Page 10

“This is nice,” Kevin said. He settled beside me, closer than strictly necessary. “Wasn’t sure... you know... what it’d be like back here.”

“Thought Detroit might have been a snowstorm anomaly?” I turned, stretching one arm along the back of the couch.

“Maybe.” He shrugged, his gaze steady on mine. “Things happen. Weird circumstances, forced proximity... doesn’t always translate back to the real world.”

“And now?” My voice was lower than intended.

He set his wine glass on the coffee table, shifting closer still. “Now I think Detroit was just the start.” His hand rested on my knee, warm through the denim. “This feels real. Is that crazy?”

My hand covered his, fingers lacing together. “If it’s crazy, we’re both losing it. This is already more real than most of the relationships I’ve had.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes.

“I’m not usually this direct,” I admitted. The words felt true as they left my mouth. The charged air, the way he looked at me… it pulled the honesty right out. “But life’s short. Especially this life. Could get traded tomorrow.”

He chuckled. “Don’t jinx it. I just got here.”

“All the more reason.” I leaned in, our faces inches apart, his breath warm against my skin. “I like you, Kevin Kogan. A lot.”

“I like you too,” he murmured. His gaze dropped to my lips before snapping back to my eyes.

That was all the invitation I needed.

The kiss started soft, but grew urgent. I couldn’t get enough of him. His hand slid under my shirt, palm flat against my stomach. I pulled him still closer, deepening the kisses.

Somehow, we made it to the bedroom. This wasn’t like Detroit’s frantic energy. This was slower, deliberate. An exploration. Appreciating each other.

His skin was smooth, soft over hard muscle. The sounds he made were quiet—intimate sighs and muffled groans—that undid me.

Once we were spent, Kevin rested his head on my chest and I caressed his arm, the simple contact grounding.

“Definitely not a Detroit anomaly.”

He laughed, a low rumble against my ribs. “Definitely not.”

“I can’t believe just a few days ago you were the quiet new guy. Now you’re the guy I think about all the time and whose head is using my chest as a pillow.”

His expression softened into something incredibly warm. It’d be easy to lose myself in his eyes. “Same here. What’s your schedule tomorrow?”

“Team meeting at 10. Nothing before.”

“Same.”

My fingers continued their slow exploration of his back. I had a necessary question. “Stay the night?”

Kevin lifted his head, his dark eyes meeting mine. No hesitation. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

I pulled him closer. He settled in with a contented sigh, pressing a soft kiss to my hand. The simple trust in the gesture warmed me.

FOUR

KEVIN

“Kogan! Eyes up!” Coach Ryan barked from center ice.

His voice jolted me. Heat flared in my cheeks. Damn it. My focus snapped back, heart thudding against my ribs. Tyler. I’d been watching Tyler again—the effortless way his edges carved into the ice during the drill.

“Sorry, Coach.” I scrambled back into position along the blue line. The cold air burned my lungs despite the sweat cooling on my skin.