Page 60 of Icebreaker

Before I met Quinn, I didn't believe in soul mates. Now, holding him in my arms, I was sure I'd found mine.

I saw happy tears rolling down his cheeks. "I love you, too, always."

We kissed, and it set off another round of cheers. While we clung tight and stared into each other's eyes, our teammates swarmed around us, shouting congratulations. I felt like I was floating, held aloft by all the well-wishers.

Later, while we filed out of the arena hand-in-hand, the adrenaline still circulating in our veins, a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows. It didn't take long to realize who it was, but that didn't make it any less shocking.

Dante.

He looked different from the last time I'd seen him, more than a month back. I noticed flecks of silver in his dark hair, and the lines at the corners of his eyes were prominent.

He spoke softly. "Axel, Quinn, I hope I'm not interrupting."

Quinn's grip tightened around my hand. It was a silent way of showing support. We both tensed, ready to take on any aggressor.

"Dante, what are you doing here?"

As I watched him, he looked more vulnerable than I remembered. I took a deep breath and waited for his response.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other with his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets. "I saw your speech. A colleague offered a ticket to the game.Thiswas my first time here since…since we last met. Your speech…it was beautiful."

A tangled web of emotions swept over me.Beside me, Quinn remained resolute, his breathing quickening slightly. "Why are you here, Dante? You didn't answer Axel's question. Why now?"

Dante looked down for a moment before speaking again. "I'm here to apologizeone more time, and I want to congratulate both of you."

It felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me. Of all the things I thought Dante might say to me, offering another heartfelt apology was not one of them.

"I know I've hurt you, Axel," he continued. "I decided to seek help, so I don't do that to anyone again. I was selfish and cruel. Myowninsecurity clouded my judgment when the stress was high. For that mistake, I am sorry."

While I swallowed hard, I felt Quinn's tension ease. His grip on my hand loosened.

Dante had more to say. "I don't expect you to forgive me. I know I don't deserve that, but I'm happythat I gotto see you make that speech. It shows me what I've missed by letting my fears hold me back. Hopefully, with your example as guidance, I won't ever do that again."

"Thank you, Dante. I appreciate the words, and I wish you luck."

With a slight smile, he looked at Quinn first and then me as hetook a stepbackward. "Take care of each other, please, and don't ever let anyone tell you that your love is anything less than extraordinary."

After one more nod, he melted back into the shadows as quickly as he'd appeared. My heart raced while I stood staring atthe spotwhere he'd been.

Quinn squeezed my hand again as we walked across the parking lot to the car. He still clutched the rose tightly in his other hand with his gear bag slung over his shoulder.Every few steps,he lifted the blossom to his nose and inhaled deeply.

"It's still amazing that you did that, Axel. You stood up there in front of all of those people. Your face was at least twenty feet tall."

A blush rose on my cheeks. "And I meant every word. Iknow I struggle sometimeswith expressing my feelings, but I wanted you to know how much you mean to me and that I've finally learned to trust you implicitly."

Quinn stopped walking, and he turned to face me. "I do know." He reached out and traced his index finger down my cheek. "Every day, I see it when you look at me. It's so obvious when you hold me and kiss me. It's in every touch and every word."

I leaned in close. "I never would have thought I could have a man like you. I assumed I didn't deserve it, but you've shown me how wrong I was. Love isn't about what we deserve. It's about finding the man who will dare to love us back."

I kissed him then. It was a slow, passionate kiss that left me wanting more. When we broke apart, we panted to catch our breath. "Let's go home. I want to show you just how much I love you."

Chapter twenty

Quinn

Aweek before Christmas, as a thank you to the enthusiastic fans, the Portland Lumberjacks put together the first Holiday Extravaganza. The team staff transformed the arena into a winter wonderland for the festivities. The relatively austere sports venue came to life with festive decorations, from fragrant pine garlands to shimmering tinsel draped from the rafters. Strings of multi-colored lights cast a playful glow over the entire scene.

The concession stands filled the air with the pleasing scents of cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa. Near the entrance, Santa Claus sat on a heavy antique chair, ready to discuss Christmas wishes with the youngest fans.

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