21. Jake #3
Riley was still recovering from Allen’s comment about his panties, but he managed to shake the confusion off and answered. “Have you not seen clips of Allen before he quit? He was small and fast—and a dirty player on his best day.”
Jake had also been surprised after watching the home videos Allen’s parents took of him during his games. Allen had said he needed to be fast to avoid hits from bigger players, but he conveniently forgot to mention how fast he was at roughing other guys up, too.
“It’s not my fault that I’m the perfect height to submarine a guy who’s twice my size when I bend low enough,” Allen said, sounding far too proud of himself.
They all shared looks, and Kingston shook his head and pushed the stick away from his chest.
“Let’s go back to the penthouse. We have practice tomorrow, and I wouldn’t have agreed to this if I’d known I was going to get fucked against the boards all night.”
Allen leaned on his stick and groaned. “Thank God. I was hoping that if I beat you guys around enough, you would stop asking me to skate. I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk tomorrow, and I definitely need to see a doctor for underwear retrieval surgery.”
Kingston perked up, and Jake smiled at his enthusiasm.
“You don’t need a doctor when you have me,” said Kingston. He skated forward until he had Allen crowded into the corner and pressed against the boards. “No invasive procedures, just my teeth.”
Allen cringed behind his visor and shoved Kingston back. “You’re a disgusting man. There is nothing sexy about sweaty hockey panties.”
Jake wasn’t so sure because the words sounded hot, but he would let Kingston take the lead in that discovery.
Riley bumped into him when the other two continued to bicker, nudging gently. “Seeing them together is…hot. I think my brain really is broken because I shouldn’t find watching my man with another man a turn-on.”
Jake didn’t see it that way. In his eyes, he was watching his man handle his other man, and that math equation made sense to him.
But to keep Riley from feeling left out, Jake pushed him until he was next to Allen against the boards and pinned in place.
He was glad the training rink for the Citadels was currently empty, because it meant nothing could stop him from removing his helmet and tearing Riley’s off so he could kiss him.
It felt different compared to the first awkward kiss they had shared as teens, but the heat was there, mixed with the comfort that touching Riley always brought him.
Riley’s surprised groan made Jake hesitate, second-guessing himself when it hit him that he hadn’t even asked if he could kiss his best friend in front of their boyfriends. But no one protested—and Riley didn’t pull away, even though he easily could have.
“I knew it!” Allen said, clapping Jake on the shoulder. “I knew it would be hot to watch you and Riley kiss.”
Jake stepped back from Riley and licked the salty taste of sweat from his lips. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Riley turn as red as a tomato before, but that’s the shade he was now.
“What—why did you kiss me?” Riley asked, gazing up at him with green eyes through his pale lashes.
“Because I wanted to,” said Jake.
There was no need for further explanation than that. And as long as everyone was happy, Jake could see himself wanting to kiss all of them for a very long time.
“And here I thought the big guy was the one who would need convincing to go for anything,” Kingston muttered, looking Jake up and down like he was seeing him in a new light.
“Oh, please,” said Allen. “Jake would fuck you on center ice right now if the echoing from the clapping wouldn’t bother him.”
Riley shoved Jake away and laughed while sneaking glances at Kingston’s shocked expression. Jake could brush off Allen’s blunt way of speaking, but it looked like Kingston would need some time to get used to it.
“Come on,” Allen said, scruffing Kingston by the front of his jersey and pulling him away from the boards.
“I’ll watch you guys chase each other around for another thirty minutes, and then we can go home.
That way you’ll have worked out all your energy, and I’ll be able to enjoy a relaxing bath without being pestered. ”
Jake liked the sound of Allen’s plan because it gave him an excuse to drive Kingston and Riley to practice in the morning so he could watch them. And if he was lucky and played his cards right, he might be able to convince Allen to join.
If he were very lucky.
Jake wrapped an arm around Allen’s waist and dipped in to press a quick kiss to his cheek before pushing off, his blades carving clean lines into the ice. He didn’t look back right away; he just grinned to himself when Allen’s laughter chased after him down the rink.
“What was that for?” Allen called, lifting his stick as Jake spun at center ice and glided backward to keep him in view.
“Because I wanted to,” Jake shot back.
Allen snorted, shaking his head, but the pink dusting on his cheeks didn’t go unnoticed. “You’re ridiculous.”
“For you,” said Jake. “Always.”