Page 69 of Unrivaled

This was her subtle way of asking whether Max and his guest were sleeping together. “It’s fine. He can share with me.”

“So it’s that kind of friend! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I didn’t know you were seeing anyone!”

It’s complicateddidn’t cover this situation. Fortunately his mother was used to her children bringing strays home for the holidays, including Max’s occasional casual sex partners. “I’m not. I mean, he really is just a friend.” Maybe Grady wouldn’t put it that way, but Max couldn’t afford to spend a lot of time having feelings about that. “Sometimes we have sex, but seriously. Just friends.”

“Okay, sweetheart. As long as you’re being careful.”

She said the same thing to his sister when she dated, so Max didn’t take it personally. “Promise, Mom.”

“Well, I’ll add another adult’s worth of food to the grocery order.”

Yeah, that wouldn’t be enough. “Better make it another me worth of food.” A hockey player’s midseason calorie intake was more than twice the average adult’s.

“Oh?” Max knew that voice. That was herI’m about to go fishingvoice. “Whoisthis friend? Someone from work? Do I know him?”

Unbidden, Max got a mental image of his parents’ faces when Max showed up at Christmas with his media-designated archrival in tow. “You’ll meet him soon enough.”

“Max! So mysterious!”

“Sorry, Mom. A guy’s got to have a few secrets in his life, eh?”

“I can’t believe you’re going to keep me in suspense.” She tutted teasingly. “See if you get anything but coal in your stocking this year.”

However enthusiastic his mother was, Max didn’t expect the two thousand questions Grady fired at him in the weeks leading up to the break. Things likeIs Gru coming along?andDoes your mom have any hobbies?He wanted to know the names and ages of Max’s brother’s kids, and what his sister was like, and did his dad drink scotch.

It took Max longer than it should’ve to realize Grady was trying to figure out what to get people for Christmas.

Max almost sent him a message to say he didn’t have to do that. Nobody would expect Grady to get them anything. Their relationship was casual. Hell, Max wasn’t planning on getting Grady anything either. He’d made it clear where they stood—they had a weird friendship and great sexual chemistry.

And then he remembered Grady’s parents were dead and the only family the guy had left was abandoning him for the holidays to get closure with the woman who’d left her when she became Grady’s legal guardian, and he physically could not do it. He couldn’t tell Grady not to pretend he was having a normal family Christmas for the first time in fifteen years.

But he also couldn’t let Grady come to Christmas and notreceiveany presents.

Fuckingshit, he was going to have to buy a gift for someone who legitimately had a subscription to Consumer Reports—a man who Max was in love with and whocould not find that out. Max’s life was officially the worst.

Due to the game schedule, Grady couldn’t fly out with Max and Gru. Instead, he flew right from his last game in Nashville, and Max met him at the airport in Miami, hoping to every deity that no one recognized either of them and took a picture for the internet.

“Nice goal last night,” Grady commented when he met Max in baggage claim. “You really committed.”

Max had basically followed the puck into the net because Kipriyanov tripped him, which was the only reason the goal hadn’t been called off for goaltender interference. “Commitment is my middle name,” he said, and then immediately wanted to punch himself in the face.

Fortunately Grady wasn’t paying him any attention—he was down by Max’s feet, ruffling Gru’s ears. “Hey, buddy. Were you a good boy on the flight? Ready to get out of here?”

Gru licked his chin.

Max refused to be jealous of his dog, even if it had been weeks since he’d gotten his mouth on any part of Grady’s body. Time to get going. The sooner they got to the house, the sooner he could rectify that problem. “You get everything?”

“Shockingly, the airline did not lose my luggage.” He stood up and gestured to the full-size suitcase behind him.

“Holy shit. You know we’re only here for three days, right?”

Grady’s cheeks went slightly pink as he tugged up the handle of the rolling bag. “The presents wouldn’t fit in a carry-on. But I could take yours back if you want—”

Max mentally upgraded his punishment from punching himself in the face to kicking his own ass. If Grady was this adorably awkward for the next three days, Max would give himself away in seconds, and wouldn’tthatbe uncomfortable for Grady, having to share a bedroom with him while being aware Max had somehow caught feelings.

Yikes.

“Let’s not be hasty.” He grabbed his own bag—a much more reasonably sized one, because Max had only had to pack real presents for Grady and Gru—and led the way toward the arrivals area. Gru trotted along beside him, nails clacking on the floor.

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