On the Ice (Stick Side, #1)

by Amy Aislin

It smelled like popcorn, sweat, and ice inside the Glen Hill College ice rink. Fuck, Alex loved this smell. Nothing smelled quite like a hockey rink, and damn he missed hockey.

Questions raced through Mitch’s head. Who are you visiting? How long’ve they been here? What does ‘not a good day’ mean? How long have you been sitting here? Can I touch your beard? Stop that!

The goal horn sounded across the arena. Whooping loudly, Alex stopped next to the boards where, directly behind the Plexiglass, a TV news camera was mounted. Alex pointed directly into it and almost mouthed For you, stopping himself just in time from putting a media bullseye on his back.

Mitch played with his cutlery. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been on a date before.” “Me neither.” “Oh.” Mitch sat up straighter. “I guess we wing it, then?” “I guess.” Mitch didn’t look too thrilled at the idea. “I’m not much of a winger.” “You’re a left winger.”

He took his shirt off instead. “What…are you doing?” Mitch asked, standing on the other side of the island, his glass of water halfway to his mouth, forgotten. His eyes roamed Alex’s chest, catching on his nipples, his belly button. Alex undid his belt, nerves kicking a path from his stomach all the way into his throat. “Getting naked.” Mitch set his glass down, slowly, as if he thought Alex would run away—or put his clothes back on—if he moved too fast. “Not that I’m opposed, but…why?” “Because I want to have sex now.” Alex stepped out of his shorts. “But I don’t know how to initiate it, so I figured if I got naked, you’d get the picture.”