Page 86 of Pucked Up

I burst into laughter at the mental image. “I like your friends.”

“It’s telling that you know they’re the ones who said shit like that to me.” He softened and leaned to the side to set his crutches against the wall before returning his arms to me. They cinched around my waist tightly, and his chest bumped into mine. He was shorter, but he didn’t feel smaller to me. I felt safe in his arms, like I could curl up there and live out every day.

“I don’t want to hold you back,” I murmured.

He sucked in and let out a heavy breath. “Weneed to talk about it. I know you know about my afternoon with Vincent.”

I couldn’t help the smallest smile. “Ouais. I know about your afternoon with Vincent.”

“He’s very fond of you,” Boden said. There was caution in his tone, and I wondered if Vincent had told him about our night.

“We were friends before Reid passed. And before things get ambiguous between us, you should know he and I slept together.”

Boden stiffened. “I’m not a virgin, so I’m not going to judge you, but when was the last time?—”

“The last and only time was a few weeks after Reid’s funeral. I was sad, he was sad. We were both there. I hated myself after because although it wasn’t cheating, it felt like it. I wasn’t ready to let Reid go then.”

He didn’t ask me if I was ready now. He knew. He had to know.

Boden met my gaze. “Is there anyone else?—”

“No.”

He scowled. “You don’t know what I was going to ask.”

“Of course. Ask.”

“Is there anyone else you might have feelings fo?—”

“No.”

“Hugo!”

I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. I took him by the waist and lifted him just a little, spinning him toward the bed, then carefully backing him up untilhis legs hit the mattress. His cheeks went pink, and his pupils blew wide.

“I know I said I was falling for you, but that was a lie,” I told him. His face looked like it was about to shatter. “Ihavefallen for you. I’m in love with you. Maybe that’s ridiculous because we haven’t spent a lot of time with each other, but that was how I fell for Reid. There was a single dinner, and I knew then that he was it for me.”

“When did you know about me?”

“At the bar. The moment you looked up at me, I knew you could be something. But you had rules, and I could tell you were holding a lot of pain. I didn’t want to add complications to that, but when the universe put me back in your path, I knew I had to try.”

Boden closed his eyes in a long, slow blink. “You let me go. When I ran, you let me go.”

Curling a hand around the side of his jaw, I waited for his eyes to open. “You were already dealing with so much. I didn’t want to make everything worse. I would have loved you quietly from afar for the rest of my life if that’s what you needed.”

“I thought…” He stopped and shook his head. “I don’t know what I thought. I don’t know what to think! But right now, I know I want this.”

My heart, which started to feel mended, trembled against my ribs. “Just for now?”

His eyes widened. “No, I—that’s not what I meant. I’m saying that I have no fucking idea what my future is supposed to look like, and it could getcomplicated because you’re the Wolves’ coach, and I can’t guarantee how long I’ll be able to stay in Boston, but if you’re willing to try?—”

“I’m willing to try.” I had to kiss him, so I did. I tipped my head down and bent my knees and used what little strength I had left in my arms that night to pull him against my body. His tongue was warm, and soft, and demanding as it coasted over mine. He bit at my lips as though the kiss wasn’t enough, and I rocked my hips into him, my dick half-hard and desperately trying to get harder.

“Hugo,” he gasped, pulling back. “What if I have to leave?”

I met his gaze. “I love your friends. I love the team. But I love you more.”

He swallowed thickly. “So…you’d?—”

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