Pro hockey player T.J. Shanstrom is no stranger to controversy. Labeled a goon by his many critics, he’s the guy every team hates to play against but every team wants on their side—the goal scorer with an edge as deadly as a newly sharpened skate blade. T.J. plays the only way he can, laying everything on the line, game in, game out. But when it’s time to step away from the rink, T.J. leaves his fire on the ice. Relationships? He tried that once. Friends with benefits is as close as he’s planning to get to a woman again. Until he meets Natalie Foster. Smart and independent, no-nonsense Natalie’s rebuilding her life her way after her high-powered career and her engagement go off the rails. Besides trying out new lines of work, she’s also dipping her toe in the dating pool with pro hockey player Kevin May. The relationship is new, it’s fun, but it’s barely off the ground when Kevin’s career comes to a bone-crushing halt thanks to a T.J. Shanstrom cheapshot. Caught between the realm of possibility and obligation, Natalie puts her life on hold to prove her loyalty to Kevin—with unforeseen consequences. When Natalie and T.J.’s paths accidentally cross, sparks fly. Natalie has no idea who this handsome hunk is, but when T.J. discovers who she is, he’s determined to become her knight in shining armor while safeguarding his identity—and his heart. Little does T.J. know that when he begins his karma payback, his closely guarded heart becomes part of the payment plan. And when he falls hard for Natalie, he’s left with two irreconcilable choices: Continue deceiving her or confess his true identity. Either path guarantees he’ll lose the only woman he wants.