🌈🏒⏳Throwback Thursday's Time Machine⏳🏒🌈: Keeping Kyle by Jeff Adams

Summary:
Hockey Allies Bachelor Bid #3

An NHL All-Star 
A workaholic entrepreneur
One irresistibly tempting opportunity

KYLE
I can’t believe I let my best friend talk me into being auctioned off for charity. But when I get a look at the guy who placed the winning bid, I feel like I’m the one who snagged the top prize.

AUSTIN
I didn’t get to where I am by letting opportunities slip through my fingers. When I learn that Kyle Pressgrove will be part of the bachelor auction taking place during All-Star weekend, that’s the kind of chance that you grab ahold of, and I have no intention of letting go.

With my career on the line and the possibility of Kyle being traded to a team half-way across the country, things between us might be over before they’ve even begun. I’d give anything to keep Kyle in my life, but everything might not be enough.

Original Review August 2020:
I'm going to start off by saying that I loved how Austin is a workaholic but not for purely selfish gain.  By that I mean, it was wonderful to see a character who is devoted to getting his company going, keeping it strong, but not just for himself but also for his employees.  He doesn't want to let them down, such a fresh approach not explored nearly enough in fiction for my taste, so when it's done I take notice and when it's done believably then it stays with me.

Now you know why I love Austin so let's look at Kyle.  Austin's dream date, his one luxury he's allowed himself to unwind down with: hockey and his favorite player.  Kyle is living the dream by playing for his hometown team but doing his buddy, Garrett(from RJ Scott's Guarding Garrett, book one of this great series) a favor could change his life.  I can't imagine what it would be like to be able to play for the team you grew up watching but I think the author shows us a glimpse of the joy Kyle feels doing so.  Kyle can be a bit of a stickler when it comes to being on time vs. lateness and when dealing with a workaholic that can be issue, I liked how the author factors it in but doesn't let the story get bogged down with "rehashing" elements just to create drama.

Throw these two intriguing characters together and what you have is fun, sexy potential.  Fate never likes to make things easy.  You got business hiccups, trading rumors, and does all that make it the right time for Kyle and Austin to start something beyond the charity auction?  For that answer you have to read for yourself, which I highly recommend doing.  Sure there were times I wanted to bang the guys' heads together for their lack of or miscommunication but without some drama fiction can be a very boring world. Again I loved how the author "spread the drama about" and didn't just hone in one issue, a little bit of everything created the pull that kept me interested from beginning to end.

This is the first book by Jeff Adams that I read and I can safely say it won't be the last.  Aside from the creative idea of the charity auction for a multi-author series, Jeff Adams' characters had their own creative and intriguing side that made them fun to read and root for.  Keeping Kyle is a wonderful blend of friendship, family, romance, heat, humor, drama, all wrapped together in a great little heart-filled package.

RATING:

“You ready for the auction?” In the locker room, my younger brother Bobby started stripping out of his gear as I did the same. The other guys from our pickup game changed around us. “Got a fancy suit so you look extra hot for the bidders?”

“Did you just say hot?” I shot a scowl at Bobby.

“What? I want my brother to get high bids. Family honor on the line and all.”

This locker room always took me back about a dozen years to a time when being jammed in together with a bunch of friends to change was a common occurrence. Bobby played on a recreational team in Chicago, and when I was in town, he always organized a pickup game with some of his friends and teammates.

This weekend, I wasn’t here with the rest of the Detroit Arsenal though. The NHL All-Star Game would be played here, and not only had I—Arsenal center Kyle Pressgrove—been selected to play for the Western Conference, but I’d also be competing in the skills competition for the title of fastest skater. 

An unofficial event for the weekend that I’d gotten involved in was the Hockey Allies hockey bachelor auction to raise money for its work to ensure equality in hockey regardless of a player’s orientation or gender identity. I’m always ready to help a good cause, but being paraded out for bids scared me a bit—actually more than a bit. I’m trying not to focus on that.

Bobby wasn’t helping. 

“Hey, Bobby, is it okay if I bid on him?” My face heated, and I suddenly felt self-conscious in just my jock shorts as one of Bobby’s friends added to my embarrassment.

“Of course, as long as you treat him to a great date if you win.”

“Please stop.” I buried my face in my hands, hoping to will the redness away before looking back to Bobby. It wasn’t easy though. Many of his friends chuckled. I couldn’t blame them for that since I would’ve laughed too in their shoes. “As my brother, you are not allowed to talk to me about being hot… or not being hot… or whatever. Jesus. I can’t believe I let you and Garrett”—or G, as Bobby and I called him—“talk me into this thing. And I’ve got to be up there against Mister ESPN. Really? I get that it’s a good cause, but what if I’m won by some creepy stalker type?” A valid concern since Garrett’s been dealing with that stuff. “And what if no one bids at all?”

“Have you seen you?” 

Why? Why did he keep going? 

“The hockey body. The five o’clock shadow. Those piercing eyes. I know what people say about you online. In fact, you could give people what they want and show more skin, maybe an open shirt. As for G, it’s ESPN’s loss they didn’t pick you.”

I snorted out a laugh. Garrett Howell, a center for the Burlington Dragons, had a perfect ESPN body, and he deserved that cover, even though I’d given him a fair amount of shit for it. My brother and I had been friends with him since we all played juniors. He even stayed with us and essentially become our third brother.

We’d also all come out to each other. 

He’d been the third person I’d told, after Mom and Bobby. He told me shortly after he moved in with us because he’d wanted me to know, so I told him too. We’d been a great support system for each other over the years, and Mom and Bobby always had his back too. All his social media activity and the cover had brought some unwanted attention though. Even though he had someone watching out for him, I still worried.

“You got the family looks too, you know.” I looked to divert the discussion. “You conveniently forget that sometimes.”

“But they work better on your athletic build.”

Hot hockey players on the auction block…

Win a date with a professional hockey player during All Star weekend in Chicago. From leading scorers to fan favorites to guys you love to hate, watch the players strut their stuff in support of the Hockey Allies charity. 

Place a bid. You just might find someone to keep you warm.

Guarding Garrett by RJ Scott  /  Loving Layne by VL Locey
Keeping Kyle by Jeff Adams  /  Absolving Ash by Chantel Mer

Scoring Slater by Susan Scott Shelley

Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school, and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories became available. He writes both romance and young adult fiction with queer characters…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in northern California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will Knauss. Together, Jeff and Will co-host the Big Gay Fiction Podcast, a show devoted to queer romance as well as pop culture. Learn more about the show at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.

In his day job, Jeff is a web accessibility expert and he consults with companies around the world about making their digital experiences accessible. He’s bringing that knowledge to other creative entrepreneurs with "Content for Everyone," which helps creatives understand what they can do to create content that is accessible and usable by everyone.

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Keeping Kyle #3

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🦃Sunday's Sport Stats🦃: Rivals by Jeff Adams

Summary:

Mitchell Turner and Alex Goodman squared off over a face-off dot throughout high school. Their schools were cross-country rivals. Those face-offs were tough on Mitchell because he harbored a huge crush on Alex. High school, and college, are behind the guys and they meet unexpectedly on Thanksgiving Day, once again on the ice. Mitchell is home for the holidays and is thrilled to see his crush all grown up.

Alex asks Mitchell out for coffee to catch up. Could this be the start of something magical for the holidays … and beyond?

“When did you get a slap shot?” I was stunned and I knew my face showed it. It wasn’t often that Trevor surprised me on the ice.

“I’ve been working on it,” he said, pride coming through in his voice. “I’m trying to get on an intramural team next fall for my last year. I figure I can run in the spring and play a little hockey in the fall. It’ll beat tryin’ to get in on some pick up game, which are always over crowded.”

We were dressed in sweats, along with gloves and skates. We didn’t go for full pads or helmets since we were just messing around, not taking any real shots or anything that could hurt us.

The metallic clank of the rink’s front door echoed across the ice. Trevor and I looked at each other and shrugged. On a holiday morning we hadn’t expected to see anyone else. The rink wasn’t due to open until noon, so even the staff whould be hours away from coming to work. It had to be some other crazy person, like us, who wanted a little ice before it was time to eat.

I took the puck off Trevor’s stick and started skating around in random patterns. “Come on, Trev, “ I said tauntingly, “get the puck.”

“You’re on!”

As soon as he started to skate, I turned on the backwards speed and put some distance between us. We kept at it for a couple minutes before he finally faked me out and claimed the puck.

“And Mitchell Turner has the puck stripped off his stick by his persistent younger brother, Trevor.” A man stood on the first level of bleachers, applauding.

“Holy shit, Alex Goodman,” I said, louder than I’d intended.

I hadn’t seen Alex since my senior year of high school hockey ended. We were cross-county rivals then. I had a wicked crush on him, too. He’d gotten even better looking during the past four years—a red goatee now accentuated his blazing red hair. The tight, long-sleeved workout shirt showed off his chest in eye-popping detail. I sprinted to the boards where we bumped fists and shook hands. “I didn’t think we’d run into anyone else this morning. What’re you up to?”

“Came down to get a skate in before spending the day with the family,” he said. His deep voice was incredibly sexy. I didn’t remember him sounding like this. “Man, it’s been forever. I don’t think we’ve seen each other since you guys knocked us out of the race for the state championship our senior year.”

I thought about that for a moment. “I think you’re right.”

Alex was built—all I wanted to do right now was feel up his biceps. His green eyes were as mesmerizing as ever. I’d had a hard time concentrating on face-offs against him because all I wanted to do was stare into his eyes and get to know him.

The one time I’d seen him away from a rink was during the summer between our junior and senior years. I ran into him at the mall. I don’t remember what we talked about, but seeing him in shorts, which exposed his muscular, lightly hairy legs, and how his t-shirt clung to his chest made that day perfect. It was jack-off material for months as I imagined what was under those clothes and what I’d like to do to him if I could get him naked.

“What’re you up to these days?” I asked, keeping the conversation appropriate as Trevor skated around behind me.

“I cover sports for the Free Press—Michigan and Red Wings hockey during the season and then whatever they assign me to in the off. What about you?”

“Working in sports marketing out in San Francisco.”

“Nice. Sounds like a sweet gig.”

“It’s pretty good. We do a fair bit with the Sharks, so I like that part a lot.”

“I wrote about you quite a bit while I was interning during school. You certainly earned your keep with the Wolverines.”

My face got hot. I must have turned several shades of red. His eyes were working on me just like they used to, making it hard to focus.

“Thanks. It was a lot of work, but it was fun.”

“You play out west?”

“Hell yeah. As often as I can. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. What about you?”

“At least a couple times a week.”

“Listen, a friend of mine is having a pick up game Saturday morning,” I couldn’t believe I said that. This was an invitation to be flustered during the game, even more so than I used to be. “You interested?”

“I’d love to. We’ll see if I can take you in a face-off like I used to.”

“I won a fair number of those.”

“Really?” He raised a red eyebrow in surprise. “That’s not how I remember it.”

“You want to try it right now?” I was setting myself up to fail. I was already loopy from seeing this man. The pressure in my cup was proof of that.

“You’re on.” He must have put his skates on in the locker room or lobby, because he immediately hopped over the boards. We skated towards Trevor, who was taking shots on the far side of the rink.

“Trev,” I called out, “let Alex borrow your gloves and come drop a puck for us.” He grabbed one off the ice and skated up to us at the center dot. “Trevor, this is Alex Goodman. He played for County.”

“Nice to meet you,” Trevor said, giving Alex a fist bump before handing over his gloves. “So, um, what exactly are you guys doing?”

“Proving to your brother that I can still beat him in a face-off,” Alex said.

“Ahhh. Best two out of three then, just to make it fair,” Trevor said.

“I’m game for that,” I said as I took position on one side of the dot. Stick on the ice, hunched over, ready to strike.

“Sounds good,” Alex said. He got into a similar position as soon as he was gloved up.

“This is just the face off, so whoever gets the puck off the dot wins,” Trevor said. “You two stay where you are after that and I’ll reset.”

Trevor held the puck over the dot. I kept my eyes on his hand, and away from Alex’s gaze. I felt Alex looking at me, but I had eyes only for the puck. Trevor’s hand twitched and then he opened it to drop the puck. As it was falling, I put my stick under Alex’s and lifted it off the ice. The puck landed flat and I swept my stick back, sending the puck behind me.

“One down, one to go,” I said.

“I figure I had to give you one.” Alex’s eyes sparkled, which seemed impossible under the harsh rink lights.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I sounded calm and cool, but the butterflies were going. I’d focused so much on work since I’d graduated in the spring that I hadn’t really dated. I hadn’t even had a good hookup, so I was horny as hell. Alex brought it all to the surface. If Trevor wasn’t here, I’d probably tackle Alex and hope he wouldn’t try to beat the crap out of me for making that kind of play.

We set up again over the dot. Both anticipating, sticks banging against each other in the hopes of being in the right place when Trevor made the drop.

“It’s mine this time,” Alex said, just above a whisper—a damn sexy whisper. I wanted to hear him say more in that voice. I was slow to react when the puck dropped a second later. I was too caught up wondering what my name would sound like if he said it with that husky, low whisper. Alex easily won, knocking the puck to the side. “Told ya,” he said as we stood up.

“Okay, guys, third one decides it.” Trevor looked to me. “Come on, Mitchell, family honor at stake here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, getting into position and focusing, or trying to focus anyway.

Alex and I got into a staring contest waiting for the puck. He had a relaxed smile, but an intense eye lock. What was going on in there? I didn’t remember the smile from our high school days; back then he was serious and stern. I held the gaze, but when the puck dropped I was ready. I scooped it away with the backside of my stick and skated backwards, carrying it away from the dot. Alex took off after me and we ended up in a speedier version of the keep away game Trevor and I had played earlier. I dodged to my right to open up space and sprint away, but Alex anticipated the move and I ended up plowing right into him. He was ready for the impact, staying upright, while I bounced off his chest and crashed to the ice.

He took off his glove to help me up. “Sorry about that. I figured you’d stop, not slam into me.”

“No worries.”

No worries at all. Hell, that was awesome. Alex was as rock solid as he looked. I’d love to run into that again, except next time I’d hold on instead of bounce off. I accepted his hand to stand up and then wiped the ice off my sweatpants.

“Congrats on that nice move to win.”

“Thanks.”

“How about I buy the winner coffee tomorrow?” he asked as we skated towards Trevor. “We can catch up.”

“I’d like that.”

“Excellent. How about seven o’clock at Jazzy Joe’s?”

“Sounds great.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to it. I’m going to go run my sprints on the other rink. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mitchell.”

Alex skated off, hopped over the boards and headed to the other rink. I stood, watching long after he’d gone. Wow. I was going to sit across a table from him tomorrow.

“Drool much?” Trevor said, skating to a stop next to me.

“Shut up.” I shoved him away, causing him to get tripped up, but he recovered before he fell. “It’s coffee and catch up.”

“Keep telling yourself that, bro.” Trevor shifted from poking fun to more serious. “I saw how you looked at him… and how he looked at you.” Despite being younger, Trevor had a knack for making a point. “It’s been a while since you’ve had a date, Mitchell, so why not enjoy it?”

“Who said this was a date?” I asked, not wanting to drive up my expectations. “Don’t you imagine he’s dating someone, or even married?”

“You’re not. Why does he have to be?”

“Okay. Stop. It’s just coffee.”

“We’ll talk when you get home and see if it was just coffee.” He scooted the puck out from in front of me and took off. “Catch me if you can, Mitchell.”

Author Bio:Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.

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7th Day of Christmas Author Spotlight: Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.

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Tracker Hacker

Summary:

Codename: Winger #1

High school student. Hockey player. Computer whiz kid. Covert agent?

At sixteen Theo Reese is the youngest agent for Tactical Operational Support. His way with computers makes him invaluable. He designs new gadgets, helps agents (including his parents) in the field, and works to keep the TOS network safe. But when a hacker breaches the system TOS uses to track agents, Theo is put to the test like never before.

Thrust from behind the safety of his desk, Theo must go into the field to put a stop to the hack. He’s scared but resolved because one of the missing agents is his father. And just to make it more interesting, he has to keep everything a secret from his boyfriend and teammates.

Can Theo get the job done, save his dad, and make things good with his boyfriend?

This edition also contains "A Very Winger Christmas," a "Codename: Winger" Bonus Mission

Christmas is a time for family and friends, but teenage secret agent Theo Reese must solve a mysterious hack before he can enjoy Reese family holiday traditions and deliver a gift to his boyfriend, Eddie. Can he avert an international incident and save Christmas before time runs out?

Somewhere on Mackinac

Summary:

How far would you go for the man of your dreams?

Now that he’s single, Chicago businessman Jordan Monroe can finally take his long-desired trip to Mackinac Island for the Somewhere In Time fan celebration weekend. On the first day, Jordan finds himself attracted to Miles Colter, a handsome local stable owner who is giving horseback tours of film locations.

Jordan is surprised and charmed that Miles pursues him. When Jordan learns the stable is in trouble, he wants to help despite Miles’s resistance. As their relationship grows personally and professionally, Jordan dreads the issues that face them—an ex who won’t let him go, the complications of a long-distance relationship, and a secret he knows he shouldn’t be keeping.

Can Jordan and Miles find a way to forge a love as timeless as the romance in their favorite film?

This is a second edition that contains no changes from the first.

Room Service

Summary:

Working over the holidays may be the best Christmas present ever! 

San Francisco-based IT consultant Martin Bell is called to Dallas two days before Christmas to calm a nervous client. When he checks into the hotel he’ll call home for the holidays, he can’t help but notice the attractive man behind the front desk. While checking Grindr for possible hookups, Martin is surprised to discover he’s chatting up Jose, the hot front desk guy. After an amazing night together and a sexy Xbox marathon, Martin and Jose find they might be headed toward something much more than just a holiday fling.

"Room Service" was previously published under the title "Holiday Hotel Hookup."

Bicycle Built for Two

Summary:

While on a three-day charity bike ride from Boston to New York City, Jason Karn makes an unexpected stop to help a fellow rider having trouble with a flat tire. Ben Stewart is new to long-distance rides, and Jason takes him under his wing. The mutual attraction is obvious even before they make it to New York City, but there’s a minor roadblock: Ben lives in Chicago. Flying back and forth seems like the only option until Jason comes up with an idea that will bring them together permanently—if they can work out the details.

Head in the Game

Summary:

Pro hockey defenseman Roger Jacobson’s game is slipping. His contract is up for renewal and his fourteen-year career hangs in the balance. Desperate to find a way out of his professional slump, Roger returns to his hometown to work with his old coach and assist with a summer hockey camp.

When Dylan Barker skates into his life, he’s a romantic distraction that Roger couldn’t have anticipated. The handsome graduate student also happens to be his mentor’s son.

Can the love of a younger man mend Roger’s broken spirit and get his head back in the game?

Head in the Game is a m/m hockey romance novella with a low-angst story featuring a May/December relationship. It previously appeared in the 2017 charity anthology Changing on the Fly: The Second Period.

Tracker Hacker

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Somewhere on Mackinac

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Room Service

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Bicycle Built for Two

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Head in the Game

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Monday Morning's Menu: Rivals by Jeff Adams

Summary:

Mitchell Turner and Alex Goodman squared off over a face-off dot throughout high school. Their schools were cross-country rivals. Those face-offs were tough on Mitchell because he harbored a huge crush on Alex. High school, and college, are behind the guys and they meet unexpectedly on Thanksgiving Day, once again on the ice. Mitchell is home for the holidays and is thrilled to see his crush all grown up.

Alex asks Mitchell out for coffee to catch up. Could this be the start of something magical for the holidays … and beyond?

“When did you get a slap shot?” I was stunned and I knew my face showed it. It wasn’t often that Trevor surprised me on the ice.

“I’ve been working on it,” he said, pride coming through in his voice. “I’m trying to get on an intramural team next fall for my last year. I figure I can run in the spring and play a little hockey in the fall. It’ll beat tryin’ to get in on some pick up game, which are always over crowded.”

We were dressed in sweats, along with gloves and skates. We didn’t go for full pads or helmets since we were just messing around, not taking any real shots or anything that could hurt us.

The metallic clank of the rink’s front door echoed across the ice. Trevor and I looked at each other and shrugged. On a holiday morning we hadn’t expected to see anyone else. The rink wasn’t due to open until noon, so even the staff whould be hours away from coming to work. It had to be some other crazy person, like us, who wanted a little ice before it was time to eat.

I took the puck off Trevor’s stick and started skating around in random patterns. “Come on, Trev, “ I said tauntingly, “get the puck.”

“You’re on!”

As soon as he started to skate, I turned on the backwards speed and put some distance between us. We kept at it for a couple minutes before he finally faked me out and claimed the puck.

“And Mitchell Turner has the puck stripped off his stick by his persistent younger brother, Trevor.” A man stood on the first level of bleachers, applauding.

“Holy shit, Alex Goodman,” I said, louder than I’d intended.

I hadn’t seen Alex since my senior year of high school hockey ended. We were cross-county rivals then. I had a wicked crush on him, too. He’d gotten even better looking during the past four years—a red goatee now accentuated his blazing red hair. The tight, long-sleeved workout shirt showed off his chest in eye-popping detail. I sprinted to the boards where we bumped fists and shook hands. “I didn’t think we’d run into anyone else this morning. What’re you up to?”

“Came down to get a skate in before spending the day with the family,” he said. His deep voice was incredibly sexy. I didn’t remember him sounding like this. “Man, it’s been forever. I don’t think we’ve seen each other since you guys knocked us out of the race for the state championship our senior year.”

I thought about that for a moment. “I think you’re right.”

Alex was built—all I wanted to do right now was feel up his biceps. His green eyes were as mesmerizing as ever. I’d had a hard time concentrating on face-offs against him because all I wanted to do was stare into his eyes and get to know him.

The one time I’d seen him away from a rink was during the summer between our junior and senior years. I ran into him at the mall. I don’t remember what we talked about, but seeing him in shorts, which exposed his muscular, lightly hairy legs, and how his t-shirt clung to his chest made that day perfect. It was jack-off material for months as I imagined what was under those clothes and what I’d like to do to him if I could get him naked.

“What’re you up to these days?” I asked, keeping the conversation appropriate as Trevor skated around behind me.

“I cover sports for the Free Press—Michigan and Red Wings hockey during the season and then whatever they assign me to in the off. What about you?”

“Working in sports marketing out in San Francisco.”

“Nice. Sounds like a sweet gig.”

“It’s pretty good. We do a fair bit with the Sharks, so I like that part a lot.”

“I wrote about you quite a bit while I was interning during school. You certainly earned your keep with the Wolverines.”

My face got hot. I must have turned several shades of red. His eyes were working on me just like they used to, making it hard to focus.

“Thanks. It was a lot of work, but it was fun.”

“You play out west?”

“Hell yeah. As often as I can. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. What about you?”

“At least a couple times a week.”

“Listen, a friend of mine is having a pick up game Saturday morning,” I couldn’t believe I said that. This was an invitation to be flustered during the game, even more so than I used to be. “You interested?”

“I’d love to. We’ll see if I can take you in a face-off like I used to.”

“I won a fair number of those.”

“Really?” He raised a red eyebrow in surprise. “That’s not how I remember it.”

“You want to try it right now?” I was setting myself up to fail. I was already loopy from seeing this man. The pressure in my cup was proof of that.

“You’re on.” He must have put his skates on in the locker room or lobby, because he immediately hopped over the boards. We skated towards Trevor, who was taking shots on the far side of the rink.

“Trev,” I called out, “let Alex borrow your gloves and come drop a puck for us.” He grabbed one off the ice and skated up to us at the center dot. “Trevor, this is Alex Goodman. He played for County.”

“Nice to meet you,” Trevor said, giving Alex a fist bump before handing over his gloves. “So, um, what exactly are you guys doing?”

“Proving to your brother that I can still beat him in a face-off,” Alex said.

“Ahhh. Best two out of three then, just to make it fair,” Trevor said.

“I’m game for that,” I said as I took position on one side of the dot. Stick on the ice, hunched over, ready to strike.

“Sounds good,” Alex said. He got into a similar position as soon as he was gloved up.

“This is just the face off, so whoever gets the puck off the dot wins,” Trevor said. “You two stay where you are after that and I’ll reset.”

Trevor held the puck over the dot. I kept my eyes on his hand, and away from Alex’s gaze. I felt Alex looking at me, but I had eyes only for the puck. Trevor’s hand twitched and then he opened it to drop the puck. As it was falling, I put my stick under Alex’s and lifted it off the ice. The puck landed flat and I swept my stick back, sending the puck behind me.

“One down, one to go,” I said.

“I figure I had to give you one.” Alex’s eyes sparkled, which seemed impossible under the harsh rink lights.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I sounded calm and cool, but the butterflies were going. I’d focused so much on work since I’d graduated in the spring that I hadn’t really dated. I hadn’t even had a good hookup, so I was horny as hell. Alex brought it all to the surface. If Trevor wasn’t here, I’d probably tackle Alex and hope he wouldn’t try to beat the crap out of me for making that kind of play.

We set up again over the dot. Both anticipating, sticks banging against each other in the hopes of being in the right place when Trevor made the drop.

“It’s mine this time,” Alex said, just above a whisper—a damn sexy whisper. I wanted to hear him say more in that voice. I was slow to react when the puck dropped a second later. I was too caught up wondering what my name would sound like if he said it with that husky, low whisper. Alex easily won, knocking the puck to the side. “Told ya,” he said as we stood up.

“Okay, guys, third one decides it.” Trevor looked to me. “Come on, Mitchell, family honor at stake here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, getting into position and focusing, or trying to focus anyway.

Alex and I got into a staring contest waiting for the puck. He had a relaxed smile, but an intense eye lock. What was going on in there? I didn’t remember the smile from our high school days; back then he was serious and stern. I held the gaze, but when the puck dropped I was ready. I scooped it away with the backside of my stick and skated backwards, carrying it away from the dot. Alex took off after me and we ended up in a speedier version of the keep away game Trevor and I had played earlier. I dodged to my right to open up space and sprint away, but Alex anticipated the move and I ended up plowing right into him. He was ready for the impact, staying upright, while I bounced off his chest and crashed to the ice.

He took off his glove to help me up. “Sorry about that. I figured you’d stop, not slam into me.”

“No worries.”

No worries at all. Hell, that was awesome. Alex was as rock solid as he looked. I’d love to run into that again, except next time I’d hold on instead of bounce off. I accepted his hand to stand up and then wiped the ice off my sweatpants.

“Congrats on that nice move to win.”

“Thanks.”

“How about I buy the winner coffee tomorrow?” he asked as we skated towards Trevor. “We can catch up.”

“I’d like that.”

“Excellent. How about seven o’clock at Jazzy Joe’s?”

“Sounds great.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to it. I’m going to go run my sprints on the other rink. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mitchell.”

Alex skated off, hopped over the boards and headed to the other rink. I stood, watching long after he’d gone. Wow. I was going to sit across a table from him tomorrow.

“Drool much?” Trevor said, skating to a stop next to me.

“Shut up.” I shoved him away, causing him to get tripped up, but he recovered before he fell. “It’s coffee and catch up.”

“Keep telling yourself that, bro.” Trevor shifted from poking fun to more serious. “I saw how you looked at him… and how he looked at you.” Despite being younger, Trevor had a knack for making a point. “It’s been a while since you’ve had a date, Mitchell, so why not enjoy it?”

“Who said this was a date?” I asked, not wanting to drive up my expectations. “Don’t you imagine he’s dating someone, or even married?”

“You’re not. Why does he have to be?”

“Okay. Stop. It’s just coffee.”

“We’ll talk when you get home and see if it was just coffee.” He scooted the puck out from in front of me and took off. “Catch me if you can, Mitchell.”

Author Bio:

Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.

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Sunday's Sport Stats: Head in the Game by Jeff Adams

Summary:

Pro hockey defenseman Roger Jacobson’s game is slipping. His contract is up for renewal and his fourteen-year career hangs in the balance. Desperate to find a way out of his professional slump, Roger returns to his hometown to work with his old coach and assist with a summer hockey camp.

When Dylan Barker skates into his life, he’s a romantic distraction that Roger couldn’t have anticipated. The handsome graduate student also happens to be his mentor’s son.

Can the love of a younger man mend Roger’s broken spirit and get his head back in the game?

"Head in the Game" is a m/m hockey romance novella with a low-angst story featuring a May/December relationship. It previously appeared in the 2017 charity anthology "Changing on the Fly: The Second Period."

From Chapter 2

Dylan Barker loved the game. Loved being on the ice.

His father was a huge reason for that. The game hadn’t been forced on him, though. As soon as he asked for skates, when he was three, he got them. In high school, he’d gotten good-natured ribbing from his Panthers teammates because his dad was the coach. Coach B treated everyone the same so Dylan had never gotten off easy. His passion had never waned in the years following.

The campers were starting to come onto the ice for warm-ups. Dylan had been out for an hour or so. He was at the rink even before his dad to skate, shoot pucks, and enjoy the morning. Some people went to the gym; he gravitated toward the rink. He spent many mornings working on speed, endurance, and puck handling.

So why was he getting ready to go to grad school instead of going pro? He fielded that question a lot. It wasn’t where his heart was. As much as he loved playing, he didn’t want that to be his job. Besides hockey, his other passion was teaching, likely acquired from his parents. Mom was a history professor while Dad coached and ran the high school’s Phys Ed department.

There’d been many talks with Dad on the pros and cons of going pro and teaching later. But even while he played for University of Maine’s Black Bears during college, it was working with young people that made him happiest. Helping them learn to skate and play the game he loved was the best job ever.

This summer was going to be perfect. Dylan was coaching alongside Dad for the first time. He’d always attended summer camp as a player through high school. The past four years he hadn’t been able to get home because he’d spent the summers in Orono working with youth camps.

Those jobs paid off because Dad asked him to take over as head coach of the under ten group. It was fortuitous the previous coach moved to Ohio for a new job. Things were clicking into place better than expected. He was going to be an offensive coach for the Panthers this fall too. It wasn’t a full-time job because he needed to focus on grad school, but the job would help limit his student loan debt.

As he stick-handled, some of the kids opted to skate alongside for impromptu passing drills. Others tried to emulate what he was doing as he passed the puck from his stick to his skates and back.

The hulking guy who stepped on the ice next caused Dylan to lose the puck between his skates. The longish brown hair, lightly scruffed cheeks, and an expression that was an odd mix of happy and sad drew his attention. Dylan stopped against the boards and watched as the newcomer talked with a couple of the older campers. It didn’t hurt that the rest of the guy was solidly built. Even in the sweatshirt he wore, it was clear the guy had bulk. It was an easy guess he was a defenseman.

Recognition shot through him like a lightning bolt. That was Roger Jacobson. He’d seen the name on the coaching roster and was glad that one of Dad’s NHL stars was here this year. How was this guy not featured in the Hot Hockey Players group that Dylan was part of on Facebook? He might have to fix that personally.

Author Bio:

Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.

FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE

NEWSLETTER  /  INSTAGRAM

AUDIBLE  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 

AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK

WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR