One bet. One spark. One chance.
Net Bet, an all-new age-gap M/M hockey romance and the second book in the Buffalo Warriors Hockey Series from bestselling authors Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood, is now available!
Gabe
Iโve spent years as the Warriorsโ goalie, holding the line under pressure. But off the ice, my lifeโs a disaster. After dating too many men who only saw me as an NHL trophy, Iโve sworn off romanceโuntil Brody skates into my life. Heโs newly traded to the team, ten years younger, and carrying the weight of the world.
I should keep my distance, but every stolen glance, every unguarded smile pulls me in. A playful bet pushes me to take a chance with Brody, though Iโm risking more than my heart.
Brody
Being traded to Buffalo was supposed to be my fresh start, an escape after my old team turned on me. Now, I have one goal: keep my head down so I can play hockey.
Enter Gabe: confident, relentless, and far too good at breaking through my walls. I canโt let myself want him. But when heโs around, I forget every reason I should walk away.
One spark turns into something neither of us can ignore. But will falling for each other be the ultimate winโor the one loss we canโt afford?
Net Bet is the second standalone in the fantastic Buffalo Warriors Hockey series. It
features a bisexual defenseman with a traumatic past, a lonely goalie looking for love, and found family in the form of a nosy yet supportive hockey team. Packed with high heat, dirty talk, first times, forced proximity, angst, an age gap, and a hard-earned HEA, this story delivers all the feels.
Start reading today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B3arxU
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Keep Reading for a look inside Net Bet!
My feet pounded the dirt path, each step slamming out the frustration I couldnโt escape. The lingering heat was unusual for Buffalo in mid-September, making it feel like summer refused to let go. The woods around me were beginning to shiftโhints of gold and orange creeping into the green, with a few colorful leaves dotting the undergrowth like scattered confetti. Sweat trickled down my forehead, stinging my eyes as I pushed myself to keep going. I focused on my breathing, forcing it into a steady rhythm, even though my lungs burned with the effort.
At the eight-mile mark, I ground to a stop, gasping for air. My legs were on fire, and my heart thundered in my chest. In one fluid motion, I stripped off my soaked tank top and bent over, hands on knees, struggling to catch my breath. Running had become my way to cope, but today, it had done nothing to silence the noise in my head.
How had my life, which looked so perfect to others, become such a mess? I was drowning inside, wondering if Iโd ever find someone to be with long-term, if there was anyone out there who could want me for being me. After years of dating guys who only wanted to use me for publicityโand maybe so they could brag about being fucked by a hockey playerโI was done. No more dating, no more sex. Instead of fucking my nights away with guys ten years younger and half my size, I now stared at the ceiling all night, wondering how I could feel so alone and unlovable at thirty-two.
As my pulse settled, footsteps approached, accompanied by an odd jingling sound. A small black dachshund trotted up, his tags clinking together as he sniffed and licked my shoes.
A voice came from up the path. โLeave him alone, Otto.โ
The dog ignored the command, and I straightened up to greet Ottoโs owner. My breath caught again, but this time it had nothing to do with the heat. The guy standing a few feet away was drop-dead gorgeousโa shock of blond hair catching the light, piercing blue eyes, and a physique that looked like heโd come straight from the gym. It took a few seconds to recognize himโBrody Tanner, the new D-man whoโd been traded to the Warriors over the summer. He was younger than me, and much more put-together than I felt at the moment. Something stirred inside, and with a shock, I recognized it as my โguy response.โ Finally, I was reacting to someone who wasnโt just another pretty boy barely out of college whose life revolved around an Instagram feed full of selfies and product recommendations. But fuck, Brody was a teammate. A teammate who, if rumors were true, might be open to a relationship with a man.
โI tried to speak, but no words came out. What was I supposed to say? I couldnโt exactly ask him to step behind a tree with me. My thoughts spun wildly before slamming to a halt when I caught his expressionโwide-eyed and slack-jawed, like heโd stumbled into something he wasnโt meant to see.
Brody had been one of the hottest rookies in the league a couple of years ago, and since weโd met at the All-Star game back then, he probably recognized me now. But if he did, why was he gaping at me like he was afraid I might bite? Eager to convince him I wasnโt a criminal on the loose, I offered what I hoped was a reassuring smile. โHi, Brody. Iโm Gabe Donovan, the Warriorsโ goalie.โ
He managed to widen his eyes even more before nodding. โI know who you are. Uhโฆ Howโs it going?โ
His unexpected behavior made me unsure of how to respond. โAm I in your way?โ Ugh, that was stupid, considering I was standing in the middle of the trail.โ
He shook his head, but his gaze remained focused on my chest. Was he bothered because Iโd taken off my shirt? It was too wet to put back on, and I wasnโt exactly flashing him. You donโt get to be a professional hockey player without spending most of your life in locker rooms, so heโd seen guys take off a lot more than their shirts. I tried again. โEverything okay?โ
Jerking his head upward, he barely made eye contact before looking away. โY-yes. Iโmโฆ Iโm just hot.โ
He was hot as hell, all right, but I couldnโt go there. Instead, I chuckled and waved a hand at my sweaty body. โMe too, obviously.โ
For more information about Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwoodโs books, visit their website: https://www.ryanandjoshth.com
