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ELLIOT

Because I’m new to the Hockey House, some players aren’t comfortable leaving me in the house alone. You would think it was for my safety, but really, they don’t want me snooping through their rooms and finding Playboys under their beds. Little do they know, I could give two shits what gets their motors running.

So, I’m being taken, against my will, to the Infinity Arena to watch their practice. As much as sitting in an ice box for a few hours makes me want to have a Zamboni run me over, Alex will be there to keep me company.

To add insult to injury, Gerard and I have been arguing about the sleeping arrangements the whole ride there. Heconvenientlyneglected to tell me that there was only one bed in his room. And that there’s not enough room to add a second.

“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Gerard insists as he navigates Betsy through the bustling streets. “You deserve a real bed, Elliot. You shouldn’t have to rough it anymore.”

I huff out an exasperated sigh and push my glasses up the bridge of my nose. “Gerard, I’ve been sleeping on floors for a while now. I’m used to it. It’s not a big deal.”

“Itisa big deal.” His eyes flicker to meet mine before focusingback on the road. “You’re a person, not a stray dog. You need a proper place to sleep.”

“And you’re a hockey player,” I retort, gesturing to his muscular frame that fills the entire driver’s seat. “You need your rest to perform at your best. I’m a librarian. I don’t need a bed as much as you do.”

Gerard’s grip tightens on the steering wheel. “Elliot, I appreciate your concern, but I’m not budging. You’re taking the bed, end of story.”

I cross my arms over my chest and arrange my lips in a defiant pout. “Well, I’m not budging either. I’ll sleep on the floor, and you can’t stop me.”

“Oh, can’t I? I could easily pick you up and plop you on that bed myself. I doubt you could overpower me.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks at the thought of Gerard’s strong hands gripping my waist and his chiseled arms effortlessly lifting me off the floor. I quickly shake the image from my mind. It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I let him win this argument.

“How about this? I’ll sleep under the covers, and you can sleep on top of them. That way, we both get the bed, but there’s still a layer between us. Deal?”

Gerard mulls my proposition over before nodding. “Deal. But don’t think this means I’ll stop trying to convince you that you deserve better, Elliot. Because you do.”

My heart skips a beat at his sincerity. I quickly gaze out the passenger window to hide the blush creeping up my face. Despite the blanket barrier we’ve agreed upon, the prospect of sharing a bed with Gerard fills me with a nervous energy I can’t quite shake. It’s not that I don’t trust him—far from it. But something about the intimacy of sleeping beside someone, the warmth of their body and the rhythm of their breath, feels far more significant than it should.

Especially when that someone is Gerard Gunnarson.

As we pull into the parking lot of the Infinity Arena, Gerard glances over at me. “You sure you’ll be okay in the standswhile we practice? I know it’s not exactly your idea of a good time.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Alex should be here, but I brought a book to pass the time if he’s not.” I pat my backpack for emphasis.

Gerard’s eyes light up with curiosity. “Oh yeah? What book?”

“On the Roadby Jack Kerouac. Have you heard of it?”

Gerard’s brow furrows in thought. “Wait, isn’t that a song?”

“No, that’s a different ‘On the Road.’ This is a novel, a classic of American literature. It’s about these two guys who go on a cross-country road trip, searching for meaning and adventure. It’s considered one of the defining works of the Beat Generation.”

“The Beat Generation?” Gerard echoes, his head tilting slightly. “What’s that?”

“It was a literary movement back in the 1950s. Writers such as Kerouac rejected conformity and materialism and embraced spontaneity, spirituality, and raw, unfiltered experience. There’s this one part where they’re driving through the Midwest at night, and I don’t know why, but it’s always stuck with me. It’s like no matter how far we travel or how much we change, there are these constants that connect us all. The stars, the road, the search for something greater than ourselves.”

I glance over at Gerard, expecting to see his eyes glazed over with boredom. But to my surprise, he’s watching me intently and smiling.

“That sounds really cool. I’d love to read it sometime.”

I blink at him, momentarily taken aback. “You…you want to readOn the Road?”

“Yeah, why not? The way you describe it makes it sound pretty amazing. And I trust your taste.”

Warmth spreads through my chest at his words. The idea of Gerard reading one of my favorite books and discussing it with him afterward is more than I could have ever imagined happening. “I—yeah, of course, you can borrow it. I’d be happy to share it with you.”

Gerard’s smile widens. “Thanks, Elliot. I appreciate it.”