by Laurie Lochs
"Stellan," I called out through gritted teeth. “Wait."
Stellan furrowed his brow. "Oh honey. This is only the first step in whipping you back into shape."
I groaned. “I just… Need a water break.”
With a loud sigh, Stellan set his backpack on the forest floor and pulled out a light blue bottle. He handed it to me. I took a swig.
"Jesus Christ," I gasped, wiping water from my lips. "I think you're trying to kill me. What the hell is this? A hike from hell?”
“Oh sweetie. I’m not trying to kill you. If you died, you wouldn't see what else I have in store."
I groaned and handed him back the water. He patted my shoulder. "You're doing a great job. I know there's still a long way to go, but I believe in you."
"I think you believe in me more than I believe in myself," I grumbled, wincing in pain as my knee throbbed.
“Well, with that attitude. After we've done one excursion, it's up to you to book another trip, in case you need another very gay pep talk.”
I barked out a laugh. “We’ll see how this weekend goes first. I might not survive until Monday.”
Stellan laughed. “Look,” he said, staring at me with determination. “I’ll give you my shoulder for support. Just put your hand…” He grabbed my hand and placed it on his shoulder. “Just put it here. We’ll get to the campsite in no time, I promise.”
I stared into his eyes. Was he serious? Or fucking with me?
Memories of the Minnesota Wild flashed through my mind. After my injury, the team practically threw me to the wolves, and the team doctors avoided me at all costs. In other words, I hadn’t had a shoulder to lean on. Stellan’s suggestion was a nice and very welcome touch.
“I’ll accept your generous offer today. But don't think I’m tripping over my feet to touch your shoulder."
"It's just a shoulder, dude. Now hurry up before you topple over and I have to dig you out of the woods."
I did as told. After gripping his shoulder, I followed Stellan up the trail. 45 minutes later, we finally arrived.
Stellan dropped his duffel bag and grinned. “Holy shit. It’s even more beautiful than I remember.”
I barked out a laugh. “And we arrived not a moment too soon."
As I unpacked, Stellan immediately made a fire and began whipping up prime sausages for dinner. I took a long drink of water and tried to fight off the exhaustion.
The rest of the afternoon, we did stretching exercises and worked on my knee. We used stones from the site as weights, and Stellan forced me to do 50 sit-ups until I was nearly screaming in pain. By the time we finished, dusk was starting to set.
Stellan was making decaf coffee over the fire to celebrate our first incremental victory.
"Hey, Rowan," he said, handing me the decaf coffee. "Grab the tent stakes. I’m going to set up camp."
I nodded and handed him the bag from earlier, which contained two tents. Stellan removed the first tent and spread the tarp over the ground. He hammered the stakes in and secured the wind tarp in case it rained. Then he rummaged through the second duffel bag for the necessary supplies for mine.
Yet a second later a worried look shit across his face. “Erm. I hate to interrupt you while you’re drinking coffee.”
“Yes?”
“But you wouldn't happen to know where you put the stakes?"
My grip on the aluminum camping cup tightened. "What do you mean?"
"The tent stakes," Stellan explained. “I handed you two bags."
My heart was racing. Suddenly, it hit me. I'd completely forgotten a small bag at the car.
Worry shot across me like lightning. "Fuck.” I set the coffee on the ground.
"What is it?"
"I forgot the fucking stakes at the car."
Stellan tried to conceal a laugh. "Really?"
"I think so," I grumbled, gripping the cup.
Stellan put his hands on his hips. "You know, if you were at all helpful, you'd offer to run back and grab them from the trunk."
I glared at him and gestured to my knee.
"I'm just saying," Stellan said with a shrug. "If you really wanted me to pitch your tent, you'd grab stakes yourself. Because as it is I'm way too fucking tired to hike another four hours to grab them for you. By the time I get back it'll be morning."
I took a sharp breath. "Okay, dude. I have a proposition to make."
"I'm listening."
I exhaled through gritted teeth. "Well, in my 20s, I might’ve had the balls to sleep under the sky. But thanks to your cruel exercise regime, I’m exhausted, grumpy as fuck, and possibly going to die in these fucking woods. Can I offer you something in return for the privilege of letting me stay in your tent?”
"You want to sleep in my tent?" Stellan blurted out.
"I don't think I have a choice."
“Unless you want to sleep under the stars, of course,” Stellan added with a snort. "But what will you give me in return?"
"How about you let me sleep with you and we work it out in the morning."
Stellan snickered. He pulled a carton of wine from a backpack and handed it to me. "I’ll get the sleeping bags set up. Crack open this bottle so we can get to bed.”
“I appreciate it."
Stellan returned to the tent to spread the sleeping bags out.
Jesus fucking Christ. I was really about to spend the night trapped in a tent with personal trainer, who also happened to be my very gay childhood best friend.
5
Stellan
I threw open the tent flap and spread the sleeping bags out on the mat. I took one look at the set up and immediately regretted my offer. It was going to be cramped as hell.
Suck it up, Stellan. You’ll just have to deal with it for one night.
I barked out a laugh, quiet enough so Rowan wouldn't hear.
Privacy, yeah right. I think it's obvious you're excited as hell.
If the quivering in my cock was any indication, I was more excited than I'd been in a long time.
"Chill out,” I rasped, smoothing the ruffles from the sleeping bags and forcing myself to calm down. "There's absolutely nothing sexual about this and never will be. You're just two men sharing a tent in the woods. No matter what Jacob might say when you get back to practice.”
I resolved to keep my thoughts to my goddamn self and finished setting up the sleeping bags. ”Rowan," I called, beckoning him over. "Let's drink this wine and get to bed."
With a grunt, Rowan heaved himself off the chair and lumbered to the tent. I took the wine from him and poured two little cupfuls.
He took a long sip out of the one I handed him. "This hits the spot."
I laughed softly and opened the tent flap. The screen was down so the mosquitoes couldn’t get in. "I take it you've never drunk wine with a guy in a tent before."
Rowan groaned. "I was talking about the Pino. But I guess I've never done that either."
"If I'm being honest, neither have I. I guess it's a first for both of us."
Rowan smiled, extending his lashes and letting me see the lone star twinkling in his eyes. I whipped my head towards the sky, trying to find the star that had shone so brightly in his eyes.
I cleared my throat and forced myself back to the present. I didn't know if it was the wine or the night, but my cheeks were on fire.
Thank God there's only a soft hint of moonlight. Otherwise, he might see how red they are.
“Tomorrow,” I grunted, clearing my throat. “We have a strict workout regime. We’ll start with stretching and light cardio. You need to get back and move the knee as quickly as possible."
Rowan furrowed his brow. "The team medic said to rest it."
I shook my head. "You need to stretch, exercise, and use your damn knee as much as possible. That's the only way it’ll get better in time for the new season."
“I’ll sue the hell out of you if you fuck up my knee."
"Then sue me," I countered with a shrug. "I don't mean to sound li
ke a dick but I've done this long enough to know I'm right. I've coached hundreds of athletes back to health. None have gotten injured.”
"How many were pro hockey players?"
"More than you can fucking imagine."
Rowan raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I trust you. But I'm begging you not to screw up my life."
Suddenly, I wanted to take the wine from his fingers and tell him everything would be okay, let my hand trail down his thigh and say, "We've known each other since the fourth grade, so you can trust me, we might not be as close as we were at 16 but I swear to God I'll be your guiding light."
Instead I shook my head and put the wine away. "I'll make scrambled eggs and turkey bacon in the morning. Let's go to sleep."
Rowan nodded and sunk into his pillow. He brushed his dark brown hair off his forehead and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Stellan."
My insides warmed as he said my name. "Good night."
I closed my eyes, but I didn't get to sleep.
Scratch.
I was jolted awake in the middle of the night by a noise. I glanced around the campsite. The tarp was still down but the screen was up. It sounded like there was a bear outside.
SCRATCH.
I narrowed my eyes and softly unzipped my sleeping bag. If there was an animal I needed to act fast. I had to protect both us and my business. If word got out that one of my clients had been mauled by a bear I'd never do an excursion again.
I slipped out of my sleeping bag. The sound came again. I was on the verge of rushing outside when suddenly it hit me that the sound wasn't coming from the wilderness at all.
It was coming from the tent.
I whipped to face Rowan.
"Dude," I whispered fiercely, studying him in the moonlight. Did a chipmunk get in the tent while we were sleeping? Where was the scratching coming from?
Suddenly, Rowan moved. “Rachel.” He ran his tongue over his lips.
Holy shit. He's having a dream.
I immediately froze and couldn't move. What was I supposed to do in a situation like this? I’d never been with a client in the middle of a dream about his girlfriend – or wife, for all I knew – in my life. Was I supposed to wake him? Let him finish it out and attempt to fall back asleep?
Why wasn't there a goddamn protocol for this in the guidebook?
I clenched my fists and tried to breathe. Take a deep breath and get back to sleep, Stellan. It'll pass.
But it didn’t pass. Rowan’s breathing intensified, and sharp guttural moans escaped his lips. "Rachel," he gasped, biting his lip. "Come back. Please."
I gritted my teeth. This was seriously uncomfortable. Like standing-naked-in-front-of-the-classroom-with-everyone-including-the-teacher-laughing uncomfortable. Then, without warning, Rowan suddenly slipped out of his sleeping bag and moaned. He spread his legs. His hard erect cock thrust out through the slit of his briefs, quivering in the moonlight.
“Rachel.” He gripped the pillow and thrust into my sleeping bag. His cock came into contact with the soft fabric and fucking violated it. Without warning he cried out and exploded across the tent floor.
I gasped and tried to look away. But my eyes were glued to his thick cock. I couldn't think, couldn't fucking breathe.
"I love you so goddamn much."
He thrust and bucked, spewing his seed on my sleeping bag. In the dim light of the moon, I saw Rowan was uncut. The come trickled out of his foreskin and pooled beneath his balls.
Rowan moaned and began to stir. I quickly whipped around and buried myself in my sleeping bag.
I didn't speak, sleep, or take a fucking breath until the sun rose in the morning.
6
Rowan
I woke up with the sun streaming through the mosquito screen in the tent like a beautiful dream. Yet immediately, I felt something weighing on me. But I didn't know what it was.
"Stellan?"
I narrowed my eyes and squinted through the mosquito flap. Without warning, a wave of turkey bacon and eggs wafted through the flap, filling my nose with good smells.
It hit me like a pound of bricks. He was cooking breakfast.
I grinned and could already taste the delicious eggs on my tongue. It’d be even better if we ate them together.
Except suddenly I froze on the spot. Wait… What the fuck was I thinking? I wanted to eat with Stellan in the tent?
No way, José. Get your ass out of bed and join him by the fire. You clearly had some fucked up dream — maybe it was even about Stellan. Don’t pay any attention to it because nothing’s wrong at all.
I groaned and tore off the sleeping bag. My cock jutted out through my briefs, rising its head to say hello to the sun.
"Holy shit." I frantically tucked myself back into my damp briefs. "Did I have a fucking wet dream?"
Having tucked myself into my briefs, I shimmied out of the sleeping bag which immediately sent a bolt of pain racing through my knee. I clenched my fists and through pajama bottoms over my briefs.
Fuck the pain. I need to get out of this goddamn tent and get some food and coffee in me before I lose it.
I lumbered out of the tent and joined Stellan.
Stellan flashed me a toothy grin the second I arrived. "Here," he said, handing me a fresh tin mug of coffee. "I didn't know if you like sugar or cream, so I made it black."
"It's perfect. Thank you."
In no time, the turkey bacon, eggs, and makeshift roasted potatoes were ready. Stellan took them off the skillet and we dug in. The food warmed and gave me the nutrition I so desperately needed after the workout yesterday. There was still a long way to go today but with the food in me I could handle anything.
I set my plate down when I finished. "What's on the schedule today?"
"Workouts. Lots and lots of workouts."
I barked out a laugh. "I can't say I've ever worked out like this. My knee is bitching at me to stop. But I can't help but think you're onto something."
Stellan smiled. “Oh honey. Of course I'm onto something. This is what I do best.”
I handed my plate to Stellan. He rinsed it off and set it out to dry. After securing the food from potential bears, he whipped around and threw me a towel.
My brow furrowed. "What's this for?"
Stellan arched his eyebrows. "Sorry?"
"The towel,” I repeated, studying his face. “What’s it for?”
“Oh.” He studied me quizzically. “Well, a shower obviously. We’re working out like crazy, and we obviously need to bathe.”
I shook my head in confusion. Why did he want me to shower? Did he think I smelled?
Then it totally hit me and nearly sent me racing to my knees.
Oh my God. What if he saw something last night?
My heart froze with terror. I'd slept with other guys on the hockey team my entire life but I'd never come close to having a wet dream in the same tent as a man. If Stellan saw that I didn't know if I could go through with our scheduled programming. If the racing in my chest was any indication I needed to get out of here as soon as possible and put distance between us so I might never see him again.
But Stellan didn't admit to seeing anything. He simply beckoned me forward and led me down a winding path through sunlight and trees.
After clearing the brush we finally arrived at a beautiful summer pond. My breath stopped when I saw how gorgeous it was. On the lake, a light mist hovered like God had breathed over the water. Morning swallows and other woodland aerial creatures swooped and fell in search of bugs. In the treetops, wind rustled leaves like a soft security blanket.
"Let's go, hockey boy. We have a lot of shit to do."
"Is the water cold?"
"Jesus, dude. I thought you were a professional hockey player. The water is freezing as fuck. But you should be able to handle stuff like that."
"You wouldn’t know this, but… On the team I'm always the one to skip out on the ice baths."
"Maybe that's why the injury fucked you so bad."
/>
Just get in the water. Then you can get on with the rest of the day.
I took a hesitant step and entered the water. At once, a wave of ice cold pain overwhelmed me. But I gritted my teeth.
Stellan, on the other hand, splashed right in and laughed and waded up to his knees. He turned to face me with the biggest grin ever on his face. "See?" he said, splashing me. "It's not so bad."
I yelped like a fucking dog. “Not so bad?" I sputtered, fending off his water attacks. "It's a veritable ice bath."
Stellan burst into laughter. "I think you need to get out more. This is nothing. At least not compared to the lakes at Glacier National Park. If you think this is cold, that's a park you should avoid at all costs."
I forced myself onward. In two quick easy steps the water was soon up to my shins.
Without warning, Stellan hurried back to the shore and cast off his briefs. After a quick stretch, he spun around and reentered the water, this time totally fucking naked.
My heart froze in my chest. Yeah, I was on the Minnesota Wild. I’d seen plenty of naked bodies in my life. We had every type, from total jocks to slender young men without a hint of hair. But Stellan… Holy fucking shit. He looked like he fit in with the Hockey Hall of Fame. His muscles didn’t bulge so much as they heaved out of his chest, flexing and quivering with every lumbering step. And his ass? Jesus, it popped out of his lower back like no fucking tomorrow.
With a shit-eating grin, he dove into the water.
Suddenly, I realized that, despite the cold, I was rock hard. I glanced down and saw the enormous bulge protruding from my briefs.
My breath stopped. Normally, I knew I was hard whether or not I saw my cock. I wasn’t some poorly written male lead in a romance novel. But for some reason the knowledge of my own arousal had evaded me until I'd seen the physiological evidence myself.
I was hard. Staring at Stellan's naked body made me hard.
A man’s body.
What. The. Fuck.
