So Pucking Wrong (Thin Ice #9)

Chapter Two

Satin sheets enveloped him. Soft light filled the room. Harlan buried his head beneath the pillow. He didn’t want to get up and face the day. It wasn’t often he got to be lazy. Tanner’s second home in New Orleans was a third of the size of his home in Canada. So it was still massive. After a night of drinking, they had decided it would be best if Harlan spent the night with him—in one of the spare bedrooms—rather than showing up at Rider’s place in the middle of the night three sheets to the wind. While Harlan always believed he lived in luxury, his life had no comparison to Tanner’s. Everything was the absolute best, especially the service.

The scent of bacon and coffee filled the room. Someone had quietly left breakfast for him while he slept. Now his stomach warred with his mind. He still wanted to sleep, but the food smelled amazing. Harlan had expected to be sick as hell this morning. It seemed that top-of-the-line alcohol went down and stayed down smoother.

A soft knock landed on the door.

“Come in.”

Harlan sat up as the door opened. The satin sheets pooled in his lap. His nipples hardened in the cool room. Tanner stepped inside the room, looking extra yummy for someone who had been drinking all night. His hair was perfectly styled. Once again, a t-shirt strained across his chest and arms.

He smiled. “Hey. Did I wake you?”

Harlan ran his fingers through his hair, wishing he looked half as hot first thing in the morning. “Nah. I was just being lazy. It looks like you’ve been up a while.”

“I don’t really sleep. What are your plans for today?”

“Technically, I’m on vacation, so I don’t have any.”

Tanner kept his gaze locked on Harlan’s face. Harlan might not have noticed how carefully Tanner didn’t eye his body if he didn’t want him to so badly. “After you eat and whatever, would you like to go gambling?”

A smile exploded across Harlan’s face. Gambling wasn’t something he did often. He didn’t like going alone and no one else he knew was willing to blow money for likely no return. “I’d love to.” Harlan realized something important. His smile slipped. “My luggage is at Rider’s place.”

“It’s right there.” Tanner pointed toward a spot near the window. Harlan turned his head. Sure enough, his luggage waited for him. “I sent someone to pick it up this morning.”

Harlan shook his head. “Awful damn sure of yourself, aren’t you?” He turned his head in time to catch Tanner’s gaze moving down his body.

Tanner met his stare again, unfazed by getting caught enjoying the view. “It’s luggage. You needed clothes, and I knew you could take your bags straight back to Rider’s, if you want.” A slow smirk touched his lips. “But I’m hoping you won’t.”

“I’ll eat breakfast and then we’ll see.”

With a smile, Tanner shook his head. “I’ll leave you to it.”

Harlan climbed from the bed. “You don’t have to do that. It’s nice to have company when you eat.”

This time, with Harlan on his feet and wearing nothing but his underwear, Tanner didn’t hide the way his gaze raked down Harlan’s body. “If that’s what you want.”

The husky note to Tanner’s voice nearly had Harlan embarrassing them both. He wanted Tanner, and it was so fucking wrong. As Harlan had already pointed out, Tanner was Rider’s boss. Tanner might claim that didn’t matter, but Harlan knew better. When feelings got hurt, all bets were off. There was also an age gap and a huge distance between them. Harlan lived in California. Tanner’s home was in Toronto. That was a hell of a trip. Plus, Harlan was considering all those details, which meant he wanted more than one night. He genuinely liked Tanner, and Harlan had met dozens of men like him. Tanner always got what he wanted. The moment he had Harlan, they would never speak again. Harlan knew it was true, because he was that guy too. He didn’t do relationships.

“Your mood shifted so hard, it sucked the oxygen from the room.”

Tanner was too damn observant. Harlan forced a smile to his face as he took a seat at the tiny table where his food waited. “I’m not a morning person.”

Tanner didn’t budge from his spot near the door. “I don’t think that’s it. Maybe I should leave you alone after all.”

Fuck. Harlan wasn’t trying to ruin their friendship, which was exactly the problem. He really wanted to wreck their friendship, but in a different way.

“You’re not twelve, Tanner. Sit the fuck down.”

At his order, Tanner moved to the chair across from Harlan. “Damn. Okay, bossy.”

Harlan bit back a smile as he eyed the tray. The plate was covered, and the coffee waited to be poured. While he lifted the lid, Tanner filled Harlan’s cup. It was a comfortable moment—like they always shared breakfast.

Harlan snagged the bacon. “Do you want these eggs? I’d hate for them to go to waste, but I’m allergic.”

Tanner accepted the plate. “I’ll make sure my staff knows so they can accommodate you next time.” He motioned toward the bacon Harlan held. “Are you okay to eat that since it touched the eggs? I can have them bring you something fresh.”

It was nice as hell having someone worry about him. “It’s fine. I can tolerate a minuscule amount.”

With a nod, Tanner doctored Harlan’s coffee for him. Harlan ate his bacon and watched. Something grew inside his chest. They’d had coffee together before. The fact that Tanner had obviously paid attention to how he liked his drink and remembered… wow. That was the kind of thing that had him in trouble. Tanner was selfish and spoiled, yet he showed more care for him than the people who claimed to love him over the years.

Harlan wanted to show him the same care. “Tell me about yourself. I know you told me you’re an only child, but you’ve never talked about your parents or anything like that.” Harlan supposed he could have Googled Tanner, but he wanted to hear about him from Tanner’s mouth. Google wouldn’t show him Tanner’s heart.

A sweet smile touched Tanner’s lips. “Hmm. Well, my parents were a collision of two tycoons. My father made billions in the software industry. My mom made billions in the cosmetics industry. They decidedly did not love each other. It was more like they didn’t fear each other taking the other for a ride. Plus, what’s better than having several billions? Having twice that.” Tanner took a bite of eggs and swallowed before continuing. “I never saw my father. He had produced an heir who didn’t embarrass him. That’s all he needed from me. My mom was a different story. She had come from nothing to earn everything she had. Her mom had been a single mother in a day when it was damn near impossible to raise a child alone as a woman. My mom wanted me from day one and made sure I always knew it.” He winked. “You can blame her for how spoiled I am. Dad passed about fifteen years ago. Mom passed five years ago. I stay busy keeping their companies thriving, but things have been very quiet with her gone.”

Harlan was fascinated by Tanner. This side of him was scary amazing. “So you run both companies?”

Tanner nodded. “Obviously, I have people in place to handle day-to-day operations, but I still have full ownership of both companies.”

“Wow. Plus two hockey teams between pro and sled. That sounds exhausting.”

Tanner took another bite of eggs and shrugged. “Not really, but sometimes, yeah. Like I said, with people like Rider in my life, it makes everything easier.” A wry smile touched his lips. “When I can force myself not to ride all their asses, that is. I fully admit I’m a huge pain to work for, but I pay well.”

Harlan wouldn’t admit he had heard the nightmare stories from Rider about working for Tanner. Rider still considered Tanner like family, despite his obnoxious ways. To Harlan, that said a lot about Tanner.

“What about you?” Tanner asked, turning the conversation Harlan’s way. “You’ll be thirty-four next week. How many more years do you plan to give to football?”

“How did you know my birthday is next week?”

Tanner’s brow furrowed. “You told me last year at Rider’s birthday party.”

He was in so much trouble with this one. “I’d forgotten that conversation.” A thought hit. “Damn. I missed your birthday. I could’ve made the trip to Canada. The season had already ended.”

Tanner shrugged. “When you get to be my age, there’s no one left to remember.” He finished Harlan’s eggs like he hadn’t just made a heartbreaking confession.

“If it makes you feel any better, with Dad gone, I doubt anyone will think of me either. Except you, of course,” he added. “Obviously, you remembered.” A thought hit. “It’s only been a month. We should celebrate. I’m a little late, but better late than never for a birthday bash.”

The way Tanner eyed him in silence had feelings stirring. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t need anything.”

Harlan stood. “Birthdays aren’t about needs. They’re about celebrating you. Fifty-one. Hmm. What should we do?”

“You could spank me.”

A laugh burst from Harlan. “Let me grab a shower and we’ll figure something out.”

“So, just to be clear, spanking is not off the table, right?”

Harlan couldn’t stop smiling. Tanner was so much fun. “Maybe if you’re good.”

“Damn. I’m never good.”

Harlan shook his head and headed for the bathroom. Soft laughter filled the room behind him. Harlan’s face hurt from smiling. This would be a good day. Every day spent with Tanner always was.

It was the worst of hells. Harlan looked sexy as fuck. He had started the day parading around in his underwear. From there, he had spent the day touching Tanner as much as possible. Goddamn. It might not have been purposeful. Tanner couldn’t tell, but he sure as fuck noticed every time Harlan’s hands landed on his body. That was why Tanner was on his third drink in the seventh circle of hell. He had lost a lot of money and then won it back. They had played craps and poker. Slots had oddly been more in his favor than either of those games. Harlan had been right at his side, tossing back drinks twice as quickly as Tanner. He knew he needed to slow down before he lost his head. Everything already had a bit of a surreal edge to it. Not to mention, his tongue went loose when he drank too much. He very much feared telling Harlan exactly how he felt. Tanner was obsessed. He had to sober up fast.

“Oh, look. Do you hear that music?”

A laugh burst from Tanner. “I’m pretty sure that’s two different senses, but yeah. There’s a nightclub attached to the casino.”

Harlan slapped his arm. “Holy shit. We should go dancing. I haven’t been dancing in years.”

Tanner rubbed his arm, feigning pain. “You’re a hitter when you’re drunk.”

Harlan snorted. “This isn’t drunk… yet.”

With a laugh, Tanner linked arms with Harlan and headed toward the club. “If sexy wants to dance, then sexy gets what he wants.”

“You’re funny.”

Tanner looked his way. “Why? Do you not think you’re sexy?”

Harlan made a wild motion with his arm. “Oh. I know I’m sexy. It was just an observation. You’re funny.”

Damn it. He didn’t want to be funny. Tanner wanted to be sexy too. Getting old sucked. No one looked at him as closely any longer. Now he was just funny. Damn. A cover charge later, darkness engulfed them. Music thumped. Bodies gyrated. Harlan hadn’t been joking. He immediately dragged Tanner onto the dance floor. It had been a long time. Any trepidation he had fell away once they were grinding against each other. The music was the perfect mixture of fast and slow. Sensual. Tanner was mesmerized.

Harlan held his stare as their bodies moved against each other. Tanner suddenly felt completely sober. His hand wandered. It was out of his control. The cut lines of Harlan’s body were too much of a temptation. He went from exploring the hard planes of Harlan’s back to sliding south until he held the tightest and most perfect ass. Harlan didn’t pull away or say no. In fact, they seemed to get even closer. Then the music slowed a little more. A love song filled the air. Harlan’s arms were around his neck. His every breath brushed Tanner’s ear.

Tanner was so aroused, he couldn’t think. He released Harlan’s ass only because he wanted to hold Harlan as closely as possible. His hands still didn’t stop moving. He kept massaging Harlan’s back and sides, needing to memorize the way he felt as he moved against him.

“I like you a lot more than I should.”

Even with the loud music playing, the soft words against his ear couldn’t be missed. Tanner’s eyelids slid closed. He savored the moment. “Same.”

“You know we could never work.”

Fuck that. Tanner could absolutely make them work. His money bought freedom. He could do whatever. Be wherever. He would for Harlan. Tanner just needed a chance to prove it. He needed Harlan to let go and cross the line with him.

Tanner kissed the spot beneath Harlan’s ear. “I’m willing to try. You’re worth it to me.”

A sexy chuckle caressed the shell of his ear. “The moment you’ve had a night with me, I’ll never see you again. I know the score.”

That statement should have enraged Tanner. Instead, it just made him sad. For both of them. He took Harlan’s hand and walked away from the dance floor. Harlan needed more alcohol. Tanner needed anything at all to wash the bitterness from his mouth.