Kip relaxed against the pillows, pleased with his successful exhibitionism experiment.
Scott came out of the bathroom with a damp cloth. He sat on the bed next to Kip and wiped him clean with gentle strokes. It felt heavenly.
So heavenly that it took Kip awhile before he realized that Scott had left water running in the bathroom.
“What you got planned?” Kip asked.
“Thought we might take a bath...”
Kip liked that idea a whole lot. “You’re pampering me.”
“Do you mind?”
“Not really.” Kip pulled him down by his unbuttoned shirt and kissed him. “You have a lot of clothes on for a bath.”
Scott sprang off the bed onto his feet and quickly removed his shirt. He was down to his royal blue briefs in seconds. Kip didn’t think he would ever get tired of Scott’s incredible chest and abs.
Unlike the other parts of Scott’s home, the bathroom had no windows. The room was far from claustrophobic, though. The lighting and the decor created a soothing atmosphere, a private sanctuary in a noisy city of millions.
The bathtub was in the middle of the room, and it was huge. Steam billowed from the water that was filling it. The room smelled amazing too—spicy and citrusy.
“I usually just use Epsom salt,” Scott said, “but I thought maybe I’d use this fancy bath stuff I bought.” He gestured to a slim, expensive-looking bottle that sat on the counter.
“You really are pampering me.” Kip smiled. He wrapped an arm around Scott’s neck and hauled him down for a kiss.
Scott got into the bath first, and Kip settled himself between his legs. Kip had tried, once, to take a bath with another guy, but the tub had been way too small for the two of them. The faucet had dug into his back, and he’d had nowhere to put his legs.
This was not a problem in Scott’s tub, where the tap was on the side and there was enough room for both men to splay their legs out.
Kip tipped his head back so it rested on Scott’s shoulder. Scott wrapped an arm diagonally across his chest, and kissed the top of his head.
“This is nice,” Kip murmured. He could actually fall asleep in here.
“It’s perfect.”
They were quiet for a while, and then Scott said, “When I first looked at this place, and I saw this tub, I thought, ‘It’s big enough for two.’ And I know it’s dumb, but I always wanted... I imagined sharing it with someone.”
Kip tangled their fingers together under the water.
“Not just the bathtub,” Scott said. “All of it. This apartment. My life. I don’t know...”
Kip was stunned. His life?
“Sorry,” Scott said, “I know we’ve only been... I mean, I shouldn’t be suggesting—”
“I don’t know how I got to be so lucky,” Kip interrupted, “but being able to share anything with you makes me really happy.”
He pulled their joined hands up and rested them over his heart. Scott brushed his lips against his temple, and nipped the top of his ear. “I would share anything with you, Kip. Give you anything.”
“Don’t need anything. Except maybe to stay in this bath forever.”
Scott chuckled against Kip’s hair. “Do you want to come to the game tomorrow night?”
“I can’t. I’m working an event. Serving.”
“Oh.”
“See? We both have full, busy lives.” Kip laughed at his own joke. Scott was quiet.
“I hope you don’t think...” he started. Kip could feel him tensing up. “I don’t think you’re beneath me.”
“Technically you’re beneath me at the moment.”
“I’m serious. I just—I want to say this once, so you know. Because it’s possible that you think that I’m just...taking a vacation, or whatever, with you. Like I’m trying to escape my high-profile life by hooking up with a, um...”
“Nobody?”
“No! I mean...you’re not. That’s what I’m trying to say—terribly. You’re not some nobody. I’m not using you to escape anything. I love my life. I love my job. The fame part is a little much sometimes, but I don’t mind it. I’m happy, is what I’m saying. But this? You? I feel like...like I found the missing piece.”
Kip didn’t know what to say to that.
“Geez,” Scott said, “that’s not—Sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“No! It’s just... Really? You feel that way?”
“I do.”
Kip turned around to face Scott, water sloshing loudly around them. “You don’t owe me anything, okay? I don’t expect anything. But I like you a whole fucking lot, so thank you.”
“Thank you,” Scott said, “for coming over. This is all new for me, and I’m trying really hard to take this slow and not get too intense, but I’m kinda used to charging ahead and going after what I want.”
Kip grinned. “Works for me.”
They kissed, and Scott ran his hands down Kip’s sides. “You called me sweetheart,” he said, his voice soft and dopey.
“Did I?”
“Yeah...when you were—”
“Aw, I say lots of dumb things when I’m that far gone. Sorry.”
“No, I liked it.”
Kip smiled at him. “Well, all right, sweetheart,” he said, and then kissed him again.
He ended up moving to the opposite end of the tub so he could talk to Scott more easily.
“I saw the goal you scored for me,” he said.
Scott grimaced. “I was hoping you hadn’t watched those games.”
“I watched both of them. They seemed...frustrating.”
“That’s one word for it,” Scott grumbled.
“You want to talk about it?”
“No.” Then, “It’s just...” And he proceeded to rant about Frank Zullo for several minutes. Kip listened and absently stroked his fingertips along Scott’s shin.
“Geez,” he said when Scott was done.
“Sorry,” Scott said. “I’m kinda ruining the mood here.”
“Don’t apologize. If something is bothering you, I want to hear about it.”
Scott raised an eyebrow. “Even if we’re in a bathtub together on Valentine’s Day?”
“Definitely.” It was true. Kip had hooked up with lots of guys, but he hadn’t made a real connection like this before. It was frankly pretty sexy that Scott wanted to share his problems with him.
“So...” Kip said, “what did Rozanov say that made you punch him like that?”
Scott laughed, a little darkly. “Oh. Nothing really. I was taking out my frustrations on his face. He just yapped some dumb shit at me. Normal stuff.”
“You’re not gonna tell me?”
Scott sighed. “He told me he was disappointed because he’d heard I was, quote, ‘good at hockey again.’”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, well. He didn’t deserve a sucker punch like that.”
They stayed in the tub until the water got cool, talking about different things and learning about each other.
“If it wasn’t for hockey, what do you think you would have wanted to do with your life?”
Scott blew out a breath. “I can’t even imagine my life without hockey. But I guess maybe something like social work?”
“You like helping people.”
“I do. I’ve been lucky in a lot of ways. Maybe unlucky in others, but there are plenty of people who could have their whole lives changed with just a little help and support. I think I would have liked to have done something like that.”
“You do do that,” Kip pointed out. “You help people all the time. You give money to charity. You visit hospitals. You help your teammates.” He smiled. “I’ve read all about your good deeds, Scott Hunter.”
Scott shrugged. “My mom and I never had much when I was growing up, but she always did what she could to help people. She got the grocery store she worked in to start a holiday toy drive. And she was always giving her time, what little of it there was, to helping anyone who was having a hard time. She was really inspiring.”
“She sounds amazing.”
“She was. And she always made sure I could play hockey, even though it’s a sport that demands a lot of money and time. I owe her everything. And I know she’d be proud of me, but I think I could do more.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. I’d like to maybe start a charity. I’ve been thinking about that. I wish...”
“What?”
Scott sighed. “Someday, maybe, I’d like to help gay kids. Or, um, you know, kids who aren’t...heterosexual?”
“Queer kids,” Kip said. “You can say that. It’s fine.”
“Oh. Yeah, well. I’m not really too knowledgeable about the whole...queer community thing.”
“I’ve noticed. You want to be?”
“I would. Someday I would like to do something to help...queer kids...who play team sports? It’s tough for them, you know?”
“I can imagine. I think that would be an awesome thing for you to do.”
“Someday.”
“Yeah. Someday.”
“Let’s get out of here,” Scott said abruptly. He stood and the water ran off his huge, solid body.
Kip was definitely ready for whatever was next.
He dried himself with one of Scott’s luxurious, fluffy towels and followed him back to the bedroom.
Scott opened the nightstand drawer and pulled something out. “Lie down,” he instructed. “On your stomach. Get comfortable.”
Kip did as he was told. He trusted Scott.
The bed sank as Scott joined him on it and straddled his lower back, his own strong thighs gripping Kip’s hips.
Kip heard a cap being opened, and he smelled something sweet and fruity. Then Scott’s hands were on him, rubbing oil into his damp, clean skin.
“Blueberry massage oil,” Scott said. “Couldn’t resist.”
“I did.”
“Does it taste like blueberries or just smell like them?”
Scott’s tongue ran up his spine, hot and slick. “Tastes like ’em,” he confirmed.
Kip laughed, and then moaned when Scott’s big, strong hands dug deep into his muscles around his shoulder blades. “Oh my god. That feels incredible.”
“Just getting started,” Scott said. “I want you to relax and let me make you feel good.”
Kip didn’t protest. Scott worked in silence for a while, kneading Kip’s muscles while Kip sighed happily and tried not to feel too bad about all the hard work Scott was doing.
“How are you feeling?” Scott asked after a bit.
“A little guilty, to be honest.”
“Don’t. I love doing this. I love touching you, looking at you. I’ve denied myself anything like this for so long... Don’t feel guilty.”
“Okay,” Kip said. God, that’s so sad.
“You’re so beautiful, Kip. I’ve never...”
Kip waited.
“I’ve never wanted anyone like this before. I’ve had, I don’t know, crushes. I’ve been attracted to men, of course. Hooked up with men. But you... I’m breaking all my rules with you.”
Kip swallowed and tried to fight off the surge of emotion that coursed through him.
“What can I say?” he said, trying to remain playful, though his voice was cracking. “I’m irresistible.”
“You are,” Scott said in a low voice. He slid down to straddle Kip’s thighs. His hands began to knead Kip’s lower back and then his ass.
“Mm... Might need to focus on that area,” Kip slurred. “Lotta tension there.”
“It has my undivided attention.” Scott dug his fingers deep into Kip’s cheeks, and Kip let himself drift away.
Scott rubbed him down for a long time, until Kip’s whole body felt like jelly. He was mostly silent, aside from a few hushed, reverent words:
“Unreal, Kip.”
“Gorgeous.”
“Perfect.”
Kip was nearly nodding off when Scott ran the side of his hand down his crack, slow and firm. He followed it up by making a fist and running his knuckles down the same path. He repeated it over and over, one fist, then the other, dragging knuckles over the sensitive flesh around his hole.
“That feel good?”
“Yes! Holy... Amazing.”
“Good. I want to fuck you. Do you want that?”
“Yeah. Yes. God, yes.”
“Roll over,” Scott instructed gently. “I miss you.”
Kip smiled to himself and flopped over, relaxed and completely ready to let Scott do whatever he wanted with him. Scott knelt on the bed, inching up Kip’s body to straddle his waist again. Scott’s cock was half hard, hanging heavy between his legs. He leaned down and kissed Kip, who wrapped a hand around Scott’s cock, stroking it as they kissed and feeling it grow harder in his hand.
Then he placed both hands on Scott’s ass and guided him forward until his thighs were stretched wide around Kip’s chest. He tilted his head up and took Scott’s cock into his mouth.
He kept his eyes up so he could see Scott looming over him, one hand gripping the headboard. Scott was gazing down at him and murmuring praise in a low, gentle voice. “Yeah. Just like that. Fuck, you’re gorgeous. Look at you. So good to me.”
Kip closed his eyes and sighed around Scott’s dick. It was so big and so hard now. He dug his hands into Scott’s ass to push it deeper into his mouth.
“Holy... Wow. God, I want to let you keep going, but...” Scott slowly pulled out. He rested the tip on Kip’s lips for a moment, considering, before he slid back down Kip’s body. He nudged Kip’s legs so he’d bend his knees, then he got up and grabbed the lube and a condom.
Kip was already relaxed from the massage, so it didn’t take long at all for Scott to open him up with his strong, careful fingers.
Scott grabbed both of Kip’s thighs and hauled him down to the end of the bed. He didn’t even have time to react beyond wide-eyed gaping before Scott lifted his hips and ass and plunged into him.
“Ahh! Shit,” Kip gasped. “God, that feels amazing.”
“This is all I’ve been able to fucking think about since last time,” Scott said, and oof, Kip loved the deep rumble of his sex voice.
“Me too. Want it hard. Just like last time.”
Scott gave it to him, standing on the floor at the end of the bed with one of Kip’s ankles on his shoulder. His thrusts were just on the edge of too hard, and Kip loved it.
“Yes. Fuck. Like that,” Kip babbled.
He was on another plane, awestruck by the perfect physical specimen that was fucking him so eagerly. Sweat was forming on Scott’s face and chest, slicking the muscles that tensed and rippled as Scott held Kip where he wanted him.
Scott was nailing his prostate with almost every thrust, and it was incredible. It was so fucking good. Kip started jerking himself hard and fast.
“Want to come...” he gritted out. “Gonna come on your dick. Want to...”
“Fuck, yes. Come on.”
“You’re perfect... Love you fucking me like this...”
“Could do this forever. You’re beautiful, Kip. Thought you were gonna come for me...”
“I am. I am. I—Oh fuck!”
They both watched Kip’s dick as it spurted all over his chest. Scott stopped thrusting.
“God, Kip. That feels amazing. Okay—Jesus...” He started moving again. “I’m close. I’m real fucking close...”
“Come on me,” Kip said, still gently stroking himself through the last waves of his own orgasm. “I want to see it. Please.”
Scott grunted, then quickly pulled out and tore the condom off, throwing it behind him. He lowered Kip’s leg and stood over him as he furiously stroked his own cock. Within seconds Scott was coming, raining down on Kip’s stomach and chest and neck.
Scott collapsed on the bed and Kip rolled on top of him, mess and all. They kissed, breathless and giddy, and when they broke apart after a minute they were both smiling.
“Before I forget,” Kip said, “I want to thank you for a lovely evening.”
Scott laughed and kissed him again. “So I did okay at the whole Valentine’s thing?”
“Absolutely. Hands down, best Valentine’s Day ever.”
They cleaned up and then got back into bed. Kip snuggled against Scott’s body. The evening had been perfect, and he wished he could keep it going, but he was exhausted.
“Goodnight,” Scott murmured, wrapping a giant arm around him. Kip couldn’t remember ever being so comfortable.
He kissed Scott’s hand. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
* * *
They slept in the next morning, neither of them needing to be anywhere until late afternoon. When they awoke, they stayed in bed, tangled up together and talking.
“What are you doing today?” Scott asked. He was on his side, head propped on his elbow, and his hair was an adorable mess.
“Nothing planned. You have any ideas?”
“Yeah.” Scott smiled shyly. “I want to make you breakfast.”
Kip was all for that idea, but then he started kissing Scott and quickly lost interest in anything that involved leaving the bed.
They were blissfully making out, Scott’s hands and mouth exploring Kip’s body and making him shiver, when Scott’s phone started buzzing.
“It’s nothing,” Scott said, without looking at it. “They can call back later.”
He continued mapping Kip’s body, tasting the jut of Kip’s hipbone, when the phone started buzzing again.
“Go away,” Scott grumbled, still not picking it up, “I’m busy.”
The third time it started buzzing, when Scott was sucking on Kip’s neck with a hand sliding up his thigh, Scott sighed and said, “Sorry. I’m just going to see who it is.”
He grabbed the phone. “It’s Carter,” he said, brow furrowed. He answered the call. “Carter?”
Scott was still close enough that Kip could hear the voice of Scott’s teammate. “Scott, Zullo fucked up. He got arrested last night.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Caused a scene at a bar in Jersey. Destruction of property. Assault. Resisting arrest... Probably some other things.”
“Okay. Fuck. Where is he?” Scott got off the bed and walked to his closet, ending Kip’s access to the conversation.
When Scott returned, he was fully dressed and off the phone. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”
“Of course. Yeah. Jesus, are you all right?”
“I’m furious is what I am,” Scott said, “but I really am sorry to have to leave you.”
He sighed and kissed him. When he pulled back slowly, Kip leaned forward to chase his lips.
Scott shook his head. “If I kiss you again I’ll never leave. You can stay as long as you want. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I might not be back before the game, honestly. This is a real fucking mess.”
“Okay. Don’t worry about me. Go take care of your team.”
“Thanks, yeah.” He stood and moved toward the door, then looked back at Kip. “Why do you have to be so goddamn tempting?” he asked, smiling sadly.
Kip grinned and pulled the blanket up over his head, concealing himself completely. He heard Scott laugh. Then the door opened and closed, and Scott was gone.