Page 146 of On Thin Ice

Wishing, maybe a little, for a good luck kiss.

“Good,” Finn said, tilting his head back. Was pretty sure Jacob was also wishing for a good luck kiss from the way his gaze lingered on Finn’s lips.

Mal and Elliott knew what was going on between them, and Ramsey and, Finn was pretty sure, Brody suspected, but nobody else knew, and it gave Finn a little charge every time he had to interact with Jacob in front of the team. Like he was getting away with stealing all the cake and nobody else knew.

Of course, that wouldn’t be the case forever. Jacob’s podcast had released a few days ago, and Sophie was already cc’ing him on emails about preparing for another slow reveal, in a month or two.

Jacob had asked him very seriously if he wanted to wait, and Finn hadn’t been sure what there was to wait for. He’d said this, confused, and Jacob had only laughed. “Guess you’re not getting rid of me that easily,” he’d said.

And okay, itwassoon, they’d only been dating for two months. But Finn knew what he wanted and who he loved, and he wasn’t going to hide him away forever.

Not when Jacob had just taken that first precious step into the light.

“You’ve looked great in practice,” Jacob said, jamming his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

Finn smiled, wondering if Jacob had done that on purpose so he’d stop touching him.

“Had someone really great helping me get there,” Finn said, enjoying more than he should how much Jacob was squirming.

“Watch out for their second line center,” Jacob warned. “He likes to charge the crease.”

“Brody and Ramsey’ll have my back,” Finn said. “And if he gets too close, I’ll take care of it.”

Jacob nodded, digging his fingers deeper into his pockets.

“You coming with us after the game?” Finn asked. A handful of them were headed to Darcelle’s, to grab what they hoped was a celebratory drink and to catch the drag show. He’d invited Jacob who’d hesitated for so long that Finn had teased him about spraining his brain.

“It’s just Ramsey and Ivan. Brody and his football player boyfriend. Have you met Dean? Enormous guy?” Finn had asked and Jacob said he’d think about it.

“I . . .uh . . .are you sure you want me to go?” Jacob asked under his breath.

“Iasked you,” Finn reminded him sweetly.

“I’m just saying . . .”

“And I’m just saying, I don’t want to hide anymore. You don’t want to hide anymore.”

Jacob nodded so sharply in agreement, the movement so clearly instinctual that it was clear he didn’t.

Talking about his sexuality and being public about it was never something that would come to easily to Jacob—he was too private of a person and just wanted to be left alone to live his life—but it was one thing to not want to proclaim their love to the masses and another to go out for a drink after a game.

“Come on, come with me,” Finn said, tongue flicking out and tasting his lower lip. “And after . . .”

Jacob laughed and scrubbed a hand across his face. “Okay. Yes. I’m absolute shit at resisting you.”

“Which is okay ’cause you really don’t want to.”

Jacob’s expression went unbearably fond, love radiating out of it, and Finn understood why Sophie seemed to be accelerating their timetable every day, because he saw the way Jacob looked at him. And Finn couldn’t imagine that the way he looked back was much different.

They wouldn’t be able to keep this under wraps much longer.

“No, not at all,” Jacob agreed. He leaned down and for a split second, brushed the bottom of his chin against the top of Finn’s head. “Kick some ass out there, and we’ll go out with your guys.”

“Can do,” Finn said, grinning. “You gonna sit with my dad again?”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “Who do you think’s already texted me four times about the second line center?”

Finn laughed.

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