Page 9 of Skating to Him

Now I knew the real reason for her call. “I’m happy, Mom. When I come home for the holidays, maybe you can cook the bird, and it won’t taste like leather.” I freed a soft snort. Dad had tried but had done a terrible job of it last year.

“Or maybe you can cook it this year?” She harrumphed. “Isort of like having you all wait on me during the holidays instead of me doing all the work.”

“Yeah, knowing you, you’ll fake a relapse to get out of it.” I chuckled. Now, we were getting silly.

“Rowan David, I would never do that.”

“Yeah, but really, Mom, I hope to see you up and puttering around the kitchen again when I get home. Love you.” An ache wormed through my chest, and I rubbed the heel of my hand over it.

“Love you too. Now get some studying done, and I’ll speak with you soon.”

“Okay, bye, Mom.” I ended the call and stared at my phone. God, I missed home, but I had to make it at hockey, and to do that, I needed this year away.

Monday morning’sskate had been wicked. Coach was relentless with the drills, and I’d hardly had a moment to chat with Tyler about anything that wasn’t hockey. After practice, we’d all run off to our classes, and now the geology class I shared with Tyler was almost over. I’d arrived a little late thanks to a long line at the campus Starbucks and had to sit in the back.

As the professor ended the class and shut his laptop, I scurried into a vacated seat next to Tyler. We had shit to talk about, like had he left the bar after me or stuck around? And would he be able to help me on the next assignment? I’d helped him before, so…I leaned into Tyler as he shoved his laptop into his backpack. “Hey.”

He jumped. “Jesus, you scared me. When did you come in?” His gaze crept over me and stopped at my mouth for a beat.

Already checking me out?The corner of my lips curled. “I got in late and took a seat at the back.” I ticked my chin at his book, still lying on the desktop. “Can you help me with the nextassignment? This geology shit isn’t what I thought it was.” Parts of it were a little too much like chemistry, which I hated.

“Yeah, sure.” He slid his book into his bag.

My stomach grumbled. “What’re you doing now? Got another class, or do you want to grab a bite at Five Guys?” I clearly hadn’t had enough to eat after practice.

“I’m free for a few hours. Five Guys works.” He stood and looked down at me. “You ready?”

“Hell yeah.” Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I rose and held my palm up. “After you.”

CHAPTER THREE

TYLER

After ordering our burgers, we filled our cups with Gatorade and went to a table by the window. Sinking into my chair, I set my white paper bag on the table and slid my backpack off my arm, my gaze taking in the diner-style restaurant in white-and-red checkered wall tiles and bare concrete floors. I didn’t want to admit it, but I’d been avoiding Rowan a little bit since Saturday. I had to get my shit together and quit thinking about him as if he were queer and available. He wasn’t.

Rowan plopped into a chair opposite me, setting down his bag and drink. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you at practice this morning. What happened after I left on Saturday?” He opened his bag.

“Saturday?” Shit, I’d been hammered and unable to stop thinking about sucking him off. As Ace would say, I was a moron. With a stuttered chuckle, I said, “Yeah, I got a little drunk.” I’d fake a blackout. “I don’t remember much.” Or maybe too much? Like how he’d called me hot and how much I’d liked it. I pulled my burger out of the bag and unwrapped it.

“Yeah, I’d say you were more than a little drunk. I take it Myles took care of you and got you home after I left?” He bitinto his burger and juice spilled down the side of his lip. Sticking his tongue out, he lapped it up.

My gaze chased his long, thick tongue. Good God, what damage that thing could do to me.Stop it, Ty!I clenched my eyes shut for a second, then focused on my food. “Uh, yeah. I think we stayed maybe an hour more after you left?” I bit into my burger, the greasy meat flooding my mouth. Goddamn, these were so good.

“An hour? You didn’t go right home?” As his eyes narrowed, he set his burger on his bag and then plucked a few napkins from a holder on the table.

“I don’t think so. We danced a little more.” I shrugged a shoulder. “We were there, and I needed to sober up, so?—”

“So, did you dance only with Myles? Or did you dance with other guys?” With a choked huff, his gaze turned hard.

I furrowed my brows. What the hell did he care? “I think with Myles, but you know how a place like that can be. Guys get in your space, they press again?—”

“Press against what?” He clenched his jaw, dipped his head, and held out his hand to me. “Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.” He sucked his Gatorade through his straw.

“What’s the matter?” As a soft grin floated over my mouth, I cocked my head. Did he think he was the gay police? “You jealous?” I choked out a laugh. As if. I could dream.

“No, of course not.” He huffed and relaxed his shoulders. “I’m just worried about you. Someone could have taken advantage of you or something.”

“Myles was there. He had my back.” I eyed him. Something was up. What was it? “Did someone take advantage of your gay friend back home?” Maybe he was traumatized by something.

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