Hat Trick (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Free

Could they do that? The man had already offered Jeremy a place to crash until he found a place of his own and now he was picking him up from the airport? “I’m good,” he said, suppressing the urge to address Nathan as sir, reminding himself that Nathan was only six years older than he was. It was hard to remember the relatively small age gap when the man had played so well and for such a long time. It didn’t help that the man seemed to ooze dominance and authority. “How about yourself?” Jeremy asked, trying to keep his voice from cracking with nerves.
    “Fine, thanks.” Nathan took hold of Jeremy’s overnight bag and hefted it over his shoulder. “Is this all you have?” he asked, gesturing between the duffel and the suitcase.
    Blushing, Jeremy nodded. “Yep. I only just graduated so I didn’t need much. I guess I’ll have to go shopping.”
    Nathan laughed, a rich, velvety sound that tumbled around low in Jeremy’s belly. What the hell ? He pressed his hand to his abdomen and frowned. He usually only got that fluttery feeling when he was aroused. And now that he thought about it, his cock was half hard. Okay, he could admit that Nathan had movie-star good looks, but Jeremy was as straight as they came. He searched his brain for another explanation to his arousal. It took him a moment to realize Nathan was talking to him again. “Don’t worry. My wife, Rachel, loves to shop. She’ll help you out. Come on, let’s get you home and fed before we have to go to practice.”
    Jeremy followed the larger man out to the parking lot and hoisted his suitcase into the trunk of the BMW Nathan led him to. He settled himself into the leather seat, determined to forget about his strange arousal. “Have you been married long?”
    Nathan guided the car carefully out into traffic and headed toward the city. “We got married when we were nineteen. That was nine years ago. She hasn’t left my ass yet.”
    They lapsed into a companionable silence, and Jeremy looked out the window contentedly. He’d always been comfortable with Nathan. The other man had always treated him like an equal instead of a rookie or, worse, a dumb kid for delaying his NHL debut. He was embarrassed to admit he had a slight case of hero worship for Nathan and was a little dumbfounded by the fact he would essentially be living with the guy for a little while.
    Nathan finally pulled into the driveway of a nice little house. “Well, here it is. It’s not big, but we like it.”
    Jeremy smiled and got out of the car, stretching the kinks out of his back as he stood. The red brick two-story house reminded him of his own childhood home. It was in an older part of town, with towering mature maple trees lining the streets. He bet those trees were stunning in the summer when in full bloom.
    Kids ran around playing hockey in their driveways and shouting to one another. One tiny towheaded boy shot up the sidewalk and attached himself to Nathan’s leg, babbling away happily. The harried mother rushed after him, pushing a baby stroller and juggling a diaper bag and coffee cup.
    Nathan scooped up the toddler and tickled his belly, making the little boy whoop with laughter. “Well, hello there, Ripper. You giving your mama trouble today?”
    Ripper’s harassed mother shoved the stroller up the sidewalk, revealing a sleeping baby, and reached out to relieve Nathan of his squirmy burden. “Sorry, Nathan. Ripply got away from me. Again.”
    Nathan tickled the toddler one last time and handed him back to his mother. “It’s all right, Julie. The Ripper and I have a special bond, don’t we, Ripper?”
    Jeremy smiled at the young woman when Nathan introduced him, delighted when she greeted him no differently than she would anyone else. The kids all called out to them, calling them Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Reiner and basically treating them as if they were regular neighbors. He loved it.
    They chatted together, grabbing Ripply every once in a while when he tried to