Page 14 of Broken Ice, Mended Hearts

It could go so wrong there was never a right. Don’t do it.

Ignoring the voice in my head, I nodded. “Casual sex is a good solution for a lot of athletes.” Shrugging, I looked into his eyes. “I’ve done it. Probably will again.”

His smile tilted. “If you’ve read the gossip about me, you know I have too. Before my wife.”

I took a sip of my drink and decided to feel him out a bit more. “It’s hard finding someone for long-term. Seems like there’s two kinds of gay guys who like athletes, and I’ve experienced both. Either they’re sweet and great to be with, or they turn out to be interested in your money and the status they feel from being with you.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s the same with women. Some guys have the sweetest, most wonderful girlfriends and wives, and others have gold-diggers. Ella, my ex-wife, was definitely a gold-digger.”

“It’s fucked up.” I sighed. “The trick’s trying to figure out which is which because they all put on a good show at the beginning.”

“Goddamn right.”

I took a deep breath and pushed closer to the edge. “It can be a problem with short-term flings too.”

“Hell yes. Been there, done that.” Pip took another long swallow of beer. “Sometimes I think it’s too bad I can’t hook up with other jocks. They’d get it. They don’t need the money or status, and casual could be casual.”

Fuck me. He didn’t say that by accident.My knees trembled. “Some athletes hook up with each other. It’s…”Don’t say it, don’t say it.“It’s probably harder if they’re on the same team, but if they’re not, it can be a good way to get by.”Fuck, I said it.

He tilted his head. “I’ve thought about it. There are plenty of women athletes, and even more men. I could…”

Fucking shit.I still needed to be careful, but I was ninety percent sure he was opening the door.

After another moment of silence, he pushed his beer away, and his expression changed. “Want to get out of here? There’s plenty more to do down the street.”

Unsure of what had just happened, I went with it. He’d undoubtedly sent up a signal. The question was, how should I respond?

Chapter 5

Gags

The sidewalks outside were packed.With the Fourth of July two days away, it seemed like half the country had gathered in Washington to celebrate. The logical thing would be to invite Sven to my place, and I wondered what his reaction would be. Would he think I was coming on to him? What would he expect when we got there?

After what had happened in the bar, I had a good idea of what we’d both expect, and it wasn’t to keep talking. Watching old sitcoms on TV was probably out too. I could deny it all night, but I knew fucking well what I wanted, and he seemed to be interested in the same thing.

Would it be fair, though? It didn’t sound like either of us was ready to move on with our love lives, and I’d hate to make him feel like I was using him.

But that’s exactly what we talked about—how casual sex could take the edge off.

“Pip?”

I glanced over, realizing I’d missed something.

“Which way?”

Looking toward 14th Street, I couldn’t even see the intersection because of the sea of people. The back of Sven’s hand brushed mine. We were jammed together, and my mind cartwheeled when I noticed his musky scent. Something my coach in juniors always said came back to me: “Hesitant defensemen are useless.”

My heart pounded as I faced him. “This crowd is fucking nuts. How about heading to my place for a while? It’s comfortable there, and we can chill. If you’re up for more drinks, there’s a guest room.”

He turned his head, and uncertainty filled his eyes as he shifted from foot to foot. When he looked at me again, I was sure he’d say no. Instead, there was a glimmer of… what? Hope? “Are you sure, Pip?”

The desire to spend more time with him burned like hunger, but other things smoldered beside it: the ache to feel his touch, and the longing to kiss him. The feelings were familiar but also strange. I didn’t know how to handle wanting a man so much, but it seemed like I was about to figure it out. “I’m positive.”

“Then we’re on.” He shot me a killer smile that gave me chills. His lips parted to show perfect teeth, and the grin was wide enough to kick dimples into his cheeks. He had beautiful lips, and since the bottom one was especially full, it stuck out more than the upper one. It was a smile any movie star would have killed for.

I tore my gaze away and pulled out my phone. “I’ll get an Uber. Hold on.”

While the driver fought his way through late-night traffic, Sven told me about a trip he’d made to Sweden right after the Congressmen were knocked out of the playoffs.

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