Christian "Magic" Magdziuk is a minor league hockey player with dreams of heading to the NHL someday, and he'll do whatever it takes to make that dream come true. So he only plays with the Richmond Rebels for one short season before he asks to be traded to the Bedford Blizzard, a farm team for the American Hockey League where he might get a little more notice from scouts.<br><br>His attitude on the ice left him few friends among the Rebels ... that is, until teammate Ronnie took a liking to him. One thing led to another and the two men became lovers during the time Christian played with the team. But when he transferred to the Blizzard, he left the Rebels -- and Ronnie -- behind.<br><br>Now it's the first game of a new season, and he's facing off against his former teammates in the season opener. But does something still smolder between Christian and Ronnie after all this time?

Playing the Field: Faceoff

At the end of the block,he caught a red light.As he waited,he gunned the engine just to hear it tear into the stillness of theday.Fuck Ronnie,he thought,fiddling with the radio buttons.He wanted something hard and fast,a beat he could lose himself in.He had a long drive ahead…


The light changed.Before Christian could shoot through the intersection,he glanced over at the oncoming traffic and recognized Ronnie’s truck.His foot slipped off the gas pedal as he watched Ronnie drive past.His former teammate looked straight ahead,as if he didn’t see Christian’s car.If he did,he ignored it.


The driver behind Christian hit his horn.That tinny sound madeRonnie look over—for one breathless moment,the two stared at each other,and the world seemed to hang in the balance.


Then the horn sounded again.Ronnie looked away,and the moment,if there had been one at all,was lost.


Chapter 10