14. MILES

FOURTEEN

MILES

Bilson looks like he’s shitting bricks. I wait for him while he showers, watch him as he gets dressed, and note just how stiff he’s holding his shoulders the entire time. I’ve got Stone in one hand and Seddy in the other. Running my thumbs over their smooth surface always helps keep me grounded.

I’m trying not to think too deeply about why Lucia wants to see us because we haven’t done anything PR needs to worry about. Nothing. Not a thing.

My stomach knotting calls me a big fat liar.

We can’t even talk about it until we’re finally out of the locker room.

“Do you always dress as slow as a geriatric ninety-year-old?” I ask as soon as we step out into the hall, and I tuck Stone and Seddy into my pockets.

Bilson throws a look over his shoulder before leaning closer as we walk. “Shut up. We need to get our story straight.”

I snort. “Straight.”

“Miles.”

His serious tone makes me even more nervous, and it really drives home how much I hate hearing him sound like that. “Sorry. I’m stressed too.”

“You really seem it.”

“Fuck off.”

“Mature.”

“No, that’s you, remember?”

Bilson throws me a cutting glare. “Can’t help yourself, can you?”

“That is what got us into this mess.” It’s hard not to lash out and kick something, but it’s even harder to admit that I’m the drama. If it wasn’t for me suggesting Bilson and I even try to hook up with someone together, we wouldn’t be on the walk of doom.

“What are you talking about?”

The genuine confusion in his tone makes me glance up, because hello? Does he really not know what’s happening here? “Lucia. My future wife. There’s really only one thing the two of us would be in trouble for together—well, now that we’ve got the dog situation fixed—and that one thing was all my idea.” I blink and realize something. “As was the dog. And the barking.” A long sigh falls from my lips. “Maybe we need to go in there and tell her that you’re cutting me loose. That the CB and Rook days are over, our bromance has ended. Someone will write tragic poems about us one day.”

“Eww, I hope not. Yeah, they might have been your ideas, but I’m the one who went along with them like a dumbass.” Bilson holds up his fist between us, and the familiarity of the action sends something warm and light through the borderline panic. “Whatever happens, we’ve got each other’s backs.”

I tap his fist. “Right. Yes.”

“Besides, we haven’t actually done anything. Yeah, we might have hit up a few women for, uh, some fun, but so far as anyone knows, we didn’t go through with it.”

“What do you mean so far as anyone knows? We didn’t go through with it. Period.”

He brushes me off. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.” I drop my voice. “We had other fun instead.”

An aborted cough-type choke starts and cuts off in his chest. “And again. Shut up, Miles.”

“This whole first-name thing really isn’t working for me, Cody.”

“I’m stressed, and you’re not helping.”

Okay, that is something I feel legitimately bad about. We’re supposed to be friends, and if Lucia tears us a new one—hell, if the story gets out there about us—no matter what he says, I’m largely to blame. And that makes me want to kick myself because I’m protective of CB.

My nerves creep higher the closer we get to Lucia’s office. I swear they make it so far away from the locker room so that on the walk, we really get a chance to think back on what we’ve done. Because I think. A lot.

Even with Bilson in trouble though, I’m finding it hard to regret any part of what happened.

Maybe that makes me an asshole or a shitty friend, but I’ve jacked off to the memory of him behind me way too many times to count, and it’s embarrassing to admit my own damn teammate is the reason Cobra’s down for the count. Constantly.

I should probably ask the team to run some blood tests on me because I’m clearly unwell to be thinking about dick so. Fucking. Much.

That thought immediately evaporates when we reach Lucia’s door.

“You go first,” I say, because I’m a big, brave hockey player.

“She’s your future wife.”

“If you don’t marry her first.”

He smirks at me. “Didn’t realize that option was on the table.”

“Isn’t it always with you?”

But before Bilson can react, I knock and twist the handle, and before the door can open all the way, I duck behind Bilson’s large frame.

“Thanks for coming,” Lucia calls.

She sounds happy, but I crane my neck over Bilson’s shoulder to be sure. From what I can tell, she’s in her sitting area instead of at her desk, looking at papers, and doesn’t seem all that interested in us.

Which is an amazing sign.

When Lucia starts talking right away, she’s mad.

When she all but ignores you, she’s deep in her work, and you don’t happen to be her problem of the hour.

“Lucy!” I step out from behind Bilson and dial the charm up to a thousand.

“Nope.”

“But I’m so happy to see you.”

She still doesn’t look up from the paper she’s reading. I exchange a glance with Bilson, who shrugs.

“You wanted to see us?” he asks, like the professional he is.

And it makes me want to face-palm like the frat boy I am.

He broke the cardinal rule: never face the problem head-on. Butter up the problem and bring it breakfast in the morning.

“What Cody means is⁠—”

Lucia taps the chair across from her with her foot. “I’m almost done here.”

Almost done is good. I almost know why the hell I’m here and how much trouble I’m actually in. We both take the sleek, modern chairs, and when I look over at Bilson, he’s already looking my way.

He lifts his eyebrows, almost like he’s asking if I’m okay.

I upnod, and his expression turns dry.

And would you look at us? Communicating without words. If that’s what dude sex will do to a man, we need to organize a team-wide gang bang. Telepathy on the ice would make us unbeatable. The downside to that is I’d have to fuck Stoll and Finch, and while I’ll do almost anything for the W, I think I’ve found my line.

Interesting that I won’t have sex with them for hockey, but I’ll have sex with Bilson for something fun to do.

Ha! Yeah. Not touching that thought with a twenty-foot pole.

When Lucia looks up, she smiles, and while I wouldn’t put it past her to be into torture and punishment, I doubt she’d bring that into a professional setting. So smile equals good … right?

I try to be my charismatic self. “You’re looking fierce today.”

“Relax, the dog problem has gone away. You’re not in my bad books anymore. Unless there’s something you’re not telling me?”

Well, that’s a trap. I jump in before Bilson can go being all professional again. “Why, I never! We’re the goodest good boys on the team. Total angels. I am offended you’d assume otherwise.”

“Miles, you seduced Cody’s ex-wife to steal their family pet. Good boy is not something I’d ever say about you.”

Bilson did though.

So good, Miles. So, so good.

Lust shoots through me, and I almost goddamn whimper.

Argh. No. Not thinking about it. Still not thinking about it. If we want everything to be normal between us, the only way to do that is to choke my dick over it at night and turn it into a joke during the day. That’s how brogasms work, dammit.

“Didn’t mention you wouldn’t say it about me though, did you?” Bilson asks, crossing his beefy arms and throwing me a smug look.

“I’m not playing this game,” she fires back. It’s somehow the perfect mix of kind and direct that makes me want to send her heart hands. “As the new guys on the team, I wanted to organize a feature on how you’re settling in. Nashville have had a rocky few years, but while we might not have had the strongest start to the season, we’re still in a much better position than we’ve seen since we made it to the finals seven years ago. We’re seeing some good publicity, and I’d like to capitalize on it.”

“What does having new guys have to do with it?” Bilson asks.

“It’s a two-pronged attack. First, you’re obviously going to talk about how amazing and welcoming the team is⁠—”

Especially me, I think. Unfortunately, my short laugh isn’t as internal as my thoughts.

“You disagree?” Lucia asks.

“What? No.” I scramble around for something to cover that reaction when Seddy nudges my thigh. I quickly pull him out and rest him in my palm. “My boy said something funny.”

She opens her mouth, pauses, then shakes her head and turns to Bilson instead. “You will tell the reporter how much you love it here.”

“Got it.”

“And then you both need to play up your friendship.”

“We do?”

Her smile turns sweet, which sends the heebie-jeebies through me. Maybe not future wife material after all. “Everyone loves a good bromance. There have been a few over the years, and it really gets fans involved. You two are perfect contenders. First, you’re both idiots⁠—”

“Hey!” I protest.

“And if any other stunts like the dog thing get out, we can blame it on the bromance.”

“Sounds like a Harley Valentine song,” Bilson mutters.

Lucia ignores us both. “People will forgive you for anything if they’re invested enough. So that’s what we need to do. That pregame ritual of yours already has people talking. We want more things like that. Got it?”

While this does sound like an awesome idea for the team, I can’t help but worry about what would happen if the women we hit on saw the bromance story everywhere.

I bare my teeth and send a sorry look Bilson’s way, and then I raise my hand. “Ah … Luce?”

“Put your hand down. We’re not in class.”

“Right. Yes. Obviously.” I clear my throat. “I’m loving this idea. You’re so clever and pretty and smart.”

“Oh no.”

“But we should probably tell you …” I throw another look Bilson’s way and find his mouth hanging open. “We went out together the other night and hit up some women about a threesome, and now I’m super worried that one of them might come forward and say something and ruin this whole plan.”

I see the exact moment Lucia regrets all her life choices leading up to this moment. Instead of the reaming I expect, she only manages a long exhale, then jots down a note on her tablet. “You boys are not the first, nor will you be the last.” Then, like she can’t help herself, she pins me with a look. “Honestly, what is it with you jocky dude-bros that you all want to get naked with each other?”

I manage a small breath of relief, assuming this means we’re not in trouble. “Have you seen my abs? Bilson only has so much self-restraint.”

His slap to the back of my head is not completely unexpected.

“I forbid either of you from mentioning that detail in your interview.”

“My abs or the threesomes?”

“Dear God, get out.”

I jump from my seat like my ass is on fire, Bilson not far behind me. I’m preparing for him to get pissy with me or call me an idiot or tear me a new one for giving up our secret.

Instead, the second the doors are closed, he breaks down into laughter. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

I pluck the broship bracelet he’s still wearing. “What the hell is wrong with you? You’re in an official bromance with me now. You really should learn to pick your friends better.”

Bilson steps forward, right into my personal space, then slips his hand into my pocket. My breath catches in my chest as my entire body freezes up at the proximity, and my damn stupid cock gives a twitch in my pants.

He slides his hand out again and lifts Stone to our eye level. I finally remember how to breathe.

“What do you think?” he asks Stone. “Should I pick my friends better?” Bilson tilts his head like he’s listening, and I can’t help my smile. “Yeah, I agree.” Our eyes meet. “I’m pretty comfortable with my choices.”

That stupid, happy warmth fills my gut again as I take Stone back. “Better be careful, CB. You go around talking to rocks like that and people might think you’re weird.”