Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
COLBY
It’s late by the time we arrive back at campus.
The streets are deserted, but it doesn’t stop Tyler from walking me home.
I appreciate it, though I don’t miss the glimmer of confusion that crosses Liam’s face when Tyler declines his offer for a lift back to their house.
Liam doesn’t say anything, but I can’t help but wonder if he’s going to pepper Tyler with questions when he gets back.
Tyler’s protectiveness isn’t anything new, but it’s almost like it’s gone to the next level, and people are noticing.
Once we reach my building, he waves me off with our usual “See you later,” and I head up to my room, where I crash the moment my head hits the pillow.
It’s not until the following morning when the sun is shining brightly through my window that I realize my alarm hasn’t gone off. I must have forgotten to put my phone on charge.
Groaning, I rub my eyes with the heel of my palm, then stretch my arms over my head, pressing my hands flat against the headboard and pushing to stretch my body those last few inches.
I let out a loud yawn before rolling over and reaching for my phone cable.
I plug in my phone and toss it onto my bedside table and bury my face into the pillow.
Luckily, I haven’t got any classes today, but I need to head to the library to study before training starts again tomorrow. We’re going to be at the practice facility every spare minute we have available, preparing for the Frozen Four.
After a few minutes, my phone must have switched itself back on because it starts vibrating with a flurry of incoming notifications. I groan again into my pillow, not wanting to move but knowing I can’t lie here forever, then reach out to grab my phone and force my eyes to open.
There are several texts from my parents and sister, along with extended family members congratulating me on last night’s win, but my eyes focus on the four unread texts from Tyler. My stomach swoops as I’m hit with the reminder of what we got up to this weekend.
I want to do it again. Soon.
I mean, it’s only normal to do it a few times, right? Practice makes perfect and all that.
I press my hips into the mattress, not wanting to get hard right now when I need to get up and head to the library. I can jerk off to the memory of Tyler squeezing our cocks together in his fist when I get back.
Tapping on the notification bubble, I notice the time stamp on the first one was sent twenty minutes after he walked me back to my room.
Tyler
Just made it back to mine. Liam’s looking at me like he’s either trying to work out some complicated math equation or he’s constipated.
Tyler
Don’t worry, I haven’t said anything, and if he does, I’ll say it was my idea to walk you back after I lost my shit on that guy earlier.
Tyler
Hopefully these don’t wake you if you’ve fallen asleep, but I just wanted to say thanks for this weekend. It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had.
My heart thunders against my sternum. The most fun he’s ever had? It was the most mind-melting experience of my life. Winning the tournament didn’t come close to the euphoric feeling that coursed through my body when Tyler put his hands on me.
Then my eyes land on the latest one that was sent fifteen minutes ago, and it’s like I forget to breathe.
Tyler
Party tonight at mine. Starts at 8PM. I’ll give you the signal when it’s time for your next lesson.
The conversation from last night comes barreling to the forefront of my mind, and I sit up so fast the room goes a little blurry.
Fuck.
Fuck fuck fuck.
I got so caught up in the moment last night, being so close to Tyler, talking about our childhoods, that I let slip that I was ready for my next lesson.
I don’t think it was a lie because I’m pretty sure I’m ready.
For what exactly, I don’t know, but this weekend has been life-changing in more ways than one, and the way Tyler makes me feel has me wanting to chase that feeling.
To do all the things, all at once.
Throwing off my comforter, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and shove my legs into some shorts and pull on a T-shirt, and then cross the hall to Stassie’s room.
I knock once, giving her a chance to call out.
When there’s no answer, I fling open the door and find her sitting at her desk, large headphones covering her ears as she works away on her laptop.
“Stassie,” I say fairly loudly, but she doesn’t move an inch.
She’s completely zoned into whatever she’s reading on her computer.
She doesn’t hear me approaching because the second I shake the back of her chair, she lets out an ear-piercing scream and jumps in her chair.
Her headphones clatter to the desk with a thud, and she whirls around on me, holding her ruler between us like she’s ready to strike.
“Holy fucking shit, Colby, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” she curses, gasping for air as she places her other hand on her chest. “Why didn’t you say something instead of scaring me half to death?”
“I did, but you didn’t hear me,” I counter, then eye the ruler still poised in the air. “What were you planning to do with that? Smack the inches right out of me?”
She looks at the ruler like she didn’t realize it was in her hand, then bursts out laughing, tears forming in her eyes. “Oh, Colby. My sweet, innocent boo. There’s so many innuendos I could make right now.”
Confused, I furrow my brows and ask, “What?”
She shakes her head, finally lowering the ruler and tugs the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands to wipe her damp eyes. “Congratulations on your game yesterday. Does this mean you’ll be going to Florida?”
“Thanks, and yeah. We’ll be leaving in like, two weeks, I think.”
“That’s good. I wish I could come, but I don’t like planes.”
“What? Why not?”
“A small, confined space with like, a hundred strangers?” She pulls a soured face and shakes her head. “Absolutely not. Imagine all the germs mixing in the recycled air inside the metal tub.”
I stare at her, words vanishing from my brain. How do you even respond to that?
Ignoring my puzzled expression, she goes on to ask, “So how did this weekend go? Did you and Tyler round any bases?” She wiggles her brows.
“That’s baseball,” I tell her, arching my brows in a duh look.
“I don’t know, boo, they’re all the same to me.”
I shake my head, disappointed she would even compare hockey to baseball when it’s clear that hockey is the superior sport. “I’m going to ignore that you said that.”
She sticks out her tongue, then presses, “Stop avoiding the question.”
“I, uh…” I rub my cheek, suddenly feeling awkward. I take a seat on the edge of her bed and glance down at the bright pink polka dot rug beneath my feet. “Me and Tyler, we… uhhh…”
Sweat covers my palms, and I wipe them down the front of my shorts.
“Did you have sex?” Stassie asks, her voice taking on that soft, encouraging tone when she knows I’m starting to get in my head.
Why am I getting so flustered about it?
“Yeah. I mean, yeah, but not like…” I wave my hand aimlessly through the air like I’m hoping the words will appear in thin air, like on a teleprompter or something, so I don’t have to say it out loud.
I clear my throat again, and my words come out in a rush. “We did things. Like he jerked me off, and I jerked him off, and we jerked ourselves, together at the same time, and now there’s a party at his house tonight, and I may have mentioned wanting my next lesson tonight…”
She presses her lips in a straight line, but it doesn’t stop the corners from curving upward.
“Did you enjoy it?” she asks after a beat.
I nod. “Yeah, I did. A lot.”
“So, just see how things go. He’s not going to make you do something you’re not comfortable with, and maybe sneaking off at the party will add a bit of spice to the mix.”
I bare my teeth in an awkward grimace. “Will you come with me?”
She snorts. “As much as I would love to be your wingwoman so you can come all over your teammate, it’s not a group activity, and I have an 8:00 a.m. class tomorrow morning that I don’t want to experience on a lack of sleep.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Do you have to say it like that?”
Stassie leans forward and swats me on the knee with her ruler. “Don’t be such a prude, Colby. I bet he’d love it.”
My mind races back to this weekend when I came all over his hand while he jerked me off. The way he looked up at me with those dark, lust-filled eyes, and the way his hair fell around his face, making him look disheveled and thoroughly fucked.
The heat in my cheeks becomes an inferno, and I hate how Stassie can read me so easily.
“Oh, you already did,” she says gleefully, and when I look up, she’s sporting a wide smile. “This is such an exciting development!”
I scowl. “You’re so annoying.”
“You’re so cute,” she counters, swatting my bare knee again.
“Will you knock that off,” I grumble, rubbing away the sting with my palm.
“No,” she giggles, then goes to swat me again.
I snatch the ruler from her grip and put it behind my back. “You’re not getting this back until you help me.”
“Help you with what, boo?” Stassie cocks her head to the side, a sympathetic smile forming on her mouth as she suggests, “Only you can decide what you’re ready for. Maybe you should skip the library and have some downtime to give yourself time to think about what you want from tonight.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to be heading out soon anyway because I have class, so you’ll have the floor to yourself. How about this? You stay here and do what I suggested, and I’ll bring back one of those chicken pasta bowls you like.”
My spine straightens slightly in interest at the sound of my favorite lunchtime snack.
“With the Parmesan on top?”
“Obviously. Is it illegal to have pasta without Parmesan?”
“I don’t know,” I mumble. “Maybe?”
She cackles. “I was joking, boo. Now, give me back my ruler, and get out of my room. You have studying of the X-rated variety, and I don’t need to be a witness to that.”