Page 130 of Unrivaled

The hair on the back of Max’s neck rose. He licked his lips. “Are you torturing me on purpose?”

When Grady smiled, Max felt the curve of it against his jaw. “I’m just giving you incentive to play your best.” He unzipped Max’s suit pants and tucked in his shirt.

Max’s throat went dry as Grady’s fingers tickled the skin on his stomach. “Well. It’s effective.”

Grady kissed the side of his neck and did up his pants. Then he turned Max around and picked up the cuff links.

Max was pretty sure this shouldn’t be so sexy, but then Grady brushed his lips over the skin of his left wrist before fastening the lobster cuff link.

Grady repeated the treatment on the other wrist before helping Max into his jacket.

Max cleared his throat. “How do I look?”

Grady gave him a long, slow once-over. “Good enough to eat.”

Flirt.“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Go win your hockey game.”

PIRANHAS BITE BACK

By Craig MacLeod

It’s not often you get a playoff series with multiple high-scoring games. Even rarer when the teams trade off scoring eight-plus goals.

But that’s what happened last night in Anaheim, as the Piranhas bounded back from an 8–5 game 1 loss to win 9–6 last night.

After facing fan criticism for “underperforming” in the first round, Max Lockhart notched his first playoff hat trick, including the game-winning goal.

The series is now tied 1–1. The next game will take place Wednesday night in Vancouver.

Postgame

Rivals Take Relationship to the Next Round—Kind Of

By Sonia Goldstein

It would have been easy to dismiss it as a rumor. When I asked LA Condor Grady Armstrong about rekindling his rivalry with former New Jersey Monster Max Lockhart, his reaction had people speculating ifrivalrywas the right word.

Turns out, not so much.

Hockey fans love a good narrative, and the sport gives us plenty to talk about. But Armstrong’s surprise romance with Max Lockhart has all the hallmarks of a classic love story. With a history that reads like the first chapters of a romance novel and a smush name, Strongheart, that sounds like a Care Bear, it’s no wonder people are paying attention.

After the Condors’ disappointing playoff exit, Armstrong hasn’t done much in the way of public interviews or appearances. But that didn’t stop him from attending the first game of the Piranhas’ series against the Colorado Altitude. Even in “civilian” clothes—black T-shirt, black ball cap—Armstrong stands out in a crowd, so it’s no wonder fans spotted him right away.

It might be alittlesurprising he showed up to each game after that wearing a shirt with a different kind of sea life on it. My personal favorite was the electric eel.

When I caught up with him after the Piranhas clinched the Western Conference Championship, he was candid about his wardrobe choice—this time featuring a cartoon crustacean playing the drums with the legend Rock Lobster. “It’s my way of toeing the line, I guess,” he said, pulling at the fabric of his shirt. “Trying to find that balance between being a supportive boyfriend and not, uh, betraying my own fan base.”

He’ll be in the stands for the Cup Final too, sitting with Lockhart’s family as the Piranhas take on the New Jersey Monsters.

No matter the outcome of the series, it looks like love wins.

“I STILLcan’t believe you’re doing this.” Jess shook her head. “It’s like I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t have to sound so happy about it.”

“I’m just saying. It’s nice to see you loosen up. I take back all my objections over your love life.”

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