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

The shuttle between the rink and the hotel runs every fifteen minutes, and it’s boarding when Dante guides Ryan’s wheelchair out into the parking lot. The chair lift is a godsend at this point—Dante’s tired from practice and doesn’t think he has the strength to carry Ryan up the few steps into the shuttle. There are only a couple of other skaters onboard, and thankfully none of them is anyone Dante knows, not Josey or her sister or even Dietrich or any of his pals. Just some kids from another club, no one Dante recognizes, and because they aren’t near him, he dares to hold Ryan’s hand on the ride back. “You did great out there,” he murmurs, rubbing his thumb over Ryan’s knuckles. He loves the feel of soft skin on his.


“Youdid great,” Ryan tells him. Giving Dante’s hand a slight squeeze, he smiles and says, “You get off the line Saturday like you did today and no one else stands a chance out there.”


Chapter 154