Page 89 of Seal the Deal
“Bite your fucking tongue,” Nicholas grunts.
Andrew laughs, leaning against Nicholas’s shoulder. “You’re so easy to tease. Honestly, I’m not a big sports guy. I watch the Super Bowl every year with Jason and Theo, and I’ll usually watch the World Cup with Alec because he likes to have someone to yell stats and predictions at and it isn’t Charlie’s thing, but otherwise professional sports aren’t my thing.”
The fact that Andrew only watches sports for other people doesn’t surprise Nicholas.
“Professional sports aren’t your thing,” Tony echoes. “How the hell did you end up with our Nicholas here then? If he didn’t impress you on the ice, he must’ve done something to win your attention. Let me guess, was it the underwear ads?”
“Nicki loves to show off his underwear,” Pavel smirks.
Nicholas envisions being on the ice with Pavel during practice and not so accidentally knocking him over.
“Yeah, he must’ve done something good for you to put up with him.” The taunt comes from Mike, their other winger. The words feel more personal than teasing coming from Mike, who ignores Nicholas unless they’re on the ice, than they had with Tony. “He’s a total asshole.”
“Maybe you don’t know him,” Andrew says easily.
“Nah, Nicholas is a grade-A asshole,” Mike replies smugly. “We all know that. His looks might be for everyone but that personality ain’t.”
If looks could kill, then Nicholas would be sending Mike to the grave with his glare alone. Sure, Nicholas is in fact an asshole, but he doesn’t like the way Mike is saying it, especially not to Andrew.
“Maybe,” Andrew starts, in that familiar pacifying tone of his, “you just don’t have personality privileges.”
“What the fuck are personality privileges?” Mike asks.
With a smirk, Andrew turns to wink at Nicholas as if they’re in on the same secret, as if there is something about Nicholas beneath the surface Andrew knows and other people don’t. A wink that makes it seem like perhaps Nicholas is more than a handsome face, deep pockets and a talented hockey player.
“Hey, Andrew,” Brayden, one of their second line defensemen yells from beside Mike. “Are those personality privileges his dick?”
Instantly, Andrew tenses while the table breaks out into raucous laughter. Despite the rigidity in his back, his expression betrays none of his rising discomfort—impressive, but also makes Nicholas unhappy.
“Fuck off, Brayden.”
“Aw, did Nicki get his feelings hurt,” Pavel grins. Nicholas could scream. Pavel is a pain in the ass who isn’t actually an asshole but never knows when to shut his fucking mouth. “Do us a favor and make sure to fuck him before the next game so we can see if it helps us win. Remember that time we dominated Detroit, and then found out he’d fucked their goalie. Or was it the other way around?”
“Shut the fuck up, Pavel.” Nicki’s tone is sharp enough to cut ice.
“A winger on the ice and off,” Pavel continues, always liking the sound of his own voice. It’s not really that different from the way the team jokes with each other in the locker room, and Nicholas has never cared about them speculating on his bedroom activities before, especially not since so many of them ended up in the tabloids. The difference is he knows Andrew is uncomfortable.
“One more fucking word and I’ll shut you up myself.”
“Easy, Nicholas,” Tony tries. “Pavel’s just joking. You know he’s been knocked in the head too many times to have any common sense.”
Pavel flips off his captain but grins.
“Drinks are here,” the table crows when several waiters and waitresses arrive with trays of drinks.
“I ordered you both a beer,” Tony explains when drinks are set in front of both of them.
The second a beer is set in front of Andrew, Nicholas pushes it away before leaning back in his chair to flag down the nearest waitress. “He’ll have a glass of wine. Red. Whatever is the most expensive.”
“Snob,” Andrew smiles, some of the tension leaving his spine. “But thank you.”
“Anything else?” The waitress asks.
“Yeah, bring him some water please. Not tap, bottled.” Andrew turns to Nicholas and shrugs. “Beer is dehydrating.”
Surprise must be showing on Nicholas’s face because Andrew blinks before leaning close enough to be heard over the rowdy table. “What?”
“Not used to people doing that.”
