Page 147 of On Thin Ice

Three months ago, those messages would’ve gone to him, and three months ago, those messages would’ve made him believe unequivocally that his dad didn’t have any faith in him to deal with some team’s second line center.

Witnessing his dad’s attempts to show how much he believed in Finn and loved him was great. What was even better was feeling this bone-deep certainty, no matter what anyone said or did, that he was capable of anything he set his mind to.

“We need to stop him from watching so much tape,” Finn said.

“No,” Jacob said, and the word was as good as a caress, “’cause then we have to occupy his time instead and we’ve got a lot better things to do.”

“Yeah,” Finn agreed, lighting up just thinking about it. “Maybe someone he could date?” Then he made a face. “Ugh, then he’d want to double date.”

Jacob’s expression made it clear he didn’t want to double date with Morgan either.

“Well, at leastyou’regetting the texts now?”

“And I’m probably gonna hear about it the whole game, every time that center is on the goddamn ice,” Jacob said. But he didn’t seem honestly that annoyed about it, really.

Finn had a feeling that one morning he’d wake up and suddenly his boyfriend and his dad would actually be friends.

There was no way they’d ever stop chirping each other, but it had gotten downright good-natured in comparison and Finn couldn’t say he hated it.

“Well, I uh . . .” Jacob gestured towards the door. “Guess I’d better go find him.”

Finn loved him so much. It was adorable and ridiculous how much he was fighting the compulsion to just lean down and take what they both wanted.

“Come here,” Finn said, before Jacob could turn away.

“I’m . . .but . . .” Jacob’s protest wasn’t real though. He didn’t even sound convinced by it himself.

“Just this,” Finn said and tilted his head up. “Say ‘good luck, Finn’ and give me a quick kiss. Nobody’s paying attention.” That wasn’t really true, but Finn didn’t care. Elliott and Malcolm were five seconds away from fucking in a treatment room these days, and they all barely blinked at that.

He could have this.

“You really want me to?” Jacob asked.

“Yes,” Finn said. He didn’t ask if Jacob wanted to. It was obvious he did, from the careful way he held himself a scrupulous six inches away from Finn and his eyes kept snagging on Finn’s mouth.

Jacob’s hands moved from his pockets to Finn’s shoulders. He leaned in, close, and Finn felt his breath go out in a hard, unsteady whoosh.

“Good luck,” he murmured into his ear, and then Finn tilted his head, Jacob’s mouth brushing against his. It was fairly PG as their kisses went but itwasn’tshort, not like Finn had imagined when he suggested it, but that was okay, because this was even better.

And so was the way Jacob lingered in the bubble of his personal space, his dark eyes full of promises Finn knew he’d keep, and said, “I love you.”

Finn nearly chased his lips after that, greedy and wanting a second kiss. But Jacob pulled back.

“And that’s what Ireallywanted to do,” Jacob said, and then he was turning and walking out to more than a few catcalls, leaving Finn to stare goofily after him.

“Well, congratulations,” Brody said, nudging him. “I think we’re all pregnant now.”

“You’re a bio major; you know that’s an impossibility,” Finn argued.

“But if itwas, we’d all be pregnant,” Brody said sagely. “That’s my way of saying, congrats, Finn, we’re happy for you. He’s hot, but even more important, he’s hot for you.”

“Yeah, seriously,” Ivan said, leaning over and joining in. “Nabbing Jacob fucking Braun. You’re my new hero.”

Finn flushed happily. “Yeah?”

“Even better that it probably drove your dadinsane,” Ivan said. “Someone needs to take that guy down a peg. Or ten.”

Brody looked like he agreed with this assessment, but Brody was awesome and had always, and would probably never stop, taking Finn’s side.

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