Page 131 of The Long Game
“No luck?”
“Not really. I am a bit nervous about meeting people.”
Ilya smiled. “No shit.”
“You never had this problem, I am guessing.”
“No,” Ilya said honestly. “But it can be...complicated. Being very young and famous and wanting sex but wanting to be, um...” He searched for the right word. “Careful?”
Luca nodded. “Yes. Careful.”
“I was maybe not so concerned with careful,” Ilya said. “I had a lot of sex with many people.”
Luca’s cheeks pinked. “Yes. I have heard.”
“Was fine. No problems. Most people want to hook up and move on with no drama. Even when you are famous.”
Luca fiddled with a coaster. “I am not so much looking for hookups.”
“Oh. You don’t like sex?”
Luca turned redder. “I like it, yes. I am, um, particular. Maybe. Or shy. I don’t know.” He let out a nervous giggle. “This is not a conversation I thought I would have with you.”
Ilya grinned. “But I am right beside your bed, watching you have sex!”
“Dude! I didnotjust hear that!”
Ilya turned to see Dykstra standing behind him, laughing. “Stop spying.”
“Stop watching the rookies have sex, then?”
Ilya glared at him. “He has a poster of me. Is a joke.”
Dykstra’s brow furrowed, and he looked at Luca. “You have a poster of Roz beside your bed?”
“No! When I was a kid I did.”
Dykstra laughed. “Dude, youarea kid.”
“I am older than I look,” Luca explained with the earnestness of a drunk twenty-year-old.
“Yeah,” said Dykstra. “My one-year-old daughter is older thanyoulook.” He laughed at his own joke. “Speaking of which, I’m out.” He fist-bumped both of them, then headed toward the exit.
“You look older than one,” Ilya assured Luca.
Luca snorted and shook his head. “They say never meet your heroes.”
Ilya grinned and decided he liked this kid a lot.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I don’t know what you are trying to prove,” Ilya said.
“That I’m the fastest skater in the league. Obviously.”
Ilya huffed. There was no way Shane was the fastest skater in the league. Even if it were a competition between only the two of them, Ilya had always been considered the faster skater. He could admit that Shane was a better stick handler, but Ilya was faster. No question.
“We will see,” Ilya said.
