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

No more words—she just nods, yes, she’s sorry, too. This time he knows she sees Ryan’s name across his back. He feels her gaze burn through him as he leaves.   23


When Dante comes back to their room, Ryan is sitting up against the pillows with the TV turned down low. One look at his lover’s face as he closes the door quietly behind him and Ryan knows that they won’t get back to wherever it was they left off—there’s too much hurt in those chocolate eyes, too much pain in that pretty frown. Without a word, Dante crawls onto the bed, curls up against him, wraps his arms around Ryan’s waist and hugs him tight. Ryan doesn’t need to ask how Josey took it, he already knows the answer. He can feel it in his boyfriend’s trembling shoulders when he holds him close.


Chapter 160