29. Asher

29

ASHER

I ’m at home on the ice because my head’s exactly where it needs to be for the first time in a while.

I smirk as the cold air slaps my cheeks as I fly across the rink. This movement almost feels like a warm embrace, but it doesn’t compare to how I feel when she wraps her arms around me.

Hell, her legs, either.

Speaking of, I can’t ignore the prickling sensation at the back of my neck. It’s because I’m aware that I’m being watched. I can feel the weight of eyes following my every move. I know without looking that it’s her.

My sunshine.

Her presence is like a magnetic pull, drawing me in even as I try to focus on the task. I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, her camera raised to capture the action in the rink. But I swear, for just a moment, her lens lingers on me a beat too long.

The thought of her watching me makes me giddy, but I will never admit it to the guys. It’s a secret rush that I have to keep hidden because I know shit would hit the fan. I can’t let it show on my face or in my body language, even as I’m dying to meet her gaze head-on.

I channel that energy into my movements, pushing myself harder and faster. Part of me wants to dare someone to say that my head isn’t in the game, more so this practice, based on my performance. I am slightly distracted by Isla. However, knowing that I have back part of what we used to have is enough to make me keep my head down and get to work on the ice.

I’m aware of where she’s standing with her camera in hand. I already have an image in my mind of the way her blonde hair cascades down her back and her eyes sparkle as she does her job.

With a slight shake of my head, I tear my focus away from Isla, determined to prove that I can keep my head in the game despite everything else that is going on. I skate harder because I’m determined to prove myself after a shitty couple of weeks. The wandering that’s occurring in my mind needs to stop, especially with Coach’s watchful gaze tracking what feels like my every move.

I’ve decided to talk to him once I know that Isla and I are on solid ground regarding rekindling our relationship, and I’ll take whatever he throws at me.

Because I’m not going to lose her a second time. At least, not if I can help it.

But now isn’t the time to think about that.

As I push myself through the drills, I swear every muscle in my body burns. Sweat drips down my face, stinging my eyes, but I barely notice. The thought of fucking all of this up has me on edge, even though I know there is nothing I can do about any of this now besides focusing on killing it at this practice and at our next game. I’m determined to show Coach that I’m back in control and that the last couple of weeks were just a fluke.

The puck flies across the ice, and my eyes are on it. Every movement I make is sharper, and my stick handling is clean. I catch Levi’s eye as I pass the puck, and for the first time in a while, he gives me a nod of approval.

A quick glance toward the bench confirms Coach is still watching me, his arms crossed, and eyes narrowed. But I’m not slipping up this time. I’m laser-focused and do not give him any reason to question me today.

We move into one-on-one drills, and I’m up against Knox. He’s quick as always, but today, I’m faster. I break toward the goal and fire it at the net with everything I’ve got. It sails past Wilder’s outstretched glove and slams into the back of the net with a satisfying crack.

“Nice shot, Bennett!”Levi yells from the side, and even Knox gives me a small grin.

After several deep breaths to calm my heart, I realize I’m happy. Sure, there are things in my life that could be better, but at this moment, I’m content. And while it took my time on the ice to realize that, my gaze drifts back to the stands, finding Isla. She lowers her favorite piece of equipment, and our eyes lock.

But I shake it off before I’m caught staring for too long.

Thankfully, the rest of practice flies by in a blur, with no complaints from anyone about me. It takes everything in me to not look at Isla as I leave the ice and head into the locker room. I can hear the usual post-practice chatter and laughter, but my mind is elsewhere. As I pull off my sweat-soaked practice jersey, I can’t stop thinking about Isla because now she has my full, undivided attention.

I’m jolted back to reality by a slap on my shoulder. It’s Wilder, whose grin is taking up his entire face.“You were on fire out there today, man. Whatever’s gotten into you, keep it up.”

It’s more what I’ve gotten into, but I digress.“Thanks, bro. Just trying to stay focused and help the team in any way I can.”

The truth is, I’ve never felt this focused or more alive than I do right now, and I know it has everything to do with Isla being back in my life. It’s like her presence ignites something within me, a fire that burns hotter and brighter every time she is near.

After showering and throwing on some fresh clothes, I grab my gear and head out. Most of the guys have left, meaning the tunnel is nearly empty, but I know she’s nearby. I hope it doesn’t make me sound like a creep, but it’s almost as if I can sense that she’s near. As if summoned by my thoughts, Isla appears from around the corner, her camera bag slung over her shoulder. The sight of her takes my breath away, and I can’t help but smile. She returns my grin, her blue eyes sparkling as she approaches me.

“Hey there, hotshot,”she teases.“Quite the performance out there today.”

I chuckle, running a hand through my damp hair.“Well, I had some extra motivation today.”

She arches an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.“Oh really? And what might that be?”

I glance around the empty hallway before taking a step toward her.“You know exactly what, or should I say who, that is.”I punctuate my sentence with another step toward her.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Ash,”she murmurs, her gaze flickering to my lips.“This is a high-traffic area, and anyone could see us.”

“I know, but I can’t seem to give a damn.”

“We can’t,” Isla whispers. “Not here.”

“Then let’s head out of here so we can be alone. I don’t care where; I just... I need to be with you.”

Isla hesitates, her eyes darting down the hallway before they land back on me.“Okay. Meet me at my dorm room after we leave here. Tessa is hardly ever there lately, so we should be alone.”

“What’s going on here?”

The two of us jump apart like kids caught trying to sneak snacks out of a cookie jar. We both turn to face Coach, who’s standing a few feet away. The suspicion in his eyes is hard to miss. “Nothing, Coach. Just chatting about some shots Isla got during practice.”

Coach’s gaze shifts between us before landing on his daughter.“Well, wrap it up. Isla, didn’t you mention earlier that Bailey needs those photos edited and sent to her by tonight?”

“Yes, Dad,”Isla replies.“And I’ll get right on it.”

With a final pointed look at me, Coach turns and walks away, leaving us alone once more. I let out a low whistle as the tension leaves my shoulders. That was too close for comfort.

Isla shoots me a glare.“See what I mean? We have to be more careful.”

I nod because I know she’s right.“Let me walk you to your car. After all, since Coach has already seen us talking, that shouldn’t look too strange.”

Not to mention that this was an evening practice, and there’s no way I’m letting her walk out to her car by herself when it’s dark outside.

Isla agrees with me.“Okay, let’s go.”

As we walk out of the arena, I notice the air has become significantly cooler than when I arrived. The parking lot is nearly empty, with only a few cars scattered under the dim streetlights. I keep a respectable distance from her, but my body is dying to close the gap by pulling her into my arms.

We reach her car, and she turns to face me. I fight the urge to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.“Thanks for walking me out. I’ll see you in a few minutes?”

“I’ll be there soon.”

It takes me a few minutes to walk to my car and get settled before I head over to Isla’s. The drive feels longer than it should, but I’m sure it’s because I want to be with her right now.

After parking, I don’t bother texting Isla to let her know I’m here. I just grab my phone, lock my car, and sprint up the stairs to the entrance because someone is holding the doors open, so I don’t have to worry about calling Isla to let me in. As I’m about to knock on her door, I can hear muffled voices on the other side.

I hesitate for a split second, unsure if I should knock or wait. But before I can make up my mind, the door swings open, and I find myself face-to-face with a tall brunette. Her eyes widen as she takes me in, and a slow, appreciative smile spreads across her face.

“Well, hello there,”she says, leaning against the doorframe.“Is Asher Bennett really standing outside my door?”

It clicks who she must be. I clear my throat, feeling slightly uncomfortable because of the look she’s giving me.“Uh, yeah. Is Isla here?”

The girl’s smile widens, and she steps aside, gesturing for me to enter.“She sure is. I’m Tessa, by the way. Isla’s roommate.”

When I step into the room, my eyes land on Isla. She’s standing near her desk, a tight smile on her face as she watches my interaction with Tessa. It’s obvious that she’s annoyed by all of this, and I get it—especially because she doesn’t get along with Tessa and was expecting her to be gone.

“Thanks,”I say to Tessa, trying to keep my tone polite but not overly friendly.“I just need to talk to Isla for a moment.”

I watch as Tessa studies my face before her eyes drift down my body.“Of course,”she purrs.“You’re welcome here anytime, Asher.”

I fight the urge to scoff at her comment. Isla clears her throat, and Tessa rolls her eyes before grabbing her purse from the nearby chair.

“Well, I was just heading out anyway,”she says.“You two have fun.”She brushes past me, and given that there is enough room for her to walk by without touching me, I know it’s on purpose.

The door closes behind her with a click, leaving Isla and me alone. She lets out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sagging.“I’m so sorry. She’s usually not around and?—”

I cross the room to get to her, and my hands find her waist. I pull her closer to me.“Hey, it’s okay. We’re alone now.”

Isla leans into my touch, her forehead resting against my chest. I can feel the stress leave her body as I hold her.“That we are, and now I have to worry about her telling people about… whatever this is.”

I tilt her chin up, making her meet my gaze. “You mean our relationship, sunshine?”

She raises an eyebrow at me.“Is that what this is? You’re trying to lock me down already?”

I can’t fight the chuckle that slips out.“Locking it down would be asking you to marry me, wouldn’t it?”

I can feel Isla’s body stiffen in my arms at the mention of marriage.“Wait, what?—”

“I’m not there either… at least not yet.” I give her a reassuring squeeze.“But I think what’s going on between us is a relationship—unless you think differently?”

Isla bites her lip before she speaks.“No, I... I want this to be a relationship too.”

“Good. Glad we agree on that.”

“But this is complicated.”

I stare at her for a moment, searching her eyes for where this might be leading. If it’s where I think it’s going, it’s something we should talk about, even though I hoped that the time we’re spending together could just be about us and not external factors.“Are you referring to your dad and the team?”

Isla nods.“Yes, because if what is going on between us gets out, it could cause problems for both of us.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair.“I know. Believe me, I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. But Isla,”I cup her face gently,“I don’t want to lose you again. Not because of hockey, not because of your dad, not because of anything.”

Isla leans into my touch.“I don’t want to lose you either, but we have to be smart about this. We can’t let anyone catch on, at least not until we figure out how to handle it. I would rather my father find out from us versus hearing about it through the grapevine.”

“Well, would Tessa gossip about me coming here to see you?”

I watch as the realization hits Isla’s face.“Oh fuck yes. And she would have no issue telling the world what she knows. You can’t come back here until we figure out how to tell my dad. I’ll tell my mom to get her feedback on how to approach Dad with the news.”

“Then if we’re only going to hang at my place, I need to tell the guys,”I toss out there.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

I sigh, my thumb absently brushing along her cheekbone.“I think so. The guys are like my brothers. They’ll have my back and can help cover for us if needed. Plus, if I’m being honest, they probably already suspect that something is happening, anyway.”

Isla considers this for a moment.“I guess you’re right. But can we trust them not to say anything?”

“Absolutely,”I assure her.“They know how to keep a secret, and they’d never do anything to jeopardize the team or my relationship with you. And that includes Knox.”

That forces a laugh out of her just before her hands slide up my chest to loop around my neck.“Okay. If you think it’s best, then I trust you.”

I’m not sure she understands how much hearing her say that is like a weight off my shoulders and a breath of fresh air.“Thank you,”I murmur, kissing her forehead softly.“We’ll figure this out together.”

“Yes, we will. Together,”she repeats.