Cassius, being the asshole friend he was, licked my palm. It did the trick, and I tore my hand away. He laughed loudly, and despite him being a fucker, I laughed with him.
“You two children want to keep it down?” Ollie turned around and peered at us from the seat in front. “You know everyone can hear you, right?”
I winced. Even though this was my and Cassius’s usual back and forth ripping the shit out of each other and mercilessly teasing, not everyone in the team, and definitely not the cabin crew, needed to hear our business.
Clearing my throat, I bobbed my head at Ollie. He rolled his eyes and turned, but not before offering us a quick smirk. Our captain deserved hazard pay. He also had the patience of a kindergarten teacher.
“But seriously,” Cassius said, leaning in, his voice much quieter, “is Eddie meeting you at the airport?”
“Nope. When has he ever met me at the airport when I have a game?” Sure, during the off-season when we’d visited each other in the past, we’d always collected each other, but not when he was taking in a game.
Cassius bobbed his head. “You going official anytime soon?”
I twisted my mouth and studied him, looking to see if he was going to follow up with a joke. When all I read was genuine curiosity, I still hesitated.
Cassius sighed. “Nothing to do with the bet, and you know I can keep my mouth shut.” He shrugged, the move a little too casual that I frowned and studied him a little harder. “I just know keeping something completely to yourself can be a lot sometimes. It can also feel like shit and get to you.”
A level of seriousness that was as unusual as real downtime in the season passed between us. “Sounds like you’re talking from experience.”
Our gazes connected briefly before he shrugged and glanced away.
“You know I can keep my mouth shut too, right?”
“Not if Eddie’s cock is near, I bet,” he fired back. And the moment was officially gone.
I snorted, not even bothering to argue with him. When his focus returned to me, he smiled, but his usual cockiness appeared dimmer. My amusement dropped. “I am serious, though.”
When he bobbed his head but didn’t answer, I felt right to give him something. This trust thing went both ways. “After the playoffs and after we’ve discussed things with Lottie.” Saying the plan aloud made it a little more real. Hell, that could be in two days if we lost our final game. If not, just under three more weeks to go and we could finally be open and move forward. The knowledge shot a flood of warmth into my chest.
I liked the idea a helluva lot.
“Must feel good.”
“Yeah, it does.”
“I’m happy for you, man. I know I give you hell, but Eddie’s a good guy.”
Happiness had me beaming. “Thanks, Cass. He really is.”
“And if you ever want a third—”
He burst into laughter when I shoved him hard, my own smile not disappearing. “Fuck off, asshole.”
Not long after Cassius returned to his usual self, we prepared for landing. As always, we’d be piling onto a bus and transported to a hotel near the Jetts arena. We wouldn’t have time to kick back, though, as Coach had organized us court time later this afternoon. Knowing Eddie would be meeting me at the hotel meant I could deal with the hard practice in preparation of Thursday’s game with a smile on my face.
* * *
The soundof my room door opening brought a beaming smile to my face. Immediately I stood, eyes on the man I hadn’t seen for six days—not that long in the scale of things, but it was still six days too many for my liking.
“Hey.” He closed the hotel room door behind him and dropped the key card I’d left for him at reception on the small unit near the door.
With a handful of steps, I was in his space. “God, it’s good to see you,” I greeted before I pressed my mouth to his and held him tight. We both moaned on contact, my breath hitching at how amazing it felt being connected to Eddie like this again.
The five long years we’d known each other, many with me actively craving and pining for the man, made moments like these worth the wait.
“Your flight okay?” he asked when he eased away.
“Yeah, all good.” I reluctantly released him, and we headed further into the room. “Your day been okay? Get what you needed done?”
