Chapter 18
ETHAN
After I have sex, awkwardness inevitably settles in.
I don’t like to cuddle with my fuck buddies, and I’m eager to roll out of their bed or get them out of mine.
I’m pretty blunt about it, but at least I’m honest. Once I come, I go back to my friends, or the party, or whatever it is that calls my attention.
With Jett, however, none of that happens.
I can’t stop touching him, I don’t want to leave his side, and I need him in my bed. Add to that, there’s a gnawing ache in my belly when I think about that guy Reese and the hungry way he was looking at Jett.
My Jett.
Me, jealous? Unbelievable, but also undeniably true.
I’m caught in a game where I don’t know any of the rules, and I’m running purely on instinct.
Instinct which has me acting like a total caveman.
Coming all over Jett’s sexy ass, marking him, making him walk around smelling like me, it was so fucking hot, and I’m going to be replaying that in my spank bank for a long time.
And now he wants to shower, so we’ll shower. Together. Another thing I don’t do with my usual hookups.
“It’s nice you have your own bathroom,” I comment as we step inside his room. “I share one with Gage and Marshall, and some days I need a hazmat suit to enter.”
Jett’s husky laugh echoes in the small space.
“In that case, mine’s probably going to be too neat and clean for you. That’s my ranch upbringing; chores come first.”
“Speaking of the ranch, do you wear those leather riding chaps a lot?”
Jett’s face turns bright red. I’d tell him he’s adorable, but I think he might expire on the spot.
“Are you serious?”
“More than.”
“Are you stalking me on socials?”
“I’m following you, yes.”
“I shouldn’t find that hot, but—”
“But you do?” I quip and pull him into my arms, nuzzling my face into his neck.
Fuck, he still smells like me, and my heart beats triple time.
“Save that for later,” Jett protests and pulls away. “You’re going to be late to practice.”
“It’ll be worth it.”
He gives me a swat on the ass—payback—and I like it. Fuck, I more than like it. I crook my finger at him, urging him closer, but he shakes his head and backs up. I follow until we step into his bathroom. It’s exactly as he says, sparkling clean and tidy.
“Get in the shower, Ethan.”
Jett starts to strip, and all my words dry up.
His T-shirt is thrown aside, then his tank top, and finally those indecent shorts that are my favorite thing ever.
He’s golden, sun-kissed, and his chest is hairless with pink nipples that make my mouth water.
My gaze trails down to his taut abs and the V-lines that frame his heavy cock.
He’s gorgeous, all over, and I don’t know that I’m going to make it to hockey practice at all.
I follow suit, yanking off my shirt and unzipping my jeans. I shove the denim down my thighs and kick them off, then remove my briefs. Unlike Jett, I’m not manscaped, and for a second my confidence wavers.
Until Jett turns around and I notice the dry cum on his ass cheeks. My cum. Holy shit, that’s the sexiest thing ever.
He turns on the shower and steps under the spray. For a minute, I stand there watching him, taking it all in. Jett, naked and wet, is hot AF, and my brain short circuits.
“Are you coming?” he asks.
“That’s a loaded question.”
I need to make jokes, because I’m in over my head.
Showering with a fuck buddy is a new experience for me.
I step inside the enclosure as Jett lathers up and begins to wash me from head to toe.
And the strange part is, I let him. I like this too.
It’s intimate in a way I’m not used to or prepared for.
But my cock fills fast, so quick that I’m dizzy, and Jett’s getting hard too.
We haven’t even kissed yet but the air between us is nothing short of electric.
I stare into his soulful green eyes and cup his face in my palms, my thumb rubbing over his sensuous lips.
“Ethan.”
“So gorgeous,” I whisper. “Kiss me.”
I want more than a kiss. I want Jett Hawthorne to be mine.
“No,” he replies and pulls my hands away.
“What?”
“You’re going to be late. Hockey, remember?”
Reluctantly, I nod. It’s the first time I’ve ever wanted to put sex before hockey. Huh.
Before I know it, the water’s shut off, and Jett’s reaching for towels.
“Ethan? Are you okay?”
“Never better.”
The sensual spell between us breaks when I hear Jett’s phone ringing in the other room.
“I need to get that.”
He passes me one towel and wraps the other around his hips.
It’s only when he stalks out of the bathroom that I snap out of my lusty daydream, and I quickly dry off, hang the towel up, and grab my clothes.
When I step back into his room, Jett’s still in his towel.
He’s facing the window that looks out over campus, his back to me.
“I said no, don’t you get it? Stop calling me… How many times do I have to say it? I don’t want to see or talk to you, not ever again,” he snaps. “Did you hear me?... Don’t call me names. Better yet, don’t call me, period! You leave me no choice. I’m blocking this number too.”
It’s got to be Renner. That piece of shit better fuck off.
Jett taps his phone and slams it on the desk.
“Renner?”
Jett rolls his shoulders and lets out a sigh.
“Yeah. I blocked him, but now he’s calling from another number.”
I drop my clothes on the floor and walk up behind Jett. When I place my hands on his shoulders, he’s tense again, and I start to knead his muscles.
“Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
I can’t resist kissing a line of freckles that trail up his neck. Irresistible.
“Still coming with me to practice?” I murmur against his skin.
“Can I play too? I’d like to hit a puck right about now.”
I chuckle and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him in tight, his ass cradling my dick. Fuck, that feels way too good.
“I’ll ask Coach. Can you skate?”
“No.”
“I’ll teach you.”
“And then I’ll get you out on the lake.”
“Deal. But don’t be surprised if we tip over before we leave the dock.”
Jett laughs and relaxes into me. I nuzzle his neck and give it a kiss.
I don’t want to let go of him.
This time, my phone pings. It’s my fifteen-minute reminder about practice.
Jett slips out of my hold and walks over to his dresser. He pulls out a black jockstrap and slides it on slowly, and I’m pretty sure there’s drool coming out of my mouth as I stare at him.
“Hurry up and get dressed,” he admonishes me.
“But I’m enjoying your reverse strip show.”
“You’re weird.”
“And?”
Jett shakes his head and ambles over to his closet. He grabs a pair of dark-wash jeans, a white long-sleeve T-shirt, and of course, his cowboy boots.
I put my clothes back on, minus my briefs, because hello, sticky mess.
“You’re leaving me with laundry?” Jett teases.
“Isn’t that part of our deal?” I quip as I make my way to the door. “I mean, in addition to you taking care of all my sexual needs and cooking me dinner?”
“I didn’t know you were looking for a husband.”
I trip and nearly face plant into his door. Thank fuck my hands are faster than my brain. I wouldn’t want to explain that injury to Coach Banning.
Shaking my head, I turn around to find Jett laughing.
“Funny.”
Jett’s smile is wicked as he slowly unzips his jeans.
“Wait. What are you doing? Aren’t you coming with me to practice?”
He ignores my comment and pulls off his boots. Then he slips off his jeans and his jock and reaches down for my underwear.
What the…
When he pulls them on, I try to control my dick, but it’s pointless. I’m so turned on that he’s wearing my cum-stained briefs that before I know it, I’m rock-hard again. Jett slides his jeans back on, and I cup my raging erection to try and calm the fuck down.
He smirks.
“Now I’m ready to go.”
“I’m not. I mean, he is,” I confess as I point to my dick. “But not me. Fuck, Jett, you play dirty.”
He walks up to me and gives me a resounding kiss.
“Only with you.”
Ping.
Fucking phone interruptions.
“That’s probably Dane wondering where I am.”
I grip Jett’s biceps and force myself to step away from temptation.
“Let’s get a move on, then. We don’t want Coach Banning to give you more ice time.”
I nod.
“Grab a jacket, Sugar.”
When we arrive at the rink ten minutes later, Jett makes his way to a seat, and I make a run for the locker room. Most of my teammates are already on the ice, but a few, like Dane, are still getting dressed. I offer my friend a wave as I walk to my stall and grab my gear.
“You’re never this late. I thought you were gonna be a no-show,” Dane offers. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s great. I got… delayed.”
“Is he here?”
“Who?”
Dane rolls his eyes. “Jett. Who else?”
“He’s here.”
Sitting in the stands, wearing my cum-stained briefs. God, the visual is so hot that I’m sweating already. I need this practice over and done with so I can be alone with him.
“Oh, I know that look,” Dane teases. “Does this mean you and he are the real deal?”
I glance around the locker room. Besides me and Dane, Silas is the only one left, but he’s far enough away not to hear us.
“I told you, it’s sex.”
“You’re so full of shit.”
“Dane.”
“It’s okay. You’ve never fallen before, so I’ll cut you some slack. And you’ve always been adamant you don’t want a relationship, so of course you’re gonna fight it.”
“I’m not fighting anything, and I’m not falling,” I insist. “But I want him. Only, it’s just him. And that reality is fucking with my head.”
“So, you’re not having sex with other people?”
“No.”
“And he’s not?”
“No. That rower Reese from U Conn tried it on with him today, but no fucking way.”
Dane laughs, and I stare at my friend.
“What?” I snap.
“Feeling possessive?”
“You have no idea.”
“Please, I’m still like that with Jackson.”
“But that’s different. You love each other. This is only—”
I stop talking when I notice Silas headed toward us.
“Are you guys joining us or what?” Silas calls out.
I grab my stick and follow my teammates as we head for the ice.
Coach Banning greets us with his arms crossed and a dark look that says move your ass. We hit our warmup at a fast clip, and I wave to Jett as we skate by.
Banning puts us through our paces with one demanding drill after another.
I admit that I show off a bit. So what if I want to impress Jett?
I like that he’s here, that he’s watching me.
I’ve never had anyone except my siblings at my practices or games.
My parents support me financially, but that’s it.
Neither of them had the time or the inclination to watch me play.
When I was younger, it hurt when I noticed I was the only kid without a parent cheering them on, but then I got used to it.
It bothered me, it still does, but I learned to live with it.
Me, Cate, and Harry are an afterthought to our parents, but not to each other.
As we near the end of the hour, I notice that Jett’s moved from the middle row to standing by the boards. He’s got his phone up, and wait, he’s taking pictures? Of me? Has he been doing that all this time? A surge of warmth floods my veins, and I can’t fight it. I’m riding a high and it’s awesome.
Dane skates up to me and nudges my arm.
“Invite him out here.”
I skate over to Banning and ask him first.
“Grab the ice grips,” he reminds me.
I nod, head for the bench to grab the gear, and motion for Jett to come closer.
“Come join us,” I urge him.
“I don’t have skates.”
“Put these on,” I say as I pass him the grips.
Jett slides the spiked rubber cleats over his boots.
“You’re ready,” I offer. “But I want you to hold my arm.”
Jett slips his hand around my bicep and takes one tentative step on the ice. Then another.
“These things really work,” he muses as he begins to walk with more confidence.
“They do, but I still want you to hold on to me.”
“Is that for my safety?”
I glance at him. His nose and cheeks are pink from the cold, and he looks… fuck, he’s adorable. I can’t deny it.
“I don’t want you to stop touching me.”
“So, not safe at all,” he admits with a chuckle.
“Not with you wearing my cum-stained underwear,” I whisper.
His cheeks darken, and I bite my lip. I want to kiss him so badly right now.
We make our way to the net, and all my teammates, even grumpy Maddox, smile at us. I stop short at the net and motion for Maddox to pass me my stick. When I offer it to Jett, he stares at it with a bemused expression.
“I don’t know how to hold your stick—” Jett starts.
I bite back a laugh.
“No jokes, Ethan.”
“That’s like asking me not to breathe,” I quip. “Don’t worry, I already know that you’re very good with your hands, so there’s no question you’ll be an expert at handling my stick.”
Jett rolls his eyes at my corny line. I slide behind him, wrapping my arms around his body so I can place his hands in the correct position.
“Dominant hand on the top of the stick, and the other halfway down the shaft.”
“Are we still talking about hockey?” Jett whispers.
“Focus, Jett. Eye on the puck.”
I should take my own advice, but I’m distracted by the warmth of his body against mine.
“The puck. Right.”
I show him how to wind up and then let him go. When Jett makes his first shot, it slides right into the net. Dane skates up to me and taps my arm.
“He’s a natural.”
I nod and watch Jett take another shot. Silas and Axel give him pointers, and seeing him out here in the place I love most, with my closest friends, makes my stomach flip over.
“You ever think of giving up rowing?” I call out.
“Never. But I’d still like to learn how to skate.”
“I’ve got an extra pair you can borrow. I think we’re the same size.”
“Promise you won’t laugh when I fall on my ass?”
“No, but I promise to always help you back up.”
“I’ll need a massage afterward.”
“I’m your man.”
The words leave my mouth and there’s no taking them back.