Page 117 of Scoring Position

“Let me think—am I into being held in your arms while you competently manhandle me around the room to a set rhythm? Hmmm.”

“You know,” Nico said, leaning closer, “I also learned to foxtrot, swing, tango.” Ryan swallowed. “Not to mention the club dancing.” He tightened his grip on the small of Ryan’s back to bump their hips together in a tantalizing tease of a club grind.

“No fair seducing me in the middle of a wedding reception that’s not even close to being over.” Ryan had spent too much time around Russian hockey players to think the party would end anytime soon or that he’d be leaving this night anything other than blitzed.

Nico resettled their bodies at a comfortable distance and resumed their respectable waltz.

Russian and Ukrainian weddings were a trip. As predicted, it was nowhere near over and there was a lot of alcohol yet to be consumed, but there were also games.

“Wait, so Kitty has to bribe people into giving him his wife back?”

“Ransom,” Nico clarified.

“Right. Can anyone steal her?” Ryan asked. “Because that dude just got a box of chocolate from Belgium.”

Nico laughed and pressed his face into Ryan’s hair. “Her friends get to. Don’t worry. I’ll buy you all the chocolate you want. Please don’t try to steal Katja.”

“Fine.”

“So it is true!” Lefty slipped into Chenner’s empty seat. “Greenie said it was, but damn.”

“Yup, it’s true,” Ryan said, not moving from his spot under Nico’s arm. He was comfy. Also definitely starting to feel that third shot of vodka. Or maybe it was the wine.

“Seriously? But… like, the whole time?”

Ryan lifted a hand so he could waffle it in the air, while Nico said, “More or less.”

Lefty stared at them. “You know what? I don’t want to know what constitutes a maybe in this context. The betting pool can go to charity.” He moved to stand, ignoring their snickers. “You know the team is happy for you, right?”

“Yeah.” Nico tightened his arm on Ryan’s shoulders. “We know.”

In his pocket, Ryan’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and found a text from Greenie—a creeper picture of them taken just now from across the room and the caption,Kid’s right about the adorable.

Ryan stuck out his tongue at his phone, then took a selfie and sent it back.

“Oh, I missed a message.”

Diane had called just after twelve. He swallowed. Did he want to know?

There was also a text. He couldn’t help himself.

No need to call back tonight—it can wait until tomorrow.

Orcas made an offer. Meets your conditions.

Ryan sat up and texted back.Say yes. I trust you.He waited.

Done.

“Holy shit.”

“Hm?” Nico turned away from his view of the dance floor and focused on Ryan.

“The Orcas”—Nico’s gaze sharpened—“they made an offer. A good one.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Fuck, Nico, next year, it’s you and me, babe. We’re playing together, on the same team.”

Nico kissed him hard and pressed their foreheads together. “No matter what the sweaters say, you and me? We’re always on the same team.”