After years of hard work and sacrifice, Kip Cooper’s dream of playing for the NHL is finally within reach. Soon he’ll be able to leave behind his farm team to taste fame, fortune and the respect that comes with being number one. So he’s not about to allow anyone or anything get in the way. But try telling that to his libido, because despite everything, he can’t keep his mind off his teammate, Sergei. Too bad Sergei is young and openly gay… and Kip isn’t. When a chance encounter leads to a night of passion, Kip realizes he has to make a choice: Sergei or his dreams.
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Cup Check
Copyright © 2011 Stephani Hecht
ISBN: 978-1-55487-863-5
Cover art by Angela Waters
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Smashwords Edition
Cup Check
Blue Line Hockey Three
By
Stephani Hecht
Dedication
To all those who are brave enough to embrace who they are.
Chapter One
It took two minutes for Sergei to realize the Cougars were out for blood. In particular, they were out for his blood and they weren’t going to be happy until they got at least two pints.
Had the Cougars been a group of older ladies, Sergei wouldn’t have minded…much. Hell, he’d have even taken the real-life wild version. These Cougars eyeing him up were neither. Instead, they were a group of undereducated, bullies who just happened to know how to skate and handle a puck.
Sergei took in gasping breaths as he perched on the edge of the bench and watched the ice. He’d just come off his first shift, but he could already tell how the game was going to go down. His team, the Hawks would win. If there wasn’t at least a three goal spread between them in the end, he’d be shocked. That win would come at a huge price, however. The Cougars had a rep for being a mean team and they’d be doing their best to live up to that reputation.
Almost as if answering that unspoken cue, a Cougar checked one of Sergei’s teammates. A center named Lance, the man stood well over six-three and that was before he laced up the skates. He still wasn’t a match for the Cougar defenseman. He slammed into Lance’s left flank with what appeared to be the force of a pissed off bull in a matador ring.
Lance tried to react, but he was already too late. He did a half-flip. It looked both awkward, yet strangely graceful at the same time and Sergei found himself holding his breath in anticipation. The crowd let out a collective groan as Lance landed hard on his side and didn’t move.