Page 40 of Breaking the Ice

“Well, I’m flattered,” Ramsey said modestly.

Zach was impressed he’d dredged up that tone and made it seem real. Because honestly, Ramsey didn’t seem to have a self-deprecating bone in his body.

“Would you be interested in taking the C?” Gavin asked.

Zach almost laughed, but he held it back at the last moment. Because he was beginning to realize that not only would Ramsey be interested, he’d designed this entire encounter to make sure he got it.

“I’d be honored,” Ramsey said.

“Well, think about it,” Gavin said.

“You’re not interested in giving it to McCoy? He’s a real boy scout.”

“A little boy-scouty for this team, maybe,” Gavin acknowledged.

Ramsey nodded, like he understood. Honestly, he probably did, better than the two of them.

“Besides,” Ramsey said, “Mal’s gonna have his hands too full with Elliott, anyway.”

“Probably,” Zach agreed.

“You’re putting them both on the same line, right? Don’t fuck it up the way that Nichols did, last year. They were born to play together.”

“It didn’t take us very long to figure that one out,” Gavin said dryly.

“Good,” Ramsey said with a sharp nod. “Well, I can’t say I hadn’t already thought about captaining this team so you might as well put me down as a yes.”

“Excellent.” Gavin held his hand out and they shook again. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Good.” Ramsey shot Zach a look. “Next time, if you’re here, I don’t wanna find out from Marcus.”

“No, no, there’ll be a whole schedule and we’ll make sure you’re aware of it,” Gavin agreed, still faintly flushed along his cheekbones, like he wanted to point out that bribing the equipment manager with a blowjob wasn’t the best way to stay informed, but then he’d have to say itout loud, and he didn’t think he could.

Zach hoped he wouldn’t. He didn’t think he’d survive Gavin saying the word,blowjob, even if it was to Ramsey.

“Awesome,” Ramsey said. “I’m off to the gym, then.”

When he was gone, Gavin waited five seconds, then ten. He turned to Zach. “Did I just hallucinate that conversation?”

“No,” Zach said, barely able to get the word out, because he was suddenly laughing so hard and he wasn’t sure he could stop.

God, Gavin’sface.

“Did you know, uh . . .” Gavin flushed again, brighter red this time, like he’d been willing it back while Ramsey had been here.

“Hell no,” Zach said. “Though I had heard some stories about Ramsey. You know the regular loose cannon stories. But no, I didn’t know about Marcus. Though that does make sense, in some ways.”

“It does?” Gavin still looked flabbergasted.

“Well, I told Hayes his boner was for more than just hockey, and it turns out I was right.” A second too late, Zach realized he’d just saidbonerto Gavin, and thenhewent bright red.

“Guess so.” Gavin cleared his throat. “I was not expecting that, I’ll say that.”

“But you couldn’t have hated it. You offered the guy the C right after he told you.” Zach knew Gavin was open-minded—he’d certainly been supportive when Zach had come out to him—but he hadn’t expected him to bethatopen-minded. But clearly Ramsey had, because the more Zach thought about it, the clearer his machinations looked now.

It was a good trait in a captain, and maybe that was what Gavin had seen too.

“I was surprised, sure. But . . .I admired his brazenness too. He’s not going to hide. He’s going to be honest. The guy in the room who speaks up, even when it’s not something anyone wants to hear. That’s valuable.”