Page 4 of Scoring Slater
Examining why didn't take an advanced degree. Neither did admitting that he couldn't be what Slater needed, no matter how much he wanted to be.
He stuck the mug in the dishwasher. Nothing else in the kitchen was left out of place. The hall by the front door was a different story. Slater's boots were on the floor and his coat had fallen off the hook on the wall. Tripping hazards for whoever walked by, as his insurance adjuster father would say. He put everything in its proper place and glanced down the hall toward the bedrooms. Slater's door was open and he was unloading the contents of a bag with the comic store's logo.
Noah took a step in his direction and then stopped. They'd been friends for two and a half years, ever since their first meeting at an off-season workout camp the summer prior to Slater's first season in the league. An instant connection, like nothing else he'd ever experienced in his twenty-four years on the planet. He needed to say something to get them back to normal, but what?
This wasn't like one of their stupid arguments over putting empty containers back in the refrigerator or forgetting to take out the trash, or their more serious ones like the time Slater uploaded a photo that included Noah without his knowledge or the time Noah's friends from college visited and had insulted Slater, and Noah, caught off-guard, hadn't defended him. They'd gotten through all of those times. They had to get through this too.
Slater strolled into the hall. His red hair was tousled, and his clear blue eyes were guarded, watching Noah. Dark jeans showed off his powerful legs and his light blue long-sleeved T-shirt hugged his broad torso and muscular arms like a second skin. "Kelsey just texted me. They should be here in a few minutes."
"Okay." He tugged on his sweater sleeves, pulling until the thick knit covered his forearms.
A single brow quirked and Slater gestured at Noah's clothes. "Head to toe black again? I don't think you've worn any other color in any of the segments we've done with Kelsey."
Shrugging, Noah glanced at his attire. On a subconscious level, the all-black probably signified his wanting to hide or protect himself. Hell, on a conscious level, he knew it did. And Slater, as perceptive as he was, probably knew it too. The thought made him smile. "With the burning bush you have on top of your head, I thought the less color elsewhere, the better."
Mock-gasping, Slater took a step back and patted his hair. "I thought you liked my hair."
"I do. It's like fire." The words slipped out, honest and earnest, and heat flushed through his body. How many times had he imagined running his hands through the ginger strands? "It matches your personality."
Pursing his lips, Slater shook his head, but the light that had been missing in his eyes for the last few days flared back, bright and sparking, and Noah's heart lightened to see it. "Yeah, like I've never heard the hot-headed jokes before. Please, you graduated with honors from an Ivy League university. I expect a more creative level of insults."
"I thought the burning bush was pretty good, actually." Noah chuckled and took tentative steps to close the distance between them. He laid his hand on Slater's shoulder. The muscles tensed and then released under his hold. He and Slater touched all the time, and with the absence of it over the last few days, he realized how much he craved the expressions of affection. "You know I meant it more like vibrant, lively, warm and inviting, right?"
Slater's smile was shy, hesitant, and beautiful. "Oh."
In that moment, he wanted to reach out and pull Slater into his arms and give in to the feelings swirling inside his head and heart. "Slater…"
The buzzer for the intercom went off. Slater turned away and his low voice rumbled as he spoke to Kelsey.
Noah let out a slow breath and willed his galloping heartbeat to settle. He glanced at his clothes again, and decided against the temptation to add a hat and sunglasses. That extra layer of protection would be a touch too much, and draw attention rather than let him fade into the background.
Slater walked toward the front door, then glanced back and smiled. "Ready?"
"I guess." Adrenaline fueled his every step as he made his way toward Slater. Distrust of reporters ran deep, but he liked Kelsey and she'd never given him a reason to doubt her.
The elevator doors opened and Kelsey—wife of their teammate Leo and media relations superstar for the Bedlam—stepped off with Brianna, a member of the production team who had filmed the last segment he and his teammates had done during the holidays. Smiling, Kelsey waved and then held out a drink carrier with four cups. "There's a coffee for Slater, and Noah, I got you a hot tea. Thanks for letting us into your place, guys."
Noah gestured for everyone to walk inside. His nerves and discomfort increased, and he fought the urge to shut the door and keep out the camera. Everything in him longed to move closer to Slater. His protector on the ice had turned into his emotional support human off the ice too.
The weight of Slater's arm draped over Noah's shoulders, and the wall of his chest met Noah's side. He turned his head and caught Slater's gaze. The man had two inches on him, and a good thirty pounds. Solid and strong in more ways than one. Noah smiled, grateful for the heat and nearness blanketing him in safety.
Slater shifted his arm back and squeezed Noah's shoulder before turning to the women. "No problem, Kels. But we get final say on what's in and what's out."
"Absolutely." She glanced between them as she spoke. "Like I told you the other day, we only film the areas you're comfortable showing. Whatever you say is off-limits stays that way. And on that note, is there anything you don't want to show or for me to ask about on camera? No judgement here. Everyone has a messy closet or room they'd prefer guests not to see."
"I'm an open book." Slater held his arms open wide. "Big surprise there, right?"
Noah folded his arms over his chest, then reached for the tea. Holding something made him feel less vulnerable and gave him a small distraction. "I guess nothing's off-limits, for now. But can I change my mind later if I want something taken out?"
"Of course." Kelsey set the drink tray on the kitchen counter. "If you're ready, we'll get started."
Slater met Noah's gaze and raised his brow. "Noah?"
"Sure. I'm ready."
"Great. Stand next to me, and let's do this." Kelsey waited for Brianna's cue. "Hi Bedlam fans. Welcome back to Kelsey's Corner. Today we're doing another home tour, where you'll get an inside look at your favorite Bedlam players' places. So far, you've seen Leo's and my home, Rod Fraser's home, Vince Forsberg's house, and Anton Celek's apartment. Today, it's Slater Knox and Noah Alzado's turn."
Slater bounded in closer to the camera, all energy, smiling wide. "Hi. Welcome to our apartment."
