Page 112 of Game Misconduct

The couchherewas fine though because his teammates would drag him into the locker room when it was time to get ready, so he flopped down onto the one in the lounge area and turned on the TV. There was an action movie playing that he’d seen before so he left it on. It made for nice background noise.

Tanner sent a message to Leif.Dude, I’m early AF today.

He got a reply back almost immediately.To practice?

Yeah.

For the first time ever?

Ha ha,Tanner sent back even though it was totally true.What’re you up 2?

Sitting on the plane waiting for takeoff.

DC next, yeah?

If we ever take off.

2 bad we couldn’t stay at the apt. Last night was fun

Yeah, it was. I ran into a fan of my dad’s while waiting for my ride though.

Tanner sent back a bunch of exclamation marks in response, then,Really??

Uhh, yeah. He asked some questions about what I was doing there. I just told him I was staying with a friend but …

Tanner chewed his lip.Shit.That wasn’t great. He was tempted to joke that it was probably someone fromJockGossipbut he had a feeling it would stress Leif out.We’ll b fine,he sent instead.

Will we?

Promise.

You can’t promise that.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Tanner glanced up from his phone to see Graham Pennington staring like he’d seen a ghost.

“Practice,” Tanner said with as much of a straight face as he could manage.

Graham made a face. “I knowthat. I just mean why are you here at this hour? You’re usually sliding in at the last second.”

“I stayed at someone’s place last night and they had to leave early for work,” Tanner said vaguely. “So I drove straight here rather than go home. That’s all.”

“Ahh. Good night?”

“Yeah.” Tanner smiled and waggled his eyebrows. “It was. Once last night,twicethis morning.”

Graham winced. “Shit, dude. You’re gonna be gassed at practice.”

Tanner shrugged. “I’ve got stamina.”

“Apparently,” Graham said drily.

Tanner opened his mouth to ask if it was hard having a boyfriend as old as Thad—or maybe not hard?—but Graham shook his head. “I don’t need the details, Clayton.”

Tanner shrugged because for one, that wasn’t what he’d been about to say and for two, Graham was just that sort of guy. Not shy about sex or disapproving or anything. Just a little private. He’d been that way when he was dating women and nothing had changed since he realized he was bi, fell in love with Thad, and started dating him.

“How about you?” Tanner asked, because he wasn’t gonna be mean and push Graham over the limit of what he wascomfortable with, but taking it riiiight up to that line was always kinda funny. “What’s it like being with an old dude?”