Page 85 of Hot Receiver

I spring up from the couch, letting out a yelp at the sharp pain that explodes down my left side. Hobbling over to the table, I grab my phone and scroll through the long string of notifications still blowingup my feed.

I stare at the phone in my shaking hand, then turn my head toward Ryan. He just looks at me, his jaw on the floor.

“It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the guy, the love of his life?”

I open my mouth. It’s dry as a camel’s ass. But before I can croak out the words, a loud knock at the front door grabs my attention. I hobble over to it and pull it open, my heart screeching to a dead stop.

“You said you wanted action.” Matt’s lips curl into a sexy grin. “And I’m running a big fucking risk by showing up here like this. But I meant everything I said. You’re the love of my life, and I’ll do anything to make you believe it.”

And then he drops to one knee.

Chapter 36

Matt

Istare up at Zak and grab his hand. “I want you. I need you. I can’t live without you.”

“Jesus, Matt,” Zak murmurs. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Go big or go home, right? I’m giving you the show you wanted.”

“You’re being a little over the top right now with the wanting and the needing.” Zak rolls his eyes. “It didn’t have to be big. Or a show. An apology would have been great. An explanation even better. But you didn’t give me any of it until today. I mean, for Christ’s sake, you threw a goddamn tantrum in that coat closet, and then, I saw you at the press conference where you told the world what you could have said to me the other night and a million times before that.”

I furrow my brow. “You wouldn’t have believed me. You said I was always all talk with nothing behind it. So, this is me giving you what you want. I’m not only telling you how I feel, I’m trying to show you. And when I saw that accident scene, Ifucking panicked because I wasn’t sure I’d get the chance to say any of it.”

“Can you please get off the floor?”

“Why? Are you worried someone will see?”

“Are you?” he snaps.

“Not anymore. And I have a very serious question to ask you. Zak Kacey, will you be my?—?”

“Holy shit.”

I look past Zak at the guy he brought to our game against the Raptors. My eyes narrow. “You’re interrupting a private moment, brah.”

The guy’s eyes pop open wide. Zak turns toward him. “Ry, give us a minute, please?”

“Should I be jealous?” I ask.

“Definitely. We’ve been working on valuations all morning,” he says dryly. “Real sexy shit.”

“So, I’d better make this fast and stake my claim before he moves in.” My lips curl upward. “Zak Kacey, will you be my…boyfriend?”

The shock that settled into his features morphs into relief. “Fuck, I thought you were proposing.”

I let out a snort. “It was risky enough to come here and have you not slam the door in my face. I’ve got a lot to make up for and a lot of groveling to do, so when I ask you to marry me, you’re not tempted to kick me in the head while I’m on my knee. Like you probably were when you opened the door.”

“I’ve wanted to kick you in the head a lot,” he says, a smirk lifting his lips. “But I kept coming back, so what does that say about me?”

“Thankfully that you’re a glutton for punishment. But don’t worry, I have some ideas about how to reboot punishment, so it feels awesome and is a hell of a lot more fun.” Iwince, my knee screaming from this position. “Now how about an answer so I can get the hell off the floor?”

Zak smiles…really smiles…like the way I’ve always wanted him to do when he looks at me, and it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. “Yes, I’ll be your boyfriend.”

I jump off the floor and gather him close. “I missed you so fucking much. And I’m a total asshole for the way I treated you.”

“You did a complete one-eighty.” Zak pulls away and lifts an eyebrow. “One day, you’re locked in the closet, panicked about anyone finding out your secret, and the next, you’re hosting a press conference telling the world that you’re in love with another man.”

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