Ryan Talonovich is the star of his college hockey team, until an accident during practice leaves him confined to a wheelchair. The doctors say he'll walk again but a new season is already underway and he's been replaced on the team, which leaves him feeling alone and betrayed. What's the use of fighting to get back on the ice now?<br><br>Then he meets Dante Espinosa, a short track skater on the city's speed skating club. Though he has to work overtime to afford his sport, Dante is hell on ice, and dreams of making the cut on the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team.<br><br>Their love of the ice brings them together, but too many obstacles stand in their way: Ryan's struggle with therapy. The memory of Dante's first boyfriend. Lack of funding to the event, Dante's harassing boss, a skating friend in love with him, and Wil Dietrich, who will do anything to win.

Power Play

Looking up from the magazine, Dante grins at Ryan. “How much do you think I’m worth?” he jokes.


Ryan’s smile falters. It’s stuff like that,he thinks, staring at his friend, that makes me think you want more than this.Is this just the way he is, this open, this flirtatious? Or does he mean something by it? Ryan wishes he knew.


“I’m just kidding,” Dante says, sitting up. He climbs across the bed to look at his makeshift sports card on the computer screen. At the edge of the mattress he reaches out, leans on the back of Ryan’s wheelchair to support himself, his hand resting lightly against Ryan’s shoulder. “I like it. Do you?”


Chapter 31