Page 26 of Game Changer
“I had help. I got a scholarship to a boarding school with a great hockey program when I was fourteen. I had a free ride to college. I haven’t had to think about money for over ten years. I just wish my mom...”
“She, um...?”
“Died. Yeah. When I was fifteen.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you. She was really amazing. I would’ve liked to have been able to take care of her the way she deserved. Buy her a nice house. All that.”
“Only child, right?”
“Yeah,” Scott said. “Yeah, it was just the two of us.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway. We should probably talk about happier things.”
“Don’t have to talk at all, if you don’t want,” Kip said, reaching up to stroke Scott’s face. He felt traces of stubble.
Scott smiled at him. “I should sleep soon. I have an early practice tomorrow. Long one too.”
“Mm,” Kip said, feeling drowsier by the minute as Scott continued to stroke his hair. “You sure you want me to stay?”
“Definitely.” The way Scott said it was so warm. Soaffectionate.Kip’s heart fluttered.
Uh-oh.
One night, Grady. Don’t go getting stupid. Appreciate what you’ve been given here.
Kip got under the sheet with Scott. He rested his head on Scott’s chest, letting the rise and fall of his breathing lull him to sleep.
Chapter Six
Scott blinked awake at the sound of his alarm. It took him a moment to register the weight on his chest that was making it difficult to reach for the phone.
Kip.
Scott grinned as he turned off the alarm and let the memories of the previous night wash over him. He haddone it! He had successfully picked up a man here in Manhattan. A man he reallyliked.A man who was now naked and sleeping blissfully in his bed, curled against him.
But Scott had to leave.Fuck.The car would be here in, what? Forty minutes?
He sighed, and turned to kiss the top of Kip’s head before he slipped out from underneath him. Kip made a small noise of sleepy protest, but immediately settled back into a deep slumber.
Scott took a quick shower, and was in the bedroom, pulling on his T-shirt, when he heard rustling.
“Hey,” Kip said groggily. He was propped up on an elbow, his hair was all messed up, and one eye was closed. Adorable.
“Sorry to wake you,” Scott said. “I need to go. You can stay if you—”
“Nah, I should go. I, um...”
“You’re working today?”
“No. If I was working today I would have been late an hour ago. Just... I should go home.”
“Right.”
“Yeah.”
Kip was already out of the bed, scooping up his clothes off the floor. He dressed himself quickly, then went into the bathroom.
Scott exhaled. This was unknown territory for him. Kip was hardly his boyfriend, but he wasn’t just a one-night stand that Scott had picked up either. At least, not to Scott.
