33. Isla
33
ISLA
I feel myself waking up, although everything around me tells me I should still be asleep. When my eyes finally open, I’m greeted by darkness.
What time is it? Where the hell am I?
It’s then that the memories of last night flood my senses. Then I realize my hand is resting on a very hard chest. There’s an arm wrapped around my waist, as if the owner is afraid to let go.
All of this feels like I’m caught in a dream that I never want to wake up from, but the reality is that I need to move because I shouldn’t be here.
My dad is just a few floors down, unaware that his daughter snuck out in the middle of the night to be with his right wing. The guilt is there, sure, but it’s drowned out by how right this feels. Eventhough I’m panicking about how this could go wrong in the blink of an eye, I feel safe in Asher’s arms, with him sleeping beside me.
I reluctantly lift my hand off Asher’s chest and try to get myself out of his embrace, but I struggle a bit. The mattress dips and creaks beneath my movements, and I hold my breath, praying that I don’t end up waking him up. After all, he needs his rest way more than I do, and I might get a few more hours of sleep once I’m back in Dad’s room.
Although I have a hard time removing his arm, I’m closer to being free. I shiver a little due to how cool the room is because the covers have shifted enough that more of my naked body is exposed. Not to mention, Asher’s body heat must have been doing an excellent job of keeping me warm. I reach over to grab my phone and check the time.
4:14 a.m.
Damn, it’s early, but I’m grateful I woke up on my own. I forgot to set an alarm to wake up and go back to my room. Not to mention, there are no missed calls or text messages from Dad, leading me to assume that he doesn’t know I’m gone.
As I take a deep breath because I think I might finally manage to escape, the arm around my waist tightens, pulling me back against a solid chest. Asher’s breath is warm against my neck as he murmurs, voice rough with sleep,“Where do you think you’re going?”
I shiver, but this time, it has nothing to do with the chill in the room.“I need to get back before my dad wakes up and realizes I’m gone.”
Asher’s lips graze along the shell of my ear. The motion sends a tingle down my spine, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s doing this on purpose.“Not yet,”he whispers.“Stay with me a little longer.”
I melt into his embrace, but know I can’t stay.“Asher, we can’t...”My protest is halfhearted, but it still needs to be said.
“How about we go take a shower instead? I’ll have you in and out of there in a few minutes, and it will be one less thing to do when you go back to your room.”
“I took a shower last night, though…”I say, wondering where this is going.
“Yes, but it wasn’t with me. I can help you reach those places that are hard to or that you might have missed.”
The deepness of his voice first thing in the morning is doing something to my brain. Given what time it is, I’m not thinking straight, and I have a feeling that I know what he’s thinking about doing if I decide to take a shower with him.
“Bennett, you know this isn’t a good idea and?—”
My words die on my lips because he shifts our bodies so he’s hovering over me. A small groan leaves his lips before he says,“Let me take care of you, Isla. Just for a little while longer.”
And that’s all it takes. I nod along, even though he can’t see me. That’s when it clicks that I need to say the words.“Yes, I’ll stay for a little while longer.”
Asher moves his body, and it takes a few seconds before the lamp on the bedside table provides some light for us to see. Asher’s eyes narrow for a moment, as if they are trying to adjust. Once his eyes return to normal, Asher’s lips curve into a smile. When he drops his head to give me what I assume is a kiss, I put my hand on his chest, stopping him.
“Morning breath?”
He just shrugs.“Do you think I give a shit about that? I just want to give you a good morning kiss.”
I shake my head because I can’t fight the grin that is ready to appear on my face. He makes me so happy that it almost feels sickening. Is this what I’ve been missing for years?
Asher takes that as his sign to make his move because his hands land on the sides of my face just before he kisses me again. All thoughts of feeling self-conscious about morning breath and how I need to get back to Dad’s room fly out of the window.
As if he’s suddenly realized how limited our time is, he breaks the kiss with a few more quick pecks on my lips.“Shower. Now.”
We stumble out of bed, and Asher grabs my hand to hold. It’s as if he isn’t willing to let me go, even for a moment, and I’m not complaining.
We make it to the bathroom, and he turns on the shower. I lean against the counter as the sound of the water fills the room. I catch a glimpse of us in the mirror and shake my head. My hair is a hot mess, and he barely looks awake, yet I can’t help but grin. I’m happy from just being with him. However, I know he has something up his sleeve related to this shower. I can feel it.
Asher comes up behind me and wraps both arms around my waist. Without missing a beat, he presses a kiss on my shoulder.“You’re beautiful, you know that?”
I roll my eyes.“You’re just saying that because you want me to shower with you.”
He laughs as I lean back into his embrace.“Maybe. But it doesn’t make it any less true.”
I turn my head to look at him. He takes it as an opportunity to give me another brief kiss on the lips before he grabs my hand and pulls me toward the shower. Being naked has many benefits, including not worrying about taking off clothes. I step into the bathtub first, and I can’t help but sigh. The water is the perfect temperature and feels like heaven, not to mention it is helping to wake me up.
Asher pulls me toward him, my back to his chest, while his hands are resting on my hips. Every part of his body feels hard against me, including his dick, which is obviously ready for another round. To be honest, I am too.
Before I can say a word, his lips find the sensitive spot just below my ear, and I make a noise that is the mixture of a giggle and a sigh.
One of his hands slides around to my front until his fingers brush against my pussy. I gasp, my head falling back against his chest as he starts to circle my clit.“You’re so responsive. I love how your body reacts to my touch.”
I moan, pushing my hips forward into his hand and then back into his cock. The friction from our movements causes both of us to moan as he takes the hint, increasing the pressure and movement of his fingers. My breathing grows harsher, and just as I feel as if I’m about to reach my climax, he pulls his hand away.
Before I can protest, Asher spins me around to face him. His green eyes stare into mine with an intensity that steals my breath. He backs me up against the cool tile wall, his body caging me in. The difference between the coldness on my back and the heat at my front is causing my brain to short-circuit.
“I want to try something,”he says, ripping me away from my thoughts.“Do you trust me?”
I nod without hesitation.“Yes, always.”
Asher reaches up and grabs the handheld shower head. He makes some adjustments before he angles the spray so that it hits my body. First, the jets land on my breasts, making my nipples harder than they already were. The warm water rolls over my sensitive skin, causing me to gasp. I swear Asher’s eyes darken as he watches my reaction. The way he is making me feel only encourages him further as he drags the shower head lower.
And then he reaches his destination.
“Oh my—”I moan as my hips jerk forward. The jets have made my pussy their playground, and the intense sensations make my legs shake. Everything becomes so much that I’m forced to reach out and grab Asher’s shoulders for support. I feel bad about how deep my nails are digging into his skin, but he doesn’t complain.
I don’t know how long I’m going to last.
“When I walked into the bathroom after checking in, I knew I wanted to do this to you. I feel bad for Carson, but I swear the stars lined up for me tonight.”
Asher’s words barely register because of where he’s pointing the showerhead. What stars is he talking about? I can see them the longer he keeps the jets from the showerhead directed at my pussy.
My orgasm builds rapidly, to where it’s hard for me to breathe. The urge to close my eyes is there, but I can’t with Asher’s eyes locked on mine. His free hand grips my hip, holding me against the tile wall as my body trembles even more.
“That’s it, Isla,”he says, just above the noise of the water rushing out of the shower head.“Let go for me.”
His words push me over the edge. I cry out as my orgasm crashes over me in waves. Asher keeps the showerhead in place, prolonging my climax until it borders on too much. Only then does he pull it away, setting it back in its holder.
I sag against the wall because my legs feel like jelly. Asher’s arms come around me, and he takes on all of my weight. I feel at ease in his arms.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous when you come,”he says.“I could watch you fall apart all day.”
A small laugh slips out.“I don’t think I’d survive that.”
He chuckles as his hands skim down my sides. When he reaches my hips, I gasp as he lifts me effortlessly. I wrap my legs around his waist without thinking about it, erasing our height difference. If his cock being hard wasn’t apparent to me before, it is now.
“Fuck, I don’t have a condom. I left it in the bedroom.”
Dejection slams into me before an idea clicks in my head.“I’m on birth control. For PCOS, but I’m on birth control, and I’m clean.”
Relief floods Asher’s features, although there is still a tightness there. I know that’s because he wants to find his own release.“I’m clean too. Just got tested at the beginning of the season and haven’t been with anyone besides you. Nor have I ever had sex without a condom. Are you sure about this?”
This is what I want.“I’m sure I want to feel you. All of you.”
His eyes search mine for a long moment.“Tell me if you want to stop at any point, okay?”
“I will.”
With that, he positions himself at my entrance. He eases himself into me, and we both gasp. As I feel one of his hands land on my hip, I can’t help but think this is a different experience. Here is another first I’ve given him and something he’s given me in return. This new level of intimacy is indescribable. And that’s before he even begins to move.
His thrusts start off slow as we’re both adjusting to how wet everything is and this brand-new feeling. Without the barrier of a condom between us, I swear the movement between us feels more intense. I take a deep breath as my hands reach for his shoulders to give me leverage as he fills me over and over again.
Asher’s grip on my hips tightens as he increases his pace, driving into me with a passion that steals my breath. The sensation of his bare skin against mine, the way he stretches and fills me so completely, is almost too much to bear. I cling to him, nails digging into his shoulders as the pleasure builds within me once more.
“You feel so good,”he groans.“So perfect. You were made for me.”
I can only whimper in response because, in my current state of mind, words and thoughts don’t exist. The water cascades over our bodies and is cooling down, but I don’t care. Asher’s movements grow more urgent, and I do my best to meet each one. Our moans and gasps bounce off the walls in this small space, reminding me how intimate this is.
When the intensity reaches what I swear is new heights, it takes everything within me to keep myself from screaming.“I’m so fucking close.”
“I am too,”he grits out, and I know the chances of us both reaching our climaxes together are extremely high. He leans forward and gives me a long kiss on the lips, and that’s all it takes for my body to let everything go.
He swallows my cries with his kiss as my orgasm takes over my body. Those stars he mentioned earlier? I have no problem seeing them as he breaks our kiss because his thrusts have become more erratic. A groan tears from his throat as I feel the warmth of his cum filling me, and it feels as if he’s marking me as his.
We stay like that for a minute or two, and I’m left wondering how he even has the stamina to hold us both up. Another thing I need to thank hockey for, I guess. The cooling water leaves small trails over our skin, but I barely feel it because I’m lost in his eyes. Asher presses his forehead against mine as we struggle to regain our composure.
Once we both catch our breath, I slowly move my legs so that I’m somewhat standing on my own. However, Asher moves his arms so that they are around my waist. I’m grateful for his support because I’m not sure my legs can hold me up on their own right now.
I look down and notice that his cum is dripping out of me, and I gasp.“Holy shit.”
Asher follows my gaze, and a smirk tugs at his lips.“Damn, that’s hot.”
I blush, feeling a mixture of shyness and thrill at the sight.“We should actually shower, and I’ll clean that up.”
“I’ll do it,”he says.
“Are you sure?”
The smile is now gone.“One hundred percent. What about you?”he asks.
“I’m fine. Excellent even.”
Asher reaches for a washcloth and soaks it under the lukewarm water. He cleans his cum from between my thighs before turning to wash my body with soap. I rinse under the showerhead while he washes himself, and before I know it, our shower together is over. He reaches behind me to turn off the water, and the sudden absence of the sound makes the bathroom feel eerily quiet, but it doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.
It’s because I feel loved.
This love differs from what I felt three years ago. It’s more powerful and more mature in so many ways. Everything is still new, but also old too. It doesn’t feel like we’ve picked up from where we left off, but it’s also not a new book. Maybe it’s a new chapter, and I’m excited to turn the page to see what’s in store for us. But first, we need to get out of this shower.
As if sensing my unsteadiness, Asher guides me out of the shower and grabs a fluffy towel from the rack. He wraps it around me with infinite care before taking another for himself. The soft terry cloth feels heavenly against my body, but it still feels as if it’s in overdrive.
We step out onto the bathmat, and the cool air hits my damp skin, causing me to shiver. Asher notices and wraps his arms around me. I lean into him so that I can feel his muscular body against mine for a few moments before I have to get dressed and head back to my room.
“You okay?”
“More than okay,”I whisper, tilting my head to look up at him. His green eyes are soft as they gaze down at me.
He reaches up to tuck a strand of wet hair behind my ear.“I wish we could stay like this forever.”
“Me too.” I kiss his lips, and he responds instantly.“But I have to get back ASAP.”
“I know. Let’s get you dried off and dressed.”
We step out of the bathroom. Asher grabs my clothes from where we haphazardly discarded them and hands them to me. I drop my towel and pull on my panties and shorts. When I finish putting on my tank top, I find Asher holding my hoodie.
“I don’t want you to go,”he says.
I turn to look at him and grab my last article of clothing.“And I don’t want to either. But we both know I have to.” With a heavy sigh, I put the hoodie on.“But I’ll see you when you hit the ice in a few hours. Speaking of, you need to go get some sleep ahead of that. It’s too early for you to be up.”
“I promise to go back to bed as soon as I walk you back to your room,”he says as he puts on a new pair of boxer briefs.
I stare at him for a moment.“You can’t walk me back.”
“Watch me.”This time, he’s putting on a pair of basketball shorts, and I see him reaching for a white t-shirt next.
“What if someone sees you?”
Asher shrugs, as if this isn’t the craziest idea in the world.“The chances of someone seeing us this time of morning outside of some cameras that might be in the hallway are slim to none. I’ll take those chances.”
I want to argue with him, but I know it’s pointless. Once Asher sets his mind to something, there’s no changing it. And if I’m being honest, I also want to have a few more minutes with him, even if it’s just walking down the hallway.
“Fine, but we have to be quick and quiet.”
He flashes me a grin, happy that I agreed.“I can do that.”
Asher grabs his sweatshirt and throws it on while I gather the rest of my things. Once he has his hotel room key in hand, he checks the peephole to make sure the coast is clear before opening the door. The hallway is empty and silent, which makes sense given the time of morning. We step out of the room, and Asher takes my hand, lacing our fingers as we approach the elevator.
The elevator ride down feels both agonizingly slow and far too quick. He holds my hand the entire time, allowing his thumb to caress my skin as if trying to soothe all of my worries. The simple touch does more to me than I will ever admit out loud. We walk out into another quiet hallway when the elevator doors slide open. The plush carpet muffles our footsteps as we make our way toward my dad’s room.
As we approach the door, a sense of dread crawls up my spine. Not only do I not want to leave Asher’s side, but I don’t want to go back into the room and risk waking Dad up.
“I’m a couple of doors down,”I tell Asher.“You might want to turn around now, just in case.”
“I’m not going to leave you before I walk you to your door, but I will do this,”he says as he pulls me to a stop. He puts his index finger under my chin, tilting my face up so that I can look directly into his eyes. I already know what he’s about to do, and the fact that he’s going to do this in public, albeit in an empty hallway, feels impulsive, but yet so right.
Asher’s lips meet mine in a tender kiss that has me ready to melt into a puddle on this floor. I know this is our“goodbye for now”kiss, and I hate that things have to be this way. When he pulls back, I’m left feeling slightly dizzy.
“I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?”he whispers before resting his forehead against mine.
“Yes, you will.”
My boyfriend stares at me for a second more before grabbing my hand and walking me to my door. I pull out the keycard, and with one last squeeze of my hand, Asher turns and walks back down the hallway to the elevator. I watch him go until he disappears around the corner. It’s then I realize that I already miss him.
I turn my attention back to the task at hand and hold my breath as I swipe my hotel key against the card reader. I pray that it doesn’t make a sound. The lock disengages with a soft click, and I open the door. The room is dark and quiet, the only sound being my dad’s steady breathing from his bed.
I tiptoe inside, shutting the door behind me. I use my phone’s light to guide me as I reach my bed. Soon, I’m taking off my hoodie and shoes, and the next thing I know, I’m slipping under the covers. I curl onto my side, hugging a pillow to my chest as I try to calm myself down from the excitement of the last few hours.
Mission. Accomplished.