Page 124 of Defensive Desire

Silence grips the arena, every set of eyes locked on the man who's made all my dreams come to life.

“This ice… this team… this town… it gave me everything.” The crowd cheers again. Logan smiles. "You all gave me a purpose. A family. A place where I finally belonged when I thought I'd never find one."

Polite applause scatters around us.

“But then… something else happened.” He pauses, eyes scanning the stands before landing straight through the glass… on me. “Love gave me something better. It gave me a reason to stop. To stop and take another look around at the world beyond hockey.”

I clutch the edge of the café counter like it’s the only thing anchoring me to the Earth.

“You see… I’ve been playing hockey since I was old enough to walk. And if you asked me after I lifted that Stanley Cup last season if I would ever give it up? I would have laughed in your face."

The crowd chuckles too.

"I thought playing hockey would be what I’d do until my knees gave out. Or until someone had to push me off the ice in a wheelchair. But then I met someone who made me realize there’s a different kind of game worth playing. One where the prize is a life. A home. A love so ridiculous and sweet and stubborn it makes me want to be better every single day.”

Oh. My. God.

“So know this, Icehawks fans… I didn’t retire because I was tired,” he continues. “I retired because I found something worth slowing down for.”

He turns and gestures up the stands, his gaze landing right through the window, and onto me.

“And that something? She’s right over there, handing out coffee and hot chocolate like it’s her superpower.”

Theentirearena turns, the sound of thousands of shuffling feet making the arena vibrate beneath my legs.

The spotlight moves onme.

"Come on down here, baby," Logan says into the microphone.

Before I can duck behind the pastry case, Lucy bursts through the café door, grabbing one of my arms, while Sophia screeches, “SHOWTIME!” and grabs the other.

“I amnot—ohmygod—no!” I hiss, digging in my heels. “I’m not wearing skates! I’m wearingwedges!”

“You’re wearing a legacy, babe,” Sophia beams.

“You’re wearing cake batter in your hair,” Lucy adds cheerfully.

They drag me out anyway. Onto the ice and into the spotlight that shines so bright every damn Icehawks fan can see how red my cheeks are right now.

Logan’s already holding out a hand, grinning like he just won the Stanley Cup again. I stumble and slip a little but he catches me instantly and pulls me flush against his chest.

He drops the mic, lifts me clear off the ice like I weigh nothing, andkisses me.

The crowd. Goes.Feral.

I bury my face in Logan’s neck, laughing against his collar. “You really had to make it public?”

He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Publicly stupid in love with you? Yeah. I did.”

He grabs the mic again, this time with one hand while keeping the other firmly around my waist.

“From now on,” he says, eyes never leaving mine, “you’ll find me inside that café. With the love of my life. Fixing things. Carrying things. Probably ruining her whipped cream ratios.”

The crowdloses it.

"But I expect you all the come by and support this amazing woman. Thank you, and goodnight. Go Icehawks!"

Coach Brody wipes his face like there’s definitelynota tear there. Natalie beams beside him, tugging him into a kiss of their own. Ryder lifts Mia in a dramatic twirl like he’s auditioning for a romance cover shoot and Connor fist-pumps so hard he nearly clocks Blake with his glove.

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