25. Theo
I was exhausted. The team had been out of town for a longer stretch of time than usual because of the way the games were scheduled.
Finishing up a series in New York before heading straight to Vancouver, I hadn’t had time to register that I’d be playing my old team for the first time since the trade. Other than a quick hello from my old captain and backup goalie before the game, it was just another game with my new team but in familiar surroundings.
It made me realize that I wished I’d spent more time with my teammates socially while I’d had the chance. They were good guys, and I’d missed out on making some real friends here. The only thing I still had waiting for me in Vancouver was a storage unit full of furniture from my condo.
The major difference was the thought that crossed my mind after a particularly impressive save.
Would Indie be impressed by that? Did she see it?
No, dumbass! It takes a lot more than some athleticism to impress Indie Layne .
I kind of loved that about her. Hockey was the last reason why she’d be with me.
Getting back to the hotel was a letdown from the anticipation I’d felt earlier in the evening. I’d realized I could rid myself of this dejected feeling and get to work on Indie’s bucket list at the same time. With the time difference, I had to wait for her to finish up the stats and everything else she did post-game in her role.
Grabbing my phone from the bedside table, I opened the new group chat Emery had added my brothers to. It was aptly named “Get Your Shit Together Theo & Stop Acting Like an Ass.”
My siblings and I weren’t known for our subtlety with each other.
Theo
Hey. I’m up in Vancouver and thinking of you guys. Wish I could stop in for a visit but we’re flying back to Toronto in the early morning.
Chase
Well, well. This is new. I’m wondering what brought on this sudden need to check in on three fully grown adults.
Geez. They were good at holding a grudge. I was tempted to video call them, but none of them would have picked up. My chest burned with regret that they were still upset with me.
Liam
What’s happening? I just woke up.
Theo
It’s 11:30 PM
Liam
Your point? It’s called a nap, bruh .
Shaking my head even though he couldn’t see me, my lips formed a smile. I had no idea if he was being serious, but the details would get even more crazy if I continued down this road with him, and I wanted to catch Indie before she went to sleep.
Theo
Got it. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out more when we all lived in the same time zone all these years. I didn’t realize what I had taken for granted until now.
Emery
What’s happening? I just woke up.
Liam
Bruh…
Chase
Ooo baby sis has jokes.
I choked out a laugh. That was new.
Emery
Obviously, this semester’s undergrads have infected me with the same affliction that the twins have. Insanity.
Liam
Somebody’s been watching Bridgerton without me.
Emery
How dare you?! I am affronted by such an outlandish accusation.
Chase
Oh yeah, she has, L.
Liam
How dare I?! What happened to “we can watch it together because it’ll be cherished sibling time” and whatever else you said. I’m just there for my Kate and Anthony fix, separately.
Liam
Shit, together too. Damn, a Kathony sandwich. Delicious.
Theo
Anyone have any news from this century? The ton notwithstanding.
Chase
Look at you, T. Nobody can say you’re all goalie masks and pads. So very worldly.
My eyes rolled at the jab, simultaneously releasing more tension from my shoulders. I might be incapable of getting a real answer out of the jokers, but it was reassuring to be invited back into the absurdity.
Theo
I do pull my head out of my ass occasionally, you know. It’s not like the NHL runs my whole life. I’m not totally oblivious to popular culture.
Two messages buzzed at the same time.
Emery
Just 98% of it.
Liam
You should try for more than occasionally, that can’t be a very comfortable position to hold for long. It’s gotta be killer for your neck, bruh.
Chase was quick to chime in on Liam’s line of thought.
Chase
You’re practically geriatric as a professional hockey player. You need to be careful about injuring yourself in your off hours. You should listen to L.
Goddamn. They never let up. I loved them.
Theo
Can one of you muppets tell me something, anything, that has actually happened to you in the last couple weeks?
Chase
I got the lead project manager role on a new project.
Finally!
Theo
Congratulations, Chase. That’s amazing news!
But do they know they hired an infant as a lead architect? Will you take Ted to your meetings?
Ted was Chase’s favorite stuffed bear growing up. Emery and I used to hide it in weird places when the twins’ pranks went too far.
Chase
Shut up. You should know better than to bring Ted into anything.
Liam
He definitely wraps Ted in a blanket for the bottom of his briefcase. I’ve seen it.
Chase
Lies! See if I bring you coffee next time you’re hungover.
Emery
(good move, turning them on each other).
Theo
Other than the under-gremlins, everything OK, Em? Do you have any exhibitions coming up?
I was determined to make it home to see her next gallery showing. I’d missed the one for her master’s because of the playoff schedule two years ago. This time, I would make it there to support her, even if it meant flying to and from Toronto in the same day.
The pause before her reply was longer than the other breaks in the conversation.
Emery
Nah. I don’t have much of anything cohesive enough for a show. Just buckling down to get my students through the semester.
Emery had been creating less and less art. Even if I couldn’t be there in person, I tried my best to keep up with her artist social media accounts.
Had Indie noticed the change in my sister?
Checking the time, I’d bet Indie was home now. I wanted to see her face before I called it quits on this day.
Theo
OK, let me know because I am coming to the next one. I need to go though. Early flight tomorrow.
It was the truth. Just not all of it.
Emery
Not sure if the twins are arguing in their private messages now. But I can say, almost certainly on their behalf, that we love you. Take care of yourself since guys can’t seem to stop hitting pucks at your head. xxx
Theo
Thanks, Em. Love you all too.
Swiping out of the chat, I hedged my bets and video called Indie. Texting wasn’t enough. I wanted to see and hear her.
She just needed to pick up.
After the second ring, her lovely face appeared on my screen. Her usual subtle makeup had been washed off. She’d tied her hair up and had changed out of her work clothes into those tempting, paper-thin black tank top pajamas that I’d noticed she preferred over everything else.
Indie looked more perfect to me in these unguarded moments than any other way.
“To what do I owe this torture of a phone call? And video, Theo? Really?” Her lack of greeting might have worried some, but I’d been hungrily gobbling up every detail about her for a few months now. The first thing I saw was the smile in the corners of her mouth that she was trying to hide.
“I wanted to see you. I had to leave while you were still sick. It felt wrong, especially with the way the schedule has the team away for longer than normal.” My words leaving no doubt about the fact that she mattered to me, I watched her face closely for her reaction.
Her gaze skirted to the side briefly before she looked back into her phone’s camera, rolling her eyes.
“I appreciate what you did, Theo. But I can take care of myself, you know. I’ve been fine on my own for ages.”
Too long . She’s been doing this since she was a kid.
Knowing Indie was fiercely independent meant that I had to walk a very fine line between offering her support while trying not to be overbearing.
“I know, baby. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be there for you.” I didn’t want her to misunderstand me. It would just be another reason for her to keep me at a distance. And I wanted many more of the softer moments with Indie now that I’d had a small taste of her more vulnerable side.
“I’m not your baby,” she replied automatically.
“I dunno about that. The way you rode me in your bed made you feel exactly like mine . And don’t forget the way you used the length and ridges of my cock as your own personal sex toy slip n’ slide,” I argued, licking my lips while reliving the visual of her above me.
“Theo!” A slight pinkening of her cheeks and a sharp intake of breath contrasted her scolding tone.
Hmm. How much did Indie like dirty talk? I’d never been one to say much with other women I’d been with, often in a hurry to get off and get out.
But Indie made me want to dive into every way I could draw pleasure out of her. If I couldn’t act on these urges thousands of miles away from her, I wanted her to hear them.
So I carried on as if she hadn’t half-heartedly tried to shut me up. There was no hint of shame in my tone as I continued.
“God, I want to do that again. And I didn’t even get to taste you that time. I’ve had ten days of fantasies piling up in my mind. I want to take you in every position possible until we’re covered in our come.” I groaned, letting my head fall back for a moment while I enjoyed the visual in my mind.
When I refocused on my phone screen, her eyes were wide with surprise or shock. Maybe she hadn’t done anything like this with anyone before. I sure as shit hadn’t. Aside from the fact I didn’t have the desire to, I could never trust the person on the other end wasn’t recording my call to sell to some media outlet for a huge payout.
Trusting Indie was as easy as breathing. Well, even easier than breathing right now, considering the way she could have me panting with lust just by seeing her freshly washed face and those tiny straps of her silky tank top.
Fuck, if she wanted to record my voice saying dirty shit to her, I’d record an audiobook’s worth of filth for her to replay. As long as she was picturing me wringing out the pleasure from her body, I wanted her to listen on repeat.
“Theo.” Her voice came out as a whisper. She closed her eyes briefly to take a deep breath.
I used my hand not holding the phone to press against my now rock-solid length in an attempt to get some relief. I’d have to have another shower when I got off the phone with her. There was no way I could go to sleep like this.
Her gaze moved to my shoulder and down to the corner of the screen where my arm ended. She couldn’t see what I was doing exactly.
“Are you touching yourself right now?” Indie’s voice came out stronger, if raspier than before.
“What if I am?” I dared her .
She looked straight into the camera again.
“Show me.” She grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.