Risking the Shot (Stick Side #4) - Amy Aislin Page 0,9

him of Dakota—with hints of fruits and honey.

Dakota made a sound in the back of his throat, an acknowledgment that sounded like a groan. The heat in Tay’s blood spread outward, flushing his cheeks, dotting his temple with sweat. Fuck, it suddenly got very, very warm in this coatroom. Warmer still when Dakota’s gaze dipped down to Tay’s mouth.

“See, Uncle Calder.” A child’s voice snapped them backward. Tay’s hand clenched on the glass, scotch splashing over the rim. “Told you Daddy’d be where’s quiet.”

“Uh-huh.” While Andy clambered onto the bench between them, Calder stood next to it, acute gaze going from Dakota to Tay and back, his lips pressed together, unsuccessfully hiding a grin.

“Hi, Mr. Cunningham, sir,” Andy said.

Tay rearranged his suit jacket, hiding his semi from the four-year-old. “What did I tell you earlier? It’s just Tay.”

Andy beamed, signed jersey clutched in both hands.

Clearing his throat into his fist, Dakota turned, setting both feet on the ground and leaning forward to hide his own semi. Tay rubbed a hand over his mouth to hide a smile.

“Did you get everyone?” Dakota asked Andy.

“Yup. ’Cept Chernyshevsky.”

Tay’s eyebrows flew up. “Wow. Even I can’t say his name without stuttering. He’s just Cherny to the rest of us.”

“Don’t be fooled,” Dakota said, arm going around Andy’s shoulders. “He can’t say umbrella.”

“I can! Ballela.”

“Nice.” Tay held his hand out for a fist bump. “Cherny couldn’t make it tonight.” To Dakota, he said, “Family thing. He’s away for the weekend. I can take that if you want, Andy. Have Cherny sign it. I’ll give it back to your dad this week.”

Score one for him for thinking up an excuse on the fly to see Dakota again.

Andy clutched the jersey to his chest. “But I wanna wear it to family skate tomorrow.”

“Ah. Of course. What was I thinking? Keep it then.” Tay tickled Andy’s chin, making him giggle and squirm. “I’ll take it from you after the skate and get it signed this week.” He looked to Dakota to make sure that was okay, only to find Dakota’s attention already lasered on him.

“Thank you.”

A different kind of warmth this time, nothing to do with attraction and everything to do with mushy feelings. “No sweat.”

Dakota stood and Tay followed suit, pleased, for some reason, that they were evenly matched in height. And if his gaze snuck down to check out the state of Dakota’s crotch again, well hey. He was a horny fucker.

“Let’s go home, Andy.” Dakota took a tiny suit jacket from Calder and held it open for Andy.

“Noooooo, Daddy.”

“Yes.” Gently firm, Dakota helped Andy into the jacket, then pulled a four-year-old sized winter coat off a hanger. “It’s time for bed. Your eyes are drooping.”

“No.” Andy forced his eyes comically wide. “I’m not tired.”

Chuckling, Dakota handed a peacoat to Calder. “Sure you’re not.”

“You.” From the entrance to the room, Xappa pointed a finger at Tay. “I knew you were hiding from me.”

Tay scowled. “I wasn’t hiding.” He definitely was, but that was need-to-know. And Xappa didn’t need to know. He moved out of the narrow room to give Dakota, Calder, and Andy room to get dressed, deliberately brushing his shoulder against Dakota’s.

Something else Dakota didn’t miss.

“It’s my fault,” Dakota interjected smoothly, zipping up Andy’s coat. His words stopped Xappa with his mouth half-open for a rebuttal. Stopped Tay too, right in the doorway. “We were talking business.”

“We were? We were.” Tay nodded—very convincingly—at Dakota’s side-eye.

Dakota pulled on a three-quarter-length, wool coat the same hue as his eyes, shrugging to settle it on his shoulders.

Tay swallowed hard. Fuck. He loved himself a well-dressed man.

“That’s right,” Dakota said, pulling a red scarf off the hanger and draping it around his neck. “Tay’s agreed to be our signatory for our next direct mail appeal.”

Say what now? What the hell was direct mail?

“Oh yeah?” Xappa leaned against the doorjamb. “That’s real nice of you, Tay. I did it last year.”

“Right. Nice. I’m a nice guy.”

Dakota coughed to cover a laugh. He was last out of the room, following Calder and Andy, passing close enough to Tay that he saw the small beauty mark near Dakota’s ear. Deliberately close.

Yeah, Tay didn’t miss things either. And he was half-convinced that the best feeling in the world was when attraction was returned.

“See you tomorrow,” Dakota said, voice pitched low enough to tingle in Tay’s balls. Jesus fuck and all that was holy.

“Bye, Tay,” Andy said.

“Bye, Andy.” Tay watched them go, wishing Dakota’s coat didn’t cover his ass. When he turned back, Xappa