Chapter 1
A dark street, an Uber driver who didn’t say a word, and Braxton Richards reached the destination he’d been obsessing over for weeks. He stepped onto the sidewalk, avoiding curious glances from the guys standing on the edge of the sidewalk, smoking and laughing. They looked exactly how he’d expected them to look. Dressed either in all leather, or sparkly, colorful clothes.
Very gay.
Something he hadn’t realized he needed. Seeing them shamelessly expressing themselves, being so relaxed about it, released some of the pressure that had been building in his chest for months. Pressure that increased every time he hung out with one of the other young players from the Dartmouth Cobras. His teammates were awesome, and people seemed accepting, but…
But of other people being gay, or bisexual, or in different kinds of relationships. There was this underlying current of how much harder it made life. How much harder it would make his life. His closest friend on the team, Dave Hunt, constantly repeated all the advice his dad, who was also his manager, gave him. The man was a jerk—not that he’d ever tell Hunt that—and blatantly homophobic, but it was hard not to admit he’d given Hunt some good advice.
They were too new to get away with the shit that was even rumored about the more experienced players. If they wanted to get anywhere as professional hockey players, they had to prove they weren’t risky investments. That they’d appeal to long-time fans of the game. Fans like Hunt’s father.
Which meant being serious about training. Impressive on the ice.
And good with the ladies. Talk of a young player dating hot models was a good boost for his career, which was why some managers made sure to set their clients up with several. There had to be a careful balance, there couldn’t be talk of anything negative in the ‘relationships’, but a young man having all the fun the fans wished they could be having?
All good things.
So Braxton made sure he was seen with a few girls. Got drunk and let Hunt talk him into a threesome. His first time having sex. And it had been…
Weird. The girl was gorgeous. Sweet. The three of them had been talking and dancing all night before they went back to the hotel. But she didn’t make Braxton hard. Hunt did.
Not by touching him or anything. As far as he knew, Hunt was straight. But the sounds of pleasure Hunt made when the girl…Cindy, her name had been Cindy. When Cindy pulled out Hunt’s dick and started sliding her soft lips over it?
Yeah, that had been hot. Richards wished it had been his lips, but instead he’d fucked Cindy at Hunt’s urging. The slick pressure hadn’t done much for him at first. Hunt’s whispers though? Hell, he couldn’t get that out of his head for the longest time.
“Oh fuck, how does she feel, Richards?” Hunt let out a low moan that shot pleasure straight down the length of Braxton’s dick. “Tell me.”
Braxton eased back, then thrust in, loving the way Hunt panted as Cindy sucked him harder every time she was driven closer to the edge. All sloppy and out of control. Just like Braxton would be. “So fucking hot, Hunt. So wet. Does it feel good?”
Hunt groaned. “Yeah…don’t stop.”
He hadn’t stopped, but he didn’t come until Hunt did. Almost bit through his tongue to keep from screaming Hunt’s name.
And the next day Hunt had gone back to talking about his father’s advice and what his father thought of the queer players on the team. His tone was frustrated, but also…resigned. As though that’s just how it was. He’d mentioned that his father would ditch him if he wasn’t straight—he totally was. Very straight. He said it like a mantra. Like something he was afraid people wouldn’t believe.
And yet…Braxton believed him. He believed him because he couldn’t say the same, so he usually said nothing. Just nodded and hoped Hunt didn’t see right through him.
Which was one of the reasons he’d come here tonight. He couldn’t keep messing around with chicks because Hunt thought it was good for their image. Couldn’t keep thinking about how hot his best friend was. He’d eventually slip up and destroy their friendship.
No way would he do that just to get off. Still, he couldn’t pretend all the time. It was driving him out of his mind.
So he found a gay club after a lot of searches and lurking on forums. A club that was out of the way, in