Butcher

Chapter 8

8

Kaylee

Unknown: Hey! It’s Levi. Butcher and I are going to order pizza and hang out tonight. Want to join us?

As was typical on a Saturday, I’d gone for a run, cleaned my apartment, and ran some errands I’d put off during the week. I’d just showered and slipped into some comfy clothes to lie on the couch and binge-watch reality TV with my cat Toby. However, it had been a few weeks since I’d seen Austin and Levi, and I wasn’t about to turn down Levi’s offer.

Hi!!! Sounds like fun. I’m in. Give me an hour? I need to get ready

That’s fine, but there’s no reason to get dressed up. We’re just chillin at my place

It was nice of him to say that, but I wasn’t ready for them to see the super casual version of me. I knew they both found me attractive because their eyes lit up whenever they saw me, especially when I was in nothing but a pair of heels. But they were professional athletes with the bodies to prove it, so I needed a little boost to feel confident when I was with them.

I just got out of the shower but I promise to be quick

Gee thanks. I won’t be able to stop thinking of you dripping wet until you get here

You guys don’t usually have a problem getting me wet ??

*groan* You better hurry your ass up

I sent him a few kissy face emojis and went to my bathroom to get ready.

An hour later, I was in a rideshare on my way to the address in West End that Levi had texted me. I was familiar with the area since it was the same neighborhood where Coop and Ford lived and close to where I usually went for my runs. The car pulled up in front of Levi’s building, and I headed inside to the elevators. Once I was on his floor, I checked my phone to make sure I had the correct unit number and knocked on his door.

“Hey. Glad you could come over,” he greeted, wearing a navy T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Didn’t he know what gray sweats did to a woman? Judging by the grin on his face when I didn’t say anything, he likely knew exactly how hot all of womankind found them.

“You gonna just stand there and stare, or are you coming in?” He winked.

I narrowed my eyes playfully and stepped across the threshold. “I wasn’t staring.”

He closed the door behind me. “Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.”

I shivered slightly, remembering him using that nickname the first time I blew him. There was something about these two men that turned me on anytime they were around. And although I hoped tonight would lead to more sex, I was also looking forward to hanging out and getting to know them better.

Following Levi toward his kitchen, I glanced around the open floor plan and noticed several boxes lining the walls. “Are you moving out?”

He shook his head. “Actually, I just moved in today.”

“And Austin and I are your first guests?”

He lifted a shoulder and smiled. “Sounded like a good way to spend my first evening here.”

“Where is he, anyway? Based on your text, I assumed you two were already together.”

“He’s next door, but should be here any minute.”

I sat on one of the barstools lining the granite island and then realized what he said. “Wait. You’re neighbors?”

“Yep. Didn’t plan it that way, but when my realtor showed me this place, I knew it was perfect.” He opened the fridge. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Whatever you have is fine. I could have picked up some food and drinks on the way if I’d known you just moved in.”

He bent down to reach for something, and I took the opportunity to check out his ass. Skating around all day was clearly beneficial for his glutes.

“Don’t worry about it. I ordered some groceries earlier.” He held up a bottle of water and another of beer. “Which would you prefer?”

“Beer, please.”

He popped the top off and handed over the bottle of Sam Adams.

As I took my first sip, I heard a knock at the door, and Levi went to answer it. Just like when I first saw Levi, I couldn’t stop checking out Austin when he stepped inside. He wore a black T-shirt and blue jeans that hugged his well-defined thighs. His black hair was still damp from his shower, and I suddenly understood why Levi had reacted the way he did when I told him I’d just taken one. The mental image of Austin naked while steamy water ran down his hard body had me thinking of all the fun we could have in the shower together.

“Hey, glad you decided to hang with us tonight.” Austin hugged me.

“It was either come over here or watch TV with my cat. Levi promised pizza, and since Toby can’t cook, you guys won.” I laughed.

“Glad to know a meal is all it takes to get you to agree to things, seeing as I’m a pretty damn good cook.” Austin smirked.

“Oh really? Then how come we’re getting delivery?” I teased.

He clutched his chest. “You doubting my abilities?”

“I would never question what you’re capable of,” I confessed, no longer talking about food.

Austin trailed a finger along my jaw. “But maybe you need a reminder.”

“All right,” Levi interjected, clearing his throat. “You guys keep that up, and we won’t eat.”

Austin looked at Levi. “I don’t see the problem.”

“Yeah. Except I ordered the pizza before Kaylee arrived, so it should be here any minute. And I don’t want to answer the door with a hard-on because you two can’t control yourselves.” He chuckled.

“Fine,” Austin said. “But we’re definitely picking this up later.”

I couldn’t wait.

A few minutes later, the pizza was delivered, and Levi passed out the paper plates and napkins that came with his order. “Hope this is okay. Unpacking the kitchen boxes wasn’t at the top of my priority list today.”

“It’s no problem at all.” I took the plate he offered me.

“Fewer dishes this way,” Austin added.

We each grabbed a couple of slices and our beer before following Levi to the large sectional in the living room.

“So, since hockey season is over, what do you guys do all day?” I took a bite of the cheesy pizza.

Austin took a swig of beer and answered, “We still work out every day to make sure we stay in shape, and we try to spend as much time as possible with our friends and family since it’s difficult to do during the season with our schedule.”

“That makes sense. Do you both have family in the area?” I asked.

Levi shook his head. “I’m an only child and my parents live in a small town just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. My father’s focus is on his church so he rarely travels anywhere unless it’s to speak at another congregation, and I don’t have any plans to go back there this summer.”

My family was what some would call seasonal Catholics who only went to church on Easter and Christmas, so I had no idea what it was like to grow up in a religious home. However, he didn’t seem too excited to talk about his parents.

“Where did you grow up?” I asked Butcher. “Any brothers or sisters?”

“We lived in a few different places because my dad played professional hockey too. But they currently live in the Dallas area. My younger brother plays hockey for the Florida Panthers. My sister is an assistant field hockey coach for the University of Virginia and that’s where she lives. Since we all have the summer off, we usually go to Texas for a week to visit our folks. I might still do that, but instead of all of us going to visit my parents, we’re all going to my brother’s wedding near Miami.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet. When is it?”

“In two weeks.”

“Weddings are always fun.” I blushed remembering what had happened after Ford and Coop’s nuptials.

“What about you?” Levi took a bite of pizza.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Born and raised here in Massachusetts, about an hour out of the city. I’m the baby of four and have eight nieces and nephews between my siblings.”

Levi’s eyes grew wide. “Wow, big family. Are you guys close?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but especially with my sister Maggie. It’s one of the reasons I was so happy to move back to Boston when the opportunity came up with my job.”

“Where were you working before?” Austin inquired.

“Same company but in London. That’s where I met Ford, actually. After graduating from Hawkins University, I got a job with a marketing firm based in the city, but the only opening was in the UK office. With my student loans, I wasn’t in any position to turn anything down, so I packed up and moved to England.”

Levi put his empty plate on the coffee table. “How’d you like living abroad?”

I lifted a shoulder. “It was okay. Don’t get me wrong, London is awesome, but it was also lonely at times.”

They asked me a few more questions about my job and seemed genuinely interested in what I did, even though it wasn’t nearly as exciting as playing hockey.

“Okay, so how does your season work?” I changed the subject. “Other than the little bit about the game I’ve learned from Ford, I know next to nothing.”

Levi started to clean up our trash as Austin told me about training camp and preseason games. “Once October comes around, it’s pretty much non-stop until April. We get about a two week break from games during the All-Star break unless we make the All-Star team, and then the season can go even longer if we make the playoffs.”

“And we will make the playoffs again!” Levi shouted from the kitchen.

Austin raised his beer. “Hell yeah, we will.”

After Levi finished putting away the leftover pizza, he joined us on the couch again. “You two want to watch a movie?”

“Sounds good to me,” I said.

“As long as you pick something good.” Austin chuckled and leaned back against the cushions, his head resting on the top of the couch.

Levi pulled up the Netflix app on his TV. “Anything in particular you want to watch?”

I shook my head. “I’m not picky.”

He settled on a newer action movie. “Is this okay?”

Austin and I agreed as I got comfy, kicking off my sandals and pulling my legs onto the couch. Halfway through the movie, I found myself snuggled against Levi’s side, his arm wrapped around me. Austin reached for my legs and draped them across his lap as his fingers massaged my calves. I couldn’t think of a time when I felt more relaxed than I did in that moment.

A couple of hours later, I woke and found myself sprawled across a sleeping Levi while Austin was passed out on the other half of the sectional. They both looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake them. Instead, I slowly stood, then covered them each with a blanket I found in an open box behind the couch. After placing a soft kiss on each of their foreheads, I quietly made my way out of the condo.

I’d assumed Levi and Austin had invited me over for a hook up and while I was totally on board with the idea, spending the evening getting to know each other a little more was even better, and maybe I was interested in becoming more than just a puck bunny.