Chapter 25 Nathan
NATHAN
The bar’s loud as hell. Everyone’s high off the win, and to be fair, we earned it. We wiped the ice with the other team tonight.
Westbrook’s up in a few days, and we’ll have to lock in for that one. But for now, we're riding the high.
I barely hear the conversation around me, though, because my eyes keep drifting to the booth where Logan’s grinning wide.
He hasn’t stopped smiling since the final whistle.
His second-period goal was a beauty, and even though he acted like it was no big deal, I saw the flicker of pride in his eyes when he skated back into position.
He leans back against the booth, his Henley shirt a little unbuttoned and his mouth curved in that addictive smile of his.
I take a sip of my drink, trying to play it cool, but I can feel the heat crawling up my neck. I’ve had my mouth on him. I’ve had him gasping my name. And now he’s sitting there looking like that.
God help me.
Across from me, Austin lets out a laugh, staring down at his phone.
“You’re texting Maisie again?” Ryan guesses with a chuckle. We all know the guy can’t spend a single day without talking to her or about her. He’s downright obsessed.
Austin's grin widens, but he doesn't take his eyes off the screen. “She sent me a picture.”
Ryan lifts an eyebrow. “Of?”
Austin smirks, finally glancing up. “You sure you want to know?”
Ryan grimaces. “Actually… you know what? I’m good.”
Austin snorts. “Relax. I was just kidding, cap. It’s a picture of her cuddling Waddles.”
“Waddles?” I ask, furrowing my brows.
“Yeah,” he replies with a shrug. “Her penguin.”
I lift my eyes toward my sister, even more confused. She rolls her eyes and lets out a laugh. “Her stuffed penguin. Her room is covered in stuffed toys. She names them all.”
“Yeah,” Austin replies with a lovesick smile on his face. “It’s so fucking adorable.”
Ryan leans across the booth, letting out a whistle. “You’re whipped, my guy. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Says the guy who was making out with his girlfriend a few minutes ago,” Austin shoots back, flicking his bottle cap across the table. “Get a room, Reed.”
Ryan doesn’t bother replying. He just presses a slow, obnoxious kiss on my sister's lips—gross—and grins at the middle finger Austin throws in response.
Before either of them can reply, a blonde girl slides into the booth next to Austin, her hand already creeping toward his thigh. “Hey,” she says with a smile. “Me and my friends were watching the game and thought we’d come say hi—”
“Nope,” Austin cuts her off immediately, peeling her hand away. “I’m taken.” He jerks his chin toward Logan. “My buddy here is single, though.”
I go still.
Logan glances up, surprised. “I’m—” He stops, his eyes catching on mine for a second too long. “I’m not feeling it tonight.”
Austin scoffs. “Wait. Seriously?” His brows shoot up. “Are you seeing someone?”
It’s not the first time Austin’s pawned off attention his way, and he usually always takes the chance, which is why it might seem surprising to everyone… including me.
Logan doesn’t look away from me and blows out a breath. “Something like that.”
We haven’t exactly talked about being exclusive, and while I can’t stand the thought of even looking at anyone who’s not him, I didn’t expect him to be the same.
I thought he’d have fun helping me explore, helping me figure shit out, but would want to see other people on the side, too.
But my heart lurches in my chest at the fact that he doesn’t want to see anyone else, either.
Austin whistles. “Holy fuck. Logan Gray’s finally locking it down?”
Logan grins, finally dragging his gaze away from mine, and pops a pretzel in his mouth. “None of your business, Rhodes.”
The girl blinks, clearly confused, and then walks off, heading back to her friends.
A few of the guys laugh and shake their heads, and just like that, the attention moves on. But that look he’s giving me makes me want to drag him out of here and kiss him.
I glance away from him and look down at the bottle. I’ve been nursing the same beer for an hour. The edge of the label is peeling under my thumb, and my heart is beating way too fast.
But then Logan stands, and my attention flies to him as he tosses a bill on the table. “Head hurts,” he says, slipping his wallet back into his jeans. “Gonna head back.”
He glances at me, waiting, and I try to act like I wasn’t already halfway out of my seat the second he moved.
“Yeah,” I say, pushing up. “I’ll come with you. I’m pretty beat after the game.”
Logan smirks. “Oooh, yay. We can cuddle.”
My cheeks burn at how blatantly he says it. But the guys just chuckle and keep talking. Too drunk, too distracted, or maybe just too used to Logan being Logan.
I pocket my phone and head toward the exit, pushing open the front door. I blow out a breath when I step outside, the cold air puffing into a cloud in front of me as I shove my hands in my pockets.
When I hear the door open, I glance over my shoulder, seeing Logan grinning at me, which makes me narrow my eyes.
“You were way too obvious,” I tell him, running a hand through my hair, the chill creeping onto my fingers.
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Relax. I could kiss you and they wouldn’t suspect a thing,” he tells me, nudging my shoulder. “Hell, my gaydar’s good as shit and even I thought you were straight.”
I let out a huff and shake my head as we head back to the hotel. It’s a short walk, and since it’s late as hell, the streets are pretty quiet, just a few couples walking hand-in-hand under the streetlights.
I glance at them, a sharp twist landing in my stomach, wishing I could do the same, wishing—
Logan’s hand brushes mine, and I glance at him, seeing him hold out his hand. My eyes fly to his and I start to shake my head, but he cuts me off.
“No one knows us here,” he says, holding my gaze. “Just… Please. Let me hold your hand, Nathan.”
My heart thuds hard against my chest and I stare at his hands, remembering how they were all over my body, inside me, interlocked with mine on the bus, and I finally slide my fingers into his.
He laces his through mine, giving my hand a small squeeze as we walk, my thumb brushes along the callused edge of his fingers. His thumb brushes slowly over my knuckles, and for once, I don’t pull away. I don’t even look around to check who’s watching. It feels too good.
Logan’s still holding my hand when we push into the lobby of the hotel. He doesn’t drop it even when we pass the front desk.
A couple walking by gives us a once-over, their eyes flicking down to our joined hands, but Logan keeps walking. I don’t know how he makes everything look effortless, but I’m glad he doesn’t let go.
We reach the elevator, and the doors slide open right away. The second we’re inside and the doors close, he pulls me by the collar of my jacket.
“Finally,” he murmurs, before pressing his mouth to mine.
My breath catches in shock before I melt into him, my hands finding his waist, pulling him closer.
I don’t even realize we’ve stopped until the elevator dings and the doors fly open. I pull away from Logan, practically jumping to the opposite side when an older man stands in the doorway, blinking at us a few times.
Logan clears his throat, but it sounds more like a laugh as he runs a hand over his face.
“Evening,” the older man says with a nod as he steps inside.
Logan wipes his mouth again, smiling up at him. “You going up?” he asks him.
The man nods and Logan takes a step back, making room for him before the doors close again. I can feel Logan’s eyes on me the whole ride up, but I keep mine forward, my heart pounding hard.
When the doors open on our floor, I take a step forward and Logan follows, his shoulder bumping mine as we walk down the hall.
“You okay?” he asks, nudging my shoulder.
“Sorry,” I breathe out. “I just—when he walked in—”
“Hey.” He stops walking and reaches out, brushing his fingers over the back of my hand. “You don’t have to explain.”
I meet his eyes. Green and calm and somehow understanding more than I’ve said out loud.
He glances down and unlocks the door with his keycard, gesturing for me to go in first. I step into the dim small room, with two single beds crammed inside.
He follows, door clicking shut behind him before he locks the door and tosses the keycard on the desk.
I glance toward the beds we pushed together when we checked in. Logan was originally supposed to room with Austin. God knows how he convinced him to swap, but I’m not about to complain.
When I glance back, he’s already watching me, his mouth curved in a grin before he reaches me and curls his hand over the back of my neck, pressing his lips against mine.
I’ve become addicted to his kisses. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t crave it and I have no idea how I went on for so long without it.
His hands fly to my hips and push slightly until we fall onto the bed. I stumble backward with a breathless laugh, Logan’s hands already tugging at my shirt and jacket.
We kiss, desperately trying to rip off our clothes, each layer being peeled off one by one. His hands skim my chest, my ribs, and he breaks the kiss to look down at me.
“Fuck, you’re so goddamn pretty.”
I reach for the hem of his T-shirt, wanting it gone. He strips it off for me, tossing it somewhere near the desk.
He leans down to kiss me again, his hands stroking down my sides, tracing my waist, slipping under the waistband of my jeans.
“Lift your hips,” he murmurs against my mouth.
I do, and he works my jeans down, dragging my boxers with them. My cock springs free and he groans quietly, stroking my cock.
My head tips back as my balls curl with pleasure, and before I can chicken out, I say it.
“I want you to fuck me.”
He freezes.
I think the air in the room does too.
His head lifts, eyes locking onto mine. “You what?”