Page 40 of Riding Pine
“So why skates? Couldn’t you just wear shoes and use grass or something?”
“Then that’s field hockey and different rules,” Soupy replies.
“Oh. What about shoes on the ice then?”
“Broomball,” Burnsy supplies, and Ben huffs.
“I just don’t understand the skating and hitting part. When Lukas got the black eye, I thought he was a boxer.”
“Sometimes he is.” Soupy shrugs when Ben’s eyes widen. “You should come to his games now. The spouses usually sit together. They could teach you,” Soupy says, and I turn to Ben, not sure how he’ll answer that.
“I’ll try, but I work most evenings, and it’ll be hard to line up a game.”
“What do you do?” Burnsy asks and leans forward.
“I’m a yoga teacher is the simple answer.” Ben’s answer flows from his lips as I hold my breath. “But I own a fitness studio. Yoga, pole fit, and stuff like that. Evenings are when I work the most since people are off work to take classes.”
“That explains the handstand thing, then.” Burnsy nods and continues. “Do you tumble? We have a mascot now, and they did some amazing stuff. I wish I could do that.”
Ben’s hand flexes on my thigh, and I bring my beer to my lips.
“Yeah, I can. It’s super fun.”
They don’t know he’s Slappy, and this conversation shouldn’t feel like it skirts dangerously close to the secret, but it does. Ben doesn’t seem bothered by it, but suddenly, I just want to get out of here because I’m seconds away from opening my yap.
“I don’t mean to cut this short, but do you two mind if we take off?”
Burnsy smiles slowly. “No, Piney. You two enjoy the evening together. It was nice to meet you, Ben. I hope we see you around again.”
Hasty goodbyes are made, and it’s only once we’re outside that I feel like I can be myself.
twelve
Ben
Lukas grips my hand as we leave the bar, leading me to his car, but I pull him up short.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Lukas turns to me with a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m just…you looked great earlier. Even in a beaver suit and I…”
Laughing softly, I step into Lukas’s space. “You what? Can’t stop thinking about what I said earlier? Slapping me onpurpose, maybe?” Lukas swallows with a pained groan. “It’s okay to test it out. I’m game for a little spanking.”
His hand shoots forward and grabs the back of my head. He kisses me, and his desperation passes to me like an electric shock. It’s hot and wild, and he presses into me like he can’t bear a whisper of breath between us.
My fingers curl into the soft fabric of his shirt as I lift on my toes to close the minuscule gap. He’s not the only one who hates being apart. Lukas is my magnet, and I’m the very pliable metal that clings to him every chance I get.
“Why does everything out of your mouth make me lose my mind, Ben?” Lukas drops his forehead to mine, his heavy pants mixing with my own.
“My charming personality?”
He steps into me, pressing me against a vehicle as his hands grope and pull at my clothes. We’re mauling each other like animals, and it’s not until the honk of a passing car that he steps away. Both of us stare at each other with chests heaving, and at that moment, I know I made the right decision getting into this with Lukas.
We might have more sex than conversations right now, but this man is one I can never walk away from.
“My place?” He rasps, and I nod.
“Yeah. My roommate wouldn’t appreciate listening to me discovering if I like you leaving handprints on my ass or not.”
