It was the truth.
Ten
Hawk left his meeting at five minutes until nine.
All three of the rest of the broadcast team, two former NHL players and a Canadian woman’s hockey star, were still sitting at the table, drinking wine, and they would probably be there for another hour or two.
But Hawk made his apologies and left, because he was ready to meet up with Caleb.
More than ready.
He grabbed a taxi back to his hotel, and Hawk held his breath as he keyed into his room, hoping against hope that Caleb was waiting for him inside. This was pretty wild, hooking up with Caleb again, but it was so worth it as far as he was concerned.
He stepped inside to find one of the bedside lamps on, a to-go box on the dresser just inside the door, and Caleb wrapped up in the coverlet on the bed, snoring lightly.
His heart thudded hard against his ribs. Hawk stared at Caleb for a moment, noting how long and shaggy his honey-colored hair was, how it curled against the back of his neck. Helooked cold, his back to the door, his legs pulled up and his arms in the comforter.
So Hawk turned up the heat before he shrugged out of his coat and then his suit jacket. He’d been able to forgo the tie, thank God, but he still felt like he’d been traveling with the damn hockey team. Figured he’d be retired when they relaxed the rule about traveling in a suit.
Then he went to sit on the edge of the bed, putting a hand on Caleb’s back. “Hey.”
Caleb hummed and stretched, turning to face him. “Hey. Sorry. I got cold.”
“Not a problem. I’m just glad you’re here.” He ran a hand down Caleb’s back, then peeled the coverlet away.
When he’d pictured this during the day, which he had with full sound and color, he’d pictured grabbing Caleb and pressing him right up against the door of the hotel room and kissing him until neither one of them could see, then stripping down and jacking each other hard and fast.
When Caleb rose up to kiss his thigh, then his belly, through his clothes, though, he got the feeling this was going to play out differently.
He ran his hand through Caleb’s hair, then tilted his head back so they could look at each other.
“You okay?” he asked.
Caleb gave him a smile that looked super wry. “I’m sore.”
Hawk frowned. “I thought you didn’t have a practice today.”
Caleb’s voice went muffled when he hid his face against Hawk’s belly. “Just some old injuries acting up. I didn’t bundle up well enough today.”
Huh. Caleb was so young to be having that kind of issue but, like hockey, the halfpipe was a high impact sport, and Caleb was nearing thirty. It wasn’t completely impossible.
“Would a nice warm shower help?” It often helped hisknee. His old physical therapist said sometimes the wet heat helped expand constricted spaces in the joints.
“Yeah, it might.” Caleb looked up again, so sheepish. “I wanted to jump on you and bone right up.”
“Me too. But that’s okay.” He bent to kiss Caleb’s mouth, gently, wanting him to know it was fine. “We have time. Come on, you. Let’s get you all warm and loose. The bathroom is nice. The shower is actually full-sized.”
“That’s epic for Italy, huh?” Caleb slid off the bed, leaning on him when Hawk wrapped an arm around that lean waist.
“It’s a pretty good deal.” Showers in Italian hotels were often a one-person affair where a guy Hawk’s size could barely fit inside and couldn’t really turn around once in there.
Hell, his suite had a balcony and a tiny kitchen area, even. He’d upgraded from the hotel the network had wanted them in, and he wasn’t sorry for it one little bit.
He could have been pickier. Casey, the women’s hockey expert, had rented an apartment for her and her wife.
He led Caleb to the bathroom by the hand, trying not to frown when he noticed a subtle limp. “So, what’s in the box?”
“Huh?” Caleb looked at him, eyebrows going up.