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“I’m not leaving tonight until I’ve had every inch of you. I don’t care who calls you, who turns up at your front door. I don’t care if the place is burning to the ground. This isn’t done until neither of us can walk properly.”

His eyes widen at my words, but he doesn’t utter a single argument.

Satisfied that he’s got my point, I stretch up on my toes and plant a chaste kiss on his lips before stalking toward his stairs.

His attention burns into my back as I go, but I don’t turn to look.

Instead, I reach behind my head and pull my hoodie from my body, giving him a little tease of what he’s going to find when he joins me.

Excitement has completely overtaken my nerves now. I think the whiskey might have something to do with that.

What I said to Nash was true. Drinking makes me horny. But nothing right now makes me hornier than the man standing downstairs.

I fly up the stairs faster than I ever have in my life, and I crash into Nash’s bedroom with my pants around my ankles.

“Oh shit,” I cry as I trip over my own feet and crash onto his bed, laughing manically at myself.

A few seconds later, I have my sneakers off, my pants are kicked free, and then I shove my boxers down my legs. After throwing everything on the couch, I lie back in his bed and get comfortable in the middle, with my head resting on his pillows.

It doesn’t escape my attention that Nash has already been up here and got everything ready. There’s a whole length of condoms on the nightstand, along with a tube of what I suspect is the best lube I’ve ever used.

Reaching over, I grab the bottle and memorize the name. This shit was slippery as fuck. Annoying to get off after an almost epic fucking, but something tells me that I’ll feel completely different by the end of the night.

I place it back down and then do what I didn’t when I was here before: I take in Nash’s bedroom.

It’s mostly what I would expect of a single hockey player. Minimal and tidy, but there is one thing that steals all my attention. I have no idea how I missed it last time, but I did.

My eyes take in the huge piece of artwork that depicts a naked male and female. It’s so sensual, so erotic, and something tells me that if I were to get closer and look at the signature, it would say Cooper Nash.

He’s fucking unbelievable. It’s a travesty that the world doesn’t know who he really is.

Maybe, just maybe, one day that’ll change.

But for now, I’m content to enjoy this incredible man all for me.

24

COOPER

Idon’t usually drink much during the season.

I’m not a college kid anymore, and I can’t handle my alcohol like I once could. I’m also very aware of using it as a tool to lessen the pain of the bullshit I’m forced to listen to on almost a daily basis. It’s not as regular as it once was, now that I’m no longer the sole focus of my father’s attention. I both love and hate that, because when he’s not busting my balls about what he considers a subpar performance, I know it’s because he’s turning that criticism on my brothers.

Pain wraps around my chest as I reach for a photo of the three of us that sits in my living room.

Those two little boys are hands down the best thing in my life. I just wish I could be the big brother they really need.

As I pick the frame up, my grip on the second glass of whiskey in my hand tightens. It pains me to hide them away, but it’s for the best.

I might have let Garrett into my home, might have even allowed him to get to know a small, hidden part of who I am, but I’m not ready to open up any more than my body to him.

My brothers are too precious. The less anyone knows about them, the better.

I want them as protected as possible from all the media bullshit.

Huxley would most likely embrace it. But Ryker? He doesn’t need any more pressure or stress on his shoulders.

There is going to come a day where they’re not going to be able to hide. They’re Wayne Nash’s sons, Garreth Nash’s nephews, and they’re my little brothers. They come from NHL royalty. Say what you like about our father; he was an outstanding player in his day. But good stats don’t mean that he’s a good person.