Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
COLBY
It’s been almost two weeks since we got back from Tampa, and I’ve hardly seen Tyler. He’s been busy with classes and studying for his finals, which means our extra-sexual activities have been put on hold.
As much as I hate not being able to see him and our daily orgasms, I do get his need for space to concentrate, because unlike me, his exams actually mean something. I’m just coasting through this year, picking up whatever class sounds fun or easy to give me the credits I need.
And though the season is technically over, I’ve still been spending every day at the practice facility with Coach and to work on my fitness. I have the draft combine coming up in just over a month, and I need to be at my peak so I have a solid chance of scoring high in the tests.
I got to see Tyler when there was another party at his house a few days after we got back to campus.
It was another night where we managed to sneak off to his room as soon as everyone was drunk enough not to notice, and then I didn’t see him again until the school put on a special event last week to celebrate bringing the championship back to Whilton U.
Every single seat was filled in the arena, and there were reporters lined up outside, desperate to get a quote from a Frozen Four–winning, NHL-bound player.
I managed to avoid them as Coach Vaughn let me sneak out the back unnoticed and take the long way back to my building.
Nobody caught me and Tyler making out in the equipment room either, so it was a win all round.
But while I’ve been trying to distract myself by making the most of my final few weeks at Whilton U, it wasn’t enough to ignore how much I’ve missed him.
It’s becoming a problem, and I’m starting to worry that if I’m feeling like this after seeing him twice in two weeks, how am I going to be when he’s back in Arizona and I’m who knows where?
It’s not something I want to think about, and tonight, thankfully, I don’t need to, because Tyler is on his way over to pick me up after he sent another one of his “kidnapping” texts thirty minutes ago.
I’m not sure where we’re going or what he’s got planned, but I don’t really care as long as I get to spend time with him.
Jesus fuck, I’m turning into a mess.
I peer out of my window, keeping an eye out for Tyler’s car.
Stassie has already gone out with some friends from her theatre class, so at least I’m not being subjected to her pity eyes that she’s been giving me nonstop.
I understand her concern, but I meant what I said before: I knew what I was getting into, and if I end up hurt at the end of all of this, I only have myself to blame.
The moment Tyler’s car pulls up to the curb, I grab my phone from my bed and head downstairs. The air is still mild, the sun now hiding behind the buildings as it starts to set.
I open the door and slide into the passenger seat.
“Hey,” I say, the word coming out all breathy. My stomach swoops with butterflies when he tilts his head and flashes a wide smile my way, his eyes crinkling at the sides.
“Hey. You had a good day?” he asks and waits until I buckle my seat belt before pulling away from the curb.
“It was okay. I did some drills with Coach this morning. He told me there’s been a few scouts sniffing around, but he didn’t tell anyone.”
His eyebrows arch slightly. “Really? I didn’t know either. Where from?”
“I guess he didn’t want it to distract any of us.
” I shrug and sit back against the seat.
“He mentioned Boston, Seattle, and Montreal, but I’m kinda glad I didn’t know because I think it would’ve put pressure on me.
Like, I knew in my conscience they would be at games, but it was more of a ‘if I don’t know, it’s not real,’ you know what I mean?
” He nods, and I continue. “How was your day? Did you finish that paper?”
“Yeah,” he says with a soft chuckle, carding his fingers through his hair to push it away from his face.
I have to squash down the urge to lean over and lick along his jaw.
“I finished it about two minutes before I texted you. I told myself that I couldn’t see you unless I finished it, and that seemed to light a fire under my ass. ”
I grin. “Sounds like a good bribe. Do I need to reward you for your hard work?”
He snickers, reaching over to squeeze the top of my thigh, his fingers grazing against the denim covering my crotch. “Just being with you right now is a great reward, but I won’t say no if you want to suck my dick later.”
I shake my head, huffing out a small laugh, loving how easily we’ve fallen back into being us, even after spending time apart. I don’t know why I was so worried about it because we’ve still been texting whenever he gets a spare moment.
Biting on the inside of my cheek, I glance down at his hand still resting on my thigh, the urge to hold it getting stronger.
We’ve never done that before. I guess holding hands kinda breaches the friends-with-benefits barrier and steps into more intimate territory, but I can’t shake away this need to be close to him in a way we haven’t explored yet.
His hands are slightly bigger than mine and almost cover the surface of my thigh. There are calluses on his fingers and palm, and a shiver racks through me as I remember how good his roughened touch feels against my bare skin.
My gaze drifts back to Tyler’s face. He’s focused on the road, his head bobbing slightly to the song playing on the radio, completely unaware of the effect he’s having on me.
Sucking in a breath through my nose, I take Tyler’s hand from my thigh and slide my palm against his, feeling every scrape of his toughened skin against mine. I intertwine our fingers, tracing over his calloused knuckles with my fingertips.
The hitch in his breath is barely audible over the rumble of the engine and I would’ve missed it if I weren’t already staring at him. His gaze drifts over to me, those dark eyes bouncing between mine as his teeth drag over his bottom lip.
A soft smile lights his face, and he gives my hand a squeeze before focusing back onto the road.
And that’s how we remain for the next twenty minutes until he pulls into a parking lot next to a park. There’s a set of swings and a slide and a few other playground things, and it’s completely deserted apart from the couple of birds rummaging for food.
My eyes shift from the empty park to Tyler, mouth twitching in a playful smile.
“Should I be worried that you’re bringing me to an empty park at night? Am I going to become raccoon food or something?”
“No,” he chuckles lightly. “As it’s a nice night, I figured we could just have a picnic. Watch the stars for a bit.”
I stare at him, heart thumping wildly behind my ribs. This sounds very… romantic. Almost like a date.
He didn’t say anything about what tonight was, but I’ve watched enough movies and TV shows to know stargazing falls into the “date” category.
Is that what this is? Did I miss a clue?
Does he feel the same way as me? Like we’re dancing around the elephant in the room that is whatever is going on between us, too scared to be the first one to bring it up, just in case we’re imagining it?
Unaware of the thoughts running like a herd of wild horses in my brain, Tyler reaches behind him to grab a bag from the back seat.
“I’ve brought some snacks,” he adds, opening the bag to show me the contents inside. There are a couple of bags of chips and some premade sandwiches, and I let out a bark of laughter when I spot a packet of foam bananas.
“Tell me you didn’t buy those for me,” I say, pointing to the offending candy.
His eyes sparkle with mischief. “I couldn’t resist. Plus, they are an underrated candy, don’t you think?”
My stomach swoops, and my words come out quieter than I intend when I admit, “They were my favorite when I was a kid.”
Tyler’s expression turns soft. “They were my favorite too.”
A minute passes by where we don’t say anything, simply watch each other, and then eventually he lets out a sigh.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around much since we got back. I don’t want you thinking I was avoiding you.”
“I didn’t think that at all,” I say quickly.
“There’s just been a lot going on,” he continues. “Trying to catch up on studying and finishing papers, and I found out the other day that my parents and my brother will be coming to my graduation.”
“Oh,” I say dumbly. I’m not sure why that catches me by surprise.
Before I can ask him how he feels about that, he picks up the bag of snacks and opens his door. “Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit.”
We get out of the car and head for the swings. Tyler places the bag down at the side, and we start in a slow swing, the sound of the chains creaking filling the night air.
Turning my head to face him, I eventually ask, “How do you feel about your parents coming?”
Tyler shrugs, keeping his eyes fixed on something in the distance. “Would I be an asshole if I say I’m pissed off about it?”
I shake my head. “No, not at all.”
“I didn’t hear from them at all after we won the Frozen Four. Not even a text to say ‘well done, son.’ Nothing. Yet they’re coming to my graduation, where I’ll get a degree in a major I didn’t even want to study.”
My chest aches at the thought of not hearing from my parents, to not hear how proud they are of me. I don’t understand how Tyler’s parents can be so unsupportive of him.
“Did you hear from your brother after the game?” I ask, hoping his brother at least said something.
“Yeah, Joey called me as soon as I got back to the house on Monday. Said he went to the bar to watch it with his friends.” He coughs out a quiet laugh, but it’s devoid of humor.
“I feel like a dick for wishing he could’ve been like that when I was younger, when I should be grateful he’s supportive now. ”
I skid my feet across the asphalt to bring my swing to a stop.
“You’re not a dick, or an asshole, or ungrateful, or anything along those lines for wishing you had the support from your family about something that meant a lot to you.”