Page 9 of Game Misconduct

Tanner chomped on his mouthguard and Leif’s gaze flicked toward him.

Tanner winked and Leif looked away, clenching his teeth, making his already strong jaw look even more defined. He really had unfairly sharp cheekbones. Like,what the fuck? Those things could practically cut glass.

It was hard to imagine how he could get anybetterlooking, to be honest.

The color of New York’s uniforms even set off the color of his eyes. Because of course they did.

Tanner had never been able to figure outwhatcolor Leif’s eyes were actually. Sort of … grayish-blueish-greenish, maybe?

One of Tanner’s favorite taunts was to call Leif ice princess, and the name totally fit. Especially now as he glared at Connor across the faceoff circle, trying to pretend Tanner didn’t exist.

The puck dropped, Connor snapped it to Luke and Tanner skated backwards, setting himself up to get in the way of any of the New York guys who might think about going after it.

Especially Leif.

After what an asshole he’d been this past summer following their hookup, Tanner was determined to mop the floor with him.

There was no way in hell Tanner was letting New York winanythingtonight.

The first period remained scoreless but on Tanner’s first shift out in the second, he spied the perfect opportunity to set up a play they’d practiced this morning.

Tanner pressed Leif against the boards. “Missed me,Princess?” he teased.

“No,” Leif ground out, battling for the puck with Graham.

“But we had so muchfuntogether in Chicago,” Tanner reminded him. “Walking back from dinner together … and then you dragging me into that alley to flirt with me …”

“I—” Leif sputtered.

But it was enough, his focus was broken for just long enough to allow Graham to snag the puck and sprint away, sweeping behind the net.

With a growl of frustration, Leif jabbed his elbow into Tanner’s sternum. Tanner staggered back, trying to regain his balance and his breath.

“I wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole,” Leif threw at him as he tore after Graham.

Tanner wanted to point out that Leif was a total fuckingliarbut he wasn’t about to do that in the middle of the game when both their teammates were around. Besides, he had hockey to play and with a sweep of the ice to confirm the position his teammates were in, Tanner was already skating backwards, setting up the play.

A moment later Graham deked, then rocketed a shot across open ice to Tanner, who snapped it over to Connor who was waiting in the slot. Connor tucked the puck into the net between the New York goalie’s blocker and pad.

The lamp lit up and Tanner threw himself in Connor’s direction.

“Just like we practiced!” he hollered.

Connor shook him, a rare grin lighting his face as the other guys slammed into them too, pinning Tanner in the center of the celly.

Tanner’s captain wasn’t exactly the smile-iest guy out there.

He spent most of his time with a scowl on his face, but there were three things guaranteed to make him light up. His kids. His boyfriend, Jesse. And hockey.

Funny to think of how jealous Connor had acted toward Tanner when Connor and Jesse first started screwing around.

Sure, Tanner and Jesse had done their share of screwing around too, way back when. But it was overlooongbefore either Jesse or Tanner were with the Harriers and had never meant anything.

Jesse was fun but Tanner had no interest in anything serious. At the time, Jesse hadn’t wanted that either. But, apparently there was an exception for everything because Connor and Jesse’s screwing around had turned intolurve. Shmoopy, disgusting love.

They would be cute if they weren’t kind of … nauseating.

And okay, maaaybe Tanner had gotten a little jealous of Connor and Jesse at first too but only because Tanner was annoyed that Jesse never had time for him anymore.