Boarding Call

Cash nodded, but he didn’t look entirely convinced. “Okay,” he said.

Beau reached up, cupping Cash’s face in his hand. “Hey,” he said. “We’ll make it work. I promise.”

Cash smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I hope so,” he said.

They fell silent again, and Beau felt his eyes drifting closed once more. He knew they had challenges ahead, knew that their relationship wouldn’t be easy. But he also knew that he wasn’t willing to give Cash up, not now, not ever.

He’d find a way to make it work. He had to.

They woke the next morning tangled together in Beau’s bed, the sheets twisted around their limbs. Beau’s shoulder ached a protest, but the pain was a dull echo beneath the warm satisfaction humming through him. Cash stirred against his chest, his head nestled in the curve of Beau’s good shoulder. Beau tightened his arm, pressing a kiss to the messy dark hair. “Morning,” he rumbled, voice rough from sleep.

Cash stretched, the movement slow and languid, before tipping his face up. His gray eyes were soft, a little hesitant. “Hey,” he murmured, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He looked like he might say more, but instead, he leaned in, brushing his lips gently over Beau’s.

It started sweet, a slow, tender exploration. But warmth quickly sparked into heat. Beau rolled them, pinning Cash beneath him, careful to keep his weight off his still-healing shoulder. Cash’s legs parted, cradling Beau between them, and their kisses grew deeper, hungrier. Beau mapped Cash’s body with his hands, tracing the lean muscles of his back, the curve of his hip, the strong column of his thigh. Cash arched into the touch, his hands gripping Beau’s hair, a low moan vibrating in his throat.

“Beau,” he gasped when Beau’s lips trailed down his neck, sucking lightly at the sensitive skin. “Please.”

Beau knew what he was asking for. He fumbled for the supplies on the nightstand, his hands steady despite the need clawing at him. He took his time prepping Cash, wanting it to be good, wanting to erase any lingering doubt from last night. When he finally pushed inside, it was with a slow, steady thrust that made them both groan. Cash felt incredible, hot and tight, and Beau had to pause, burying his face in the crook of Cash’s neck to regain control.

“Move,” Cash panted, rolling his hips insistently. “Beau, I need you.”

That shattered the last of Beau’s restraint. He set a hard, driving rhythm, each snap of his hips punctuated by Cash’s needy sounds. Cash met him stroke for stroke, his head thrown back, fingers scrabbling at the sheets. Beau watched him, mesmerized by the sight of Cash lost in pleasure, in him. It was raw and real, and Beau felt something in his chest tighten, a warmth that had nothing to do with the heat of their bodies.

Cash came first, his body tensing, his release spilling between them. The sight and sound of him sent Beau tumbling over the edge a moment later, Cash’s name a guttural sound on his lips as he followed him into bliss.

After, they lay in a sated tangle, catching their breath. Beau’s mind was quiet, his body loose and warm. Cash’s head rested on his chest again, his fingertips drawing lazy circles on Beau’s stomach.

“Wow,” Cash breathed after a moment, his voice thick with satisfaction. “That was…”

“Yeah,” Beau agreed, his own voice rough. “It really was.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Cash’s head, feeling a possessive heat bloom in his chest. He didn’t know what came next, not exactly, but he knew he wanted to find out. He wanted this, whatever it was, whatever it could be.

A knock on the door shattered the moment. “Brick!” a voice called from the hallway. “Bus leaves in thirty. Get your ass in gear!”

Reality came crashing back. The team. The playoffs. Their very separate roles within it all. Beau felt Cash tense against him, the same thoughts no doubt racing through his mind. The future was a tangled web of complications, and they were still fumbling for the first thread.

“Shit,” Beau muttered, reality crashing over him like a cold shower. He sat up carefully, his shoulder protesting the movement. “We need to get moving.”

Cash was already sliding from the bed, his movements quick and efficient as he gathered his scattered clothes. Beau watched him for a moment, the line of his back, the curve of his ass, and felt a surge of possessiveness so strong it stole his breath. This man was his now, in whatever way they could make it work.

He rose and dressed quickly, his mind already turning over the challenges ahead. They had the rest of the playoffs to navigate, the scrutiny of the team, the media. Keeping this quiet wouldn’t be easy. But Beau had faced tougher opponents. He’d fought for everything he’d ever gotten in this life. Why should this be any different?

Cash finished dressing and turned to face him, his expression serious. “Beau, about last night… about this morning…” He trailed off, biting his lip, his gray eyes searching Beau’s face.

Beau closed the distance between them, pulling Cash into his arms. He kissed him once, hard, pouring all his conviction into the touch. “We’ll figure it out,” he said when he pulled back, his voice low and fierce. “Together.”

Cash nodded, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. “Okay,” he said. And then, after a beat, “Together.”

They finished packing in silence, the coming days settling over them. When they stepped out of the room, the hallway was already bustling with players and staff, the air buzzing with the high of last night’s win and the anticipation of the next series.

Beau and Cash exchanged one last look, a promise passing between them. Then Beau slung his bag over his good shoulder and started down the hall, falling into step with his teammates. He could feel Cash’s eyes on him, a steady, grounding presence at his back.

He didn’t know what the future held, not exactly. But as he stepped onto the team bus, the familiar smells and sounds of his hockey life surrounding him, he felt a flicker of certainty kindle in his chest. Whatever came next, he’d face it head-on. With Cash at his side, and the game he loved in his blood, how could he lose?

The bus engine rumbled to life beneath him, and Beau settled back in his seat, his gaze fixed out the window at the city blurring past. The road ahead was long and uncertain, full of obstacles they’d yet to face. But for the first time in a long time, Beau wasn’t afraid to meet them.