He pulled back and met Roan's gaze head on. "This," he whispered, "is all I'm asking you for."
Roan nodded. "Beer?"
Seg gave an answering nod. "That's a good start, too."
ROAN FELT STRANGELY COMFORTABLE WITH Seg wandering around his house. He wasn't sure how he expected the evening to go once he'd allowed Seg to sweet-talk his way inside. And sweet-talk he had.
Seg's words were still running through Roan's head. Even now, as they sat at the kitchen table, staring at one another.
"So, tell me more about Liam. He's four months old." Seg grinned. "And forgive me, I'm not up to speed on all things baby."
"Don't feel bad," Roan told him. "I'm not either. He's precious though. No, he doesn't sleep through the night, but he's sleeping for about six hours at a time. I consider myself lucky there."
"I'd like to meet him sometime," Seg said softly, drawing Roan's attention back to him.
He still wasn't sure that this was real. Colton Seguine, star defenseman for the Austin Arrows, a man Roan had slept with twice-well, to be fair, it had been more than twice, but only two nights-was sitting at his kitchen table asking about his son.
"And your sister," Seg prompted. "What happened to her?"
"She overdosed. Not on purpose. She was addicted to drugs."
"Oh, damn. I'm sure that was hard."
"It wasn't easy, no." Roan glanced at his hands once again, holding the beer bottle tightly. "I moved in with her when she was five months pregnant. I guess I was hoping to be her savior, to get her out from under the drugs. It didn't work."
"And the baby's biological father?"
Roan shook his head. "She had no idea who he was. Said it could be one of a dozen." He didn't think she was exaggerating either.
"Probably for the best," Seg noted. "I'm sure Liam's got everything he needs with you."
"I'd like to think so. My parents aren't exactly convinced of that. My stepmother thinks it's not a good idea for him to be raised in a gay household."
Seg leaned back. He looked as though he was considering that.
"My father died five years ago," Seg explained. "My mother and I are close, but not that close. We talk every day, but I keep her in the dark about a lot of things. She's back home in Toronto, so I don't get to see her as much as I'd like. She gets down here every couple of months, and I visit whenever we have games up there. Ever been to Canada?"
Roan shook his head.
"She still lives in the same house I grew up in." Seg grinned. "When I visit, I sleep in the same bed I did when I was a teenager."
"Does she know that you're … " Roan doubted she did, but he wanted to ask anyway.
"I think she has an idea, but no, I've never told her. I've never told anyone."
"That why you date women?"
Surprisingly, Seg nodded. "I didn't think that was the case until … Well, if I'm completely honest, it wasn't until you." He sounded resolute in his explanation, and Roan found he liked his honesty. "I've kept all female contact on the friendship level since … a year and a half ago. I've got a few women who're willing to be on my arm and not expect anything from me. Recently, I did a mental health awareness benefit dinner with a woman who works in the Arrows media department. She asked me. Again, as friends."
"So no sex with women since … me?" Roan still found that hard to believe.
"No sex with anyone since you."
Nodding, he looked down again. "I guess it's not too farfetched."
"You think it would be? That because I'm a professional athlete, my dick works differently than yours? I can't control myself?"
Roan felt his defenses shoring up. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
Sighing, he took a sip of his beer, then met Seg's gaze head on. "I haven't had sex with anyone since you either. So, no, it's not unbelievable. But I don't live my life in the public eye. I don't have anyone prying into my business every time I turn around. It's easier for me." He could admit that much.
"The interest tends to lag when you don't give the public something juicy," Seg stated. "Plus, they've got all they need right now, feeding off the failings of our last two seasons. The speculation over whether or not the team management is capable of bringing us back from the bottom is off the charts."
"Y'all will get through this." Roan was resolute in his belief of that.
"We will," Seg replied, sitting up straight. "So, tell me about your parents. You mentioned your stepmother. What about your mom?"