to hear, my boy.” Ryan brushed a hand over his hair, a tenderness in his eyes. “I can’t tell you exactly when I’ll call, but I have a general idea of when you’ll be available. If you try to call me and I don’t answer, I’m probably on duty.”
“I’m allowed to call you too?”
Ryan gave him a level look. “Within reason. And don’t call my sister if you don’t hear from me.”
“No, sir. I’ve learned my lesson.” Braxton went to the bedroom, feeling Ryan’s eyes on him as he got dressed. “If...if anything happens, someone will let me know though, right?”
For a long time it seemed like Ryan had no intention of answering. But then he put his hand on Braxton’s shoulder. Met his eyes when he turned. “Yes, Braxton. I won’t leave you wondering. I’m going to be telling Laura about you soon, and if not her, someone else will be in touch if there’s ever an emergency. I’d like you to make the same arrangements. Accidents happen on the ice and I don’t want to be left waiting to hear whatever the team decides to tell the press.”
That was more than fair. Braxton inhaled slowly, hoping neither of them would even need to get that call, but finding some comfort in the fact that what they had was special enough to make these kinds of plans. “I will, sir.”
The rest of the day seemed almost surreal with how normal it was, but it wasn’t until he’d said goodbye and was in the cab that it really hit him. Usually, road trips were exciting and he didn’t think too much about how long they’d last. Everything that really mattered in his life was around him, everything he’d worked so hard for, all his hopes and dreams were along for the ride. He’d never let himself want more.
He still had all he’d accomplished. Still had his goals and Ryan wouldn’t let him lose sight of them.
But now, on top of the excitement of the game…
Was something else. Something beyond the thrill of every win.
There was a reason to look forward to coming home.
Chapter 16
Ryan never denied being a workaholic. He loved investigating cases, often brought them home with him, and he put in as many extra hours as humanly possible. But...being with Braxton changed that. He found himself watching the clock, eager to get home even when his boy was on the road, because either he could watch him play, or see him on video. On his days off he checked flights, knowing a spontaneous trip wouldn’t be practical, but hell was he tempted.
Somehow, in the weeks apart, he and Braxton had grown closer. Not because of the phone sex—though that definitely spiced things up—but he’d never shared so much of his life, his thoughts and dreams and random observations, with anyone. Or been so interested in every single detail of someone else’s life. Hearing his phone buzz, seeing Braxton’s number, never failed to make him smile.
There was no mistaking it. He was falling hard and fast, but he didn’t bother putting his hands out to brace himself. He couldn’t stop it. And didn’t want to.
Not when he looked into Braxton’s eyes and knew he felt the same.
With so many away games, there wasn’t much time to spend together. When Braxton had returned this past weekend, their schedules clashed to the point that the only way they’d been able to see one another was for Ryan to swing by the forum between practice and that night’s game to take his boy out to lunch.
This week wasn’t looking to be much different, but Ryan would deal. So long as he got to hold Braxton, hear his laugh up close, taste the sweetness of his lips…
Yeah, he was getting sappy as fuck over a man who should have been all wrong for him.
And he couldn’t care less.
Tonight, stepping into his empty house had him thinking about the long summer ahead and an idea he’d been toying with. One so reckless he’d shelved it because he knew he needed to go back to his old ways, at least in part, and weigh the pros and cons.
He wanted Braxton here. In his bed whenever he could be. His clothes in Ryan’s closet, his favorite food in his cupboard, his stinky gym bag tossed in the garage until it could be decontaminated.
The problem was, it was too soon. Ryan’s life wasn’t safe. He was stuck in his ways and...all right, the last wasn’t true. He’d