Page 129 of Icebound

I dig my nails into his waist, but his thrusts slow. We fuse ourselves together until there’s not an inch of space between us, and through it all, Rhode keeps his lips on mine until we’re shaking, tumbling over that edge together.

His body trembles beneath mine. “You’re so fucking perfect for me, Nina. You’re everything I didn’t know I needed, and I wish I would’ve met you sooner.”

“You have me now.”

“I don’t want to let you go.”

He spills himself into me and warmth spreads through my body, heating me like his words. Our sweaty chests move as one as we come down off that ledge.

I collapse in a heap on top of him, careful to stay on his good side, and he wraps me up in his warm embrace. A light sheen of sweat coats our bodies, but we stay connected.

It’s only when it’s over that I realize what we just did. “You didn’t wear—”

His chest heaves. “I know, sorry, I wasn’t thinking, but there’s no one else. I promise. There hasn’t been anyone else for over a year. Just you.”

I wrap him in my arms, kissing his cheek as he softens inside me. “There’s no one else for me either. Just you.”

“Good because I think I’ve had enough years of fighting in the League, and I want you all to myself. I’m yours now.”

We stay like that, bodies a mess of arms and legs. Our heartbeats tick against each other as we linger in a moment that could be a long one or a short one.

A second or a millennium.

I can feel our end looming like a heartbreak harbinger, but this is worth the goodbye.

31

RHODE

“Are you sure about this, Tremblay?”

Coach Watson peers at me across her office desk while Camille scans her phone.

I take a deep breath, struggling with the weight of my decision even though I know it’s the right path. “I always knew this could be my last season. I’ve put a lot of thought into this, Coach.”

Coach Watson nods her Guardians cap. “You’re right. I’m sure you have. It couldn’t have been an easy choice.”

That’s like saying it’s easy to decide who to marry or when to have a child. “It wasn’t.”

Camille furrows her brows, and based on that look, I’m about to get a subtle guilt trip. “You know, I spent over two hours on the phone with the ¡Vamos! lawyers yesterday discussing the sponsorship for you, and nowhere did it say you have to be an active player. So, if you want, that’s still an option. Maybe for less money. I have put in a lot of time negotiating the terms for you.”

Called it. I lean back in my chair, considering. Camille gets a certain percentage of the total deal if I sign with ¡Vamos!, so if anything, I’ll do it for her.

“Thanks, Camille. I appreciate you negotiating that. Tell Andrea I’m in.”

Her shoulders slump in relief beneath her navy blazer, and she gives me a grateful smile. She pulls out her phone and starts firing off a message while I spend the next thirty minutes reviewing the terms of my contract with Coach Watson.

After shaking hands, I step out of Coach’s office and into the locker room, being careful not to tread on the Guardians logo etched into the floor. The clean scent of fresh jerseys mingles with the hint of hard-earned sweat. I inhale a deep breath, surveying the locker room. My eyes well up as I stare at the logo.

The weight of my decision to retire from the NHL finally sinks in, but it’s not dragging me down anymore. The memories of all those years on the ice flood my mind.

That second shower on the right is where I convinced Cruz we all went commando for home games. That bench in the middle is where Patty cried happy tears and told us he was a father. The exhilarating victories, the crushing defeats, the team, it’s all embedded in my DNA. I might be leaving the League, but hockey’s carved into my bones.

I glance up at the retired jerseys hanging from the rafters, and soon, my number Thirty will be dangling for everyone to see.

I can't help but smile.

Sure, this is a tough decision, but as I stand here, surrounded by the echoes of my hockey career, I know that I’ve made the right choice. Now, all I have to do is tell the guys, and Nina. My palms start sweating.