Page 120 of Bonus Game
“The kiss will come after, but you have to earn it.”
Kingston breathed sharply through his nose as soon as the words processed, and Jake pulled away, leaving him feeling edged within an inch of his life.
Muttering rapid-fire curses, Kingston shoved himself out of the car and into Jake’s space, trying not to be offended by their height difference. He did one quick check to make sure Jake was okay with the sudden contact between them before leaning in just like Jake had moments before.
“I don’t like how good you are at rizzing me up, Valero.”
Jake shrugged, activating Kingston’s cute aggression so swiftly that it punched a groan from him.
“Allen says Irizz him with the tism, whatever that means.”
“It means you’re lucky you’re fucking cute,” Kingston grumbled, turning away to shut the car door before bugs could find their way inside. “So, can you explain why we’re here? You don’t need to go into detail, just give mesomething.”
Jake surprised Kingston by taking his hand, stopping him from withdrawing from his space completely. “My father has been trying to persuade me to buy this property because it’s in the same area where Harrison Killinger’s family owns land. The value is going to climb rapidly, so buying it would make us a profit if we decided to sell in the future.”
Kingston looked around the area, noting how very empty it was.
Jake caught on to his confusion and sighed. “Yeah, obviously we would have to build, but we would own the entire point and the cove, so it would be private.”
Kingston frowned as Jake took a step forward, gently tugging him along for the tour. “Who iswe?” he asked. “You and your father?”
Jake’s brows creased as if Kingston had just said something strange. “We as in you, me, Allen and Riles. I’m thinking of buying this land so we can build a summer home for the off-season. It’s a good investment.”
Kingston couldn’t see any power lines, and he didn’t have to look at his phone to guess that there was very little signal this deep in the woods. Fixing all that sounded expensive, and Kingston’s NHL contract was fair, but he wasn’t worth millions yet.
“Don’t think about money,” Jake said, startling Kingston with his perceptiveness. “I have more than enough to handle itmyself, and I’ve already spoken to contractors and surveyors to get an idea of the numbers. I didn’t bring you here for that—I just want to know what you think. Do you like it?”
Kingston swept his eyes around the area, feeling unexpectedly lost. Jake’s hand suddenly weighed heavily in his own as the reality of the situation settled over him.
He wasn't being humoured or included for the sake of it.
Jake was asking because the answer mattered.
BecauseKingston’sopinion mattered.
“For…us?” Kingston asked, his voice strained.
Jake hummed and pulled them forward, moving them closer to the water. “I was thinking the dock could go here,” he said, gesturing to the left of the shoreline. “Boathouse over there because the water is deep enough, and then we could build the house over there.”
Kingston followed Jake’s hand, his head spinning as Jake began planning out what he wanted to do with the property.
“I don’t want to remove any trees unless we need to, so building here is perfect because there’s a clear view of the lake.”
Therewasa clear view of the lake, and Kingston thought it was nice, but he wouldn’t even know what todowith a lake. He couldn’t remember ever swimming in one—not even during the summer months when he was off.
But as Jake continued, he painted the picture so clearly that Kingston could see it unfolding. A house with big windows to let in the morning light. A covered deck where everyone could sit outside without being harassed by mosquitoes and black flies. Rafts floating in the middle of the lake for lazy summer afternoons, and every ridiculous water toy they could justify buying.
The more Jake talked, the easier it became to imagine.
It sounded peaceful in a way Kingston couldn't quite explain. Homey. Safe. The kind of place they could put down roots and build a life together.
And somehow, despite all the practical details, it felt impossibly romantic.
“It’s perfect,” Kingston said after Jake fell silent. “I’m not an outdoorsy kind of person, but you’re smooth enough to talk me into it.”
Jake looked down at their hands, hesitating briefly before he tightened his grip. “And it sounds like something you’d want? With us? Together?”
Kingston had to turn Jake’s question over in his mind several times before he caught on to what he was asking. It was true that the four of them had jumped into moving in together sooner than they had planned, and it was true that Kingston was beginning to kiss Allen and Jake as much as he kissed Riley, but no one had come out to say that it was a permanent situation.
