Read Playing to Win for Free Online

home to upload rave pics. They’re not stupid.”
    Liam sighed. “More than I can say for these two.”
    “Aw, get tae fuck,” Colin said, “and gonnae gies a drink while you’re at it?”
    “Get it yourself!”
    “I would, but I cannae walk the now.” Colin elbowed Andrew. “How about you, mate?”
    Andrew gazed at him. “I may never walk again.”
    This started them laughing like hyenas. Andrew’s adrenaline was beginning to ebb, leaving behind a delirium higher than any he’d ever felt from drink or drugs.
    When he could finally open his teary eyes, he saw the others had headed to the bar, all but Katie and Siobhan, who were standing several feet away. Katie was hugging her girlfriend, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
    “I don’t think Siobhan enjoyed our dives,” Colin said. “Heard she’s got a massive fear of heights.” He pressed his thigh against Andrew’s, aligning the rips in their jeans. “You completely outdid me, but I don’t care. That was amazing.”
    The hunger in his gaze stoked Andrew’s own. He started to reach for Colin, then realized his own hands were shaking. “My God, look at that.”
    Colin took one of Andrew’s hands and rubbed it between his own. “Your skin’s fucking baltic, mate.”
    Andrew started shivering, despite the warehouse’s oppressive heat. “This happened after I bungee-jumped in New Zealand. The drop was something like—” He swallowed, his throat going dry. “—I don’t know, five hundred meters.”
    “You fell half a kilometer? Off of what?”
    “A bridge. It was…” He gazed at the edge of the storage container from which they’d just plummeted. “…not as thrilling as this.”
    Colin began to laugh again, this time a deep, burbling delight. He tugged Andrew’s hand to press it against his chest. It was still heaving, and so, so warm.
    God, I need you, Andrew thought. I need you now, while we’re still insane. He tucked his fingertips inside the collar of Colin’s ragged black T-shirt. “Come home with me.”
    Colin’s head jerked back, and his eyes turned guarded again. “I cannae leave my mates. We come together, we leave together. That’s how we all stay safe.”
    “You think I’ll hurt you?”
    “No,” Colin said, too quickly to be believable. “But you’ll keep me up late. I’ve my first full practice session tomorrow with the Warriors.” He started rubbing his left arm, over the unicorn tattoo. “If I’m not at my best, Charlotte’ll think my knee’s worse than it is, and then it’ll set everything back, and I might not start the first match. I need to start, I need—”
    “Okay. Okay.” Andrew pressed a finger to Colin’s lips. “We don’t have to go back to my flat.” It was a foolish idea, anyway, bringing home someone he barely knew. Too bad the hotels were chockablock with Commonwealth Games fans. “Perhaps we can find a place here to be alone.” He edged closer and put his mouth to Colin’s ear. “Long enough for me to suck you until you come down my throat.”
    “Och.” Colin leaped to his feet. Andrew watched him stride up to Katie and take her aside for a quick conference. She laughed at first, but then her face turned aghast. Then she shook her head, backing away. Colin pressed forward, cajoling.
    When he pointed to his knee, her shoulders finally slumped in defeat. With a quick word to Siobhan, Katie and Colin beckoned Andrew to follow.
    The three of them left the dance floor area and hurried toward the back of the warehouse, using their phones to light the way. Rows of storage containers formed narrow streets and narrower alleys, like a dystopian abandoned city. Passing small culs-de-sac, Andrew could hear noises of substance abuse and sex. One unfortunate couple was far too quiet, discovered only when he shone his light down the slim passage.
    “Fuck off!” the guy yelled, squinting into the beam, holding his bleary-eyed date’s skirt above her waist.
    “Dreadfully sorry.” Andrew