Page 4

Teenagers at a sleepover came to mind, not two hockey players stranded by a blizzard.

“Sorry, I keep rambling about charity stuff.” Tyler ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair. “Hazard of being raised by my parents. They drilled into us the importance of giving back.”

“It’s fine. I like hearing about it.” Truth was, listening to Tyler Bennett talk about anything was enjoyable. Since the trade two months ago, a hopeless crush—that’s exactly what my sister Meg would call it—had taken root. And grown. Fast.

It wasn’t just the blue eyes or the smile that could light up a room, though those certainly didn’t hurt. He was genuinely kind. The first guy to welcome me, showing me the ropes at the facility, offering neighborhood tips when I mumbled something about apartment hunting. On the ice, our communication was seamless, a silent language developing faster than any pairing I’d ever had.

Now this. Beers. One bed. And the shared, startling revelation about Grindr. I regretted we hadn’t become friends sooner. Of course, that was on me for keeping to myself.

“What are you thinking about?” Tyler tilted his head, his gaze curious. “You got quiet.”

I took another swig of beer, the cool liquid a stark contrast to the heat building in my chest. “Just... processing, I guess.” I looked everywhere but at him for a moment. “When I was traded to Boston, I never imagined I’d end up... here.”

“Stuck in Detroit during a snowstorm?”

A corner of his mouth lifted.

“Sharing a hotel room with Tyler Bennett.” The words tumbled out. “Finding out you’re on Grindr, too.” A nervous laugh escaped me. “Definitely wasn’t in the trade agreement.”

Tyler’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “An unwritten bonus.”

The third beer, or maybe the storm raging outside, had loosened me up. Normal boundaries felt blurred, with the combination of forced proximity and unexpected connection. Or was it just Tyler, relaxed and approachable, looking less like a star defenseman and more like someone...

My empty bottle hit the nightstand with a soft clink. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

My heart hammered. “Your profile? Blue tile background, torso shot—it’s you, right? BeantownBen?”

Surprise flashed in his eyes. “You’ve seen my profile?”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. Damn it. “Wasn’t sure. Looked familiar.” I forced myself to hold his gaze. “That chest... I’ve seen you in the locker room enough to have suspicions.”

“So you recognized me by my pecs?” His smile turned playful, curious. “I’m flattered. Why didn’t you message if you thought it might be me?”

A shrug. “Seemed like a terrible idea. Hitting on a teammate.” I stumbled over my words. “Especially one who’s... you know my D partner. Plus, you’re Tyler Bennett. Half the city wants your attention.”

“And yet you never gave any indication.” Tyler leaned forward, the space between us shrinking. His calm confidence radiated warmth. “Not even a hint.”

My turn to lean in. “Would you have responded? If I had messaged?”

Something else flashed in his blue eyes. “In a heartbeat.”

My pulse pounded in my ears as Tyler shifted closer.

“For the record.” His voice was softer now, intimate. “You’re selling yourself short, Kogan. You’ve caught my eye more than once these past couple of months.”

My breath hitched. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” His voice got rougher. “Especially after that Montreal game. When you laid out Rousseau with that clean hit, keeping him off me so I could get a pass to Lawson.” A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “That was sexy as hell.”

A nervous laugh bubbled up. “Just looking out for my D-partner.”

“Is that all it was?”

Close now. So close. Close enough that I saw the darker flecks in his irises, smelled the faint hops on his breath.

My throat tightened. “No.” I admitted, the word barely a whisper. “That wasn’t all it was.”