Page 97 of Ethan
But when Hank leaned in, the kiss he gave Ethan was only a short little brush of their lips. Disappointingly tame.
“I know,” Hank murmured in a low voice when Ethan looked disappointed. “It’s just . . . we got practice to get to, and thenBarney.”
“I know it seems impossible to believe, but my brotherhasseen kissing before. Has even done it a few times himself,” Ethan teased.
Hank flushed redder. “I know, but . . . ugh. I thought we’d have more alone time, but now that I’m staying with Max . . .”
“We’re gonna figure it out,” Ethan promised. If he had to employ all his persuasive powers to convince Hank it was perfectly okay—normal, even—to have sex in his room where his brother theoreticallyknewwhat was happening, then he was going to do it.
He’d spent too long living in his imagination and his fantasies and so had Hank; it was time to make all of them real.Finally.
“I missed you,” Hank confessed. “So much. When Inverness called me this morning, I could barely believe it was happening.”
“God,same. What else did he say?” Ethan hoped this wasn’t just a quick up-and-back to cover for an injured guy. That Hank would be staying for the rest of the season. That he wouldn’t just get little bits of him, and that he’d get thewholehim.
“Willy’s going on IR,” Hank said, naming William Blomgren, one of their Swedish d-men. “Nagging injury that I guess got worse. And Inverness hinted that even when he was better, I’d probably get to stay up. This thing with Max probably isn’t a permanent arrangement, but I don’t want to deal with moving all my shit down here, not if I won’t be staying.”
“You’re gonna be staying,” Ethan said with confidence. Willy hadn’t really played well all season; he’d wondered so many times why Inverness hadn’t flip-flopped Hank and Willy, because Hank was youngerandbetter. But then, that also probably had something to do with it. Willy’s age and his pride might’ve stopped Inverness, when it came down to it.
But if they could point to an injury now, then bringing Hank up to take Willy’s slot made sense.
“We’ll see,” Hank said cautiously. “But yeah, I hope so. I really fucking hope so.”
Despite Hank’s concerns about Charlie and his apparent aversion to witnessing kissing, Ethan leaned in and kissed him again, trying to deepen it a bit more than Hank had, but not going as deep as they had before. As deeply as hewantedto.
“You got this,” Ethan said, pulling back. Hank’s eyes were shining, and he looked happier than Ethan could remember. This was going to be so fucking good.
“Yeah,” Hank agreed. “About tonight—”
But that was all he got out before Charlie interrupted them again. Ethan was going to kill him with a mind beam.
“I’m gonna go in with you guys,” Charlie said. His hair was wet. The sunglasses were gone. He still looked grayish green and awful, but there was a determined set to his features now.
“Are you sure?” Ethan asked, skeptical.
Charlie made a face. “I even ate three bites of that oatmeal you made. Kept it down.”
“Bravo,” Ethan said dryly.
“I could’ve choked down more if ittastedbetter,” Charlie retorted.
Like he wasn’t the one deciding he needed to eat oatmeal without any sweetener whatsoever. And Ethan had given him a whole fucking spoonful of sugar.
“Fine,” Ethan said. “Give me a minute.”
“It’s not like you’re saying goodbye for another few months,” Charlie said, but he wasalmostsmiling. “But yeah. I’ll give you two a minute.”
They both watched as Charlie turned and walked out of the entryway.
“Stop worrying about him, he’s just annoying. That’s all.”
“Just annoying sure. But also a little terrifying,” Hank admitted.
“What? Charlie? Oh my God,no. He’s just . . . well.Well.I won’t tell you, but you’ll get to see.”
“Eth, I spent months around him last season,” Hank reminded him. “Still a little terrifying.”
Ethan could not see it. Okay, not entirely true. He could see it a little. The very tiniest bit. And that was only because he was giving Hank a lot of credit here.
