Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2)

by Rachel Reid

“You can, though, you know. Talk to me.”

“Stay,”

“What does that mean?” Shane asked. “Get on your knees.”

“And what other useful phrases could you teach me?” Ilya laughed. “I can think of many, Hollander.”

“I wish you were here now.”

“Me too.”

“and on top of everything, I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you and I don’t know what to do about it.”

He had been thinking about him all day.

“I am not alone,” Ilya said. “You are here now, yes?”

“You don’t love her, then?” “No,” Ilya said quietly. He sounded like he was falling asleep. “Not her. No.”

He’s never going to be your boyfriend, Shane.

He didn’t just want to be Ilya’s dirty secret. He didn’t want their relationship to be nothing but sex. He wanted to comfort Ilya when he was sad, and talk to him on the phone, and snuggle together on the couch and watch movies. He would take the short phone call they had just shared over any of their sexual encounters.

“And take your shirt off.” “Bossy.”

“How are you? I’ve been...thinking about you.” Ilya’s heart flipped.

“It’s good to see you again.”

“I wish you were here,”

He loved a lot of things about him.

“Sure, Hollander,” he said gently.

“You are very beautiful,” Ilya said.

“Is the truth. Your freckles.” Ilya grazed a fingertip over his own cheek. “I am nuts about them.”

“Hollander. They are stunning.” “Stunning?” “Yes. Am I not using that word right? Very beautiful. Um...take my breath?”

“You’re very attractive, Ilya,”

“That crooked fucking smile of yours. I can’t even tell you...that smile haunts me.”

“It is. And your eyes. I love your eyes.” “So romantic, Hollander.”

“Did he hurt you?”

Shane clenched his eyes shut and said, “You. He wasn’t you.” Ilya damn near lost it. Shane was going to ruin him, saying things like that.

“I wanted to pin you to the floor,” he confessed. “I could not stop staring at your mouth. I thought you would notice.”

“I didn’t. I was too busy trying to stop myself from straddling you. Kissing you.” “Fuck, Shane.”

“I can’t wait to touch you again,”

“I’m fucked,” he murmured in Russian. “I am so fucking in love and it’s horrible.”

“Because I don’t sound ridiculous? Like with my accent?” “Tell you a secret? Your accent doesn’t sound ridiculous. At all.”

Shane smiled so wide and bright, Ilya almost had to look away.

Shane kissed the tips of two fingers and reached out and touched them to the screen. And Ilya’s heart fucking stopped.

But he knew, in that moment, that he had to end this thing with Shane. It was never supposed to have gotten to this point. He was never supposed to have fallen in love with Shane Hollander. He should have ended it long before because now it was going to hurt so fucking much.

“Is he all right?” Ilya’s voice again. No one answered him. “Tell him,” Shane said. “Tell him I’m fine.”

And, so help him, in that moment Ilya wanted to tell him he would stay with him. That he would move into his apartment and help him with his recovery and make him sandwiches and watch the playoffs with him and read him his boring hockey book. But, of course, he couldn’t.

And Shane was looking at him like his heart would shatter if Ilya said no.

Shane was so completely in love with him. He would hit his head all over again just to be alone in that quiet hospital room with those careful fingers and those concerned eyes.

He was in love with him and he could never, ever tell him that.

“Holy shit, Ilya! Can you belie—” “I’m coming to the cottage.”

“I hope so,” he said finally. “I would like to relax with you. For once.”

“Thank you,” Ilya said suddenly. “For inviting me.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’ve, uh, I’ve been looking forward to this,” Shane said. “Yes. Me too.”

“Let’s be honest with each other. For these two weeks, let’s just...say what we’re actually thinking. Maybe...say how we really feel.”

I can’t, Ilya wanted to say. I can’t because if I do you’ll think I’m pathetic, or, worse, you’ll say it back and then what the fuck are we supposed to do?

“I would stay here forever if I could”

His dark eyes, and his freckles, and his smile. Shane looked so happy. Somehow, Ilya made him happy.

Ilya wanted to always make him happy.

“You wanna kiss me on television?” “Yes. After I win the Stanley Cup.”