Page 50 of Riding the Pine

“Yes, we know.” Apollo’s eye roll rivals that of his sister’s. “She accidentally killed her beloved sister-playmate Pallas while play-fighting with her.” He quotes her in his best Athena voice.We’ve all heard her tidbits about her namesake a number of times over the years.

She holds her hands up. “I’m just saying. While sometimes I want to not-accidentally kill you all, you’re pretty decent brothers.”

Ares snorts.

“Very big of you to admit, Hen.” Artemis’s droll voice is as amused as he gets.

Edith decides we all need an us-ie, a group picture of all of us crammed onto her hospital bed dressed in our Christmas onesies. And after about two dozen attempts at getting all of us balanced on the bed, looking in the right direction, and keeping our eyes open, a very kind nurse comes in to save us all from ourselves.

I think I preferred the one Artemis takes, but Edith makes it the group chat’s icon and sends both copies to us. I might get it printed and framed. It’s the first time we’ve had a group picture taken where I’ve shared my feelings with Athena. Sounds kinda sad, but it’s true.

“You look exceptionally happy right now, Scott. Did your enemies all die or something?” Apollo’s eyeballing me like he’s trying to figure me out. Thankfully Artemis keeps his mouth shut, as does Ares who doesn’t know I made a move on his sister, or she made a move on me. However it happened, it did, but he still thinks I’m a chicken shit.

The countdown is on to the new year, and the closer we get, the tighter my muscles get. I don’t want to kiss her in front of everyone and have her reject me. That would be… awful.

When Apollo refills everyone’s apple cider, she stands next to me. We’re getting close to the final countdown, and she loops her pinky through mine. It’s not visible to anyone else, it’s not holding my hand or kissing me senseless but it’s something: a promise, a hope, and for now, our secret.

As our friends count down from ten to one, Ares is already macking on Eloise, Edith’s face softens, and she lets Apollo give her a brief peck. Artemis doesn’t have anyone to kiss which strikes in my heart as odd, he’s a nice guy, he’s quiet, aloof, broody, but women love that shit which suggests he’s alone by choice. Who hurt him to make him choose to be alone?

Athena pecks me on the cheek pulling me out of my curiosity. “Happy New Year, Scottie. Let’s make it a good one, yeah?”

There’s so much suggestion in her tone that I can’t control my dick; it rises like a goddamn flagpole. Artemis doesn’t miss it; he’s not only rolling his eyes but full-on chuckling at my predicament.

This year will be the year I’m balls deep in Athena de la Peña, and I can’t fucking wait.

CHAPTER 21

Athena

JANUARY 2ND 2023

“Ican’t take it anymore.” I’ve kidnapped Scott. I want to call him my boyfriend, but it’s been a billion years since we kissed and told each other we loved each other. The flames of that fire have not yet been stoked.

It’s almost like we’re going in slow motion, or in reverse. I wasn’t quite expecting we strip off and bonk like rabbits, but at the same time… I dunno, there’s no awkward getting-to-know-him stage. I have already heard him fart, I know his feet smell, he’s heard me fart, and knows I’m hyper independent, and he’s going to need to push me to let him into my castle.

Okay, fine, he’s already in the castle, but he’s going to need to work to get his feet up at the fire.

“Can’t take what?”

“This.” I point my finger between the two of us. “It’s weird, and we don’t need to be weird, and I’m so fucking wet it’s driving me crazy. I wake up wet, I spend my day wet, I go to bed wet.”

He pulls off his shirt, and my pussy roars to life.

I hold up my hand. “Not so fast. We aren’t fucking today.”

His face falls.

“If you go to Northern Ireland and lose those games, even if they’re exhibition games, I’m not having my pussy blamed for your failure.”

He opens his mouth to speak.

“Don’t even try to deny it’s a possibility Scott Raine, I know how superstitious you hockey players can be.”

His face goes through a whirlwind of emotions, but he settles on acceptance. “That’s fair.” He pauses, staring at me like he wants to eat me alive. “So, what do you propose?”

I shrug, trying not to let the hormones raging through my blood consume me. “Second base. Maybe third.”

He holds his chin between his finger and thumb and stares off into the distance like he’s thinking. After a fraction of a second, he nods. “I accept your counter-negotiation.” He’s already shucking off his jeans to the floor, but his foot gets caught. He wobbles, catches his balance, but wobbles again and ends up on his ass.

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