Risking the Shot (Stick Side #4) - Amy Aislin Page 0,103

the left. On the other side of the cake: Happy Birthday Daddy/Kota.

His heart stretched and stretched, weightless and euphoric.

“Do you like it, Daddy?”

Fighting the lump in his throat the size of the cake, he picked up Andy and hugged him close. “I love it.” He caught sight of Tay out of the corner of his eye, hovering near the counter uncertainly. Reaching out, Dakota grabbed him by the front of his T-shirt and hauled him closer.

“I know it doesn’t look like yours,” Tay said, arm coming around Dakota’s back, “but—”

“No.” Dakota kissed his temple, then Andy’s. “It’s amazing. It’s perfect because it’s from the both of you. Thank you.”

Andy patted his cheek. “Happy birthday, Daddy.”

Tay tucked his face into Dakota’s neck. “Happy birthday, Kota.”

“And my birthday gift to you,” said Calder from behind them, “is taking Andy home with me for a sleepover tonight.”

“Woohoo!” Andy wiggled down and ran out of the kitchen. “Imma get my backpack.” Feet thumped up the stairs.

“Don’t run on the stairs!” Dakota called after him. Of course, Andy ignored him.

Calder followed him out. “We’re not leaving for a few hours.”

Dakota watched them go, anticipating a child-free night with Tay. Already his fingers itched to run over Tay’s sweat-slicked bare skin, to card through his hair, to make him beg and plead and cry out.

Looking at his mess, Tay groaned. “I promise I’ll clean this up.”

Dakota kissed him. And then he kissed him some more. Tay’s startled laugh turned into a muted moan, his mouth opening for Dakota’s tongue. Pressing into Tay’s lower back, Dakota nudged him that much closer, fitting a thigh between his. He was warm and solid and real in Dakota’s arms, and although Dakota had given him his heart already, now Tay owned it, for better or worse.

Pulling back with a smile, he said, “I think I’ll keep you.”

Tay scowled. “You’re just figuring that out?”

God. Had anyone ever made him laugh like Tay did?

He kissed Tay’s neck. “Thank you for the cake. I really do love it.”

“I don’t know if it’ll be any good.” Lips pursed, Tay turned his frown on the cake. “The recipe is Calder’s, but I think we did something wrong ’cause it turned out really grainy once we baked it. And the icing’s from a can. We just added food coloring. Also, the hearts aren’t even.” He said this last point with a grumble like he had a personal grudge against fondant. It reminded Dakota of their time in the coatroom at the Foundation’s celebration party weeks back, when Tay had poked at the fondant on his plate.

That was the first time Dakota had connected with someone in years. The first time he’d considered throwing his insecurities and reservations about dating again out the window.

Fuck, he was so deliriously happy that he’d done so. Now that Tay was in his life, he couldn’t imagine it without him. Without his bouncing energy and wide smiles and quiet determination. Without his willingness to make puzzles with Andy. Without his ability to make him laugh at the most random things.

“It’s perfect,” Dakota said. And because he couldn’t not, he kissed Tay again.

Tay made a sound deep in his throat before inching back, a teasing uptick playing on his mouth. “Wait until you see what’s in the gift bag. I got you the good stuff.”

“That so?”

“Uh-huh.” Against Dakota’s lips, Tay said, “And I plan on tasting it off you later.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Tay’s grin settled something into place in Dakota’s heart before he kissed him again.

JULY—THREE MONTHS LATER

In true Tay fashion, after a conversation with his agent and team management, he publicly came out in such a way that had nothing to do with him.

My boyfriend’s bakery in The Junction is coming along! he’d written on Instagram in mid-July with a picture of Dakota painting the walls of his bakery a rich cream after he and Calder had removed the wallpaper. Grand opening coming early September. In the meantime, you can still request custom orders from Once Upon a Time Cakes. Link in my bio.

That same day, a local LGBTQ sports blog released Tay’s coming out article that he’d interviewed for last month.

Afterward, Tay had turned off the notifications on his phone for three days, letting his agent forward him the important stuff, like supportive messages from his teammates and sponsors. Dakota had kept an eye on everything else. The homophobic or negative comments on Tay’s Instagram he flagged for Mason to delete. Dakota had asked Tay for access