Chapter Four
The screech of rubber soles on the polished floor and the smell of the game were as familiar to Jathan as breathing.
Each time he spotted Artem cheering for him, his chest warmed.
He felt a hell of a lot better tonight. His head was fully in the game.
This time, when the buzzer sounded on their win, Jathan knew they would go all the way. He felt it in his bones.
Artem jumped up and down, eagerly accepting his sweaty hug.
Adrenaline pumped so hard through his veins, he couldn’t retain anything he saw or heard.
Life just passed in some odd sort of surreality.
He chatted, smiled, hugged, and gave interviews.
Everything moved in a blur. He didn’t feel any sense of reality return until he headed for the elevator with his bag tossed over his shoulder and scrolled through his phone.
The usual congratulatory texts from his mom waited along with a text from Quince.
Quince: I’ll be waiting at your place with food by the time you get there.
A smile exploded across Jathan’s face. He hadn’t known if he would hear from Quince.
Their drunken conversation—on his side—was a bit of a blur, but Jathan recalled enough.
He wanted to see him. Jathan needed to know where this was headed.
For once, he felt hopeful about the future in some way other than his career.
He absolutely broke the speed limit the entire way home, making record time.
Sure enough, Quince sat in his truck in the driveway.
Jathan smiled so hard, he probably looked like a crazy person.
The garage door opened. Jathan slowed as he passed and waved for Quince to follow him inside.
There was plenty of room inside for him to park.
Obviously catching his drift, Quince pulled in next to him.
The garage door slid closed behind them, shutting them away from the world.
Quince jumped from the truck, carrying bags of food. He was all smiles. “You fucking did it. I knew you would. You’re amazing.”
It felt beyond fantastic having Quince praise him. He was on top of the world. “One more game to the finals.”
“You’ll get there. I feel it.”
For a moment, they simply stared at each other. Jathan had to break the spell. “We should head inside. Whatever you brought smells delicious.”
“It’s just like hamburgers and fries. I was in a hurry to see you.”
He hadn’t felt this much hope in a long time. Jathan motioned for Quince to follow and headed inside. He grabbed two drinks from the fridge and got them set up in the living room.
“It’s funny. You have this huge house with a perfectly decorated dining room and you eat on the couch.”
Jathan hadn’t even thought. He just sat where he always did. “We can move to the dining room, if you’d like. I didn’t think about how you’d be most comfortable.”
Quince shook his head. “I eat while sitting on the couch too. You just seem like someone who would care if food got spilled on their sofa.”
He had no idea what that meant, but he still laughed. “No. It can be cleaned. What I can’t stand is sitting by myself in the dining room and the silence, eating alone. At least here, the TV keeps me company.”
Quince nodded. “I get it. How’s your mom?” He ate and held Jathan’s stare as he waited for Jathan to answer.
“She thinks her fever finally broke this morning. Since this game won us home advantage, she plans to be at the next one. That leaves an extra seat.” He dug into his food.
“You don’t want to give that to another family member?”
Jathan shook his head as he swallowed his bite. “There’s no one else. It’s just Mom and me.”
“I’d be honored to sit with your mom, then.”
There was so much happiness swelling in his chest. He ate too fast. Jathan really was starved after games.
“What about your family? What are they like?” Before Quince could answer, Jathan held up one finger.
“I know I’m weird, but I’ll have to listen from down here.
” He pushed the coffee table aside and settled on the floor.
Flat on his back, he propped his feet on the couch, trying to alleviate some of the pressure on his lower spine.
“Okay. Sorry. My back is in awful shape after years of play. Actually, so are my knees and wrists. But that’s neither here nor there. Tell me about your family.”
Quince took a drink and wadded up his trash.
He stuffed it in the bag before moving to the floor with Jathan.
He stretched out on his side and held his head up with hand and his elbow on the floor.
Quince gave Jathan his entire focus. “I don’t really talk to my family anymore.
When I went to work for Tip, my dad threw around a lot of F slurs.
He made all sorts of shitty remarks about how I needed to watch my back or I might get jumped on like in that movie about two cowboys.
” Quince mimicked a voice he supposed was Quince’s dad.
“I just got fed up. Tip is like a brother to me, and he’s been nothing but good to me.
He’s definitely done more for me than my dad ever did.
I just stopped calling one day, and it really highlighted that they never called me. We never spoke again.”
“Damn.” Jathan didn’t want him to get depressed. He flashed Quince a bright smile. “Is Quince short for Quincey or is it just Quince?”
“Just Quince. My mom wanted to name me Quincey. Dad said that was a sissy’s name. His words. Not mine. So they compromised and named me Quince. What about you? I’ve never met another Jathan.”
Jathan wasn’t surprised. “My mom’s name is Jan and my dad’s name is Nathan, so Jathan. Apparently, that’s how people always referred to them, so they thought it would be a cute name for their son.” Jathan laughed. “Then they got divorced before I was a year old.”
“And he’s no longer in your life?”
Jathan shrugged at the question. “I went to his house every other weekend until I was fourteen and I begged to stop. Even when it was his weekend, my mom still had to come get me and take me to games and practices. He didn’t have time for me.
He had his new wife’s two kids to worry about.
I loathed going to their house. Anything that was mine at that house, they would just take and claim as theirs.
Dad would just act like it was true—like he had bought whatever it was for them.
I stayed enraged. So—like I said—when I turned fourteen, I begged Mom to not make me go anymore, because it really was all her.
She was the only one trying to get my dad to love me.
I remember she cried for my loss, but she called him and made a deal.
No more child support and I could walk away from him.
When I look back on that now, I hate that I did that to her.
I could’ve sucked it up for four more years.
She was a single mom. I know she needed that child support money, but she loved me more.
I got picked up at eighteen, and I promise you she’s never wanted for a thing since.
She’s pretty fantastic. I think you’ll like her. ”
Quince smiled. Jathan wanted to sigh at its sexiness. “I don’t doubt it, but will she like me is the question?”
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“I’m thirteen years older than you, for one thing.”
A laugh burst from Jathan. “Do you intend to lead with that?”
Quince’s eyes swam with humor. “Nah. I think it’s pretty obvious when you take one look at me.”
Jathan’s gaze moved over Quince’s face. Now that he knew Quince liked him beyond friendship, he had zero qualms about flirting. “I think you’re sexy as fuck.”
Heat creeped into Quince’s expression. Jathan held his breath. He really hoped Quince planned to kiss him. “There’s so much I want to do right now, but I’m frozen.”
Jathan got it. He couldn’t imagine waking up tomorrow and finding himself attracted to a woman.
He thought women were beautiful, but he had never felt a sexual attraction toward one.
Hearing about Quince’s dad made everything clear.
He had been raised in a small-minded, sexually repressed environment.
Quince hadn’t stood much chance of finding himself.
Jathan moved to his knees. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Close your eyes.”
Quince immediately closed his eyes.
Jathan gently pushed, urging Quince onto his back. “Don’t look. Just feel until you know what to do.” Jathan straddled Quince. He looked sexy as hell between Jathan’s thighs. As much as Jathan wanted to say that, he needed to cast a spell to find Quince’s breaking point.
He found the hem of Quince’s t-shirt and pushed. Jathan bared two inches of skin. His fingers slipped beneath the material. He slowly moved higher, taking Quince’s shirt with him.
Quince’s lips parted. His entire torso moved with each breath.
He breathed hard—like a nervous man anticipating pleasure.
Damn. He was gorgeous. Jathan had never wanted to kiss someone so badly.
He didn’t know how Quince would react yet, so he kept doing his best to steal Quince’s shirt.
Quince lifted slightly, letting him have the clothing he wanted so badly.
Jathan’s hands slid beneath Quince’s armpits, urging his arms above his head.
The game had him nearly nose to nose with Quince.
He heard the way Quince fought to breathe.
When he had Quince’s hands trapped above his head by his shirt, Jathan bumped his lips against Quince’s, giving him the chance to say no.
Quince rolled, pinning Jathan beneath him. His mouth covered Jathan’s, and the world slipped away.