Page 137 of Voices

He moves his hands down so he’s hugging me from behind. When I turn my head, I’m met with his lips. It’s a quick peck followed by his megawatt smile. As he takes the seat next to me, I quickly scan the students sitting at the nearby tables. A few are looking at us with shocked expressions. I turn back around and try to hide the heat that’s spreading across my cheeks.

Shane scoots his chair over so there’s no space between us. His hand comes up on my heated cheek and slowly turns my head so I’m looking into his light eyes.

“Don’t be embarrassed. I love you and I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks.” He leans in for another quick kiss.

I see a few of the guys I recognize from the hockey team scoff behind Shane’s back before they walk away. I try pulling away, but Shane puts his hand on the nape of my neck, keeping me a few inches from his face.

“Look at me baby,” he whispers.

I lock my eyes with his and instantly relax.

“I don’t care who sees us together. The people who matter the most to me already know that I’m bi and they still love and accept me.Fuck what the rest of the world thinks. I want to be with you out in the open so everyone can see. You’re the one I want more than anything, including hockey. So let the foolish think what they want. We have each other and that’s all we’ll ever need.”

He wipes away a lone tear that slipped down my cheek before pulling me in for a deeper kiss. It has my toes curling in my bootsas I grip the front of his hoodie to keep him close. When he pulls away, he drops a kiss to my forehead then takes my hand and laces his fingers through mine.

I wait for my brain to come back online then it clicks that he’s supposed to be at practice.

“Aren’t you supposed to be lifting weights or something?”

He laughs. “What? I can’t skip weights to have lunch with my boyfriend?”

“Umm, no? Isn’t that against the rules?”

He lets out another short laugh. “It’s not against the rules, just really, really frowned upon. But practice was canceled so I figured you wouldn’t mind if I joined you,” he winks. “Would you like your surprise?”

I honestly forgot about that, but I nod anyway. He pulls his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and flips open the slot where his cash is. He flips past a few bills before pulling out a folded white piece of paper. Setting his wallet on the table, he unfolds the paper and then hands it to me.

It’s a printout of a receipt for two plane tickets to Orlando in First Class for next Wednesday morning.

“I want you to come home with me and spend Christmas with my family. My parents live right on the beach so we can even bring in the new year under the stars without freezing.” He grabs my hand holding the paper that had started shaking. “They’ll love you because I do. My sisters ask about you all the time and my mom has already bought a five-pack of mac and cheese in preparation.” He nudges my shoulder. I move my eyes from the paper to his gorgeous face. “We all want you there so we can be together. Please say you’ll come with me.”

Being over a thousand miles from Shane for over two weeks sounds like agony I don’t think I’d survive. But what if my father finds out I’ve left Illinois, and it wasn’t to go back home to Indiana? He’d kill me for going somewhere that he couldn’t keepan eye on me, not that I’ve ever given him a reason not to trust me. But Benji travels with him and our mother and none of the housekeepers like him so they wouldn’t say anything.

I bite my bottom lip as I slowly nod. His face lights up with the biggest smile. He wraps me in a hug and pulls me onto his lap. I let out a small yelp then bury my face in the crook of his neck, breathing in my favorite scent.

We sit like this for the next ten minutes or so until Matt, Asher, and Ryder show up.

“Aww. Look at the two love birds,” Matt coos.

“Does this little cuddle session mean you’re spending winter break in the sunshine state,” Ryder asks.

I look up at Shane who’s already looking down at me with a soft smile. Looking behind him at the guys, I give Ryder a small nod.

“Thank fuck!” Matt lets out, sounding relieved.

Asher smacks him in the back of his head.

“The fuck was that for? Shane’s been stressed. He needs warm weather and his mom’s triple chocolate cake!”

Asher smacks him again as my heart sinks.

I never wanted to add stress to Shane’s plate. He has a lot going on between classes and being the team captain. I’m only adding my mess on top of it.

Shane must feel my heartache because he lifts my face to his.

“You are not a stressor. I get a little in my head with finals and the last game before break. You bring me calmness and pleasure. Never think otherwise.” He places a tender kiss on my lips.

“I didn’t mean… you didn’t think… Shit, sorry Charlie.” Matt looks confused.

---