24. Bennett

Bennett

The aroma of freshly made guacamole and the sound of ice clinking in glasses filled the air as Xander and I hurried to set out snacks and drinks for our guests. I felt a flutter of excitement in my chest, mixed with a slight edge of anxiety. Hosting gatherings wasn"t something I"d done before meeting Xander, but somehow he'd managed to bring out a more sociable side of me.

I was back in LA after my successful two-game stint with Pasadena, and the team had emerged victorious on both occasions. Even better, the Grizzlies had been on an eight-game win streak and were on our much-anticipated holiday break. To say we'd been killing it on the ice was an understatement, and I was man enough to admit that my boyfriend outshone us all. Speaking of my boyfriend, he and I were heading to my folks' place in Maple Valley the next day, Christmas Eve.

"Think we have enough chips?" Xander asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he glanced at me.

"Only if Jester doesn"t devour them all within the first five minutes."

Just then, the doorbell rang, and we shared a quick, anticipatory look before rushing to open the door. As our teammates and friends filed in, Xander and I greeted them with broad smiles. He was such a people person. So at ease with himself and others. I didn't know what he saw in a crotchety old man like me. But I was glad he decided to keep me, love me, you know? He could have had his pick of anyone he wanted, but he wanted me. Sometimes I couldn't believe how lucky I was that a great person like him wanted and loved me despite me not being the most lovable person.

"Hey, Ry! Xander! Nice place you got here," Jester called out, immediately making a beeline for the snack table and jolting me out of my musings.

"Thanks, man." I tried to suppress a chuckle as he started loading up a plate with chips and dip.

As everyone settled into the living room, lively conversations sprang up, filling the space with laughter. Xander and I circulated among our friends, ensuring everyone felt comfortable and included.

The look on my teammates' faces about a week ago when Xander and I invited them had been priceless. In all the years I'd been on the team, I'd never done something like this before. When Xander brought it up, I wasn't feeling it, but he convinced me by giving me the blowjob of my life… and so here we were.

"Still buzzing from last night"s game, huh?" Tank"s biceps bulged as he mimicked a particularly impressive check he"d delivered.

"That game was legendary!" Maestro shot back, a grin spreading across his face.

Xander, Jester and I exchanged amused glances.

We relived the glorious 5-1 victory of the previous night, getting into a lively discussion about the twists and turns of the game – from Jester"s jaw-dropping slapshot that had whistled past the opposing goalie like a bullet, to Xander"s two-minute penalty for high-sticking that had us all biting our nails down to the quick.

The banter flowed as easily as a well-executed power play. We ribbed each other about missed opportunities and celebrated clever moves with hearty laughter and playful jabs.

"Let"s hope we can keep that momentum going," Coach Mack added, his imposing figure commanding attention even in such a casual setting.

Xander slipped an arm around my waist. I smiled at the intimacy of the gesture.

"Definitely, Coach," I agreed.

As the evening went on, I felt more and more at ease in this new role as host, thanks in no small part to my boyfriend being by my side. My heart swelled with gratitude for the way he"d helped me open up and connect with our teammates on a deeper level. I glanced around the room with a feeling of satisfaction. I knew without a doubt that I wouldn"t trade these moments for anything.

"Hey, why don"t we break out some games?" Xander suggested. "We"ve got a pretty great collection."

"Sounds fun." Jester rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Alright." I grinned at the thought of teaming up with Xander against our friends. "Let"s form teams. Xander and I will partner up and take you all on."

"Ooh, a challenge." Tank laughed, flexing his muscular arms playfully. "You"re on!"

We agreed on Pictionary and we all paired up – Tank and Jester, Maestro and Coach Mack, and my boyfriend and me, of course. They insisted that since we were the hosts of that day"s gathering, Xander and I should go first. Our other guests decided to play card games.

Xander"s face was a mask of concentration as he pulled out a card from the deck. He glanced at it briefly, his eyebrows knitting together before he picked up the marker with an air of determination that would have been better suited for a battlefield than a game of Pictionary.

His hand flitted about, leaving behind scribbles that looked more like hieroglyphics than anything recognizable to modern humans.

"Is it… a tree?" I ventured tentatively, squinting at the bizarre collection of lines.

"Nope," Xander replied without missing a beat, adding another squiggle to his "masterpiece."

"A dinosaur?" Maestro guessed from the sidelines, earning himself a mock glare from Coach, who reminded him it wasn"t their turn yet.

"Wait! Is it… a spaghetti monster playing golf?" Jester chimed in with an absurd guess that sent us all into fits of laughter.

Xander just shook his head in mock exasperation while I wiped tears from my eyes. "Baby," he pleaded dramatically. "Please tell me you see it."

I stared hard at his drawing once more, but all I saw was chaos on canvas. "A rocket launching?"

"Come on, X-Man, is that supposed to be a dog or a mop or a dog on a mop?" Trust Jester to say something silly, but maybe he was onto something.

Amidst the laughter, I realized how much I loved being Xander"s teammate off the ice. Our connection went beyond the physical; it was a partnership built on trust, understanding, and mutual support. And when it was just us against the others, I was invincible. Although at this moment, I couldn't for the life of me figure out what on earth my sunshine had drawn.

"What is it?" Maestro groaned, staring at Xander's stick figure drawing.

"Seriously?" Xander laughed, shaking his head. "It"s a scuba diver."

"Obviously," I teased, rolling my eyes playfully.

"Alright, you two," Coach interjected, grinning broadly. "It's Jester and Tank's turn."

With each round, our competitive spirits and determination to win grew, but Maestro and Coach emerged the winners. "Congratulations," I called out, clapping them on their backs.

Xander and I sucked at Pictionary, but I didn't care. Looking around the room at our friends – our found family – I knew we"d already won something far more precious than a board game.

"Guys, let"s take a break and refuel," Xander suggested, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Good idea. I"ll grab some more snacks and drinks."

Xander trailed behind me as I made my way into the kitchen.

Our hands moved simultaneously towards the same bag of pretzels, brushing against each other. That simple contact sent an unexpected surge through me. My body was a live wire whenever I thought about my boyfriend, and even more so when we were in the same room.

Without warning, Xander"s arm snaked around my waist, pulling me closer. His lips crashed onto mine in a passionate kiss. It was raw and intense.

His breath was hot against my ear as he whispered words laced with desire, "I"ve been wanting to do this for hours." The husky timbre of his voice made me even more aroused.

The moment was shattered by Jester"s voice from the doorway. "Hey, you two! Get a room!" he bellowed out with laughter. A chorus of light-hearted teasing followed from our friends.

"I swear, it"s like we"re magnets for interruptions." I grumbled, rolling my eyes as I pulled away from Xander"s embrace. "Can"t a guy get a moment of peace around here?"

"Alright, alright," Xander grinned, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Let"s get back to the games."

We played different genres of music. Sometimes the room was filled with the rhythmic pulsing of EDM beats, at other times the raw energy of rock music, or the infectious rhymes of hip-hop and rap tracks. As the night unfolded, I found myself engrossed in a heated match against Tank in my favorite video game.

"Hey Ry, try this," Xander called over the noise, holding out a steaming mug. Earlier in the evening, we'd set up a DIY hot chocolate bar. It was a hit; guests eagerly huddled around it, crafting their own cozy concoctions.

I moved away from the gaming console to join him. The table was laden with different types of hot chocolate – dark, milk, white – each one promising its own unique blend of warmth and sweetness. We also had a variety of toppings: fluffy marshmallows waiting to melt into gooey goodness, whipped cream ready to add that perfect dollop on top, chocolate chips for an extra cocoa kick and colorful sprinkles for those who wanted a touch of whimsy.

I took a tentative sip of the hot chocolate my boyfriend had prepared for me. "Ahhh, baby." I swooped in and stole a kiss. "It's delish."

Xander's cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "Glad you like it."

"I do," I said before taking another sip.

"And don"t forget these, guys." Xander motioned towards bottles filled with peppermint and caramel syrup.

The room quieted as we took our time, savoring our drinks. For once Jester was doing something constructive with his mouth instead of yapping.

"How about some live music to wind down?" Maestro grabbed his guitar he'd put in the corner of the room when he arrived.

"Sounds great." Xander settled into the couch next to me, our fingers interlocking as we watched our talented friend take center stage.

Maestro strummed the first chords of a familiar tune, his voice rich and soulful as it filled the room. I could see the way his passion for music captivated our friends, their smiles and nods of appreciation only encouraging him further.

Maestro sang, and Coach"s eyes were on him. It was a look I recognized all too well – admiration – but there was something else, some other emotion I couldn't quite pinpoint.

When Maestro finished the song, the room erupted in applause. He looked up, his eyes meeting Coach"s for just a moment before quickly looking away, his face flushed pink.

"Bravo!" Jester hollered, clapping enthusiastically. The rest of us joined in, praising his performance and requesting more songs.

As the night wore on, friends began to say their goodbyes, leaving Xander and me at the doorstep, waving them off.

"Tonight was amazing," Xander murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "Thanks for opening up your home like this."

"Thank you for making it feel like a home," I replied, my heart swelling with gratitude and love.

We shared a tender moment, breathing in the same air, our foreheads touching.

All too soon we had to close the door and turn to clean up. I couldn"t help but smile. I was already looking forward to the next time we hung out with our friends. Is this even me? Maybe an alien has taken control of my body.

At the end of the day it didn't matter anyway. The connection, the warmth, the sheer joy of being with my sunshine – that was what truly counted in my life.