Driven Snow (17 page)

Snow stood, leaned over, and kissed the pale cheek. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. Of all people, you sure didn’t deserve this. And no matter what, I’m going to go to Las Vegas and play. I’ll win if I can. For you. Just for you.”

“My, isn’t that sweet.”

Snow snapped up and turned to see Anitra standing in the doorway of the hospital room. He shrugged. “They say sometimes people in a coma can hear what’s said to them.”

“You’re determined to play chess under such terrible stress?”

“Yes, ma’am. I think the professor would want me to.”

“The chess club can’t afford to pay for your ticket, you know.”

He took a breath. What he knew was that money had been set aside last year for his trip, but why say that—to her? “I’ll pay for it myself.”

“Very well. I certainly wish you well. You set a fine example of determination.”

He crossed his arms. “You mean stubbornness.”

“You said it, I didn’t. Let’s just hope all goes well between now and then so there’s no interference with your—determination.”

Snow frowned. “What would interfere?”

“Oh, nothing. We’ll just pray for an improvement in Harold’s health.”

“Of course.” He looked again at the professor’s quiet face. So not like him. He was always lively and smiling—until lately. Something had happened to make him change, and it couldn’t be a coincidence that the change occurred when Anitra Popescu showed up. Snow shuddered. “Bye.”

He walked out of the critical care unit. Man, it felt like he was dragging the building behind him. What a strange mix of feelings—anger, fear, exhaustion, sadness, plus that warmth that spread out from his heart and melted all those cold feelings whenever he thought about Riley.

He made it to the front door of the hospital and stepped outside. A young woman rushed over. “Hi, Snowden, I’m Haley with the
Daily Mirror
. Any idea who would want to kill you?”

He let out a little snort. “Sorry. Just not the kind of question a regular human expects to be asked.”

She laughed. “I guess not. Still, the police might have played it down, but how else does a guy end up in a car underwater, if he wasn’t driving?”

He sighed. “I honestly don’t know what happened. The police are on it, and I have great faith in them.”

She handed him a card. “If you learn anything interesting, will you call me? I’ll treat the story honestly.”

“Sure. Thanks.” He glanced at the card, put it in his pocket, and looked up. Oh yes, there were those warm feelings. Riley stood on the sidewalk next to his car with Snow’s bicycle beside him and a cute little smile curving his lips.
Sigh.
The man made gorgeous sound like a moderate adjective.

Haley laughed. Damn, he’d forgotten she was there. “So I gather all the stories about the chess champion and the quarterback are true?”

“Define ‘all.’”

She raised her voice so Riley could hear. “Just that Riley Prince came out so he could date the beautiful chess master of Northern California University.”

Snow glanced up. The crease between Riley’s eyebrows vanished quickly, but still—Riley looked troubled.

Snow shook his head and stared at his shoes. What should he say? “Uh, Riley and I are friends.”

“Does that mean you’re not dating?”

Riley walked up and took Snow’s arm. “Like he said, we’re friends, and with people shoving him in the river, he needs somebody who’s got his back.”

“Ooh, the protector.”

“Whatever. I need to get him to a place where he can practice for the tournament.”

She took notes. “So despite all that’s happened, you still plan to compete, Snowden?”

Snow looked up. “Yes, that’s the one certain thing.”

“Can I quote you?”

“Be my guest.”

In the car, Riley took off like more than one lady reporter was chasing his ass. Snow glanced over. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Was practice all right?”

“Yeah.”

“Is the square root of pi 1.77245385091?”

The corners of Riley’s lips crept upward. “Yeah.” He burst out laughing. “Sorry. It’s just that it’s tough, you know?”

“The impact on the team?”

“Yeah. Sorry, yes. My coming out has polarized the guys. Some are really on my side. Probably more than they would be if some of the others weren’t so against me. But it makes for a lot of dissension, and that screws up our harmony on the field. We’re playing like shit, and the championship is only a couple weeks away.”

“Maybe you should have waited to come out?”

He wrinkled his nose. “That, my friend, is called Monday-morning quarterbacking. You should pardon the pun.”

“Sorry. Things really are confusing.” Snow blew out his breath slowly.

Riley wrapped his warm hand over Snow’s. “Shit, listen to me complaining. You’ve got your coach and best friend in a coma, your own championship to win, and oh yeah, somebody trying to kill you.”

“That doesn’t make the upheaval in your life any less confusing or serious, Riley. I truly am sorry all this crap has happened at once. I’m just adding to your troubles, not helping.”

He tightened his hand. “Actually, it helps me to think about taking care of you, which I plan to do right now.” He pulled onto the road that led to his neighborhood. “I’m taking you home with me. Your building may be more high-tech, but I’d stack Mrs. Wishus up against any threat any day. I think you’re safer at my place. We’ll get a little of your stuff each day, but I’m guessing all you need are a toothbrush, a couple pairs of khakis and six chess sets.” He grinned.

You’re not going to let him railroad you into giving up your independence, are you?

“I’d love to stay with you if I won’t be in the way.”

“Seriously?” He laughed. “I made a bet with myself that you wouldn’t give up your alone time without a fight.”

Snow gazed out the window. “I’ve been alone enough for five lifetimes.”

Riley’s foot pressed the accelerator harder. “I’ve got to get you home before you change your mind.”

Come on, Snow, don’t be selfish.
“But—”

“Uh-oh, here it comes.” He pulled into his driveway and parked, then turned to Snow.

“My staying here could put you in danger.”

“I’m a big boy.”

Snow stared at his omnipresent shoes. “My staying here rubs your team’s nose in the fact that you’re gay. No one will forget it.”

The frown flitted, then vanished. “They never come here. But more important, they’re not going to forget it anyway. Eventually, maybe. If we win the championship. But until then? No way.”

“
When
you win the championship.”

“What?”

“You said ‘if.’ I said ‘when.’”

“Thank you. I wish that was certain.”

“It is.”

He nodded, but the sadness under his smile ripped at Snow’s heart.

They both climbed out of the car and started up the walk. Mrs. Wishus waved from the porch. “Hello, boys.”

Riley waved back. “Hi, Eudora.”

“Snow, I read about your awful experience. Tell me what you learned from it.”

“What?” He laughed. Leave it to Mrs. Wishus to ask the unexpected. What had he learned? “Don’t panic?”

“Seems like a good lesson to me. Remember it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Riley glanced at Snow. “I brought him here because I thought he’d be safer.”

“Indeed, but there are many kinds of threats, now aren’t there?”

“I suppose.”

“How are your teammates accepting your homosexuality?”

Riley shuffled his feet like he wanted to run from the question. “Some real good. Some not so much.”

“And how are you accepting it?”

His head snapped up. “Ma’am?”

“I know you’ve always been gay, Riley, but by not revealing it, you had the best of both worlds, in a way. You could have your little secret and not suffer the consequences. Now you have to own who you are. Never easy, my dear.”

Riley’s chest expanded like he was sucking down what she said. “It was hard being in the closet. Lying all the time.”

“Yes. Remember that when some asshole decides to call you a fag.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now get this poor boy upstairs and let him rest. Drowning is not fun.”

Riley glanced at Snow as if he’d forgotten all about the near drowning. “Jesus. Right.” He opened the door and held it for Snow to pass through. In the bright, airy apartment, he stopped. “Uh, shall I set up the guest room for you?” His chest didn’t move. Was he holding his breath?

Snow smiled. “I think we passed guest room somewhere between the condoms and the lube.” His cheeks got tight. “But I don’t want to crowd your space.”

Riley crossed his arms. “You don’t? Planning on fucking me from far away?”

Snow sucked in his breath, and his cock hopped. He laughed. “I’m not
that
well-endowed.”

Riley walked toward him. “You’re not, huh?” His dimples flashed, and just like that, all the weirdness of the last twenty-four hours popped in a bubble and the whole world looked like Riley’s smile.

Riley gathered him in his big arms. “You probably don’t feel like making out, right? Too tired?”

Snow rose onto tiptoe and whispered, “I might be too tired fifteen minutes before I die, but until then, I’m ready.”

“Oh, baby.” Riley closed that perfect mouth over Snow’s. His tongue explored Snow’s mouth, then slipped inside and tickled the skin of Snow’s upper lip.
Ummm. Wow.
Direct line from lips to penis. Riley leaned back and dragged his tongue across Snow’s bottom lip—then licked the tip of his nose.

Snow giggled. “I’m so glad I learned kissing from you.”

“You sure are one fast learner, beautiful boy.”

“I try.” He glanced down, then up to meet Riley’s eyes. “Want to test me on my other lessons?”

“Oh yeah.” Riley looked up studiously. “Let’s see. Was that lesson about the square root of pi?”

“No. The square root of penis.” He giggled.

Riley nuzzled Snow’s ear. “Want to fuck me again?”

Snow swallowed. “I don’t want to be a hog. I’ll bottom if you’ll teach me.”

“Nuh-uh. That’s a lesson for another day. My cock’s not in the mood to wait.”

Snow giggled. “Mine’s a bit on the anxious side as well.” He took Riley’s hand and pressed it against his erection.

Riley smiled. “So now that you know what you were missing, you like it?”

“As a friend of mine would say—” Snow frowned and puffed out his chest to look more like a quarterback. “—‘yeah.’” Then he laughed.

“Is that how I look when I’m being a pain in the ass?”

“No comment. But I certainly like the ass part.”

“Then let’s get this—” He squeezed Snow’s hard-on through his khakis. “—in here.” He turned sideways and stuck out his butt. “Race you.” He took off like a giant football-carrying jackrabbit toward the bedroom. Snow gasped and ran after Riley. At the door to the bedroom, Snow slipped under Riley’s arm and dove for the bed. Riley leaped after him and landed nearly on top.

“Ooof.” Snow’s lungs compressed and all the air
woosh
ed out, but
oh my.
The rest of his body loved the pressure, especially where that big bulge pressed into his thigh. He tapped Riley’s forehead. “Aren’t there linebackers who do that kind of move?”

“That would be me. Your linebacker of lurrrve.”

Snow’s laugh exploded, but that word still gave him a thrill. “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”

“Ah yes, let me change into uniform.” Riley rolled on his back, skinned his jeans down over his interfering erection, kicked off his sneakers, and managed to bare his lower half, if you didn’t count the socks.

Snow leaned on his fist. “Now that’s what I’d call a tight end.”

Riley grabbed his middle and shook with laughter. “Where did you learn that, sassy pants?”

“Watching you play.”

“You watch my games?”

“No. I watch you. The games are incidental.”

“Seriously, you’ve watched me play?”

“Of course. I’ve been lusting after you for a long time.” He forced himself not to look at his shoes.

“You telling me that while I was plotting on getting you interested in me, you were mooning over my ass?”

“Please, I’ve never mooned anyone.”

“Oh really?” Riley grabbed Snow’s khakis and pulled them to his knees in one move, snagging his boxers along the way. They were so oversized he didn’t even pop the fly button. He flipped Snow over and paddled his butt. Flashes of heat zipped through Snow’s cock. Riley slapped, then rubbed, slapped again, and rubbed. “That’s the prettiest full moon I ever did see.”

“Uh, Riley.”

“Yeah.”

“I think somebody better fuck somebody soon, or I’m coming all over your bedspread.”

Riley massaged across Snow’s butt with his big, warm hand, then slipped between his thighs and tickled his balls.

Snow half giggled, half yelped. “That’s not helping!”

Riley breathed against Snow’s ear. “Come anytime you want, beautiful boy, but preferably in my ass.” He flipped on his back, pulled his legs up beside his ears, and flashed his hole.

“Oh my God.”

“Why don’t you grab some lube and get busy on your homework.”

Snow moved so fast he must have left speed lines in the air. He had lube in his hands and fingers in Riley’s ass before he’d taken another breath. “If this is homework, I’d like to apply for an advanced degree, please.”

“PhD in fucking?”

Snow stopped and gazed at that lovely face. “A doctorate in you.”

“Oh yeah, let’s start matriculating.” Riley reached out and took hold of Snow’s penis, slathered some lube on it, and pointed it at his own target.

Snow leaned forward until his cockhead pressed against Riley’s pucker.

Riley’s lips parted. “Do it.”

“Do you like bottoming?”

“It’s easier on the new kid.” He grinned.

“But do you like it?” Snow pressed a little harder but didn’t quite breach Riley’s hole.

“Yeah. I do.”

“How much?”

“Just fuck me, wiseass.”

“Tell me how much.” He gazed at Riley but didn’t smile. Some deep instinct said Riley needed to say this. Needed to go there. “How much do you like it?”

“A lot.”