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CHAPTER 5: TOUCH AND TEASE

The secrecy didn’t dim what we had — if anything, it made every moment together burn brighter, sharper, more unforgettable. A brush of hands in the equipment room that lingered a second too long, Elias’s thumb brushing over my knuckles before he pulled away like nothing had happened. A quick, heated glance across the locker room that said more than a thousand words, Silas’s jaw tightening just slightly when he saw me, a silent promise that he’d find me later. Late-night meetings in empty practice rinks when the arena was dark and locked, the only sound the scrape of skates and our quiet laughter echoing off the glass.

Elias was gentle, deliberate — every touch thought out, every kiss slow and reverent, like he was memorizing every part of me, terrified I might disappear if he looked away. He’d hold me close on cold nights, his arms wrapped tight around me, whispering how much I meant to him, words he’d never dare say where anyone could hear. Silas was fiery, impulsive — stealing kisses in shadowed hallways, pulling me into empty supply closets just to feel me close, his hands roaming freely when we were alone, his laughter warm and bright against my skin. He’d tease me endlessly, making me blush with quiet, bold remarks that only I could hear, his eyes dancing with amusement every time I stammered a reply.

“You know you’re ours, right?” Silas murmured one evening, his lips pressed to the curve of my neck, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind. We were in Elias’s living room, the fire crackling low, rain tapping gently against the windows. Elias sat beside me, his hand resting on my leg, his thumb rubbing slow, soothing circles against my skin. “Not a secret, not a fling, not something to hide. You’re ours. Both of ours. Always.”

“And we’re yours,” Elias added, his voice soft but sure, leaning in to kiss my forehead. “Every part of us, every day, every game, every quiet moment. No matter what happens — no matter who finds out, no matter what they say — we’re yours. And we’re not letting go.”