“I dunno. I shouldn’t have done it. It was a stupid thing to do.”
“That’s really it? Judging from the intensity between the two of you, I’d say it was way more than that. Plus, I know that you and telling the truth aren’t even on speaking terms.”
Now it was Erik’s turn to show his amusement by snorting. He quit the moment Hardison glanced at him. Of course. He couldn’t know specifically what was going on, but he understood it wasn’t nothing. There were no coincidences. If Hardison saw it, could the rest of the team?
“Yeah,” I said, “that’s really it.”
Hardison sucked in his cheeks a little as if considering what I’d said. He knew I’d only said it because I wouldn’t tell him the truth.Couldn’ttell him, more like it. But what the hell was Isupposed to say? That Erik De Ruiter had the most perfect ass in this or any galaxy, and I only wanted to fuck it again?
Another kickass answer.
“We’ve had conversations like these before, one-on-one,” Hardison said. “You already know that there will be steep consequences for you if this behavior persists. And Erik, I now have to give you the same warning. I won’t have fighting on my team, period. From now on, it’s zero tolerance, and that goes for both of you. Is that understood?”
We both muttered yes. Well, Erik muttered yessir, because you can’t take the farm out of the boy. Also, he was the biggest suck-up I’d ever seen.
Hardison was one of those guys that can’t just make his point and then shut up. He had to slip in a few more jabs right when you thought it was over.
“I also want you both to understand that you’re not just on a hockey team but in college. You’re not in high school anymore. You’re expected to act like adults here. That means you’ve got to work out your differences. No one’s going to do it for you.”
Even the long-winded Hardison surprised me with that. Usually, this was the point at which the authority figure says, “Okay, men, shake hands and make up.” And you would go through the motions, but keep hating each other because that’s just how these things work.
“That’s what you two are going to do starting now,” he said. “And remember, if you want to keep a place on this team, you’ll want to get your issues sorted out really fast. Have a good day, gentlemen.”
He stood up and walked out the door, leaving us alone. Normally, that was a dangerous thing to do for other reasons. When we stood up and faced each other, I looked Erik in the eyes for the first time since the fight. I wanted to kiss him, wantedto feel his arms and back. I wanted to clutch his ass and feel his hard member pressed against me.
“What were you thinking out there?” he asked. “You could’ve gotten us both in a lot of trouble.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, De Ruiter. Ididget us in a lot of trouble.”
“Yeah, real nice answer.”
“Look, I know I got a little out of hand out there?—”
“A little out of hand? You were fucking brutal, Kayden. You trashed that same cheap shot when an opponent did it. How does this make you any better than Trevor?”
“Because I didn’t put you out of commission. You came back fired up and ready to go.”
“Who cares? It was still cheap.”
“I wasn’t trying to seriously hurt you.”
“Just rough me up a little?”
I shrugged and looked away from him. Yeah, it was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it. It was bullshit and no better than Trombley. I’d already admitted to Coach Hardison that I’d been stupid. Did I have to admit it to Erik too?
“I thought maybe things didn’t have to be so bad between us,” he said. “Like, I honestly thought maybe we?—”
“Have something?”
“Yeah.”
“De Ruiter, come on. You know as well as I do that the only thing we’ve ever had between us is a pair of throbbing cocks.”
He sputtered like he should’ve known I would find some way to turn a serious conversation dirty. That was what he got for taking the discussion in that direction.
“You’re wrong,” he said, shaking his head. “I know there’s something between us, something special. And I know you’re scared shitless.”
“Fuck off, De Ruiter. I’m warning you.”
