashed a sly grin toward me.

“Of course, you can clean the toys.” Delores waved her hand and stepped further down the hallway. “Come with me.”

Jonah walked off with her.

I stared at Leo and wet my lips. Was he queer? Could I be so lucky? Fuck, I needed to start thinking about more than guys. I was here to do a job, not get laid.

“Here, I’ll get the door for you.” He tipped the latch up at the gate in the fence and swung it open. “I’m almost done picking up the poop, so why don’t you grab the hose over there and start spraying.”

“Sure.” I picked up a hose attached to the wall and turned the spigot, then scanned over the rest of the cage. The biggest doggy door I’d ever seen rested at the other end. “What have they got in here, a great dane?”

“Looked more like a mastiff to me. It was big and kind of floppy.” Leo scooped up a large mound and dropped it into his bucket. “Delores said they try to clean out this cage every other day, but damn, sure is well fed.”

I chuckled. “Yeah. I bet a lot of people donate food.” Hell, Mom had done that back before…As my chest pinched, I shook the thought away. I pointed the hose attachment toward the other end of the cage and sprayed water in short lines, moving the debris toward a drain the middle of the cage. “How do they clean the other cages?”

Leo twisted around as if looking for more mounds. “I think they pass the hose through the fencing. I haven’t gotten to that part yet.” He picked up the last of the poop.

Spraying closer to him, I stepped toward him.

“So, what do you do?” He set his bucket down and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

“I’m uh, in college at ASU. I play hockey there.” Arching a brow, I stopped spraying and met his gaze.

“Yeah? You definitely look like a hockey player. I went to ASU, too. I’ve been to some of the games.” He strolled to me. “The Devils are pretty good this year. What position do you play?” He eyed me up and down.

Heat flared over my skin and my dick woke. What was it about this guy that had me going so much? Surely not that he knew anything about hockey. Most guys did, but maybe not gay ones. Shit. “I’m a defenseman.”

He raked his teeth over his lower lip. “Yeah?” He stepped closer. “Are you already drafted?”

I huffed a laugh. “No, I might go free agent if…well, if I can. I don’t know.” I hung my head. Back before Mom died, I thought I’d be in the NHL eventually, but now? Who knew. “It’s a long story.”

Leo cocked his head. “Do you get a lot of ice time in the big games?”

Shrugging a shoulder, I said, “Yeah, but…” How the hell was I supposed to tell this guy my father didn’t fully approve of me playing and it fucked with my head? I should change the subject. I just met the guy, and he didn’t need to be hearing all my bullshit. “What do you do?”

“I’m a planner at NXP. I got my degree in business logistics and supply chain management.” He gave a sharp chuckle. “Sounds nerdy, doesn’t it.” He toed the concrete with his sneakered foot.

“Uh, maybe.” My lips tugged up into a smile, my heart warming. Not only was he hot, he was smart and something about him felt like home. How did he do that? “What is NXP?”

“It’s a semiconductor company. They make the chips that go into pretty much everything these days.” His gaze landed on my lips, then tore away. “Anyways, we should finish cleaning this cage. I think they’re going to let the dogs back in soon.”

“Yeah.” Did he just look at my mouth? Was he interested? I peered at him and turned the hose back on, layering the water across the floor of the cage.

Leo picked up his bucket and headed toward the corner.

“Watch out, he’s coming in!” a female voice yelled. “I can’t stop him!”

A dark blur of fur burst through the doggy door and bounded toward me.

“Oh, shit.” I swiveled, the hose blasting water across the cage as the dog, waist high, jumped up on my side, then bounced off me. I closed my eyes for a heartbeat.

“Shut the water off!” Warmth grabbed my hands. “Shit, shut it off, Archer!”

As I opened my eyes, Leo came into focus, hair wet and dripping in front of me and his soaking shirt clinging to the lean muscles of his chest. His hands covered mine and the water was off.

Fuck me, it was like a wet t-shirt contest for queer men. My heart pounded in my chest and my dick lengthened into the band of my joggers. “I’m sorry, shit, so sorry.”

With his eyes twinkling, a wide smile broke out over his mouth. “It was an accident. No worries.” His gaze dipped to my mouth and came back up, then he bit his bottom lip for a beat. “Let’s put this hose down, shall we?”

The dog panted and circled us, then barked.

I jumped, my gaze snapping to the dog. “Jesus, that’s a horse, not a dog.” Good thing he seemed friendly.

“Told you.” Leo slid the hose from my hands and rested it against the wall, then peeled his shirt off over his head and wrung it out over the floor.

Delores jogged down the hallway with another woman following her, then stopped, and stared at us, covering her mouth with her hands. “Oh my.”

Jonah rounded the far corner of the hallway and strode to us. “What the hell did you do, Archer?” He planted his hands on his hips and laughed, his shoulders shaking. “You wanted to see him with his shirt off that badly?”

Dropping my mouth open, I gaped at Jonah. Did he have to out me like that? My gaze wound to Leo’s bare chest, the thin patch of hair centering his pecs and the happy trail leading all the way down into the top of his jeans. My mouth watered. God damn lick-able, that’s what he was.

Leo peered at me a moment, his gaze raking over me. “It’s okay. I can work without a shirt. It’s a nice day.”

Jonah barked out a laugh. “I’m sure?—”

“Shut it, Jonah.” I threw him a glare. Sometimes he didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. I stepped to Leo. “Hey, I have a shirt in my SUV you can wear today. It’s clean.”

“Is it an official Devils hockey shirt by any chance?” He arched a brow.

“It sure is.” I lifted the edge of my mouth. Watching him wearing it was going to be a turn on, too. Damn, I was in trouble. But what else could I do?

“Okay, let’s go get it.” Leo patted my bicep. “Be right back, Delores.” He crouched down in front of the dog and scruffed his neck. “And be right back for you, too, you behemoth.”

The dog licked Leo’s cheek, then panted with his tongue out and tail wagging.

He chuckled, stood up and faced Delores. “What’s his name?”

“Goliath.” Delores giggled. “Suits him, doesn’t it?”

“Sure does.” Leo grabbed my elbow and guided me out of the cage, then fastened the door behind us. “Lead the way.” He waved his arm out in front of him.

Glancing at Jonah, I nodded, then focused on Leo. “Yeah, sure.” Shit, how endearing could one man be? Some guys would be pretty pissed off right now. I strolled down the hallway and to the doors of the shelter.

Leo opened the door for me and motioned for me to step outside. “After you.”

“It’s the blue Honda over here.” I walked to my SUV with him following, then opened the back door and unzipped my duffle bag. I’d always kept a few things in my back seat, just in case I forgot something and needed it. I was always prepared. After finding a maroon athletic t-shirt with the gold Devil emblem on the chest, I pulled it out and handed it to Leo. “Hope it fits.”

He held the shirt up and looked it over. “I have a feeling this thing is pretty form fitting on you.” He glanced at me, then slid it over his head. “And shows off your killer physique like the shirt you have on today.” He popped his head out of the neck of the shirt and pulled the hem down over his jeans, then looked down at his chest. “What do you think?”

Sneaking my tongue out to lick my lips, I stared at him. The shirt was a little big on him, but it was my shirt…on him. Yeah, this was fucking with my brain right now. I’d just met him, and I wanted to be my own shirt. I was losing my mind. “You look um, really good.” A grin played over my lips.

“Thanks.” He gave me an easy laugh, then wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We should get back inside. We’ve got more cages to clean.”

My heart beat into my throat as I turned my head. He was so close, taller than me, but thinner. Another thing fucking with my head about him. He was built like a classic runway model.

“You don’t mind, right?” He walked me to the door.

“Mind?” I stopped and cocked my head. “Mind what?”

“My arm around you like this.” He dropped his arm. “Sorry, but my brother is very gay, and my best friend is now his boyfriend and I guess I’ve grown used to being close with guys.” With a chuckle, he shook his head.

“I don’t mind.” Had he not understood what Jonah had said? I shifted my weight, my gaze dipping to the pavement for a beat, then focusing on him. “I’m bisexual myself and so is Jonah. I’m used to it.” Would he admit it now if he were queer?

“Yeah? Cool.” He scratched the back of his head, looking off toward the parking lot for a moment. “Better get back in, I guess.” He opened the door and held it for me.

I stepped inside. Should I ask? If he said his brother and best friend were queer, what were the odds he was, too? Maybe not very good. Fuck.

Leo grabbed my arm, stopping me in the hallway, then leaned in and whispered, “I’m not all the way straight myself. It’s a long story. Still trying to figure that shit out.”

My heart jumped and I dropped my mouth open. Holy fuck. I twisted around, my gaze fixating on his plump lips, then snapping to his brown eyes, surrounded by messy waves of dark hair. “Have lunch with me.” I blinked a few times. Why did I blurt that out? “Me and uh, Jonah. We’re getting some lunch after this. I’d like for you to come.” I wrung my hands in front of me.

“Sure, sounds like fun. I like meeting new people.” He slapped me on the shoulder and strolled down the hallway, his ass filling out his jeans in the most satisfying way.

My heart did a happy dance. I’d hit the jackpot. Jonah was going to die when I told him.