His brows rose. “What is it?”
I exhaled unsteadily, focusing on the warm pressure of Cody’s palm on my thigh as I steeled myself for what I was about to say. “I’m bi. Uh, bisexual. I need you to mention that to Glevum and make sure they’re still interested in moving forward with the contract.”
There was a long silence, during which I could feel Cody’s shocked gaze on me. That made two of us. I hadn’t even known what I was going to say until that moment.
“Okay,” Rory said eventually. “Is there anything specific that’s happened that I need to be aware of?”
Nothing, except I think I might be falling for a professional hockey player, who happens to be a man and isn’t out himself.
“Uh, not really. I’ve been doing some thinking while I’m here. Finding myself or whatever. Y’know. I don’t wanna sign a contract with a club that might have issues with my sexuality down the line.”
Rory nodded briskly. “Say no more. I understand. Though I’m not sure you’d have any issues with Glevum. They’ve got Jordan Emery and Theo Lewin, after all.”
“Yeah, I know.” How could I forget the cruel way their relationship had been exposed, and the media shitstorm that followed? “It’s just… Do you think having two out players already might make them think twice about taking on another? It’s gonna add to the pressure they’re already under.”
“Let me speak to them, but I can’t see it being an issue.” Rory’s voice was reassuring, and some of the tension drained out of me. “Harvey’s been vocal about creating an inclusive environment.”
Harvey Raines. Glevum FC’s manager. If he was on board, then maybe it would be okay. Maybe I could really have this.
My gaze slid to the man sitting next to me. His lips kicked up at the corners in a tiny, encouraging smile, and my stomach lurched. Fuck. I was about to achieve my professional dreams, but at the same time, I was going to lose something that had become more important to me than anything I could have ever imagined.
I cleared my throat, giving my agent a brief nod of acknowledgement. “Okay. I haven’t decided whether I want tocome out publicly yet, but I want the team to know, at the very least. I don’t want to start a new chapter of my career hiding who I am.”
Rory nodded. “Leave it with me. It’s better to have everything out in the open from the start.”
“Thanks, Rory.”
When the call ended, I threw my phone onto the cushion next to me and turned to face Cody, finding him sitting upright, an unreadable expression on his face.
“So.” He exhaled, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides. “You’re bi.”
Was this a surprise to him? His dick had been inside me, after all. “Yeah, obviously,” I muttered, but he was continuing to speak, and I slammed my mouth shut.
“That’s a big thing to tell your agent. And the club that wants to sign you.”
I shrugged, trying to appear more casual than I felt. “If they have a problem with it, then it’s not the right place for me.”
Tilting his head back against the sofa, he rubbed his hand across his mouth. “Fuck. I wish— Never mind.”
“No, what?” I leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Tell me.”
“I wish I was more like you. You’re so fucking brave, Jude. Just coming right out and telling your agent. And, I dunno, you’re just so confident in knowing what you want and going for it. So…likeable. Not like me.”
Fucking hell. My chest hurt.
“Cody.” I gripped his jaw firmly, pulling him up to face me. “Listen to me, okay? You’re confident. I’ve seen you on the ice. You don’t let anyone or anything stop you when you put your mind to it.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I clamped my free hand over it, ignoring his warning glare. “And you’relikeable. Fucking hell, Marcus and his dad practically worship the ground you walk on. Or the ice you skate on, I guess.”
Curling his fingers around mine, he removed my hand from around his mouth. “That’s different.”
“It’s not. And don’t forget,Ilike you. A lot more than I probably should, given this whole situation.” I didn’t have to spell it out—we both knew we were on borrowed time. “You protect your privacy, and yeah, that means keeping people at a distance. But that’s okay, Cody. You don’t have to let everyone in. Just the people who care about you. Like me. I’ve seen past your exterior, and do you know what? I really fucking like what I’ve found.”
“Jude,” he rasped, tugging me into him and sliding his mouth across mine. When we broke apart, he blinked rapidly, rubbing at his eyes. My chest ached so much, and I wished more than anything that he could just see himself through my eyes, to know how special he was.
In an effort to lighten the mood, I nipped at his jaw, smiling at his warning growl. Grumpy fucker.
Mygrumpy fucker.
“Speaking of being bi. Remember the day we first met, and you got all growly when I asked you about gay bars and said you weren’t gay?”
