6. Brody
6 /
brody
My hip had been aching all morning, so as soon as Criswell dismissed us, I made a beeline for the trainer and asked for a massage. The relief was immediate, and by the time I walked into the empty locker room, I felt human again. Since it was quiet, I took my time in the shower, hoping the steam and solitude would clear my head.
But no amount of hot water could wash away the thoughts of Gabe that had dominated my mind all day. I couldn’t stop watching him during practice, no matter how hard I tried, and it had wrecked my focus. I nearly wiped out during a skating drill, flubbed a couple of simple passes, and botched a shot on goal when his penetrating blue eyes caught mine as I approached the net. I fumbled like a rookie, my concentration shot.
As if spending the entire morning checking Gabe out wasn’t bad enough, I’d also been replaying my conversation with Em on an endless loop. After she left, I’d stayed up way too late, overthinking my options until I was ready to tear my hair out. By two a.m., I’d finally made a decision: I’d go to Gabe’s place over the weekend—probably on Sunday since we had our first preseason game Saturday night—and tell him we were neighbors. If he still wanted to show me around town, fine, but I’d keep things strictly platonic. No getting too close.
Spending time with him as a teammate would be fine, but anything more could spiral into the kind of disaster I swore I’d never repeat. Hard-earned lessons had taught me better, and they would keep me out of his bed, right?
After my shower, I grabbed a towel and went to my stall, where I pulled on a pair of boxers and combed my fingers through my hair. The locker room was eerily quiet, the usual buzz of voices and movement replaced by stillness. The silence pressed in around me, broken only by a loud creak that made me jump. The door from the hallway opened, and Gabe stepped into the room.
Our eyes met, and it suddenly became hard to breathe. Although I tried to look away and focus on getting dressed, I couldn’t control myself. I allowed my eyes to wander over him, taking in the way his maroon Henley clung to his chest and shoulders, outlining every perfectly defined dip and curve. He also looked me over, slow and deliberate like he was committing every detail to memory, sending a rush of heat to my cheeks. I resisted the urge to cover myself because we played hockey, and this was the locker room. We were used to seeing other players without clothes.
Is he about to get undressed?
That electrifying thought hit like a head-on collision with a brick wall, nearly making my knees buckle. My hands shook so hard I dropped my towel as a steamy wave of anticipation washed over me. Gabe’s gaze traveled farther down before it paused. Could he see through my boxers, or was he appreciating my package? Every ounce of my resolve to keep things platonic evaporated, leaving one overpowering truth: I wanted him. To hell with only being neighbors.
I scrambled to speak, desperate to break the tension, but my voice had deserted me. It took a ridiculous amount of effort to croak a single word. “Hi.”
Gabe lifted his gaze to mine, a raised eyebrow telling me he’d heard the tremor in my voice. Heat prickled my nape as I imagined him stripping down right here and bending me over the bench.
“Hey,” he said.
His deep voice excited me more, and I started getting hard. Fucking hell. Please, please, please don’t let me pop a boner just from him looking at me.
He crossed the room, his footsteps slow and even, stopping only when he was so close I could feel the heat radiating from him. The faint, clean scent of soap, mixed with his spicy cologne, created a lethally tempting combination that sent my senses reeling. We were caught in the moment, eyes locked as the air between us buzzed with excitement. A flick of his tongue wet his lips, leaving a faint sheen glimmering in the light. My heart raced as feelings deep within me stirred, the pull toward him so overwhelming I couldn’t control it.
The silent invitation in his gaze left me powerless to look away, and my thoughts spiraled out of control. What would it feel like to cradle his face and trace my thumb over the curve of his jaw? Would his lips be as soft as they looked? I ached to touch him and feel the rough texture of his stubble as I kissed along his jaw. Slowly, my gaze fell to his chest, where his shirt clung to him with each shallow breath. I swallowed hard, my hands itching to explore his muscles and experience the warmth of his skin.
The air between us was charged, crackling with energy I couldn’t ignore. My pulse quickened, and I tried to steady myself, but his closeness made it impossible. Every shift in his stance and each breath he took drew me closer. My body acted by instinct, leaning toward him, surrendering to the pull I couldn’t resist.
Arousal ran through me as Gabe skimmed his fingers down my arm, his touch raising each hair along the way. Every nerve was on edge, and a quiet moan escaped before I could stop it. When I looked up, his eyes were already on me. Their intensity pinned me in place, and the ground shifted beneath us.
“Are you all right?” His voice was a whisper, and the warmth of his breath brushed my skin like a soft caress.
“Uh-huh.”
Everything stopped as we lost ourselves in each other. I wanted nothing more than to feel his arms around me and his lips pressed against mine. The anticipation had me on a razor’s edge, barely breathing, waiting for his move. Yet just when I thought he’d lean in, he blinked and drew back, leaving a vast chasm in his place.
No , I screamed inside, feeling the loss like a tangible ache. I wanted that kiss.
His gaze lingered, and I didn’t try to hide my throbbing erection. I wanted him to see, to know how he’d affected me. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him or hold back another moan when I saw the unmistakable bulge in his pants.
“Got a sec?” His voice was low and hesitant.
“Sure. Uh…” I gave up on words and turned, quickly pulling on my jeans before facing him again. My heart was still racing.
“Let’s sit down.” He motioned to the bench under the stalls, and we sank onto it side by side.
He remained wordless while we stared at each other, so I broke the silence. “I thought you’d left.”
His lips twitched, and mischief played in his eyes. “Were you looking for me?”
“Well, everyone else was gone.” My cheeks burned again. “So I thought you were.”
“I planned to text you when I got home, but since you’re here…”
My heart thumped, and I braced myself for whatever was coming. “Yes?”
“You…”
He rubbed the back of his neck, and I got the idea he was nervous. To ease the moment, I said, “You played well in the scrimmage today.”
“Thanks.” He blew out a soft breath. “Ready for tomorrow’s game?”
“Sure. It’ll be my first as a Warrior.” I cringed as soon as the words left my mouth. He knows that already. Don’t sound like an idiot.
“You’ll do great.” His tongue flicked across his lips, drawing my attention back to their red, maddeningly irresistible curve.
Before I could pull my focus away, he said, “I have a question.”
Was he going to ask me to hang out? Despite my doubts, and regardless of all I’d told Em, I would say yes if he did. Then a worse thought occurred to me: what if he’d discovered we were neighbors? I clasped my hands in my lap, hoping he couldn’t see them trembling.
He spoke in a rush, as if he’d been holding the words back. “I’m having a cookout at my place on Sunday. A lot of the guys will be there, some with their partners or dates. I’d like you to come too.”
Fuck. Being this close to you, I need to come. My already racing heart broke into a sprint. “Sunday? I don’t… Why me?”
He narrowed his eyes and showed me a crooked grin. “Because I want to see you, and since you won’t text me, this seems like a reasonable request.” He paused, eyeing me warily. “If I’ve spooked you or something, I’m sorry. But there’s something between us, or at least the potential for it. I think you feel it, too, and the cookout would be a safe place to get to know each other. You’re on the team, so you’ll fit right in.” After a slight snicker, he widened his grin. “With everyone around, I promise to be on my best behavior.”
I chewed my lips, searching for words. I wanted to jump up and scream out that I’d go, but then I remembered Wes. “I’m not sure.”
“Come on.” His eyes twinkled in a way that had my dick firming up again. “You don’t want to pass up a free steak. We’ll be able to talk, and maybe you’ll see I’m not a serial killer after all.”
Laughing, I said, “I never thought you were.”
“Good.” His eyes narrowed. “So, you’ll come?”
“Gabe…” I twisted my hands, thinking about how much I’d enjoy spending time with him. I also remembered my promise to Em, to consider hanging out with Gabe. Looking up, I lost myself in his face. He’d trimmed his beard, and I wanted to feel it on my cheeks. His prominent brow was currently shadowing his eyes because he’d wrinkled his forehead. Was that because he had a lot riding on my answer?
I sighed, thinking it through again. He was right that the cookout would be a safe place. It was possible we’d discover the attraction wasn’t real, and if not, maybe we could have some fun. Things didn’t have to blow up the way they had in Boston. “All right. If you really want me there, I’ll come.”
“Yes!” His grin was off the charts. Dimples popped up on either side, his eyes crinkled at the corners, and I fought the urge to trace each line with my fingers.
A long, expectant moment passed as we sat there with our eyes locked. When he licked his lips, adrenaline shot through me. Kiss me , I thought. Kiss me.
I jumped when my fucking phone buzzed and broke the spell. Goddammit. Trying to look unfazed, I fished it out of my pocket, silenced the alarm, and looked into Gabe’s eyes again. “Sorry. I have an appointment with the team doctor because all new players get a full physical. Thanks for inviting me to the cookout. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
We stood, and I reached for my shirt. Gabe spoke before I could put it on. “I’m glad you’re in Buffalo, Brody.”
“Me too. See you for the game tomorrow.”
He flashed another heart-stopping grin. “The cookout will be great. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure you have a fantastic time.” With that, he turned and walked toward the exit, giving me a chance to admire his spectacular ass. At the door, he glanced back, tossed me another grin, and threw in a little salute before disappearing.
A mix of excitement and dread knotted my stomach as I pulled on my shirt. What had I gotten myself into? Please, please let things be different this time.