Family Camp (Daddy Dearest, #1)(65)

Geo frowned and rubbed Travis’s back harder.

“The guys I was closest to on the team, though, they’ve been fine. My friend Lyon—the first time some of the other guys tried to diss me, he got in their face.”

“Good!” Geo hated to imagine Travis having to deal with a lot of homophobic bullshit from his teammates. It made him happy to hear he had defenders.

Travis took another long gulp of wine. “The thing is, it’s brought a lot of attention—to me, and to the Padres. They’ve decided to take the official stance of backing me. But whether that lasts… It depends on how the rest of this season goes.”

“That must be so stressful. Not knowing.”

Travis put his glass on the counter carefully. “Yeah. But you want to know the funny part? That’s not what’s kept me up at night. That’s not what I spend most of my time thinking about. Wanting.”

“Yeah?” Geo raised an eyebrow. “And what is that?”

Travis pulled him tighter. “You, Geo. Through everything, what I really wanted was you.”





Chapter 31




Travis needed this, needed Geo. The past few weeks had been miserable. Though, surprisingly, not as miserable as he’d expected.

He’d known real hardship in his life, so honestly, being a millionaire athlete listening to a dressing down given to him by assholes wasn’t the worst thing that had ever happened to him. He’d felt calm about it, in fact. After talking it out with his dad, and feeling the love and support of his family, and then going on the Teresa Sinclair Show and coming out on a major television network? Nothing was scary by comparison.

And the thought of Geo, of Geo and the kids, being something he could maybe have again, for real, now that he was publicly out, that gave it a kind of purpose. Like there might be a sweet golden pot at the end of the rainbow.

What he was thirsty for, more than anything, was to hold Geo, take him to bed, and try to reconnect with the guy who made him laugh, who made him want to be a better person, who made a life beyond baseball seem not only possible, but like the only thing that truly mattered in the long run.

It was crazy, because he’d only been with Geo one week at Family Camp. But instead of fading with time, those days burned bright in his mind, and the ache he felt at being apart from the man only grew worse. He might be a little bit obsessed, very possibly out of his mind. But maybe that’s what love was, and he’d happily take it.

He kissed Geo deeply in the kitchen, wrapping him up and pulling him as close as he could. Geo groaned and pulled his arms out of Travis’s embrace so he could entwine them around Travis’s neck and press even tighter. He shifted upward, probably on his tiptoes, and ground their erections together.

God, that was so hot. And, like before, Geo felt perfect, amazing in his arms. The chemistry between them set him on fire. Whatever invisible ions or particles made up attraction, theirs synched like pieces in a goddamn jigsaw puzzle.

He felt Geo push down his shorts.

“Wait,” Travis said, breaking the kiss.

“What?” Geo looked desperate, his normally neat hair awry. Had Travis done that?

“I know the kids are away, but… You do have a bedroom somewhere in this house. Right?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Nudity. Privacy. Good idea.” Geo took Travis’s wrist and pulled him out of the kitchen. Travis had to grab his shorts with one hand so they didn’t fall down. “You have the very best ideas, Travis!”

The bedroom was about ten steps from the kitchen. The bed was neatly made with a cream comforter with seashells or something. It didn’t matter. What mattered was closing the door then tossing Geo onto said comforter, grabbing his shorts, and pulling them down and off in one go. Travis didn’t even bother unzipping them.

“That probably hurt,” Geo panted. “But I’m too turned on to feel it.” He took off his glasses and threw them over his shoulder onto the floor.

“Sorry,” Travis said.

“God, no. Do more!”

So Travis did. He flipped off Geo’s sandals and pulled his shirt over his head, trying not to send buttons flying.

Geo, naked on the comforter, was worth a momentary pause. Travis took a deep breath and just looked his fill. Geo’s slim build and dusting of dark hair was natural, beautiful in the perfection of the simple, unassuming lines. His dick, hard against his stomach, was maybe just a little bigger than average and beautifully flushed and rosy, like the most mouth-watering treat Travis had ever seen. He felt like Pavlov’s dog.

The heat in Geo’s eyes made his knees weak.

“Get over here,” Geo said firmly. “And get those clothes off.”

“Yessir.” Travis smirked, stripping.

He crawled over Geo and let himself be pulled down on top of him. He could swear there was an audible sigh of relief from the universe when their bodies met, like the ocean meeting the shore.

He linked hands with Geo and pulled them over his head. Geo’s calves wrapped around his. Their hearts beat against each other where their chests pressed together, the thuds a syncopated ba-boom, ba-boom.

“God, I missed you,” Geo said, his eyes black with lust. “It physically hurt.”

“Me too.”

Geo thrust his dick against Travis’s stomach, sending tingles exploding through him. The bright warmth of want curled into an all-consuming flame.