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

At the door to his room, Dante gives him one last, long look, that slight smile still on his lips. “I don’t know if this is sudden to you,” he starts. Ryan shakes his head, no, it feels as if he’s wanted the boy for yearsalready, there’s nothing sudden about this. “But maybe?” Dante continues. “Maybe I can call you my boy, if that’s okay with you.”


Ryan laughs. “That’s fine,” he says. My boy,he likes that.


Dante leans across the bed for one last kiss. “So now you’re my boy, too,” Ryan whispers, and that gets them giggling again. “Go on,” he tells Dante. “You’re going to be late.”


“I have a good excuse,” Dante replies.


He calls a little before 9:30, like he said he would. Just came in the door too, from the sound of it, he’s breathless and tired, Ryan can hear it in his voice. “You need to get to bed,” he tells Dante. “If you’re going to skate tomorrow—”


“I’ll be fine,” Dante promises. Lowering his voice, he says, “You’re all I thought about tonight.”


Chapter 33