Page 41 of Broken Ice, Mended Hearts

I delayed a second too long, and before I could get my mouth around him, his first volley hit me between my nose and mouth. Instinctively, I pulled back, and he shot a rope across my cheek before I finally got his cock in my mouth. He was loud, and I focused on swallowing the rest of his load.

When the shooting stopped, he slumped back while I cleaned him up. He held out his arms after I finished. “Come here.”

I got my butt back on the seat and curled against him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and whispered, “That was incredible.”

“Glad to be of service, but you did all the work.”

Leaning forward, he looked at me and chuckled. “You look terrific wearing my cum, but I?—”

Interrupting himself, he licked across my mouth and up my cheek, then kissed me. The taste of our combined cum made my dick twitch again. Drawing away, he leaned forward, pulled a towel from under the driver’s seat, and handed it to me. I wiped my face and settled back against him.

When he wrapped his arm around me again, I let out a contented sigh. Sven treated me well and made me feel better about myself than Ella ever had. Unlike with her, there were few emotional barriers between him and me. She had always keptme at arm’s length, never allowing me full access. Nothing I did met her expectations, and nothing I said was ever right.

Sven was different. He saw me, and I was good enough for him. Our connection was free of the weird mind games that had defined my past relationships. It wasn’t about money or status. We genuinely cared for each other, which was what made our bond so special. It went far beyond the incredible physical intimacy we shared.

We had a problem, though—the expiration date on our relationship he’d talked about. It weighed on my mind, and I needed to put us both at ease. What we shared was hauntingly familiar, like romance, but without the stress.

Fucking hell.What kind of feelings had I developed for Sven? Where he was concerned, my emotions were all over the place, and I needed to figure out what was going on before I talked to him about it.

Chapter 11

Sven

I checkedmy phone for the hundredth time. After weeks of constant togetherness, I’d been surprised when Pip didn’t respond to my texts. We’d been back from our beach trip for a few days and had spent most of our time together since. Yesterday, he went home to check on things, and I hadn’t talked to him since we texted goodnight. Today was Friday, and although we hadn’t solidified plans for the weekend, I’d lulled myself into believing that spending time together was our default. The sinking feeling in my stomach intensified after a third text went unanswered, a stark reminder that our bromance might be little more than a fantasy.Oh, the pathetic messes we gay men get ourselves into.

Late in the afternoon, my phone finally buzzed.

PIP: Just saw your messages. Sorry, I was out by the pool and left my phone inside.

His explanation bore a suspicious resemblance to the previous “I lost my phone” excuse, but I reminded myself thateveryone had the right to respond to texts at their convenience. While I considered how to reply, he sent another message.

PIP: Harper Blanton asked me to go to dinner. He has something going on and wants to talk about it. I haven’t seen him since the season ended, so I should probably go. Could you and I get together for brunch tomorrow?

Since Blanton was one of the younger Barracudas, it was logical for Pip to mentor him. I was more disappointed than I wanted to admit, but Pip had every right to go wherever he pleased with anyone he wanted. With no commitments between us, and no hope of one, I should simply say yes to brunch.

SVEN: Sure. Thanks for texting back even if it is late. Have a good time.

Did that sound peevish? I was trying to think of a follow-up to soften it when another text arrived.

PIP: We didn’t have plans, did we? Is something wrong?

SVEN: Not at all. Sorry if it sounded like that. Have a good time with Blanton and we’ll catch up tomorrow.

He signed off, leaving me alone with my thoughts, and I stared at my phone while the cold glow of the screen reflected my conflicted thoughts. I’d been looking forward to seeing Pip all day. Instead, I found myself alone, and the anticipation had turned into a heavy, sinking feeling in my chest.

I set the phone down and paced by the windows overlooking the marina, grappling with an onslaught of emotions I had noidea how to resolve. I’d allowed my feelings for Pip to grow deeper than I’d known was wise. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and the time we spent together felt like more than friends having fun or guys hooking up. Too many times, I’d caught myself daydreaming about a future where we could be something more.

Tonight was a positive thing, then, an unmistakable reminder that Pip and I weren’t romantically involved. He was a friend, and I wanted to maintain that relationship. Stepping back would be the key to keeping my emotions in check, so maybe finding things to do without him would keep reality in sight.

Afraid I might fall apart if I stayed home, I went to a nearby fish and chips restaurant for a quick dinner. Like an idiot, I scrolled through the photos on my phone while I waited, trying to distract myself. But besides pictures of me with teammates, there were now many images of Pip—some with me, and some of him alone. I paused on a picture of him I’d taken while we were at a baseball game. He’d been absorbed in watching the pitcher, and the intense look in his eyes made him incredibly attractive. With a pang of regret, I remembered how much I’d wanted to kiss him in that moment. Of course, in the crowded stadium, it had been impossible.

In a flash of panic, I wondered if Pip had gone out with a teammate at all. He could have called an old girlfriend, or maybe he wanted to find a hookup. The thought made me sick to my stomach, but the rational part of my brain reminded me that Pip and I weren’t in a committed relationship. We were simply two people who liked each other’s company—an experiment for him, perhaps, and a desperate attempt to avoid loneliness for me. The knot in my stomach tightened, and I hated myself for being so invested when I should have known better.

Come on, Sven. You knew this wasn’t real. He’s free to see others, and so are you.

After a heavy-hearted walk around the neighborhood, I headed back home, grabbed a book, and sank into the pages. Reading always calmed me, and I lost myself in a novel featuring two spies caught up in the Cold War, a Russian and an American, who were supposed to be keeping tabs on each other. Problems developed when their mission took an unexpected turn toward romance. Against insurmountable odds, they carried on a relationship that almost anyone would have declared doomed from the first move.

When a stab of anxiety twisted my heart, I sat up and let the book fall to the floor. Why couldn’t Pip and I defy the odds? He liked me, I didn’t doubt that, and I cared a great deal about him.

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