Page 11 of Rock the Cradle of Love
Noah needs something to drink and heads for the kitchen. Taylor follows.
“That Emma needs a room fit for a princess?” Noah says, grabbing water from the fridge. He can’t fault Taylor for that. She did need her room set up. They just didn’t plan the process out very well. At least they don’t have to paint. He’d found a peach and sage green bedding set that complements the dark sage green that’s already in the guest room cum nursery. He got lucky there was something that coordinated so well. The white furniture will offset the wall color and help lighten the room. Noah can hardly wait to receive all the other pieces of the ensemble and call it done.
Wrenching the caps from the water bottles, they swig in tandem, although Taylor drains his completely. They’ve been at it all day and well into the night, stopping only to eat and to care for Emma. Buying a baby swing had been a stroke of genius and kept them from having to carry her around in the makeshift sling, though they took turns at that too. The chest of drawers is still in parts all over Emma’s room.
“It’s late.” Just after midnight. Noah yawns for the third time in as many minutes.
Taylor scrubs the heels of his hands into his eyes and yawns as well.
“Why don’t you just crash here?” Noah suggests. He has no idea why though. Taylor lives five minutes away via a back road. The chances of Taylor even passing another car are pretty slim. All Noah knows is that he’s not ready to send Taylor home. And that’s… He doesn’t know what that is or what it means.
Taylor doesn’t appear to think it’s weird though. He just peers into the living room. “Where?” he asks, hands clasped on his head, eyebrows and hairline almost shaking hands. Styrofoam packaging and cardboard boxes litter the furniture and the floor.
Good point.
“I have a California king. It’s big enough for the both of us if you don’t have a problem sharing.” It’s not like either one of them has never shared a room or even a bed with a teammate at some point in their respective hockey journeys.
Taylor’s eyes go big, but he shakes his head. “I… No. I don’t mind if you don’t.”
A sudden odd feeling churns in Noah’s stomach. “That’s weird, isn’t it? I shouldn’t have asked.” Offering to share a bed instead of just cleaning off the sofa is definitely weird. Cripes.
Taylor smiles. “It’s fine, I promise. I could use a shower though. I mean, we’ve been going at this for a while. Plus, I have rice cereal all over me too.”
“No, yeah, sure. I’ve got some sweats or some shorts you can borrow. Underwear’s weird, right?” God, Noah’s out of his depth. He feels like an idiot for some reason, and he has no idea why.
“Underwear’s a little weird, yeah. Basketball shorts and a tee shirt’ll be great though.”
Noah tiptoes into his room and digs out some clothes and takes them to Taylor who disappears into the hallway bathroom. By the light of the master bath, Noah strips his bed and remakes it in record time. It’s not his favorite chore, but no one wants to climb into used sheets other than their own. That’s just blech. He gathers his own clean clothes and sets them in his bathroom and waits for Taylor to finish. Emma sleeps peacefully through it all. Thank goodness for small mercies. He hopes she stays sleeping that well. Even though she slept for four-hour stretches the last few nights and immediately went back to sleep after a feed, Noah’s not quite caught up from either the season or Emma’s first few nights with him.
Taylor comes into Noah’s room wearing Noah’s clothes and towel-drying his dark hair. Noah’s shorts hang low on Taylor’s hips as Noah’s a few inches bigger around the middle than Taylor. The scent of his own soap wafts his way. There’s a tightening of his gut. He’s not sure why. But it’s been a long day, and they’re both tired. He’ll figure it out later.
“I usually sleep on the left, but take whichever side you prefer,” Noah says before disappearing into the bathroom. It’s strange to think of sharing a bed with someone. It’s been years, since his junior hockey days, maybe, since he’s done so.
He’s never had a relationship where he slept with someone on a regular basis. He’s never even had a relationship, so… He scrubs his head harder—he’s making too much of this. It’s late. They’re both exhausted. They’re friends. That’s all. No one’s expecting anything but sleep. Because why would they? Taylor’s got the hots for some guy.
And Noah’s got no sexual inclinations at all.
Relief washes over Noah at the sound of Taylor’s even breathing once he finally emerges from the bathroom. Noah peeks down at Emma and then slides into bed. The mass of Taylor’s body next to him weights the mattress and it’s an odd feeling. Getting comfortable without causing the mattress to jiggle with earthquake-like tremors is a challenge, but Noah finally settles in and breathes easy himself.
The room is dark and close with two extra bodies in it. It’s comforting, though, not being the only one in his room. In his bed. Although the thought surprises him. He’s always slept alone and never felt unnerved by it. His gaze turns to the dark lump that is Taylor.
Loud, happy, funny. Kind, patient, gentle. Looking at the five-foot-ten, two hundred pound mass of hockey player in his bed, he’s surprised those are the adjectives that immediately come to mind. On ice, he’s brash and skilled, confident, a tough opponent. Off ice, he’s a big teddy bear. Who knew?
Noah can’t help but have a special place in his heart for Taylor. After the last week and all his help, Taylor’s become like a member of the family.
Noah falls asleep feeling warm and cozy. Feeling content.
* * *
Emma’s fussing wakens Noah immediately, as it usually does, but there’s a heavy furnace pinning him to his mattress, and it only takes him a split second to realize what, or rather who, it is.
Taylor.
Taylor’s nose is pressed against Noah’s neck and warm puffs of breath waft over his shoulder. Taylor’s arm has snaked its way around Noah’s waist, and Taylor’s knee is tucked in behind Noah’s own.
Noah forces himself to release the tenseness in his muscles lest he wake Taylor. He’s not doing anything really untoward, just cuddling. It’s actually quite nice to be snuggled up in Taylor’s warmth. Is this what it’s like to be in a relationship, to share a bed? Noah’s imagined having someone in his life every once in a while. He’s always pictured a woman, because that’s the predominant message of society, but lying here with Taylor, with another man, the realization that he’s not averse to the possibility of a relationship with someone of his own gender washes over him.
It might be harder to accomplish because the culture of the locker room is one of beer and sports and lots and lots of sex with women. He’s been surrounded by it since he left home to play hockey. He can handle the beer, and he’s got sports covered. But sex… Sex is outside his comfort zone. He lacks more than a basic knowledge of how parts slot together between any gender combination. His experience is limited and years old. Finding someone to accept his lack of a sex drive could prove a challenge. He doesn’t even know how or where to find such a person.
