Page 152 of Breaking the Ice

He waited ten seconds, which he personally felt was about nine seconds too long, so the press corps could get their photos, and then he turned to Zach, their hands brushing.

There was a press release sitting in the Evergreens’ head of PR’s outbox, ready to hit send whenever Gavin decided he was ready.

Staring at Zach’s perfect, private smile today, as the anarchy of winning surrounded them, Gavin realized that he’dbeenready, and there was no reason to wait anymore.

“We’re the champs, baby!” Elliott screamed to his left, Mal laughing so hard he almost drownedhim out.

But Gavin couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t see anything else but Zach. He leaned in and kissed him.

Zach’s mouth was warm and tasted like the Gatorade he’d been rolling around in his hands during the last intermission as he’d sketched out the power play design that had won them the game, Ivan from the faceoff to Ramsey to Elliott, hanging around on the other side of the net, so quick that the goalie hadn’t had a moment to even get in position.

That had been four minutes left in the game, and because of Elliott’s goal, there’d been no overtime, because they’d held the lead, Ramsey and Brody skating the last shift with as much purpose as they’d skated the first, protecting Finn and their net like it wasn’t just the game on the line, but their lives.

Zach’s mouth moved against his, with intent, and the rest of the noise around them faded away.

Gavin was pretty sure someone yelled, “Get it, Coach!”

It might’ve been Ramsey. Honestly, it was probably Ramsey.

Gavin smiled against Zach’s mouth and then pulled back, their hands against each other on the trophy.

He didn’t even have to ask Zach, it just felt natural to turn to that voice and pass it onto him, sweat and what Gavin thought might be tears, dripping down Ramsey’s face as he hoisted the trophy up, skating out onto the middle of the ice, the rest of the team streaming behind him, all fist pumps and supportive screams.

“We did it,” Zach said, and Gavin nodded, because he’d never heard anything more right in his whole life. Not,Idid it, oryoudid it, butwedid it,together.

“It’s gonna be like this forever,” Gavin told him. “Us.”

“Even when someone tries to hire me away?” Zach teased.

“Someone tries to hire you away, they’re getting a package deal,” Gavin said. Maybe it was crazy. But he never wanted to do this alone again, not without Zach.

Zach didn’t argue, he just glowed, affection and fondness pouring out from his expression. “Us, together,” he said, and Gavin had never heard anything better in his whole goddamn life.

Even the final buzzer today, giving them the championship win.

June

The air was slow and muggy, Zach moving through it like his limbs were coated in honey.

He and Gavin had been up at the cabin for over a week now but he couldn’t say that he was even remotely used to the intense humidity yet. Maybe he wouldn’t ever get used to it.

Zach tugged out the shirt that he’d tucked into the waistband of his shorts and used it to wipe his face then his sweaty chest. He’d just been on a long run, thinking that with the sun falling lower in the sky, the heat would be less of a problem.

That had been wishful thinking and he was imagining a long, cold shower and an even colder beer, in that order.

When he turned the corner and the cabin came into view, he saw Gavin on the porch, bare legs stretched out in front of him, and clearly he’d had the same idea because there was a fresh beer,condensation sliding down the bottle, on the small table next to him.

His head was tipped back, eyes closed, but the moment Zach opened the squeaky screen door, his gaze met Zach’s.

“Hey,” Gavin said. “Have a good run?”

“Ugh, no. It’s hot as fuck out,” Zach complained, leaning against one of the columns of the porch, debating if Gavin would argue if he just stole his beer for himself instead of going all the way in the house to grab one.

“Hey, your choice to go now instead of going this morning,” Gavin pointed out. He lifted the beer and took a long drink, his throat working as he swallowed. His skin had already begun to darken, though he wasn’t quite as tan as he’d been last June when Zach had shown up at the cabin uninvited.

“Yeah, can’t imagine what I was doing this morning instead of dragging my ass outside for a run,” Zach shot back, grinning.

This morning they’d been tucked up in Gavin’s double bed together, legs tangled together, enjoying the silence and each other. The long, slow kisses they’d exchanged had felt sweet and soft, too precious to break up to get out of bed except for anything but the most pressing reason—and going for a run definitely hadn’t been on the list.