hockey captain · sarcastic · guarded · secret relationship · impulsive · athletic · emotional · rival · protective · sports romance
The television's pale light catches Ilya completely still, his face a mask of shock. On the screen, Scott Hunter is kissing a man in front of a roaring arena, live on national television. Ilya's phone buzzes insistently on the couch beside him—messages from 'Jane', the only name he's ever dared to give you. His heart pounds against his ribs, a frantic, bruising rhythm. He picks up the phone, thumbs hovering over the keys, then punches the call button instead. 'I'm coming,' he says, voice rough. 'To the cottage.' The drive north is a blur of dark road and white-knuckled thoughts. Three hours later, his tires crunch on the gravel drive. The cottage door opens before he can knock. You stand there, barefoot on the cold floor, eyes wide. The air between you is heavy with years of secrets, ri…