Page 50 of Scoring Slater
"Apparently it's all over social media." With a few taps of his finger, he found the post. The charity from the bachelor auction had shared the image of them kissing with the captionLove wins! So happy for Slater and Noah!
Thousands of comments followed, a mixture of congratulations and rows of emoji hearts.
"Wow. That's a lot of people." Noah swallowed the mix of nerves and awe and pushed down the quell in his stomach.
Slater raised his head. A line creased between his brows. "Is it too much?"
"No. Not anymore. We need to talk. But first, I need you to go to my account. I tagged you in something I need you to see." Heart in his throat, he held his breath as Slater clicked on the collage of images that Kelsey had helped him cull together. He'd published the post as soon as he'd gotten back to his locker after the game.
There were photos of Slater and Noah sitting next to each other on plane rides, laughing with each other at team meals, walking arm in arm as they waded through two feet of snow on their way to practice back in December, hugging each other after a win, doing charity work with the team, and his favorite, the two of them smiling at each other, eyes shining, during a stoppage in filming during their apartment tour. Love radiated in that photo.
He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, and said the words he'd written in the post. "Thousands of memories, thousands of moments together, and you've held my heart through them all. I love you, Slater Knox."
Slater's gaze lifted and he spoke in a watery whisper, "Noah."
"I want to have a life with you. I've been rigid, trying to control the narrative, always afraid that I'll get caught unaware and unprepared just like I was after the draft. But I went too far. I'm not the same person I was back then. Now, I realize how much support I have with you, and the guys, and these fans really do love us. With that surrounding me, I can relax more. I can't promise that I'll suddenly love social media, but I won't be such a pain about you sharing things, or as worried about the things people share either. I deleted the alert I had set up too."
Slater's smile was bright enough to light up the room. "I'll cut back on how often I post. And I don't want to share everything about us with the fans. Some things are just for you and me. You're more important to me than anything else, Noah. You're mine to protect."
His throat thickened and he bit the inside of his cheek to fight off the threat of tears stinging his eyes. "Thank you."
Slater slipped his phone into his pocket and then reached for Noah's hand. He linked their fingers together. "I turned down the reality show."
He sucked in a breath and brought their linked hands to his chest. "I don't want to keep you from the experience or from the opportunities that might come from it. I don't love the idea of cameras twenty-four-seven, but I love you. If you want me by your side, I'll figure out a way to be there."
Eyes soft, Slater lifted his other hand to stroke Noah's hair. "You mean that?"
"I do."
"Then maybe we'll create our own version of a show someday. One where we'll have complete creative control, so you're as comfortable as possible. You'll always come first, Noah."
The last bit of tension left his body. Filled with gratitude and love, Noah pressed a kiss to Slater's knuckles. "I have my first interview in a few days with the gay sports magazine that did the feature on Vince and Joseph after they got engaged. I know you did a story with them too, back when you came out. I wasn't ready to talk to them before, not when everything happened at the draft, and not when I was living locked in my bubble. But now, I am. I was hoping you'd do the interview with me?"
"I'll be there. And for any other ones." Slater drew Noah closer with every word and encircled him in strong arms. "Whenever and wherever you need me."
"Me too. Because you're mine to protect too," Noah promised, staring into ocean blue eyes that shined with love. "Does that mean you'll stay? Move back in? Be with me?"
Slater bent his head and brushed his lips across Noah's. "Yes, yes, and yes."
Joy and elation burst through him like a supernova. Noah lifted his hand to cradle Slater's face, reveling in the scent and feel of the man in his arms. Every atom in his body vibrated with need and love. "I love you."
"I love you too." The soft smile on Slater's lips matched the smile in Noah's heart.
They were still smiling as their lips met again. The kiss, achingly familiar, restored the ravaged parts of his heart, like a reverse form of kryptonite from his very own superhero.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
One year later
The sun breaking through the storm clouds over the skyline made for a perfect picture.
Slater tapped the camera icon, then took a moment to play with a filter, deepening the blue of the sky and the gleam of sunlight off of the buildings.
The peaceful scene before him, the calm after the storm, called to him, but not as much as the man by his side.
Noah set down a mug of coffee on the windowsill, within easy reach of Slater's hand. "One coffee for you."
"I like the service at this hotel." He raised his head for a kiss. "When do we need to leave to meet the guys?"
