Page 63 of Icebreaker
I smiled. "Thank you for being here. We appreciate the support from our fans."
They both nodded and moved to the side to let more people have a turn. Axel and I settled into a rhythm, and the line never seemed to shorten. A young girl, perhaps age ten, approached. "Hi there. Would you like a few marshmallows on top?" I asked.
"Yes, please." She smiled and stood on her tiptoes. "Can you do jumps on your skates, too?"
I chuckled and sprinkled a few miniature marshmallows on top. "No, I can't. I tried it a few times, and I fell on my backside. I'll stay connected with the ice for now."
A middle-aged man approached the stand next. Charming wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled. "Hey, no cocoa for me, thanks. But listen, I had to come over and tell you—you're knocking it out of the park. My kids? They're having an absolute ball."
Axel grinned. "Thank you for stopping to say that. We're glad that everybody's having a great time."
"Happy holidays," he called as he stepped aside.
By the time the line finally dwindled, Axel and I were exhausted but tremendously happy. We'd seen so many smiling faces and heard upbeat, happy comments. I felt deeply grateful for those who enjoyed celebrating hockey with us.
Axel nudged me with his elbow. "Look over there." He pointed at a group of kids gathered around Sergei, who still wore his elf costume. They giggled and took turns trying on his hat.
I laughed. "He's a big hit with the kids. Who knew Sergei had hidden talents as an elf?"
Axel nodded. "You know, today was a special event. We did good here."
I turned to face him. "We did, didn't we? I think I'll look forward to this every year."
At that moment, Coach Fraser appeared, and he smiled at both of us. "Great job today, men. The event was a huge success, and all the players were a huge part of it. I want to thank you."
Axel reached out and shook his hand. "Thanks for the appreciation. It was a team effort."
Coach patted us both on the back. "Enjoy the rest of your evening. You've earned a good one."
As Coach greeted our other teammates, Axel pulled me into his arms and held me close. I pushed my face into his neck, breathing in his scent.
"I used to think hockey was all I needed," Axel told me. "But days like today and spending time with you have shown me there's so much more to life. You keep giving me reasons to celebrate on and off the ice."
I pulled back and gazed into his dark, soulful eyes. "That's the beauty of it, Axel. We give that to each other. And we're gonna keep on giving, every single day."
Axel smiled. "I like the sound of that." He captured my lips in a sweet kiss.
As we lost ourselves in each other, the rest of the world faded into the background. All that mattered was the two of us and another perfect moment of love, joy, and connection.
Axel's hands roamed across my back as he pulled me even closer. I tangled my fingers into his hair, raking them through the coarse strands. Our kiss deepened, growing more urgent and passionate.
When we finally broke apart, breathless and flushed, Axel looked serious for a moment. "I love you, Quinn. More than I ever thought possible."
"I love you too," I murmured, brushing my nose against his. "You're my everything."
Chapter twenty-one
Axel
The warm scents of pine and cinnamon filled my apartment while Quinn and I finished decking the halls for our first Christmas together. We didn't finish anything early, but we made sure everything was ready right on time for the Christmas Day family celebration.
Strings of twinkling multi-colored lights gave the living room a warm glow. I left Quinn in charge of music, and he chose old classics. Nat King Cole's smooth voice crooning "The Christmas Song" wrapped us in holiday cheer.
While I watched Quinn carefully place the star on the top of our tree, his face a model of concentration, I thought back over the months since we first met. He'd barreled into my life full ofsmiles and the exuberance of the young. When I let him in, he brought light into the darkest corners of my heart, chasing away shadows and cobwebs. He showed me that love and happiness were still possible for a battle-scarred man like me.
Quinn stepped back to admire his handiwork. "What do you think? Not so bad, eh?"
I chuckled softly and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind. "It's perfect. Just like you." I rested my chin on his shoulder while I watched the tiny lights blink off and on.
