Chapter 9
Nine
Tucker
This feels like an impossible situation, standing here, watching Sebastian’s cheeks go red as he’s told to strip by the perky, redheaded PR director.
It’s a nightmare for me knowing there’s a possibility I could see another hot man’s naked torso gleaming with sweat, and it happens to be one I have a raging crush on, at that.
I almost wish he wouldn’t follow through.
I don't actually think he'll do it. Sebastian’s too in control.
If he wants to stay fully dressed and keep a shirt on, he will.
He proves me wrong and reaches for the bottom of his jersey, pulling it over his head in a swift movement, followed by his shoulder pads, revealing tan, olive skin with a light dusting of dark hair on his chest that leads down his torso to a beautiful happy trail that I would die to explore with my tongue.
Oh, fuck me, those muscles I’ve been pressed against and knew were likely incredible, are now on full display in their sweaty glory.
I could nut in my pants from the view alone.
Which would be all sorts of unfortunate. I’ve gotta turn away from this so I don't embarrass myself and get kicked out of the building.
I manage to calm down, thinking about missing person searches of all things.
It’s morbid, but it gets the job done faster than singing “The Wheels On The Bus.” I finally turn back around when I think it’s safe, and that’s when I see a shirtless Sebastian holding a puppy, and I melt into a puddle of fucking need.
I’ve never wanted to trade places with a dog so badly. I’d drop to my knees and bark like the good dog I am so fast to get him to hold me like that. He’s sitting on the floor, cradling the puppy in his arms as it licks his neck.
Fuck, I’d lick his neck, too.
He laughs as the photographer snaps photos, and I’m tempted to pay for the memory card so I can have all of them for my personal archive.
But since that’s not an option, I find myself reaching into my pocket to pull out my phone so I can take my own photos.
I casually hold my phone in front of me like I’m absently scrolling.
I open my camera and position it so I can snap a few shots of Sebastian looking hot as fuck, his biceps bulging while he cradles the puppy, and his chest looking gloriously broad.
I’m a sucker for a nice chest and well-defined shoulders, and he checks all the boxes, including the sexiest corded forearms known to man.
I angle the phone when he repositions at McKenna’s request and sits back on his heels, his knees spread, and the puppy held like a football in one arm.
Goddamn, that’s sexy. I want to see him in that exact position without the joggers.
The photographer calls for someone to spray him down, saying he’s not sweaty enough.
An intern walks over with a spray bottle to mist him, then pats his face with a damp towel. Um, how do I get that job?
Damn, down boy.
“Monty, can you flex a little harder? I want to see the abs more in this position. Really bear down and make them pop,” McKenna calls from across the dressing room, and there’s a riot of hoots and hollers from the team.
“Yeah, big daddy, we wanna see those muscles pop,” a guy says as he rolls on the floor with a puppy.
Big daddy? Oh, fuck my life, now I won’t think of him as anything but a Daddy, and that’s going to be bad for my imagination.
“McKenna, what kind of audience are we trying to appeal to here? This seems a little excessive for a military appreciation night post,” Sebastian directs to the PR lady, sounding harassed.
“Any audience that wants to engage and buy tickets,” she says firmly. “And I can promise you it’ll be a large swath of the population, from kids who love animals, to women, single or married, to the LGBTQ+ population,” she continues.
“Okay, I get your point,” Sebastian pouts.
He looks up and catches me staring just as he flexes, and his beautifully sculpted body is put even more on display.
His cheeks flame red as he holds eye contact, and I nearly combust with desire and the need to find a private spot to do something with this new imagery that’s filling my mind and camera roll.
A shy smile crosses his face before he ducks his head, looking down at the puppy in his arms. I hastily put my phone away, realizing I’ve been holding it for too long, and I’m going to get caught if I try to take any more photos.
“Roll up your tongue, your lust is showing. You’re staring so hard I’m sure he can feel it,” Cami whispers next to me before laughing quietly.
I jump and look over. Where the fuck did she come from? I completely forgot about her in my Sebastian haze.
“Fuck off, I’m not staring,” I argue, knowing I am. Jesus, I can't believe she caught me and called me out for being a total creeper. I won’t be able to live this down. Who else may have noticed?
“I knew you liked him,” she says with a satisfied smile.
“You know nothing, you meddling monster. I’m watching the dogs.”
“Sure, that’s why your face is red, you’re breathing heavily, and you’re sporting a chub your Carhartts can’t hide.
” She smirks at me as her eyes dip to my crotch and back up while I drop my hands unceremoniously to cover any unwanted attention in that region.
“If that’s what watching the dogs does to you, you'd better start a new profession, you freak.” She cackles at my discomfort.
I clamp a hand over her mouth to stop her from drawing attention to us. She licks my palm, and I give her a look of disgust as I pull it away and wipe it on my pants. Why do we revert to the tactics of our childhood when we’re both grown ass adults who know better? Fucking sisters.
At least I’m not thinking of Sebastian anymore.
“Gross, you shouldn’t be looking anywhere near my dick.
Now, shut your mouth and leave me alone.
This isn’t the place for a conversation like that,” I hiss, eyes darting around to make sure no one can hear us.
Thankfully, most people have moved closer to the puppies, and we’ve been ignored in our little corner of the dressing room.
“This is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Cami admits, looking around. “Who knew a team of hockey players holding puppies would do it for us both, right?”
“Cami, I swear to God, you need to drop the subject. This isn’t appropriate,” I warn, the growl in my voice enough to warn most men off, yet she looks undeterred.
“Whatever. I’m still going to enjoy the perks of this partnership, no matter what you say.
McKenna sure seems to want us to, if her comment was anything to go by.
” Cami shrugs and walks over to McKenna as she picks up a puppy that has wandered away from the pack of hockey players, and they start chatting.
After being repositioned, directed, misted with water, and patted down for about half an hour, some of the players are switched out.
Sebastian is finally released and allowed to move away from the cameras.
He looks so relieved once he steps out of the circle of players and crew, I almost laugh.
He sees me trying to hold it together and marches over.
“What are you laughing at, Country Boy?” he asks with an edge to his tone.
Oh, shit, is he actually pissed at me? I quickly stifle my laughter and pull a straight face.
“Nothing at all, City Boy. This has been an enlightening experience. I’ve never been a part of a photo shoot before, so I didn’t realize they were so…
” I pause to search for the right word while he stares at me, “…involved. They certainly require a lot of people and you to be, uh, glistening and flexing a lot.”
He drops his head in defeat. “This is the worst fucking part of being a professional athlete. We get roped into the most ridiculous things. Not that this cause is stupid, just that I needed to be shirtless for the photo shoot. Like, come on, man, we can hold puppies with our shirts on,” he says, crossing his arms over his still shirtless torso, drawing my eyes to that chest that already occupies a full folder in my spank bank.
Up close, I realize he has a few lines of numbers and letters tattooed across his left pec.
I see ESM 4-3-2021, and EMM 7-14-1997, and wonder what they’re for.
Maybe special dates? I shouldn't even be looking, so I decide to bring my thoughts back to the present, and that’s when my brain decides to latch onto what is right in front of me.
“But then they wouldn't be able to see your muscles, big daddy,” I tease in a low, flirty tone, because I can't fucking help myself. The opening was perfect, and I want to call him that so badly.
His head whips around toward me. “Oh, not you, too!” he grumbles.
“I’ll never live this down with the team, and now you’re calling me that?
Fucking hell.” Sebastian covers his face, but I notice he pulls his shoulders back and doesn't hide his body at all like I would expect from someone embarrassed by this whole circus.
Interesting.
“Oh, come on. I know you like the attention, and everyone is enjoying the view,” I tease, taking a chance and poking him gently in the side.
He flinches away a bit, but stays next to me.
I quickly withdraw my hand and try not to make it weird by continuing.
“I don't know anything about social media, but this is something my sister calls social gold and would have given her left arm to have for Combat Companions before the Hydras partnership. Seriously, thank you for being a part of this program and helping us get our name out there. It means so much to me and the organization.”