Puckless (Hockey Heroes Book 1), page 15
“Let’s just skip the virtue,” Ryan said. “’Cause I think this is all just about vice now.”
We both laughed, and I tugged my t-shirt off over my head. Next, I climbed down to lie beside Ryan to have closer access to his body. We kissed, and then I slowly began to trail my lips downward.
I landed a trail of kisses down his abdomen, feeling the muscles tense and quiver under my touch.
As my mouth reached the top of his jeans, I saw Ryan grinning down at me from ear to ear.
“Can I have a clue what’s under that belt of yours?” A slight grin appeared on my face as Ryan bit his bottom lip. While I toyed with his belt buckle with my fingers, I raised my head to kiss his chest, lingering over his nipples with a lightly flicking and swirling tongue.
I couldn’t resist teasing him as I tried to pry open the belt buckle with one hand. “Does this buckle have a special purpose, like maybe you won’t be allowed to come until I release it?” He bit back a moan while I stopped talking and sucked one nipple between my lips.
I was burning with lust for Ryan—for his body, mind, and soul—and I wanted it all. The belt buckle came undone, and I quickly tugged his jeans button open. Pulling my head back from his chest for a moment, I whispered, “Listen to this—“
We both heard the sound of the zipper on Ryan’s jeans. It slowly opened to provide some relief for the stiff cock straining against fiery red boxer briefs.
I cleared my throat. “Announcement to make.”
Ryan’s forehead furrowed as he looked up at me.
“I’m going to make you come so hard tonight, but not until I know you really want this. So tell me—“
“Oh, damn, Ethan—“His breath caught in his throat. “Of course, I want it—aww fuck—“
Without a word, I slid down the bed and placed my mouth over his boxer briefs until my tongue could tease through the red fabric. I slowly traced the outline of his thick cock, and he twitched, then moaned.
“Yes?”’ I asked, looking up at him with a sly grin as his hips rocked up to meet my mouth again.
“I want this—so much—and so much more.” Ryan punctuated his statement with a grunt and a groan.
I chuckled into his boxer briefs and pushed them down to release his cock. It caused Ryan to gasp loudly as the cool air hit his skin. I took my time, lightly tracing my fingers down his stomach toward the treasure below while teasing his shaft with light nips and licks. Ryan shuddered beneath me and lifted his hips again toward my mouth.
His cock begged for attention with a tiny drop of precum glistening on the head. I shook my head while deftly sliding the undies down further. “I don’t think so, sport!” I teased, looking up at him and shaking my head again.
“Fuck, Ethan—please!”
It was the sweet sound of sexual desperation. “This is going to take some time,” I whispered back.
My fingers drifted between his thighs until they reached the tender spot on his taint.
Ryan gasped and pointed to the bedside table. “Lube—going to need it. Oh fuck.”
With my fingers slicked up from the handy lube, I pushed his hips back and up to rock his ass forward. The fingertips of my free hand found his puckered hole. My index finger dipped just inside for a moment and then withdrew.
“Damn—oh, God,” Ryan muttered under his breath.
“Do you like me to take my time?” I asked in a cheerful voice just before I brushed my lips over the thick head of his throbbing cock.
“I—well—yeah, oh fuck—“Ryan’s breathing was labored while he stared at me with an intense expression on his face.
I delicately traced the tip of my finger up the crease between his ass cheeks until it reached that spot again. When it made contact with his hole, he sucked in a breath and clenched up in anticipation. Looping a hand under each cheek, I pried them apart for better access to that rosy opening. I watched Ryan’s face while dragging another finger up toward it, slowly tracing around the rim several times.
My tongue slid up his shaft with long strokes interspersed with light, delicate ones.
“God, you taste good; I could do this all night.” I pushed forward and took his entire cock head into my mouth.
The finger at his crack began to push inside slowly past that tight ring of resistance and held steady until it reached two knuckles deep before withdrawing. It was slow enough to make the pleasure feel like waves slowly creeping higher as the tide came in but not enough to overwhelm him.
“Oh—fucking hell. More,” Ryan demanded. He laced his fingers into my hair and gripped tight.
I pushed a second fingertip in alongside the first and fucked him slowly, just barely in and out. Ryan began to rock his hips against my tongue and then back against my hand. His indecision about which way to focus made my cock throb hard in my jeans.
“Yes—more—“The demand started sounding more like a plea.
A whimper of pleasure echoed in the room as Ryan’s head pushed back hard against the pillows. My lips closed tight around his hard cock as my head began to bob up and down, moving more rapidly than before while I fucked him with two fingers. I ran my tongue over the sensitive spots on the cock head and tickled underneath it.
“Ahhh!” he gasped. He held his breath for long moments and arched up toward my mouth.
As he relaxed against the pillows, my plunging fingers traveled faster and harder into his tight little hole. I could feel Ryan’s orgasm building, pressing against my hand while I fucked him.
I was relentless this time. I wanted to push him right over the edge. I lifted my face from his cock just in time to watch him lose control. He shuddered and spurted hot liquid onto his chest and abdomen as streams of thick ropes of cum splashed over his fingers and mine.
Panting as he gasped for air, Ryan stared open-mouthed at the ceiling for a few seconds while several smaller pulses jetted out of his cock.
I slowed my fingers and waited for his body to calm down.
“Ethan—oh, fuck—damn,” Ryan murmured.
Lifting my head, I whispered, “You are so fucking sexy, but that’s no surprise.” He smiled and traced his fingertips along the side of my face. He reached behind him with his other hand and relieved the pressure on his cock by pushing the briefs farther down until they were around his ankles. Then, he kicked them clear off onto the floor.
As Ryan stretched the muscles of his ass and groin to move his thighs and legs into a comfortable position beside me, I leaned forward and licked his stomach clean of the sticky warm fluid covering it.
“Now it’s your turn, I believe,” Ryan whispered. He didn’t waste time. He reached down and unzipped my jeans, tugging both them and my boxer briefs down with one movement.
My cock sprung free. It was hard and thick. He smiled when he saw it and wrapped his fingers tight. I shivered from head to toe. It was the first time he’d ever touched my cock without denim in the way.
I leaned across toward him, and our lips met. My tongue found its way inside his mouth while he stroked me.
It was a slow, gentle caress. His movements were tender and soft. He cupped my balls in his free palm to give me an extra jolt of pleasure, making the sensations even more intense than before.
We kissed again, and between kisses, we looked into each other’s eyes with an unspoken understanding that what we had together was so much more than either of us had experienced before. We were growing closer in our hearts by the day, and now our bodies could reap the benefits.
While Ryan began to stroke faster, the sensation of inevitability began to boil up inside me. It wouldn’t be long. I kissed hard, our tongues twining together in an erotic dance.
I was on the edge, and then—my cock erupted and sent me over. My body bucked, and I pulled back and roared, shouting out, “Ryan!” as thick ropes of cum shot against his abs and thighs.
I closed my eyes and held my breath for nearly a minute until, finally, the orgasmic pulses began to relax.
Leaning forward, I planted kisses from Ryan’s chest up to his face before our lips met again.
“You are so fucking amazing,” I praised. I reached over with a fingertip, delicately pulling back the hair that had fallen over his face.
He smiled back at me, and we cuddled warmly as we both caught our breath.
After a few moments, he finally spoke. “I love you, Ethan, and I’m not afraid to say it anymore.”
I beamed from ear to ear, and it was easy to say those words back. “I love you, too.”
We lay there, lost in the moment, as we let all our worries about the future drift away—if only for a few minutes. We had many challenges ahead, but taking the time to enjoy each other was at least as important.
I wrapped Ryan tight in my arms and held him close, never wanting to let him go.
TWENTY-FOUR
RYAN
“Ready for our close-up?” I asked Ethan, trying to keep my voice light as we stood side by side in the empty locker room.
He fidgeted a bit with the hem of his jersey. At the end of practice, Ethan asked the rest of the team to stay out on the ice. He told them he wanted to bring me out to share something with them. I wondered whether they expected us to try to soften the impact of a slash-and-burn article I might have on the way.
I didn’t think many of them expected the story he was about to tell—other than Nate. Ethan told me that he’d warned his best friend in advance.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Ethan said with a nervous grin. “I can’t turn back now. Remember, if they don’t take it well, I’ll protect you from flying pucks. I’m the one that knows how to handle a stick.”
In a normal situation, there were so many clever comebacks to that comment, but I kept my lips zipped. “You’re my knight in shining armor,” I said. That much was true—in so many ways, but inside, my heart was pounding like a jackhammer.
The moment had arrived—the first step forward toward being open about our relationship with the entire world. It wouldn’t surprise the team that we were dating, but Ethan’s plan to tell the rest of the world would be news. We didn’t know for sure how they’d react.
“Alright then,” Ethan said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
I nodded, and we headed out of the locker room and onto the ice where the team had just finished their practice. The players were gathered around the goal, catching their breath and sharing jokes, their faces flushed from exertion. With a glance at me, Ethan raised his hand to get their attention.
“Hey, guys! Could you gather ’round for a sec? There’s something I want to share with you all. It’s kind of important.” His voice wavered slightly. His ragged nerves were evident.
The team quickly huddled together. They looked first at Ethan and then at me. I saw much more curiosity than fear in their eyes. My palms grew sweaty as I clutched my tablet—my security blanket carrying all the words.
“First off,” Ethan began, his piercing blue eyes scanning the group. “I want to thank all of you for being the best damn team I’ve ever known. You guys are family to me, so I felt it was important to be honest with you.”
“Aww, damn—you’re not dying, are you?” asked one of the defensive players.
The rest of the team chuckled lightly, and Ethan shook his head no.
He raised a hand to quiet them down again. “There’s no other way to say it, and you probably already know, but I want to confirm it—I’m gay,” he said. The words hung in the air like a stubborn little white cloud that refused to follow the rest of the weather front on its way. “And,” he added, reaching out to put an arm around my waist, “Ryan and I are together—he’s my boyfriend.”
For a moment, the only sound that I heard in the arena was the Zamboni machine grooming the ice after practice. A few seconds later, I heard the sound of a few skates scraping against the ice as the players processed the news.
Their silence felt like an eternity. Worries about possible rejection and ridicule raced through my mind. I wondered whether they would still see Ethan as one of them after his revelation.
“I’ve got a little more,” Ethan said, “and this is what none of you know except Nate. I’m going to come out publicly soon. That means letting the rest of the world know. That means you no longer have to keep any secrets for me.”
The silence continued. Had I miscalculated? He did keep his orientation secret from them for a long time. Would they see him as a pariah?
My chest tightened, and I braced myself. The quiet was like a tense wire ready to snap.
“Hey, man,” Biedler’s sun-kissed voice broke through the deafening silence like a California sunbeam. “As long as you keep scoring goals and kicking ass on the ice, who cares who you’re dating? Besides—“he grinned before continuing. “Ryan’s got some killer hair.”
Relief washed over me as laughter erupted and echoed through the arena. The players’ expressions relaxed, and their shoulders dropped. I realized they’d been holding their collective breath right along with Ethan and me.
“Seriously, Puckless, we’ve got your back,” another player said. “You’re our captain, and we won’t let you down. Thanks for the additional info, but don’t think we’ll start going easy on you.”
The team’s camaraderie spread through the air like a tangible electric current. They nudged each other and cracked jokes. I heard one say that Ethan would have to juice his fashion game to keep up with me.
“Guess we know who’s been stealing Ethan’s lucky socks now,” Nate joked with a wide grin spreading across his face. Laughter erupted again, and my cheeks flushed red. I felt a bit embarrassed that I ever questioned the support of such an incredible group of athletes.
“Hey, those socks are comfortable,” I insisted. “Besides, they look better on me anyway.”
“Is that all?” one of the players asked. He had more serious matters on his mind. “This better mean management’s pizza party for us is still on. There’s some pepperoni out there with my name on it.”
The magic word “pizza” had been uttered, and wild jostling began. Elbows were thrown, and maybe even a few body checks. As the team dispersed and headed for the locker room, several players approached us individually to offer their support and acceptance.
Marek approached me, and I was curious what he would say. He wrapped me up in a massive bear hug that threatened to crush my ribs. “Welcome to the family,” he boomed and patted me firmly on the back. “We protect each other, always.”
“Thanks, Marek,” I managed to wheeze. His gesture touched me. “I appreciate it.”
As we stood there, watching the team scramble off the ice, I felt a sensation of pride swelling in my chest. My man had faced his greatest fears head-on, and I helped him grow even stronger.
“See,” Ethan whispered as the last of his teammates filtered out of the arena, “I told you they’d understand.”
I loved the post-reveal confidence. “Never doubted it,” I lied, but my smile betrayed the truth. He’d taken a considerable risk, and it looked like it would pay off in many unexpected ways.
A chorus of laughter filled the arena’s conference room as we all dug into boxes of pizza, the mingled scents of pepperoni, melted cheese, and tomato sauce filling the air. I glanced around at the Madison Mitts players, their faces still a bit flushed from the exertion of their practice session.
They were quickly refueling, and I marveled at how fast the atmosphere shifted. While they all waited and wondered about Ethan’s announcement, serious expressions and a hint of doubt covered their faces. Now, it was like a storm cloud had passed to reveal a sky full of stars.
“Hey, Ryan,” Biedler called out between bites, “are you ready to start writing some new headlines now that you’re part of the team?”
“Only if they involve your epic wipeouts on the ice,” I quipped, and the room erupted in another wave of laughter. Biedler raised his hands in mock surrender, but I also caught a friendly twinkle in his eyes.
“Alright, alright,” he conceded, grinning. “Just remember who’s got your back during those rough games.”
“Speaking of which,” another player chimed in, tossing a crumpled napkin at Ethan, “we’ll need to make sure our star player keeps his head on straight now that he’s got a boyfriend. No getting distracted when you’ve got goals to score.”
“Excuse me?” Ethan asked, his eyes narrowing. “As if having Ryan here would be any different than the rest of you distracting me with your ridiculous antics.”
“Fair point,” the player conceded, leaning back in his chair and wiping his greasy fingers on his pants. “But we still expect you to keep up your end of the bargain, Ryan. No going easy on us just because you’re dating one of the team.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, my voice firm. I met Ethan’s gaze across the table, and his smile warmed me from the inside out. In a matter of a few months, he’d turned my entire world around, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen in the years, hopefully, decades to come.
As the pizza party wound down and the players devoured the last crumbs, a feeling of contentment washed over me. The men surrounding me had taken Ethan’s announcement in stride, and their acceptance was like a balm to my soul. Even in the face of horrible nastiness like the threats against Nate, there was still a whole lot of unquestioned good in the world.
“Ready to head out?” Ethan asked, his fingers brushing mine as we stood to leave.
“Definitely,” I replied, grinning. As we approached the conference room door, I turned. “Thank you, guys. Seriously—you all are the best.”
We exited to a round of cheers. The cool night air wrapped around us as we stepped into the parking lot, but it wasn’t biting or bitter. It felt a little more like a comforting blanket. It was hockey weather.
As we reached Ethan’s car, he leaned toward me and gently kissed my lips, making my heart race with happiness.
