The Long Game (Game Changers, #6)

by Rachel Reid

“Yes. Sorry. Shit, Ryan. I’m being super fucking weird. I’m just...” “Nervous?” Ryan guessed. “Yeah. But excited too.” Shane laughed shakily. “I’m sort of glad you walked in on us last year.”

Ryan finally smiled at that. “He’s nothing like me. No one can believe we’re together.” “I know the feeling.”

He was on a date. With his boyfriend. In Montreal. No big deal. His boyfriend who, incidentally, looked super fucking hot.

Ilya was wearing a teal tank top with a faded floral print that showed off his muscular arms, as well as the loon tattoo near his left shoulder that Shane still couldn’t believe Ilya had gotten.

He’d surprised Shane with it a couple of months ago and had blamed being bored while Shane was in the playoffs, but Shane knew it wasn’t something Ilya had gotten out of boredom. The tattoo meant something, to both of them. It represente...

Ilya was also wearing loose-fitting gray shorts and black slip-on sneakers, and looked so relaxed and summery that Shane was tempted to drive them both directly to the co...

“I am Ilya. This is my... Shane.” Shane tried to ignore how cute that was because otherwise Fabian’s first impression of him was going to involve a big, goofy grin.

“Thank you. I like your glasses.” “Oh. Thanks.” “He thinks they are a disguise,” Ilya quipped. “Like Superman.”

“Well!” Shane protested. “They can’t hurt. Also, I can’t read a menu without them. So shut up.”

Ilya lightly tapped his sneaker against Shane’s ankle under the table, which made Shane realize his leg had been bouncing nervously. He stilled, but I...

“I can put you on the guest list,” Fabian said easily. “Don’t worry about it if you choose not to go.” “I already bought tickets,” Ilya said. “For us both.”

“He wants to know if it is a gay club,” Ilya said helpfully. Shane stepped on Ilya’s foot.

And he was a bit charmed by the fact that Ilya had planned a surprise date, of sorts, for the two of them.

“It’s, um. It’s not a huge distance, but—” “Feels farther,” Ilya said. “We are so busy, during the season. Not much time together.”

“That must be hard. And this—” Fabian waved a hand between them “—is a secret, right?” “A big one,” Ryan said. “That makes it harder,” Fabian said sympathetically.

“I am bisexual,” Ilya said, nodding. “Shane is super gay.” “I’m regular gay,” Shane argued.

Shane opened his mouth to explain the difference, but couldn’t quite find the words. The way Fabian said it made the distinction sound so unimportant. It really shouldn’t make a difference. But it did.

“That’s a long time to keep a secret,” Fabian said thoughtfully. “Isn’t that a distraction too? Having to hide?” Shane wasn’t sure how to answer that, and, judging by Ilya’s expression, Ilya wasn’t sure either.

He’d always imagined that the hockey world’s reaction if he and Ilya were ever found out would be the biggest nightmare to deal with, but maybe the bigger challenge was hiding. Maybe keeping how he felt about Ilya a secret was more draining than facing the backlash.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Fabian said, “I want to thank you both for inviting Ryan to be a part of these camps. It’s meant so much to him. He absolutely loves working with kids and I think it’s been healing for him.”

“Healing?” Shane asked. Fabian nodded. “He had a bad breakup with hockey, you know? I don’t think he’s ever regretted retiring, but he misses how hockey used to make him feel. Before it made him feel bad all the time.”

Fabian smiled. “And he’s so proud, being a part of this initiative of yours. I think he’s still a bit intimidated by the other coaches. He told me they’re all superstars, and he feels out of place.”

“He is a sweetheart. I am glad Fabian loves him.” “How did they even meet?” “Ryan lived with Fabian’s family when he played junior hockey.”

“I’ll bet their sex life is wild.” Ilya grinned. “Pervert.” “As if you’ve never thought about it.”

Ilya seemed to consider the question before answering. “We are very good at pretending to not be in love. Maybe we are bad at showing it when we are allowed.”

Ilya glanced at the end of the table, where Shane was sitting. As Ilya had suspected, Shane looked confused and uncomfortable. Hockey had never made Shane sad for a minute of his life.

Ilya couldn’t pretend to know how it felt to be let down by the game he loved—not in the way Max or Ryan had been—but he was more aware of hockey’s flaws than Shane was. He’d been paying more attention, over the past few years, to the darker side of his sport.

“There is no way Wiebe is hot enough for Ryan,” Ilya said. “Have you seen his boyfriend?” “Uh, yeah,” Max said. “Leah and I Googled him last night. What the heck, dude? He’s, like, an actual angel or something.”

Ryan crumpled his empty lunch bag in one giant hand. “You guys are weird.” He stood to leave, but paused and said, with a small smile, “But yeah. My boyfriend is super hot.”

Max slapped the table. “Love it. Be proud of your hot man, Ryan.” Ryan walked away, shaking hi...

“Sorry if I missed anything,” he said. “Had to deal with a family emergency.” “Did your wife have another baby?” Ilya asked dryly.

Ilya grinned. “What does Chompy sound like?”

He made fun of Hayden a lot—for a million different reasons—but he secretly admired his ability to parent four young children. He was a good dad, as far as Ilya could tell. His kids were great; his wife, Jackie, was awesome. Ilya probably envied him, but he would never admit it.

“Come on, ding-dongs.”

lol

They smiled at each other, and Ilya leaned in a bit. He couldn’t help it. They hadn’t had sex all week because Shane didn’t want his mom to hear, and Ilya was crawling out of his skin.

“You guys are kind of adorable,” Max said. Ilya waggled his eyebrows at Shane. “Adorable.” Shane’s cheeks heated. Had they been too adorable? Maybe they should tone it down.

They smiled at each other lovingly, and Shane felt a hot flash of jealousy, followed by the urge to kiss Ilya in front of everyone. Would anyone here even care? Ryan already knew...

“Okay?” Ilya asked. “Yep,” Shane said tightly. Ilya hummed softly, then, as soon as they were around a corner, grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward an open door.

Ilya closed and locked the door, then pressed Shane against it. “Oh,” Shane said, and then Ilya was kissing him, hard and with purpose, as if this was a form of physical therapy.

“Better?” Ilya asked, when they finally pulled apart. Both men were breathing unsteadily. Shane’s fingers were digging into Ilya’s hip and his shoulder, and Ilya had one hand tangled up in Shane’s hair.

“Yeah,” Shane whispered. “Fuck, I want you so bad.” “It has been a lo...

“Mom’s going back to Ottawa now. We’ll have the house to ourselves.” Ilya kissed him again, this time in that filthy...

“This room remind you of anything?” Shane asked as he traced a finger along Ilya’s forearm. Ilya’s lips curved up. “When you were very unprofessional, making that commercial with me.”

“Me? You were the one who propositioned me.” “After you pointed your boner at me.” Shane’s mouth fell open. He closed it. Then opened it again.

“You were showing off.” “Showing off?” “Yeah. With all your naked muscles and ass...flexi...

“You knew what you were doing.” Ilya kissed his f...

Shane rested his head on Ilya’s shoulder, breathing him in and trying not to wonder how things would be different if Shane hadn’t been unable to control his dick that day in the showers. Would Ilya be holding him now, mo...

“I’m glad you’re such a show-off,” Shane said. Ilya patted his back. “I am glad you get hard so easily.” “Shut up,” Shane said, but smiled into Ilya’s neck, relieved...

Ilya was in the process of tugging his tight-fitting pale pink T-shirt into place. It was a recent purchase, and he looked amazing in it. “Jesus,” Shane said. “Nice, right?”

“They didn’t have it in your size?” Ilya grinned. Shane was full of shit, and the heat in his gaze was telling on him.