Shelly Pardy

“I love you.” Shane froze. And then Ilya froze. “Holy shit,” Shane whispered. It wasn’t how he had meant to respond. “I...” Ilya’s eyes were so wide and so scared. “I love you too,” Shane said.”
― Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry

“His mother looked at him sympathetically. “When the right one comes along, you’ll know,” she said.
And Shane chickened out. Because he couldn’t tell them that the right one had come along, and it was the pissed-off Russian man who was currently heading the penalty box on their television.”
― Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry

“Ilya nodded to the ring.
"Yes," Ilya said again. "I am saying yes, Hollander."
"Oh." Then Shane’s lips spread into a wide grin. "Yeah?" He scrambled to his feet and into Ilya’s arms.
They kissed, and Ilya said, "Yes." They kissed again, and Ilya said, "Of course."
They kissed some more, and Shane said, "I love you."
By the time they finished kissing they both had tears streaming down their cheeks. "Is this because I almost died?" Ilya teased.
"No. It’s because I almost died."
Ilya brushed the tears on Shane’s face with his thumb. What could he even say to that?”
― Rachel Reid, The Long Game

“He wanted to tell Shane that the closest he felt to home was when he was with him.”
― Rachel Reid, Heated Rivalry