Page 82 of Breaking the Ice

It wasn’t that easy now that he was back in the regular world, again.

“Uh, not really anything big,” Gavin said. “What about you?”

It really said everything about how much he didn’t want to talk about the second power play team—or next year’s team—that he plowed ahead and willingly embraced Sidney’s subject change.

“No family of your own to spend time with?”

“Uh, no,” Gavin said. Maybe hedidn’twant to talk about this. “My parents are gone, and um, Noelle had a sister, but we’re not close, at least not anymore.”

Not since Noelle had died and he’d disappeared into the wilds of Michigan.

“I’m sure some of the team will be around,” Sidney said placatingly, patting him on the arm again.

“I’m planning on catching up on work,” Gavin said. “Prepping for the final push at the end of the season.”He’d drown himself in game tape, instead of stupid action movies, like he’d always done at the cabin.

Maybe if he didn’t leave his house, where it didn’t feel like Christmas, it wouldn’tfeellike Christmas.

“Oh, but you need to take some time,” Sidney said earnestly.

“I’m sure I will,” Gavin said. He cleared his throat. “Well, I’d better be going. Thanks again for lunch.”

“Of course,” Sidney said, patting him on the back as they rose from the table. “Good luck this weekend.”

“Thanks,” Gavin said and escaped before Sidney could think of any more advice he wanted to impart.

His phone buzzed in his pocket on the way to the gym and when he pulled it out he wasn’t surprised to see it was a text from Zach.

How was lunch?

Gavin wanted to pretend he didn’t know why Zach had his schedule memorized as well as his own, but he knew.

Terrible. I’m going to the gym.

Zach sent him a thumbs-up and Gavin wasn’t all that surprised when he was in the locker room changing into his workout clothes to see him walk in, too.

“That bad, huh?” Zach joked lightly as he sat down opposite him, his duffel dropping to the floor in front of him.

Gavin made a face. “It’s notbad, he just doesn’t quit pushing, even when we’re winning. Even when we’re leading the conference.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, he’s already asking questions about next year. And of course, he brought up the second power play team.”

Zach grunted as he pulled his T-shirt over his head. Gavin wasn’t looking. Hewasn’t.

He didn’t need any more jerkoff material. His mind was already overflowing with it.

“They’re gonna get better,” Zach said and it was clear how much he was trying to be optimistic.

He glanced up andGod, regretted that so much.

Zach was golden and muscled all over. His body was a work of art and Gavin wanted Zach to pin him to the nearest surface and gently demand Gavin worship him the way he deserved. Make him work for it.

Gavin cleared his throat. His mouth was so dry, the same kind of Sahara as his sex life.

“Yeah,” Gavin agreed helplessly, though he didn’t really feel the second teamwouldget better, not unless he staged some kind of intervention.

“What else did you guys talk about?” Zach asked.