Epilogue One
Vee - A few months later
“Done! That was the last box, Pecs.” Nate got up on tiptoes and pecked the side of my beak. “I've officially moved in.”
I gripped his ass and pulled him up my chest for a deeper kiss.
“Best day ever, Frat Boy. Oh, by the way, Fred asked if we wanted to hang out at the lake after your practice. What do you think?”
He grinned and wrapped his legs around my waist.
“Yup. I’m in. Seeing you in your slutty swimming trunks is always a good idea.”
“You can do more than just look at me,” I promised.
“Vitus Kolb,” Nate fake scolded me. “I would never touch you inappropriately in public. I need to be a role model and shit.” He ended in a groan when I squeezed his glutes. Gods, they were so round and perfect.
“Maybe we should stay here, then.” I found his mouth in another kiss.
“No, baby.” He spoke into the kiss and struggled to free himself from my hold. “I want to go to the lake. You can fuck me afterwards, chicken man.”
Nate used my momentary distraction to sprint back into the house, giggling madly.
I stared after him and a dopey smile spread over my face.
I love him.
He brought so much lightness into my life.
True, I still worried about him every time he got on the ice, but it had got better.
I’d even been able to visit the first games.
Nate had kept his promise and only ever played with a neck guard, and not just him, the whole team.
I didn’t know what Nate had told them but it made me so relieved to see it.
And it was good to have hockey back in my life. I’d missed hanging out with the guys who had taken me back into their fold without blinking an eye. Even their grumpy enforcer, Nik, perked up when he saw me.
It would be awhile but maybe, one day, I’d be back on the ice. Their equipment manager Felix had already hinted heavily at wanting to recruit me to help him coach the young Pumas.
“The Cubs would be lucky to have someone of your caliber training them.” Nate had overheard. He hadn’t brought it up yet, but I knew he would spring it on me when I least expected it.
My mate came out of the house carrying his gear bag and looking like a model who had just walked on set.
I sighed and took the bag from him. Nate had given up protesting that he could manage perfectly well on his own.
“I need to get going.” Nate crooked his finger at me and kissed me when I leaned down. “The new kid’s coming in today. He’s getting fitted and has his physical for the camp.”
I walked him to his car and helped him load the bag into the trunk.
The Pumas would leave for Scotland in five days, and I already hated everything about it.
“I’ve changed my mind, Frat Boy.” I pulled him into a hug that pressed his face between my pecs and rubbed my cheek on his hair.
“About what?” His voice was muffled.
“I’m telling Fred we can’t come. You’re leaving for Scotland in five days. I don’t want to share you.” I didn’t recognise my voice. Nate was usually the brat, and I had never pouted a day in my life.
Who am I and what has he done to me?
Nate giggled. “Oh, baby. I’ll call you so much you’ll be sick of me. And I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I’ll never be sick of you.”
He pushed against my chest to get me to let go, then palmed my cheeks and kissed me long and deep.
“I love you, baby, but I need to go. I’m excited to meet Max. It will be so good to have someone on my right who can match me.”
I waved after him until he backed out of the yard.
Gods, I was so far gone for him.
Halfway through Nate’s training camp, I had fucking enough of sleeping alone. It was nearly nine at night when my phone finally rang and my mate’s smile greeted me.
“Hey Pecs, sorry I’m so late today. We spent the day in Kirkmuir and only just got back to the hotel.
” He laid back on his crisp white sheets and propped the phone up against a pillow.
“Bo was being so weird earlier. He keeps ogling the hotel manager and thinks none of us notice that he’s down bad.
I don’t think he’s got a chance with him, though.
That man has a stick so far up his ass you could shoot a puck—”
My eyes fell on his chest.
“Are you wearing your jersey?” I interrupted him, the words forcing their way out of my throat in a raspy whisper.
“Yeah.” Nate pushed his phone further back and more of his body came into view: bare legs and a glimpse of the tight, navy boxers he bought in value packs. “Thought you might enjoy the view.”
I swallowed and put my phone up against Nate’s pillow. Without another word and with my face glued to the screen, I pushed my pyjama pants down my legs. My cock was already hard and aching.
Nate’s breathing sped up. He struggled out of his boxers and gripped the hem of his jersey.
“No,” I stopped him. “Leave the jersey on, Nate.”
He nodded hastily.
“Turn around and let me see that ass.”
My mate’s cheeks heated when he turned around on the bed.
“Oh, fuuuck, Frat Boy,” I growled. He looked back over his shoulder and I almost came from the look on his face alone. “I miss you.”
Nate reached between his spread thighs and fisted himself.
“Get the lube and lie on your back,” I instructed. “As great as you are at stick handling, Decker, I have another idea for tonight.”
He fumbled with the bedside drawer and pulled out the lube, then he flung himself down on the bed, and the phone flipped on its front.
“Shit, sorry,” he gasped as he put it back and set it so it felt like I was between his spread thighs. His hole tightened when he shifted his feet even wider and he panted.
“I need to watch you, Frat Boy,” I told him with a hand on my cock. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” I confessed and gave myself a firm stroke.
“I can’t get the thought out of my head. I need to watch you open for me, Nate. Right now. Will you do that for me?”
“Oh God, Vee,” he whimpered. He squeezed some lube out and spread it around his hole. It clenched under his fingertips.
“Good,” I murmured. “You’re doing great. Now put a finger in and show me how ready you are for your mate.”
Nate cursed and sank his index finger into his body. Greedy as he was, he pushed his middle finger in a moment later, and pulled his leg up with the other hand to give himself more room.
My cock leaked so much I didn’t bother with lube. I spread it down my length and stroked myself in time with his thrusts.
“I can feel you from here, how hot you are inside and how tight.”
He moaned my name and sped up.
“Oh my God, baby, I won’t last.”
“Look at me, Nate, let me see you fall.”
Nate’s body shook. His hole clenched and cum splattered the front of his jersey as he rode his fingers through his orgasm.
Even across hundreds of miles, his pleasure barrelled into me. I came all over my hand and stroked until I had given him every last drop of my cum.
“Breathe for me, Frat Boy. That’s it.”
Nate nodded and swallowed hard. His cheeks were flushed, and his hair was a mess. This was Nate being vulnerable in a way he never intended anyone but me to witness.
I heaved a sigh, and for a heartbeat I teetered on the verge of speech.
Marry me, Nate Decker.
But I didn’t say it out loud, not over the phone, not like this.
Then Nate opened one eye and peered at the camera.
“I’m trying.” He drew a shuddering breath and gave me a lopsided grin. “That was fast, sorry.”
“It was perfect, Nate. Are you sore?” I asked and he shook his head. “Good. Hydrate for me, okay?”
“You and your water obsession.” He huffed but I knew he loved the aftercare, even over the phone.
“Mate of an athlete.” I winked. “Comes with the job. Go get a glass, okay? I’ll stay on.”
“Yes, Daddy,” he quipped without any heat behind the words and pushed off the bed. I caught a glimpse of him flinging the jersey off and wiping his cock clean with it, then his footsteps padded away. Water was turned on, then off again, and he came back a few moments later carrying a glass.
“Good boy. Lie down. Let me talk you to sleep.”
He snuggled into his pillow, the camera angled so I could see his face.
“No, I want to hear about your day.” Nate yawned, and I wanted to reach through the screen and pull him into my arms.
“Mmh, that’s right, Frat Boy.” Somewhere between my story of Brutus cutting his paw on some wire, and our new colleague, Silvan, who I swore was Johann’s boyfriend but they weren’t ready to tell us yet, Nate’s eyes finally fluttered shut.
“I’m here,” I whispered to my mate. “Sleep. I’ve got you.”