Chapter 29 The Hiking Game
The Hiking Game
After they got up and took a much-needed shower, Taylor and Fletcher spent the morning exploring a hiking trail right outside of town. Although Fletcher was a professional athlete, he quickly realized he was no match for the terrain.
“What did you say the elevation was?” he asked Taylor, fully out of breath.
He heard Taylor a good ten feet in front of him let out a chuckle.
He couldn’t complain. Not entirely. Taylor had his hair tied back in a knot— he refused to call it a “man bun” even though everyone on the team had called it that.
Fletcher liked it because it gave him something to grab onto.
He wore a sleeveless tank, so his mouth-watering biceps and back muscles were on full display. The sun was beaming down on them, making the sweat on his skin glisten.
Fletcher probably could’ve kept up with him, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to gawk at his boyfriend.
His boyfriend whom he loved. His boyfriend who loved him back.
Fletcher was happier than a kid on Christmas morning.
For him, it was like Christmas any morning he got to wake up holding Taylor in his arms.
“It’s not even that bad. Maybe like four hundred?”
“Ughh,” Fletcher groaned. “This sucks. Florida hiking is so much easier.”
“Honey, that’s because it’s flat,” Taylor laughed.
“We’re on a beginner trail.” He turned around and waited for Fletcher to catch up to him before throwing his arm around Fletcher’s shoulder.
“This is real hiking, Fletch. Not some walk through the Everglades.” Fletcher wanted to tell him that there wasn’t much walking you could do in the Everglades, but he didn’t want to ruin his image of it or crush his dreams.
Fletcher scrunched his nose. “You’re only saying that because you haven’t experienced Florida hiking.
Usually it’s accompanied by a jump into a natural spring.
” He wrapped his arm around Taylor as they continued to climb up the hill.
“God, I love the springs. The water’s like so warm and clear and usually the snakes and the gators keep to themselves.
” He sighed. That was probably one of the only things he missed about Florida.
“I’m not swimming in any body of water where there’s snakes or alligators,” Taylor told him seriously.
Fletcher scoffed at him. “You’re describing every single body of water in the entire state of Florida, babe. I’m not even joking.”
“Well then count me out.”
Fletcher reached up and firmly cupped Taylor’s jaw. “You’re passing up a chance to swim with an incredibly sexy hockey player?” He joked. He quickly leaned up and gave Taylor a peck on the lips before letting him go.
“Who, like Yuiry Pancek? Maybe I’d reconsider…” They both laughed.
“Just wait until I take you cliff jumping. We’ll have to go when we get home,” Taylor told him a few seconds later.
“And hit my head on a rock and die before I’m ever inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame? No thanks, babe.”
They continued up the hill until Fletcher decided they were done.
Taylor told him he thought Fletcher still had a little more left in him, so Fletcher told him if he exerted all of his energy hiking then he would have none left for kinky hotel room sex later that night.
That seemed to do the trick because Taylor quickly turned around and practically skipped back down the hill.
They took a seat at a picnic bench as they waited for an Uber, sitting side to side as they silently scrolled on their phones.
Fletcher loved how they could enjoy each other’s company like this. Just sitting in comfortable silence.
“I forgot to tell you,” Taylor said, clearing his throat. “Sánchez is meeting us for dinner tonight.”
“Sweet. I didn’t know he was in town. He’s from around here too, right?” Fletcher asked.
Taylor nodded. “Our high schools were big rivals.”
Fletcher tapped Taylor’s sneaker with his own. “Were we rivals?” he asked his boyfriend.
Taylor let out a snort. “Definitely not. You were annoying and everything, but I never really saw us as rivals.”
Fletcher faked a gasp and pretended to be offended. “That’s kind of rude. Are you saying I was a bad player?”
“I mean, not bad. But you weren’t exactly the most confident from what I had seen,” Taylor answered honestly.
“Yeah because I had a dad who made me feel like I was never enough. It doesn’t really make for the most confident player,” Fletcher said sarcastically. He honestly lacked confidence in general.
Taylor whipped his head around to check their surroundings before leaning in and giving Fletcher a quick kiss.
Fletcher hummed as their lips met before Taylor just as quickly pulled his head back.
He tucked a strand of Fletcher’s hair behind his ear, sending a chill down Fletcher’s spine.
“Do you still feel like you’re not enough? ” he asked Fletcher earnestly.
Fletcher shrugged. “I mean, sometimes maybe. It’s kind of hard to stop thinking of yourself that way when it’s what you’ve been told your entire life.”
Taylor looked at him with genuine sadness in his eyes. “I hate him,” Taylor told him, shaking his head. “No one should be told that they aren’t enough. Especially having it come from your own parents.” Fletcher’s heart clenched.
“For what it’s worth, I can tell how much your confidence’s grown on the ice. Seattle’s been good for you, Fletch.”
Fletcher smiled. “You’ve been good for me. I was so excited to be traded because it meant I’d get to play with you,” Fletcher confessed. “You make me a better player.”
Taylor smiled as he picked up Fletcher’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “So you are obsessed with me. You know, I was totally joking when I told you I had a fan club, but obviously you were the one running it all along,” he said smugly.
Fletcher reached over and cupped Taylor’s jaw. “You weren’t supposed to find out this way,” he rolled his eyes. “Are there any perks to being your biggest fan?” he asked Taylor suggestively. He flickered his eyes down to Taylor’s lips.
“What kind of perks are you thinking of?” he asked, matching Fletcher’s tone.
Fletcher swiped his thumb along Taylor’s bottom lip and smirked. “There’s only one perk I’m really interested in.”
“And what is that?”
Fletcher leaned in close to Taylor’s ear. “I think you know, Taylor,” he said seductively.
Taylor let out a gulp. He hesitated a moment before speaking.
“Does my boy want to fuck me?” he asked Fletcher coolly.
He quickly nodded at Taylor. “Your boy wants to take care of you, Taylor.”
“Is my boy going to do bad things?” he asked shakily.
“Mmm, no.” Fletcher shook his head. “This will be a very good thing. I’ll make you feel so good, baby.”
Taylor gave him a nervous look. “Okay,” was all he said before their Uber pulled up.