Chapter 23
Jamal King
For once, I’m not overthinking. Theo got me feeling things on a whole different level. Extreme highs and lows. I’m not built for uncertainty; in fact, it gives me panic attacks.
But my hand reaches into his pants to grip his growing hard-on.
“We could shower and go for round two at the same time.” He closes his teeth around my bottom lip, and I’m ready to agree.
“I don’t…” I pause, figuring out how to explain that I don’t have any experience or know what I’m doing.
“It’s fine.” He gets up and tugs me along. “You can shower before you go.” He leads me into a room that I only know is his because of his hockey clothes on the floor and extra equipment piled in the corner.
I stop to take it all in. The bedspread is cream with gold-stitched gaudy flowers. It’s decorated similarly to the rest of the apartment.
“Yup. It’s butt-ugly. And no, I had no say in it.” He points to the open bathroom door. “There are clean towels in the linen closet. Help yourself.”
I stand in the middle of the room, contemplating how to ask him to shower with me. But I’ll probably embarrass myself.
Theo stares at me in confusion. “Would you rather not shower?”
“I don’t have clean clothes here,” the germaphobe in me blurts out.
“I got you.” He tosses me clothes from a drawer. “You good?”
My mouth won’t work, so I escape to the bathroom, shut the door without locking it, and take the fastest shower in history. I want him to come in as much as I need to be alone. Except being alone means my mind runs wild, overthinking.
What are we doing? I must be insane. Does he actually like me? Like, like me, like me? Could my dad tell I’m into Theo? Did he mean he’ll understand if Theo and I… What would we do? Hook up? Friends with benefits? My nerves are shot, and I need to bounce.
When I snap out of it, I realize I’m smelling Theo’s used towel. I should not be allowed out in public.
I pull on his clothes commando because it’s too weird to wear someone else’s underwear.
“You look good in my clothes,” Theo says as I emerge from the bathroom. He’s got wet hair and is wearing a different outfit. “I used another bathroom to give you privacy.”
His nose flares when he sees both pairs of underwear in my hand.
I open my mouth to tell him I’m a recovering germaphobe, but that’s not what I say. “I don’t have experience with live people.”
Instead of laughing like I expect, he tilts his head to the side. “I shouldn’t kink shame…but necrophilia?”
As I’m covering my face, I realize I still have my cum-splattered clothes in my hand and toss them as if they’re burning me. “Why am I like this?” I ask rhetorically, but I can’t flee because he’s standing between me and the door.
Theo laughs. “I ask myself that all the time, but you’ll have to be more specific. Are we talking necrophilia, awkward, or going commando?” He steps closer and snaps my waistband as if trying to sneak a peek.
“I didn’t think awkward until now. Thanks for that.” Self-consciously, I step out of his reach. “Not into dead people, but I don’t hook up. I’ve tried, but my anxiety gets out of control, so I stick to camboys.”
I watch his expression for disgust or rejection, putting more distance between us.
“That’s smart. Wish I’d thought of it. But John would cut off my credit card.” He bends down to pick up my dirty clothes, and I grab for them. “I’ll wash them for you, Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty?” I repeat.
Theo bows his head. “You’re my king, aren’t you?”
He has to be kidding. Not meaning it. A joke. My head bobbles on my neck, and my brain goes from overthinking to zero activity. I’m not sure how I’m breathing on my own.
Theo smashes his lips to mine. When we break apart, his smile is breathtaking. “Can you make it home okay, or do you want to spend the night?”
Yes, spend the night. Of course. All night. “No, I’m good.”
“Yeah, you are.” He kisses me again.
After I leave, I have no idea what we’re doing. I call Tyrone on the way home and ask him to distract me. He doesn’t disappoint and gives the latest apartment complex gossip.
We have a light skate the next day, and my stomach is in knots over seeing Theo. If I didn’t have his clothes, which I washed, dried, and placed in a small plastic bag, I could have convinced myself last night never happened.
I’ll sneak his clothes into his locker when no one is looking. Especially Benz, because he’ll give me shit for using a plastic bag.
There’s a gift bag in my locker, and at first I think it’s a mistake, but it’s labeled “Your Majesty.” There’s a white Jordan hoodie, which makes no sense.
Why would Theo give me… My old hoodie was hanging on a hook by the door of my apartment.
The pocket is ripped off, and I was going to see if my moms or a cousin could fix it for me. He must’ve seen it.
Theo’s loud when he enters the locker room, and I feel his gaze but don’t turn around. My body doesn’t fit me, and I can’t act normal.
“What the hell is up with you?” Mav asks.
“He’s smiling, he got laid,” Brant answers.
“Wait,” Benz yells, and I freeze. “O’Keefe has on the rookie sweats from last year. How did you get those?”
Fear cripples me as I turn to him. Theo’s shock lasts half a second before he covers it with a wink. “I stole them. Check your closet.”
I snort, unable to keep the sound in.
“What’s that, King?” The way Theo says king sets me on fire. I can’t get hard in the locker room. It’s rule number one.
Looking at him, gorgeous and cocky, is a mistake, so I stare into my locker. “Not likely,” I say.
“What’s unlikely?” Theo prods.
“You get what you want. If you want those sweats, all you’d have to do is ask. Stealing is beneath you,” I say, covertly telling him he can keep my clothes.
Brant groans, and I assume it’s because he thinks I’m starting a fight with Theo by saying something is beneath him.
“Whatever you say, Maj.” But he draws the word out so it has more syllables, and it goes straight to my dick, thinking about him calling me Your Majesty.
“That must’ve been some sex.” Brant shakes his head. “Gave O’Keefe a personality transplant.”
Thankfully, it’s hard to tell I’m blushing. This team doesn’t need any more ammo for the situation.
Practice flies by, and Theo makes it fun. He challenges me with passing games, and we connect for a bunch of goals.
“Have you replaced me as your work husband?” Griff tosses a dirty sock at me.
“Nah, I don’t wanna make Benzy cry.” I kick his dirty sock away.
“Funny,” he yells after me as I disappear into a private shower stall.
The hot water beats on my shoulders, and there’s a rustling sound behind me that I ignore. If someone on my team besides Theo sees my scars, they won’t judge me. They’re my friends.
I’m lost in my head and jump when a hand cups my ass.
“Shhh, no one saw me.” Theo nudges me forward under the spray.
As I spin around, my thoughts are screaming for him to get out, but my dick becomes the weapon he teases me about.
“Someone’s happy to see me.” Theo’s soft lips drag along my clavicle, and he reaches to stroke my length. “Come back to my place tonight.” He fondles my balls and sucks on my neck as if our team isn’t separated by an extremely thin plastic barrier.
“I can’t.” I’m distracted by all his white skin dotted with a few random freckles. My hands explore his shoulders and upper back, committing all his muscles to memory. It doesn’t take long to forget about the team and concentrate on his hands on me.
Last time, I was nervous about doing something wrong. This time, I’m going to focus on him and the way he turns my dick to stone and my insides to mush.
“Why?” he growls, but doesn’t let go of my dick.
I want to see him. We didn’t take our clothes off last time, and I feel cheated. His hand is in the way of seeing his dick. If I had any experience at all, I’d drop to my knees and explore with my eyes and mouth.
Theo’s steady tugs send zings of pleasure through my entire body, and I forget how to breathe.
“Why?” he repeats, and I have to remember the question.
“I’m going to get my hair braided.” My brain shorts out as he twists his wrist and swallows my moan. My grip on his ass is so tight, I’ll probably leave marks.
I’m drunk on him and never want this to end. I want him in my bed to have him to myself. Theo’s intensity engulfs me. My mind slows, and my body is in tune with his.
“Hmmm.” Theo’s teeth sink into my shoulder, and my knees go weak as I whimper. I’m less concerned about getting caught than I am about him stopping. “I’ll come with you.”
I nod, not sure if we’re talking about coming or my hair appointment. My legs stiffen and I shake.
“Come for me, Your Majesty,” he says seductively, and I do. He backs us out of the water and aims my release at him. I coat his pretty ruddy red cock while gasping for breath.
Green pools of desperation meet my stare, and I close my hand around his dick.
He’s long and thick, and I drop my gaze to watch.
His head pokes through my fist, and his slit winks at me.
My cum is the perfect lubricant for smooth strokes.
The overthinking part of my brain tries to warn me I’m figuring it out as I go.
It doesn’t matter. He moves, I move, like a choreographed dance our bodies are spontaneously aware of.
Theo’s holding me as if I’m his. I’m dying to drop to my knees, but I can tell he’s close, and I’m intent on watching him come. Nicknames effortlessly roll off Theo’s tongue, and I wish I had one for him. Maybe his name means something that would be the perfect tag.
“Give me your cum.” I nuzzle into his neck and use my other hand to trace his crease.
Theo groans low in his throat. I capture the sound with my mouth and work him through his orgasm. We fall against the shower tiles, clinging to each other.
“You okay in there, King?” Griff asks.
Theo and I blink at each other. A slow grin breaks across his face, which I can’t understand.
“Good.” I clear my throat. “Be out in a minute.”
Theo kisses me hungrily, then pulls away. “Don’t leave without me.”