Puckboys

EZRA Partying, dudes, and hockey. What more could a gay NHL player want? If it weren't for Anton Hayes, my life would be perfect. Not that he affects my life in any way. At all. That would imply I care what the winger from Philly thinks of me. Which I don't. Not even a one-night stand with him can thaw his misplaced animosity toward me. He says I'm the one with the ego, but he can talk. He rivals me for most egotistical puck boy in the league. I hate him as much as he hates me. Even if I crave a repeat. ANTON When it comes to hockey, I'm all about the game. I've worked for years to be one of the best in the league, and l've done it without splashing my orientation all over the tabloids. My hockey image is one I've carefully cultivated, and after one night with Ezra Palaszczuk, I risk it all. He's cocky, obnoxious, and has an ego bigger than Massachusetts. And okay, maybe he's the sexiest man I've ever known. We'll never get along. Not when we sleep together. Not even when my possessive streak awakens. That doesn't stop us from falling into bed together over and over again.

TRIPP The worst part of being in love with my straight best friend is the fact he's too oblivious to see it. Years of pining have left me exhausted, and I need a break from Dex. I need space to get over my feelings. But when his relationship falls apart and he turns to me for comfort, I cave immediately. If there's one thing I hate more than being hurt, it's seeing Dex struggle. I can't leave him in a time of need, even if my friends say it's my biggest downfall. They say Dexter Mitchale is my weakness, but if that's true, I don't want to be strong. DEX I've always been the dumb one. It's what I'm known for, and usually I don't let it get to me. I have hockey, and I have my best friend, Tripp. What more do I need? To settle down? No thank you. Marriage? Hard pass. According to ex-girlfriends, that makes me "irresponsible." But the solution I come up with to get over my fear of commitment might be my dumbest idea yet. Not only does it have team management breathing down my neck, but it puts a strain on my friendship with Tripp. This PR nightmare could lose me the only person I've ever loved. Losing girlfriends is nothing. Losing Tripp? It's not an option. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him.

OSKAR After a little mishap in an alleyway with CCTV, my public image needs fixing. Oops? It might have been a stunt to get the attention of Lane Pierce, San Jose's new PR manager, but I didn't realize what the consequences would be when I did it. I've got Lane's sole focus now in all the wrong ways. He has designated himself as my babysitter, and while it's fun messing with him, being bound by curfews and rules has never worked for me. The more I push back, the more I realize what's really on the line. My career, my future, and maybe even my heart. LANE Being appointed head of San Jose's PR department was a dream come true … until I met Oskar Voyjik. He may be San Jose royalty, but with the stunts Oskar's been pulling, the team owner is down to his last thread of patience. Which puts me in the firing line. If I can't turn Oskar's entitled party boy image around, we'll both be shown the door. I have free rein to do whatever it takes, and it turns out whatever it takes is Oskar. Only, the more entangled our lives become, the more I see the Oskar he's buried deep down. The one who hurts, the one who's sensitive and kind, the one … the one I think I'm falling for. I can't have him and my career, and if rumors of the professional lines I've crossed get out, it's not only my dream job I can kiss goodbye; I'll be disgraced from professional sports completely.

ALEKS After my divorce, I'm ready to have fun, date around, and not get into anything serious. Then I meet Gabe Crosby, superhero firefighter and a disgrace to the Crosby name. He doesn't even like hockey! Yet, there's a draw to him I can't deny-something I haven't felt since my teens. But that's the problem. I have no idea what dating is like, let alone how to do it with another man. He makes me flakey and nervous, and I've never been that guy. Gabe turns me inside out and upside down in the best possible ways. I only recently became single, but if I continue to chase after him, I might not stay that way for long. GABE When I meet Aleksander Emerson during an emergency call-out, there are three things that catch my attention: his sexy tattoos, his kind eyes, and his drunken offer to have my babies. He's new to Seattle and recently divorced, so I take him under my wing–and under my sheets. I'm showing him what the world of hookups is like, only those hookups turn into sleepovers and dates and public displays of jealousy. Aleks is in his casual era, and I'm working my way toward settling down and starting a family. What the two of us have is fun, but not a good idea permanently. Too bad Aleks has already set my life on fire.

QUINN Straining my groin is bad enough. It puts my hockey career, my future, but even worse, my dignity on the line. Having to get massages in that area from Vance Landon, one of the team trainers, is mortifying. It's impossible to hide my feelings toward him. If my constant blushing and bumbling doesn't give it away, my body does. It's getting to the point where I wonder if hockey is even worth the embarrassment. Trying to avoid him only makes him seek me out more. He's determined to rehab my injury, but all I want is for him to leave me alone. Or fall for me. One or the other. VANCE Ayri Quinn isn't your typical jock … except for the fact he refuses to admit when he's injured. I've seen more than enough professional sportsmen lose the career they love due to injury, and I'm not having it happen again. Especially not when the guy in question happens to be the sweetest, most awkward, innocent jock I've ever met. When a night out leads to Quinn reinjuring himself, I create a care plan that keeps me hands on, literally. Unfortunately, working with him in close proximity brings all those feelings I've been trying to ignore to the surface. I just need to get him better so he can be back on the ice and out of my bed. Ah, my massage bed. Because if this goes on any longer, I might mean my actual bed. Ayri Quinn is impossible to resist.

Bilson The idea of moving away from Seattle was a joke at first. I have too many failed relationships here. Too much baggage. So, when I find myself signing with Nashville and leaving everything behind, I'm hopeful a new start will cure me of my attachment problems. I fall fast and hard, and I'm quickly realizing it's not so easy to escape my emotional damage. That follows no matter where I go. When my new teammate, rookie goalie Miles Olsen, attaches himself to my side, the media are excited to exploit our bromance. Little do they know, he's doing me a favor by keeping me away from making mistakes with women. That's the deal we made at the beginning of the season, but as time goes on, and we're both going through a dry spell, Miles suggests a different arrangement. One I've never contemplated. One I shouldn't consider. One I can't stop thinking about. Miles My first day as starting goalie for Tennessee was made mildly more terrifying by coming face to face with NHL veteran Cody Bilson. Hero worship? Me? Never! He reminds me of my old frat buddies; loyal, kind, easy to trade banter with. But my dude is lost and trying to find himself again-without getting married this time. I want to help him, and while my suggestion might not be conventional, it sure as hell is effective. The only way to make sure he doesn't marry a woman again? Blow off steam with a man instead. We're both straight, we're both single, and we're both down for a good time. After all, what are teammates for?

Easton You know what's the worst feeling in the world? Being in love with someone since you were twelve years old, knowing they only see you as a little brother type. Not even becoming an NHL star has made him realize I'm all grown up now. All of that changes when I ask my brother's best friend to ref a charity match and we spend an entire week in each other's pocket. Being close to him is torture, but for the first time since my adolescent crush started, I begin to feel hope. I swear Knox looks at me the same way I look at him. Or so I think. When I throw myself at him and get utterly rejected, I never want to see him again. Yet, shaking him is impossible, because he and Connor are always around, and my older brother is suffocatingly protective. Every time I look at Knox, I'm reminded of how he turned me down. Can't I just die of embarrassment in peace? Knox The Kiki brothers are legendary in the NHL world. Thick as thieves, unstoppable on the ice, and the kind of family nothing can come between. Or so I thought. For the last ten years, I've successfully hidden my feelings for the middle Kiki brother. Easton is snarky, determined, and the prettiest guy I've met. Ever since we stumbled across each other on a gay dating app and shared our secrets, I've felt a connection to him that I haven't had with anything else. But Connor is my best friend and when it comes to his little brothers, "protective" doesn't cover it. I'm determined to take my feelings for Easton to the grave, but after a week in close proximity to him, my willpower is ready to break. All it takes is one charity hockey match, a drunken night out, and a forbidden kiss for me to know that Easton Kikishkin is it for me. And unless I want to lose Connor, Easton will never be mine.

Connor Finding out those closest to me dont see me as the great guy I think I am not only kicks me in the gut, it makes me question everything. Until that happened, I didnt think I had many regrets in my life. Now, I have nothing but regrets. And when my NHL team is bought out, and the new owner makes his presence known, my existential crisis kicks up a notch. Because he might be my biggest regret of all. Parker Duchene. I made his life a living hell in high school, and now hes inserting himself into my career to repay the favor. With everything in my personal life already on the line, I cant risk hockey too. I need to figure out a way to play nice with the new owner. Parker I bought Colorados NHL team to honor my late father. I did. Only reason. Emotionally playing with one of my many high school tormentors is a nice bonus though. Connor Kikishkin may be the one who made me the target for years of name-calling, but Ive always wondered if my hatred for him bordered too much on the obsessive side to truly be classified as hate. Infatuation is probably the right word for it. Now his whole life is in my hands, and I cant wait to see him beg for my mercy. Seeing Mr. Popular find his humility will definitely ease the grief from losing my dad right? Because right now, thats all I have, and I need to hold on to it so I dont crumble.

LACHIE It doesn't matter that I was the number one draft pick in the NHL or that I'm projected to be the next great generational player, because none of it is enough to impress my childhood crush back in my hometown. Sam used to mock me for being like a Disney Princess with my uncanny knack for finding animals in need. And being home in Colorado for the summer, I'm bound to run into him now that he runs the animal shelter where I used to volunteer. Where I used to try to get his attention every chance I had. He never noticed me then, at least not in the way I wanted. But if there's one thing my time in the NHL has taught me, it's how to fight for what I want. SAM It's been a few years since I saw the Disney Princess volunteer, but when he brings in a stray cat, I almost can't believe it's the same guy. Damn, has he changed. Gone is the gangly, pimple-faced teen, and in his place is a man who's grown up and bulked out. He used to follow me around, asking endless questions about animal care. Now he's back, but instead of asking about animals, he's asking about me. About my life. Flirting with me. And he's good at it, too. There's something about Lachie that's undeniably irresistible. I'm willing to give in to his charms, even knowing all he can offer is a summer fling. Turns out, my Disney Princess grew up to be a real Prince Charming.

COLBY Once upon a time, playing for the NHL was my dream. Then Radimir Novicov skated circles around me and made it clear I'd never be good enough. He was smart, talented, and worst of all–sexy. Every closeted guy knows that you don't hit on your teammate, even if his gaze lingers longer than it should. All it took was one drunken close call before our friendship was in tatters, he was called up to the NHL, and I was sent for further conditioning. Playing in the NHL was off the table, so coaching became my new dream. And seventeen years later, I'm finally heading to the big time. Video coach. Pro level. The only downside? It's for Novi's team. NOVI Radimir Novicov is not scared of anything. I am one of the best. Future Hall of Famer. There are two years left on my contract and I will end my career on the highest high anyone did see. Then I will slink into the shadows where no one will hear of me again. Because while I'm playing professionally, I cannot come out and be myself. Not with my family still in Russia. The plan has been set since I first moved to America, and I only have two years left to wait. It should be easy to focus on hockey. Then Colby Kessinger walks back into my life. The teammate with the lopsided smiles and cocky attitude–the one who made my heart want things it can't have. Now two years feels like a lifetime.