SPOILERS for Heated Rivalry (the show and the novel), as well as the books, The Long Game and Role Model, are ahead! Read with caution!
Heated Rivalry is a faithful book-to-screen adaptation of its source material, and yes, that includes the sex scenes. Throughout Season 1 of the hit series that’s available with an HBO Max subscription, a lot of the intimate and explicit scenes from Rachel Reid’s novels are featured. Now, with Season 2 on the way, I’m thinking about her other books and the spicy moments that we need to see in the upcoming episodes of this hockey romance.
For a quick overview, we know Season 2 will cover the events of Shane and Ilya’s second book, The Long Game. However, like how Season 1 featured Scott and Kip’s story from the book Game Changer, I think it’s perfectly possible for some of Rachel Reid’s other novels to come into play. Specifically, I think Tory and Harris’ book, Role Model, will be featured, since its timeline has direct overlap and a shared setting with Hollanov’s sequel. So, with that in mind, let’s get down to business.
The Long Game
The Long Game picks up after the events of Heated Rivalry, and it shows us how Shane and Ilya handle their lives and their relationship, which is still a secret. It's established early that Ilya was traded to Ottawa to be closer to Shane, and they started their charity together. So, their plan (which is mentioned in the critically acclaimed first season of Heated Rivalry) is working; however, as the book progresses, they have to grapple with the notion that they can’t live like this forever. Obviously, a lot of spicy moments happen amid all that, too, so let's talk about a few of them.
What Happens Between Shane And Ilya After Fabian’s Concert
Toward the beginning of The Long Game, Shane and Ilya are putting on their hockey camp, and a retired player named Ryan is helping them. Ryan and his boyfriend Fabian, who is a musician, are the focus of the book, Tough Guy. And during their appearance in Shane and Ilya’s story, the three hockey players go to one of Fabian’s concerts.
Let’s just say, the sexual tension between Shane and Ilya is off the charts during the concert that’s described as “sexy and mesmerizing” in the book. However, they can’t really act on it, because they haven’t revealed their relationship to the public.
Then, things get hot and heavy when they get home. Actually, even when they’re driving home, Shane thought about how he was “so horny he felt drunk.” Overall, the whole section is intense and charged because they’ve spent the night wanting to act on feelings they’ve been repressing. So, they let it all out. Truly, it’s a hot scene; however, it also illustrates the desire these two have to be an out couple and the struggle of keeping their love private for so many years.
Shane Drives To Ottawa To See Ilya On Halloween
This scene comes in the aftermath of a costume party Ilya has with his teammates in Ottawa. Overall, Ilya, who was dressed like a gladiator, wasn’t having the best time, and he was missing Shane painfully. However, Shane surprised him by showing up unannounced and ready to pounce on Ilya. What follows is passionate and aggressive sex, and by the end of it, Ilya is feeling very emotional.
Now, it is so unlike Shane to do something so spontaneous, and it’s unlike Ilya to get that emotional, and that’s why this scene is important to the story. It illustrates the struggle these guys are facing and the lengths they're willing to go to take care of each other.
The First Time Shane And Ilya Are Together After The Near-Plane Crash
This whole scene has to be in the show, because so much happens. First, this is the first time Shane and Ilya see each other in person after Ilya and the Ottawa Centaurs had a near-death experience on a plane.
Second, this is when Shane proposes to Ilya. He fills Ilya’s house with electric candles, pops the question, and tells his love that he’ll always choose him.
As you can probably assume, they have sex after that. Let me tell you, we'd better get to hear Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams say the lines “Yours” and “Mine” respectively when their characters consummate their new engagement.
The Trophy Room
So, this scene comes in the aftermath of the world learning about Shane and Ilya’s relationship and before they met with the league’s commissioner, Roger Crowell.
After some very hard interactions with people in their lives following the unfortunate event that led to their romance being revealed, the two finally get to see each other in person. Immediately, they start to have sex, and Ilya guides them to Shane’s trophy room.
When Shane asks why they’re about to do it there, his partner responds that it’s because they need to remember who they are and how much they’ve done for their sport. Ilya also makes it very clear that he views his partner as a “king,” which is only emphasized by the setting and the passion of this spicy scene.
Role Model
In Role Model, we follow recently traded hockey player Troy Barrett as he joins the Ottawa Centaurs (which is the team Ilya plays for in The Long Game), and meets, befriends and eventually falls in love with the team’s social media manager, Harris Drover. Relative to Shane and Ilya, this relationship is more of a slow burn (at least where spice is concerned). However, when they finally get together, sparks fly.
Troy And Harris' Intimate Moment After The Near-Plane Crash
Speaking of when they finally get together, Troy and Harris share their first kiss and intimate moment in Florida after the near-plane crash the team experiences. For chapters upon chapters before this, these two had been yearning for each other. Then, finally, motivated by Ilya encouraging Troy to act on his crush on Harris and the fact that life is short, the hockey player and the social media manager acted on said feelings, kissed and had a spicy time together.
This also served as the inciting incident that made them examine their feelings on a deeper level, and it was ultimately the moment that turned these friends into lovers.
The Scene Where Troy Realizes He Loves Harris
As things get really serious between Harris and Troy, the social media manager takes the hockey player home to meet his family. It’s a truly wholesome event, and they welcome Troy with open arms. It’s reassuring, and right after it, Troy realizes he wants to publicly come out.
All that culminates with them spending the night together at Harris’s place, and the banter in this scene, mixed with the intimate moments, shows just how comfortable these two are together. It’s warm and lovely, and ultimately, I really need to hear Troy sweetly (and secretly) tell Harris’ stuffed animal (yes, you read that right) that he’s “in love with” him.
Like Season 1, I’m sure Season 2 of Heated Rivalry will be horny, that’s a given. However, when it comes to the sex scenes they include, I hope they use the ones above (and others). That’s because not only are they hot, they also move these romances forward and help us understand where the relationships in this show are at.
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