In July 2010, Shane Hollander arrives at a suburban Toronto rink for a CCM endorsement shoot and learns the campaign will feature him alongside Ilya Rozanov. Under dramatic lights, they take photos separately and together, struggling to hold an intense face-off pose without laughing, before filming competitive on-ice footage.

Afterward, they end up in the communal showers. Shane, unsettled by his attraction, can’t stop looking at Ilya and becomes visibly aroused. Ilya notices, teases him, and then grows aroused too, escalating the moment by touching himself and pressing Shane to admit he was thinking about Ilya.

Back in the dressing room, Shane tries to dismiss what happened, but Ilya calls him a bad liar and asks for Shane’s hotel room number. Shane gives it immediately, and they agree—without saying it outright—that Ilya will knock on Shane’s door around nine that night and Shane might let him in.

In his room, Shane panics and rehearses “just talking” himself out of it, even over-preparing as if for a date. When Ilya arrives, Shane lets him in, but Ilya closes the distance and kisses him until Shane gives in. The encounter turns physical fast: Shane touches Ilya, then goes down on him despite being inexperienced with men, and learns Ilya has done something similar before in Russia.

They move to the bed, undress fully, and Shane finishes Ilya with oral sex while Ilya comes onto his own stomach. Ilya then refuses to leave Shane unsatisfied, goes down on Shane, and makes Shane come in his mouth. Afterward, Shane insists the night stays secret, Ilya agrees, and Ilya leaves because he has an early flight, telling Shane he will see him around—on the ice.