Page 11 of Game Winner
I bump his shoulder. Sitting with him feels natural, easy, like we’ve been friends forever. “Your teammate joked this morning that you were averse to change. Inviting someone to live in your home is a big change.”
He shrugs and his cheeks turn pink. “I like the idea of you being here. Maybe I don’t love change, but when I want something, I go for it.”
“And you want, what? Me?”
He tips his head, but there’s a challenge in his gaze. “If I do?”
“AndBax?” I chew on my bottom lip, unsure of what he’ll say, but wanting him to say yes.
The warm glide of his fingers against my palm as he links our hands together scrambles my brain. “Don’t you?”
Desire flares, warming through me like a current of fire. “I want you both.”
“Good.” His free hand settles on my shoulder and his expression shifts a shade more serious. “I go for what I want, but I’m also patient with the things that matter. You’re living here now and that’s a big change. So is us being on the same team. What happens between us will go at your pace, as slow as you want or need. You being comfortable is the most important thing.”
“Thanks for saying that.”
Nodding, he withdraws his hand from my shoulder. “Not just saying it. I mean it.”
“My pace.” Savoring the words and the happy feeling fluttering through my chest, I use our joined hands to draw him closer to me. Leaning in, I lift my free hand to cup his stubbled cheek. The short blond hairs tickle my fingers and palm. My pulse beats in the pattern of his name. I’ve wanted him for a while, but never thought we’d be on the same team, in the same city, at the same time. “Slow is good while I get my bearings. But, kiss me?”
The tips of his lips lift in a smile and he angles his head down, closing the inches separating us, gazing at me like the world could fall apart around us and he wouldn’t notice or care. The smile stays as our lips touch. I’m steeped in the softness of his mouth, the taste of him, sweet with a hint of something salty, and the anchoring weight of his hand in mine. A slow exploration, so different from the rushing frenzy of feeling on the dance floor.
A flurry of message notifications buzzing from my phone and his interrupts the moment.
Soren laughs against my lips. Skimming his hand through my hair, he raises his head. “That’ll be the house group chat. Gio said he’d add you once you got here.”
With unsteady hands, I grab my phone from my bag beside me, and he’s right. The first message is from Gio, followed by the others chiming in with emojis, random memes, and a picture of a yellow bearded dragon from Remy, promising he’ll bring down Benny tomorrow to meet me. It’s chaotic in the best way, and I love it.
Standing, Soren pulls me up with him. “We should get to the bar. Bax said he put our names on the list.”
“Let me get changed. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
He leaves me with a kiss pressed to the back of my hand. Blowing out a breath, I try to ignore all the overwhelm of the last several hours and just focus on changing clothes.
Soren meets me in the hall by the front door. He pulls a black wool coat from the closet and hands it to me. “This is one of mine, but it’s also yours for as long as you’re here.”
Being wrapped in it is like having his arms around me all the time.
When we arrive at the bar, the show is going on full-throttle. Layne dances around the small stage, belting out lyrics. Behind the drum kit, Bax thrashes away. The muscles in his arms bulge and flex with the rapid movements and sweat glistens his skin. Gavin and Everett play at opposite ends of the stage, making love to the audience as well as the music, and send each other glances suggesting there is more to their relationship than merely being bandmates.
Soren’s body is warm pressed against mine, and he slides his arm around me like it’s the most natural move in the world. I like the security of his hold and the sensuality of his palm against my stomach and his breath in my ear.
We don’t have to wait long for Bax once the show ends. He and the band immediately come into the crowd, meeting with fans. I’m close to six-foot, and Soren has me beat by a couple of inches, but Bax towers over us both as well as most other people in the room so tracking him is easy. He winds through the crowd, stopping to chat or shake hands with people along the way, but his destination is clear. Us.
My arms ache with how much I want to hug him, but nerves hold me back. I end up doing an awkward wave that ends with my arm hovering in the air for a beat too long, like I’m reaching for him after all. “Great show.”
“Thanks for coming.” He pulls me into his arms, wrapping me in a hug so fierce it steals my breath. “I can’t believe you’re living here now.”
“Same. It’s been an eventful day.” The world feels unsteady as he releases me, but focusing on him greeting Soren with the same tight embrace helps me recalibrate.
Bax slips between us and wraps his arms around our shoulders. He’s warm and still a bit sweaty, smelling of musk and beer and faint traces of the warm spicy scent I remember from our time on the dance floor. “We had a good crowd tonight. I wasn’t sure what we’d get with it being on a Wednesday, and announcing the surprise show only last week, but people showed up.”
Soren pulls Bax in for a hug. “You rocked the hell out of this place. Thanks for putting us on the list. Let us buy you a drink.”
We end up with a line of shots and down them at the same time. The alcohol burns and warms, hitting me fast. I can’t remember the last time I ate, so that’s probably not good, but as the crowd presses us closer together, the feel of Soren and Bax reminds me of being with them on the dance floor and our kisses leap to the forefront of my thoughts.
Music swells over us and I move to it, sliding between Bax and Soren, my gaze tracking between them. “I can’t believe I’m here with you both. That I can just reach out and touch you.”
