Page 21 of The Puck Daddy

Theo gives me a stern look that makes my toes curl. “Adrian—”

“Why aren’t you ordering anything else?” my brother asks.

“Felix.” I kick his foot under the table. “I don’t really have the funds to eat out right now.”

Felix rolls his eyes. “Then why did we come here if—”

“Let me get you something,” Theo interrupts. “Both of you, on the house. You probably just got out of practice, right?”

I sigh. “Yeah, about two hours ago.”

“And did you eat anything after practice?” Theo’s voice grows with determination.

I shake my head, suddenly feeling small. I was too eager to get ready and come here. Then I spent most of my cash on Felix’s shake.

“You can’t do that to yourself. You need to eat. Let me treat you both.”

I start to protest, but Felix cuts me off. “On one condition,” he says, smiling up at Theo. “You can get us food on one condition.”

Theo grins. “And what’s that?”

I kick Felix under the table again, but he just ignores me.

“You order something for yourself and join us.”

My heart skips a beat before it starts racing frantically in my chest. What. The. Fuck? I’m going to kill my little brother.

“Deal,” Theo agrees easily. “Any allergies or things you two dislike?”

“Nope,” Felix replies. “We’ll eat about anything. Especially this one.” He points at me.

Theo beams. “Good. As an athlete, you need all the extra calories you can get. I’ll be right back.”

My mouth falls open. Theo finally looks my way and tosses me a wink. With that, he rushes off.

Felix leans toward me from across the table. “Is it just me, or did he seem really eager to take care of you?”

I sputter. “What?” My heart pounds as I replay every little embarrassing detail. I’d be lying if it wasn’t what I was just thinking, too.

We both watch him as he talks to Kayla, takes off his nametag, and places it under the bar. She laughs and gives him a shovebefore he eagerly rushes to the back and disappears behind the swinging doors.

Felix kicks me in the shin. “Yeah, not stalking him, my ass. Why didn’t you freaking tell me the guy you’re crushing on is the same guy who helped little baby Adrian come to the realization he’s as gay as a rainbow?”

“Hush, you. I don’t want anyone to overhear us.”

“You should be happy I invited him to hang out with us. Now you can really get to know him. Oh! I can’t wait to interrogate him. No one knows what he’s been up to since he retired.”

“Oh my gosh. You aren’t going to interrogate him. Haven’t you ever thought that maybe he doesn’t want the world to know what he’s been doing? I get the impression he needed time to heal.”

“But don’t you want to find out what he’s been up to for the past five years?”Nodding, I bite my lip again. “I do. But is it crazy to want to hear it from him? To build something I’ve always craved from a potential partner?” And a Daddy? “And what’s that?” “Trust and loyalty.”

Something flickers across Felix’s face, but it’s gone before I can even analyze it.

“Okay, the food will be here in about ten minutes. Until then, I got us some chips and salsa to snack on.” Theo places the chips in the middle of the table. “Scooch,” he says, sliding down into my side of the booth and pressing against me.

I scoot over enough to give him plenty of room, but he continues to slide closer until our thighs are touching under the table. Theo stretches out his arm, casually placing it behind my shoulders. He isn’t hugging me to him, but I can totally pretend he is.

Felix gives me a wide grin, as if he knows my skin is on fire. Hell, I’m probably as red as a tomato, but at this moment I wouldn’t change a thing.

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