Chapter 108: The Feast is for you
Kayden
The hot spring was exactly what I actually needed, and after soaking ourselves inside for an hour, the attendants led us into a red room.
Rhys had insisted on a full body treatment, which sounded great in theory until I was face down on a table and a very petite, very strong woman began to work on my back.
I was trying to maintain my "Alpha" dignity, but every time she hit a spot near my bruised ribs, I made a sound that was less dominant and more like a squeaky chew toy.
"You are very tense, sir," the therapist murmured. "Allow your body to relax."
"Of course I will be tense," I grunted into the face cradle. "Being tense is literally my job description."
From the table next to me, I heard a low, dark chuckle. It was from Rhys, who looked like he was falling asleep while he was getting his own massage.
"Stop laughing, Rhys," I wheezed as the therapist dug a thumb into my shoulder. "I’m an elite athlete. This is... ow... part of the process."
"The process sounds a lot like a dying seagull, Kayden," Rhys replied, his voice smooth and annoyingly relaxed.
"I’ll show you a dying seagull when I... ah!" I screamed as she found a particularly sore spot. "I thought massages were supposed to be soft!"
Rhys laughed again. "It is, Kayden. You are the one making it difficult. Just stay calm and enjoy the moment."
I grunted but didn’t say anything else as the therapist worked her way down. My face was squeezed tightly and my fists clenched, but I listened to Rhys and let my muscles relax.
It wasn’t until then that I forgot about the pain that comes from the pressing.
Soon my mind drifted somewhere else, and it was why Rhys was acting weird. Something was bothering him and I was dying to know, but there had to be a reason why he wasn’t telling me and I didn’t want to pressure him into telling me. I just hope it wasn’t anything serious.
By the time the massage moment ended, I felt like I had been put through a pasta maker.
I stumbled out of the spa area dressed in a thick silk robe and walked like my legs had turned to jelly.
Rhys, on the other hand, didn’t look affected at all and he was the one who led me out of the place.
"You okay there?" he asked as he caught my elbow to steady me.
"I am great," I responded, stretching my hands and rolling my eyes. "My legs feel like a noodle and..."
Before I could even finish the sentence, Rhys reached down and swept me off my feet. I let out a small yelp, my hands flying up to catch his neck as he carried me bridal style.
"You have my support," he said simply, his grip around me firm and steady. "Instead of walking with jelly legs, I am here and my arms are strong enough to carry you."
I rolled my eyes at his cheesy words and chuckled. "Those were the most boring words I had ever heard in my life," I told him.
Rhys chuckled. "I am new to the romance thing, so don’t blame me."
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, ignoring that he had just said "romance."
Was he implying that he wanted me as more than fuck buddies? Or was I overthinking it?
"You are hungry, aren’t you?" he asked, walking with effortless grace toward a large, secluded tent structure. "Dinner."
"Dinner? Here?"
Rhys nodded as he pushed past the heavy fabric of the tent entrance and my eyes widened at the sight of what was before me. The center of the room was dominated by a massive low table, and it was absolutely buried under a mountain of food.
"What the hell!" I screamed as he set me down on the ground. "This is a feast!" I pointed towards the table, taking in the spread.
On the table were plates of Wagyu steak sliced into perfect buttery strips, mounds of sushi and sashimi glistening under the warm lights, bowls of steaming ramen, grilled lobster tails dripping in garlic butter, fresh fruit tarts, and chocolate lava cakes.
"Rhys!" I screamed, looking from the table to him and back again. "Are you trying to feed me until I can’t play hockey again? Even if the entire team eats all of this, there would still be leftovers. This meal could feed the entire Northern Avalanche roster!"
Rhys just shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for after the game. So I got everything, so pick your choice."
I shook my head, laughing in disbelief. "You are absolutely ridiculous. Thank you for the effort, but I am staying long enough to taste everything," I said, gently rubbing my stomach. "I am starting with the lobster."
I rushed to one of the chairs and sat down, grabbed a lobster tail, and started eating like I hadn’t seen food in a week.
"Oh, good food," I said in between bites as the buttery goodness practically made me tear up. Between bites, I realized the room was weirdly quiet. I looked up to see Rhys just sitting there, his chin resting on his hand, watching me with an intensity that made my skin tingle.
"Are you not eating?" I asked, my voice muffled by a mouthful of Wagyu.
Rhys just shook his head, his gaze never wavering. "I’m fine. Watching you eat is more satisfying."
I rolled my eyes, almost scoffing, because there he goes again saying the cheesiest things. "For a moment you look like a husband watching over his pregnant partner, Rhys. Seriously, chill out."
Rhys let out a low, dark chuckle that sent a shiver down my spine. "Do you want to be my partner and get pregnant, Kayden?"
I snorted—really hard—so that I actually started coughing, the air catching in my throat as my face went from pale to beet red.
Rhys was instantly by my side rubbing my back and handing me a glass of water with a calm expression that made me want to hit him. He was the reason why I was like this!
"Don’t say things like that!" I choked out, finally catching my breath. My face was burning so much that I could feel the heat. "You are insane."
Rhys shrugged. "I am just saying." He stood up and went back to the chair opposite me and sat down, leaning back at me thoughtfully. "Wouldn’t it be great? Having a mini version of ourselves running around?"
I let out a forced chuckle, trying to bring the conversation back down to earth. He was going a little too far.
"Rhys," I called, placing my hand on the table and leaning forward. "Are you forgetting what we are? We are teammates with benefits. Fuck buddies. So let’s not get ahead of ourselves."
The playful atmosphere shifted instantly. Rhys’s expression suddenly turned serious and when he spoke, his tone dropped into something serious and deeper.
"What if I don’t want that anymore? What if I..."
Before he could finish that terrifyingly honest sentence, I shoved a piece of tempura shrimp into his mouth, effectively shutting him up.