Chapter Thirteen
Denis
Dane brought me my meds and unwrapped my bandage to check for swelling and bruises. I winced as he prodded my inner thigh, his gaze laser-focused on my body and reaction to his touch.
“Ow, damn, that hurts.”
“No shit. You have an injury.” With expert hands, he rewrapped me and replaced the ice pack. “When I told Olivia I was taking care of you, she said to give you a hug and kiss and to get your pretty ass back out on the ice ASAP.”
I chuckled. “Your wife is a doll. How’re the kids?”
Dane pulled out his phone to show me. “Marnie is four and taking ballet. Tali is two and wants to do everything Marnie does, and Rosie is just beginning to open her eyes. One month and counting.”
“Three little girls.” I cackled. “Gonna try for a boy?”
“Dude. If I even mention sex, Olivia gives me a side-eye and tells me to keep my baby-making dick away from her. Like it’s all my fault.”
“Horny bastard.” I winced, and he carefully lifted my leg with a pillow to elevate it farther.
“You gay guys are lucky. Sex without worrying if you’re gonna get your partner pregnant.”
Oh, yeah. We’re lucky as hell. It’s always fun to lose your family because you were caught kissing a boy. I’m one fucking lucky guy.
“Anytime you want to broaden your horizons, let me know.” I held up my hands. “Just kidding. I know you’d never cheat on your wife.”
He snorted. “Got that right. She’s perfect. Why would I look anywhere else when I’ve got her? I mean, you’re hot, but it ain’t happening. Plus, your friend would have my balls for dinner.”
“Who?”
“The newscaster. Man, he was giving me the stink eye. I felt it all the way from where he was standing.”
Now that was interesting. “Tell me more.”
Dane shrugged. “Not much to tell other than that. You two banging?”
I laughed out loud. “I think his head would explode if he heard you say that. Sterling is a little…”
“Uptight? Stiff?” Dane’s eyes twinkled. “Totally not your type. Except the stiff part.” He patted my knee. “Let’s have something to eat, and then I’ll give you a shower, ’cause you’re kinda rank, dude. No offense.”
“None taken. Listen, Sterling said he brought a few things that need to be refrigerated. Could you do that for me?”
“Yeah, of course.” Dane rummaged through the shopping bag.
“This is some good shit. Salad, cold-pressed juices, turmeric shots, probiotic yogurts. Supplements too. This stuff is primo.” He stuck them all in the refrigerator.
“I’ve been after you and the guys for years to change your eating habits.
Guess it takes a hot guy to make you change your mind. ”
“Don’t be jealous, baby. You’re still hot as fuck.”
Dane made a muscle. “I know.”
**
“So how’d you meet him?”
I drank down the rest of my juice. I had to hand it to Sterling; it was tasty.
“Who?”
“Sterling. Come on. Don’t hold out on a buddy.”
“Why? You’re not getting any at home, so you need to hear about my love life?
” He gave me pathetic, puppy-dog eyes, and I sighed.
“Honestly? There’s not much to tell. You know Adrian, Rip’s husband?
” At Dane’s nod, I popped another grape into my mouth.
“They work together at Channel 8. Sterling is the anchor, and Adrian’s the political reporter. ”
Dane stacked the plates in the dishwasher. He’d made us salads from the food Adrian and Sterling had brought. “Like I said, he’s not your usual type, is he? What’s the deal?”
“What’s my usual type?” I was curious to hear.
Dane gripped my elbow as I managed to leave the chair without pain. “Easy does it.” Tough guy that I was, I didn’t think I’d need someone’s help, but I was exhausted from the simple effort of fighting the deep-seated muscle ache and spasms that came and went without warning.
We made it to the couch, where I took up the spot I feared would become my permanent residence for the next few weeks.
“Go on, Dane. Tell me more.”
Dane stretched out his long legs, and I envied him the ability to do so pain free. “Dude. Come on. You love the athletes—muscles, maybe some tats. A little bit of the bad-boy image.”
I brushed that off. “All surface stuff.”
“Yeah, but you’re going from one extreme to the other. That Sterling guy? He’s like the country-club type. Not preppy, but someone whose clothes never get wrinkled. I bet he wears old-man pajamas to bed.” Dane snickered.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“So you’re not doing the deed? That’s got to be a record, huh? Usually you’ve got them in the sack first or second time out.”
“Tell me again why you’re obsessed with my sex life, and don’t give me that shit about you not having one.
The baby’s only a month old. I haven’t been with anyone in…
damn. It’s been so long, I can’t remember.
” My first real dry spell. Rudy had fucked me up for sure.
Now that it had been months since we’d broken up, I could see we had nothing in common other than sex.
We’d never talked except to make plans for dinner or the weekend.
Come to think of it, that seemed to be the trend with all the men I’d been with, including Rip, my longest relationship.
He’d tried to get closer, but I’d pushed him away, afraid if I opened up and showed any vulnerability, it would be seen as weak.
And I’d had to be strong for a very long time.
There was safety in hiding behind those inner walls.
“It’s not your sex life. We’ve known each other a long time. I’ve seen you go through guys like Skittles, and for the most part—Ripley Tremaine excluded—it’s been wham, bam. In and out.”
“I was engaged to Gordie, you know.” That part of my life was less real than my time with Rip. I barely remembered what he looked like, now that he’d retired last year.
Dane snorted. “That was a mistake, and you know it.”
“Yeah.” I folded my arms behind my head. “You’re right. He was too…sweet. Too eager to give in. I like a challenge.”
“So that’s what turns you on about this Sterling guy? That he doesn’t want you?” Dane’s brow furrowed. “That’s kinda twisted, isn’t it? Why make shit so difficult? You wanna fuck him? Just turn on the charm, use that sexy-as-fuck French accent, and get him. It’s never failed you.”
Until now. Sterling Forest had been a complicated man who didn’t allow his emotions to take control.
And, as crude as Dane had put it, what I wanted from Sterling was more than sex.
I didn’t know what or why, and that was part of the reason I’d held back.
It was easy to spar with words. We could keep it fun and light.
I wasn’t sure I knew how to go deeper. Or maybe I was afraid if we did, he’d find out everything and see me as weak.
“It’s not as easy as it sounds. We tend to get on each other’s nerves. He thinks I’m nothing more than a dumb hockey player, and I’ve called him out on it. He can be a pompous dick sometimes.”
Dane arched a brow, and his lips quirked. “Sounds familiar. Well, good for you on telling him to shove his snotty attitude. But I’m telling you, man. I feel like I’ve seen him before.”
“Has to be the news. You never watch Channel 8? Or maybe you’ve seen the promo he does for them?”
“Nah. We really don’t watch any regular TV. Once the kids are asleep, I’m not gonna sit and listen to a bunch of depressing shit. Only movies, sports, and reality shows.”
“I wouldn’t mind a movie right now. Maybe it’ll take my mind off this.” I gestured to my leg. “Not sports ones, though.”
“All righty, then. Let’s hook us up.” He rubbed his hands together. “I can stay late today, so we’ve got plenty of time. I’ll make the popcorn, and we’ll be good to go.”
The first movie was some comedy I didn’t find all that funny, and the second was an action hero that wasn’t much better. As a kid I’d loved the movies, but the classics, not the computer-generated crap spit out now.
“Give me something with depth. Something not mindless.”
Dane searched through the listings. “Here’s one, but it’s, like, twenty years old. A suspense. It’s one of Olivia’s favorites. I think it won the Oscar or something.”
“Or something,” I joked. “Only the biggest award in movies. You’re too much. Let’s watch it.”
“Let me get us some dinner. How about a bunch of grilled chicken sliders and sweet potato fries?”
“Damn, you can make that?”
He chuckled. “No, but the diner can.”
“Go for it.”
While we waited for the delivery, Dane checked out my injury again.
“Swelling is down considerably. You might be able to start exercising tomorrow or the next day. Nothing strenuous, just gentle stretching and some other things I’ll show you.”
“Thank God. Much as it’s nice to have the time to myself, I hate sitting around. We play Monday night, and I plan to be there with my team.”
Dane finished wrapping my thigh. “You will be.”
The bell rang, and he went to get the food. The movie came on, and after the first scene, Dane slapped his knee. “That’s it. Now I know.”
“Know what?” I was interested to watch this because Dahlia Dumont was the lead actress. And speaking of, I’d never found out why Sterling was interested in her.
Dane picked up the remote and froze the movie with Dahlia’s face in full view. “Huh.”
“What?” I took a bite of my slider.
“Nothing, except it’s weird how much that guy looks like Dahlia Dumont.”
“What guy?” My antennae buzzed.
“Your newscaster friend. Don’t you think so?”
About to take another bite, I set the slider on the plate and stared. The eyes, the shape of the face and mouth. Yeah. It was obvious now that I saw it in front of me.
Was this the secret Sterling was keeping, and if so, why?