Page 13 of Scoring Zone
Chapter 7
Austin
My name being called pulls me awake, but I’m confused and on our plush couch. Gray’s doe eyes stare at me with concern, and his hair is pulled back but not all in the band.
“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” He yanks the blanket off me as if he’ll see an injury.
“I’m fine,” I mutter and stand to hug him. It was a horrible night. “Are you okay?”
“I must look like total shit to get an impromptu hug,” he jokes, and I clutch him tighter and inhale his warmth.
As I hit a new low in self-pity, the universe reminds me that life isn’t all about me. Before the game, Leo was on the ice to coach Benz and got hit in the face with a puck. Grayson went with him to the hospital, and I tried to wait up but must’ve dozed off. It’s time to let go of him, but my arms won’t cooperate. They really fucking think Grayson belongs in them. Look at me, blaming my arms.
“How’s Leo?” I ask, holding on as if my life depends on him.
“He’ll be fine, had surgery on his broken jaw, and it will be wired shut for a few weeks.” He gives me a squeeze of reassurance.
“Tonight was a disaster. I envy how calm you can stay in an emergency because I lost my shit and yelled at Benz and Griff.” I sigh when he extracts himself from my hold to sit on the couch where I was sleeping.
“That’s the least of their concerns.”
“No. Of course. I didn’t mean to make it about me. Just saying I’m not good in an emergency like you.” I cringe at my words, not even saying what I mean. If a puck can take Leo down in the blink of an eye, it could happen to Gray. He doesn’t have protective gear. Maybe I should bring that up with the front office. Everyone on the sidelines should wear protective pads.
Could be genius or an overreaction. But the thought of it happening to Gray guts me.
“You’re not making it about you. But I checked the team portal, and it didn’t list you as injured, so I got worried seeing you sleeping on the couch.”
“I was waiting for you,” I admit. Falling asleep on the couch is so rare for me that I can’t remember the last time it happened. I like my bed and sleep too much to spend an uncomfortable night in the living room.
“Go to bed. We can talk in the morning.” He yawns and his head flops back on the couch.
“If you’re too tired…” I won’t pressure him to talk if he’s not awake, but I’m also afraid I’ll lose my nerve. We live together, so it’s going to sound ridiculous to admit I miss him. He’s right here.
“I’m awake. Being with Benz is like a shot of caffeine. It’ll take me a few minutes to get off that high.” His head tips to the side to assess me and he frowns. “You’re not fine. Tell me what’s going on.”
All I have to do is open my mouth and tell the truth. But I don’t. “If Benz was there, then I should’ve been there.”
“Nope. Benz wasn’t there to represent the Enforcers, but that’s not my story to tell. Don’t change the subject. You’ve shut me out, and I hate it.” He re-situates himself so he’s facing me, and his knee bumps my thigh. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s not good when you apologize for accidentally touching me. Can we go back to how we were before Vegas?” It’s the only solution to ensure I don’t harm him. He knows what I’m capable of, and I’m shocked he’s upset about me keeping my distance. He experienced my violence, and it cost him a career in the NHL. I’ve already taken too much from him.
“I have too many questions for that. You purposely avoid talking about our night together as if it didn’t happen, and I feel terrible. I knew you were drunk and should never have taken advantage of you. Clearly you weren’t sober enough for consent, and I’m afraid you’ll never forgive me.”
The pain in Gray’s eyes stops me cold.
“Wait. What?” He shouldn’t apologize when I’m the one who left marks on his body. I broke the skin on his shoulder like a demon. Even if he had taken advantage of me, I deserved it for all I’d done to him. “I started it, so you didn’t read the situation wrong. And of course it happened.”
“Austin, you pointed at the bed and denied what happened. I understand dealing with what we did together might be difficult for you, but we have to be honest if we’re going to get past it.” He reaches for my arm but lets his hand drop to his lap.
I’m shaking my head as if I disagree, but he thinks I’m upset about whatwedid, not how I hurt him. “I’m so sorry, and I don’t remember saying that. You’re the last person in the world I would intentionally harm, but I physically hurt you. My life is a mess without you.”
Not only is he my best friend, but he takes care of me in a way no one else ever has. He came up with a system for me to drop my keys and wallet in the same place, instead of searching for the random places I leave them. And the man picks up my room. He’s a saint.
Grayson snorts a laugh and falls back onto the couch’s armrest. “You are Mr. Perfect. You’ve got a seriously sick job, the team loves and respects you, and you’ve got the world at your feet. I don’t do anything for you.”
I clear my throat to tell him he’s dead wrong without offending him. “G.” He sits up at my use of the nickname and broken tone. “I couldn’t do any of this without you.” I see he wants to argue, so I take his hand. “From the day we met, you never wanted anything from me. I can be myself with you and not worry about my mood or how I filter my words or needing alone time.” The irony that isn’t true at this moment isn’t lost on me, but protecting him is more important.
“Then don’t filter yourself now. Tell me why you’re so upset.” He laces our fingers and shifts closer so his bent leg rests against mine. The leg contact is incidental, but it goes straight to my groin.
