Chapter 26
A DOUBLE DATE
Ivy
“Tell us.”
The demand comes from Stefan, delivered in the smooth, playful voice that matches his whole easygoing demeanor. He takes up all the space in the chair, stretching an arm across the back and crossing his legs.
“C’mon, you know you want to,” Hayes goads in a rougher tone, leaning closer. His stubble is filling in even more, the start of a beard coming in.
We’re at a private table in the corner of the rooftop patio at Stefan’s restaurant-slash-bar, and they’re trying to pry a secret out of me.
I shake my head, adamant, my hair swinging back and forth.
“Nope.” I lift my bubbly water—no liquor for this girl tonight—and swirl it defiantly.
A statement. “You’re not winning this one.
I refuse to give up team secrets. You’ll find out next week.
” That’s when the team will debut the first of three options for a new mascot/team name.
“C’mon,” Stefan says, trying again. “You know the candidates before anyone else. It’s only fair to give us a hint.”
Hayes gives it his best shot. “We won’t say a word beyond this table.” He draws an air circle around the three of us as stars wink in the San Francisco sky.
I have a little fun with them. “Why do you even want to know? It’s not like you have to wear new uniforms yet. As the mascot, I’m just testing the potential name.”
Stefan sets down his wineglass amidst the remains of the dinner we just finished. “I bet we could get it out of you. Later. In bed.”
I like the sound of his seduction plans. “Is this another dare?”
“Smells like a dare to me,” Hayes says, accompanied by forks clattering and glasses clinking.
We’re far away from other diners, but I’m not worried about how this looks.
We’re just three people having dinner. But this is what I wanted—a night with both of them.
My family knows the truth, and that was important to me.
I didn’t want to fool them, so over breakfast this morning I told my grandma and my mom about the marriage arrangement so they wouldn’t worry if they heard anything on social. I texted with Katie too.
“Is this a new dating trend I need to know about?” my mom had asked when I’d told her.
“Because if it is, I’m out,” my grandma had seconded. “It took me long enough to learn to like avocado toast.”
“Fake marriage is not the new avocado toast,” I’d reassured her. I’m lucky they’re so supportive and didn’t give me a hard time at all. But I left telling Ryker to Trina, since she knows how to handle him.
Now I’m just enjoying my evening with these two guys as they play the new-team-name-guessing game.
“I bet it’s an otter,” Stefan muses.
“It’s not an otter,” I say.
“What about a mustang? That’d be cool,” Hayes says.
Stefan arches a brow at Hayes. “Does that even make sense? Then we’d be, what, horses on skates?”
“That’s your issue? The realism of mascots? The other team in this city is called the Sea Dogs and you’re pointing out that horses don’t wear skates?”
“What even is a Sea Dog?” Stefan’s brow knits as he turns philosophical.
“A seal,” I answer confidently.
Hayes’s irises twinkle with victory. “So that’s what you’ll wear? A seal costume?” He says it like he’s cracked the code.
When he so didn’t. “I took a mascot oath. I will not reveal the mascots we’re testing.” But the whole city will know at the next home game when I zip up the costume.
“We’ll get it out of you later,” Hayes says, all bravado once more.
“Speaking of later.” I sit up straighter. We’ve been having such a good time at dinner that we haven’t even had the talk yet. But we can’t put it off any longer. It’s important. “We should talk.”
Hayes glances around the eatery, full of diners but none close enough to eavesdrop, making sure the place is private. “Yeah, we should.”
“Seeing as I’m Mrs. Hockey for a couple months, we should establish the ground rules. Any situationship needs them,” I say, sketching air quotes.
“Situationship,” Stefan says, clearly amused.
“Well, it seems apropos.”
“If anything is a situationship, it’s this. And rules are good,” Hayes seconds.
Stefan gestures regally, bestowing the floor on me. “Have at it. I feel like whatever rules you establish, I come out ahead.”
Such a cocky fucker. “How do you figure?”
The Danish man waves a hand at Hayes then me. “You two have to go to these events. Charity luncheon, wedding, whatnot. I basically get the fun end of things. Correct?”
Hayes rolls his eyes. “Yes, you do. What a shock.”
With a casual shrug, Stefan turns to me, those ice-blue eyes sparkling. “I’ve got a packed schedule with the upcoming Sportsman of the Year award anyway. Meetings with sponsors and The Sports Network. I don’t need more public events.”
“Humble brag,” Hayes says, coughing under his breath.
Stefan turns to me. “Besides, being your secret boyfriend seems a lot more fun than being the public husband.”
I blanch at that term. Secret boyfriend? I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend at all, let alone a clandestine one. But I wasn’t seeking a husband either.
Maybe I didn’t hear him right. “Secret boyfriend?”
“Sweetheart.” Stefan gives me the look. The confident one that says don’t argue. “I’m your secret boyfriend and you know it.”
Well then.
Arousal shimmies through me at his declaration and the certainty of it. Secret boyfriend seems reasonable.
“Fair enough,” I say, hiding a grin. I like his possession. I didn’t see it coming, but it’s impossible to deny.
“As the captain, I’ve got enough on my plate with promos and whatnot,” Stefan adds. “Seems I get to have my cake and eat it too—at night.”
“Am I cake?” I ask.
His eyes pin mine. “Yes, Ivy. You’re the cake.”
Hayes tosses his napkin on the table. “I’m definitely ready for dessert then.”
Me too, but there’s one more thing. I hold up a hand. “So, we’re doing this…arrangement for the course of the”—I glance around, lowering my voice more—“the marriage?”
“Yes,” Stefan says, as surely as ever. But he shifts to legitimate concern when he adds, “if that works for you.”
“Does it, Ivy?” Hayes asks, checking in too.
The man can learn. And I like it.
“Yes. That works for me.” I’m no expert at group dynamics. I’m a total novice, in fact, but I wrote my top questions in my new notebook today. It’s not in front of me now, but they were pretty damn easy to memorize. “Just a few things though. Little details.”
“Hit us up,” Hayes says.
I swallow, then begin. “How does it work if I want to spend time with one of you when the other’s not around? Like, if I want to sleep with my boyfriend when my husband isn’t around? Or vice versa?”
Judging from their faces—both pairs of eyes are blazing—I’ve asked the right question.
Stefan lifts a finger, a sign that he’ll take this one.
“Thanks for asking, but you don’t need to check with me if you want to fuck Hayes.
I don’t want to check with him if I want to tie you up, kiss you slowly and sensually all over your delicious body, and make you come hard again and again. We’re not jealous guys.”
I’m a little caught up in the images, in the promises of pleasure. It takes me a few seconds to absorb this new world order.
“You’re really not,” I say, kind of amazed but still curious. “Why not though?”
“Why would I be? I like it when you’re getting all the attention. That’s what turns me on,” Stefan says matter-of-factly.
“Same here,” Hayes puts in. “I like getting you off. I like watching you get off. I like watching him get you off. It works out well for me when you’re coming. A lot.”
My cheeks flush, and I need to get out of here really soon. “About that mascot deal,” I begin, my voice feathery with desire.
“Yes?” Stefan asks.
“Three orgasms, and I’ll give you a hint what it is.”
“Deal,” they say together.