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

A fair fight and Wil would’ve been dead long ago,Dante thinks, tugging on a T-shirt, one of Ryan’s. He loves wearing his boyfriend’s clothes, the shirts are so roomy and they smell heavenly, a sporty scent that is all Ryan’s own. A fair fight with Ryan on his feet would’ve left Wil Dietrich hurting worlds more than he hurts tonight. The nurse wouldn’t have been able to do anything for him. An intensive care unit might not have been enough.


When he’s dressed, Dante curls up on the bed again beside Ryan, wraps his arms around Ryan’s waist and rests his head on his lover’s hip, closes his eyes as he waits for the phone call to end. He listens to Ryan sigh dramatically. “Mom, I knowthis. Just don’t blow it all out of proportion, okay? I know how you are—yeah, okay, I have to go. I haveto. Yeah, later. Bye.” Nudging Dante to rouse him, his boyfriend says, “Ugh, she’s called the officials already. It was just a fight, you know? Jesus, nothing to get all riled up about.”


Chapter 171