39. Isla

39

ISLA

I s this real life or a fantasy?

I repeat the question over and over again as I try my best to stay focused on my job. I’m still in shock that the Red Wolves won the game, but I shouldn’t be. The team is amazing, and I’m so happy that I’m able to do my part as a member of this organization. In fact, I think I’ve cemented my place with the hockey team because the video project that Bailey gave me is a huge success and she wants me to do more of them, but I can’t say I’m not elated that this one is all finished now.

But also, holy shit, what was that game?

I still can’t process it, but I’m so happy I could capture the images I shot. Because seriously, this game feels like one for the history books.

After I lower my camera, I catch Asher’s eye while he’s still on the ice. I shout,“Congratulations!”but I’m pretty sure he can’t hear me. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the noise in the arena be this loud. That includes the times I used to come and watch the Red Wolves before college.

For a moment, it seems like Asher is just looking at me, but then he skates, putting one foot in front of the other. It takes a couple of seconds for me to realize he’s skating toward me.

Before I can fully register what’s happening, he steps off the ice through the open gate, his skates crunching slightly against the rubber mats as he approaches me. He stops in front of me, his eyes locking with mine.

Confusion and excitement swirl in my brain as I watch what’s unfolding. Why is he coming here? He should be celebrating with his teammates, not coming my way.

His pace slows because he doesn’t have blade guards on his skates as he walks across the rubber mats. When he reaches me, I put down my camera and manage to close my mouth. I lift my head, struggling more than usual because our height difference is even greater when he’s in his skates.

He reaches out, his gloved hand brushing against my cheek. I go back to my musing about whether this moment is a dream I’m about to wake up from.

“Isla,”he says,“I couldn’t have done this without you.”

I blink once and then twice. I swear my brain still hasn’t caught up with everything that has happened.“Me? But I did nothing.”

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.“Just having you in my life again has changed everything for me in the most positive way. That is more than I could ever thank you for.”

Tears form in the corners of my eyes, and I do my best to hold it together.“I could say the same about you.”

“I love you more than anything else in this entire world.”

“And I love you even more than that.”

His stare holds mine, and there’s no way I could look away even if I wanted to. There’s an intensity in his green eyes that reminds me of the determination he showed throughout the whole game. The roar of the crowd fades into the background, and for a moment, it’s just us, and the rest of the world ceases to exist.

I instinctively lean into his glove-covered hand because it’s currently our only physical connection. But that doesn’t last for long.

We close the remaining distance between us, and my eyes drift closed as his lips meet mine. As cliché as it sounds, I swear fireworks go off behind my eyelids. I melt into him and almost forget where we are as my hands land on his shoulder pads as he pulls me closer. In this moment, nothing else matters. Not the game nor the cheering crowd that now sounds like a murmur in the background. All that exists is the feel of his lips against mine and the unshakable knowledge that this is exactly where we’re meant to be.

The crowd’s reaction barely registers at first, but when I hear more cheers, it triggers something in my brain that it might be toward us. When we break apart, I come back to reality, and I realize what just happened. Did we just kiss in public for everyone to see?

I glance toward the bench, catching Dad’s expression. He looks shocked, leaning more toward stunned. But then he gives me a small smile. The last thing he probably wants to see is his daughter kissing one of his players, but it seems as if he’s accepting of what he just witnessed.

I look back at Asher and say,“Well, that was a surprise.”

He tosses a grin back at me.“Yeah, it was.”He briefly looks over into the stands before looking back at me.“Speaking of surprises, did you invite my mom and Avery to the game?”

I nod because the jig is up, and I’m so happy that my plan worked out.“You wanted them here, and it’s something I wanted to do for you. It took a little maneuvering, but we made it happen.”

“Asher!”

Both he and I turn to see who called his name. We find his mom and sister making their way toward us. I glance up at Asher and watch his face light up. I can’t help but smile because I know how much all of this means to him.

Once they reach us, Avery launches herself into Asher’s arms, nearly knocking him off balance. He laughs as he catches her easily, but I’m slightly concerned they both might fall down, given that he’s still in his skates.

“You were amazing out there!”Avery exclaims as she playfully hits him.

“Thanks,”he replies as he puts her down.“I can’t believe you’re here.”

Asher’s mom, Clara, steps forward, and I can see the tears in her eyes. I’m convinced that she’s going to be the one who makes me cry. She pulls Asher into her arms, and a tear slips from my eye at that beautiful moment.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart,”she whispers.“You played your heart out.”

Asher hugs her back and buries his face in her shoulder. I swear I can see the tension leaving his body, even if it is just for this moment.

When they pull apart, Clara’s gaze falls on me. She smiles warmly and opens her arms to hug me too. I’m this close to full-on sobbing as I step into her arms, and she says in my ear,“Isla, thank you for making this happen and for being there for him. This means the world to us, and he’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. I know it’s because of you.”

When we pull apart, I do my best to swallow the lump that has formed in my throat.“It was my pleasure. I know how much Asher wanted you both here, and I’m happy that we could make his wish a reality.”

Asher reaches out to me and pulls me into his side. He bends down and says,“This is everything. Thank you, sunshine,”before placing a quick kiss on my hair.

Avery’s eyes dart between us, a knowing smile playing on her lips.“So, when’s the wedding?”

Heat rushes to my cheeks as Asher chuckles softly beside me.“One step at a time, Avery,”he says, his tone gentle but firm.

At least his reaction is calm, cool, and collected because it takes every ounce of control I have to keep my reaction down to just blushing.

“Why don’t we all grab a bite to eat? I’m sure Asher’s starving after that game.”We are saved by Clara’s quick thinking.

Asher responds this time.“That sounds perfect, Mom. My treat.”

Although I don’t know her well, I can tell that Clara is about to tell Asher that he doesn’t have to pay, but I speak before she can get the words out.“It might take a bit, but I can see if my parents would like to come too?”I offer without giving it too much thought.

“That’s a great idea! I’ve met your father several times, but haven’t been introduced to your mother,”says Clara.

That needs to be rectified. I pull out my phone to contact my mom.“We can try to fix that tonight.”

“I should probably get to the locker room,”Asher interrupts us.

“Oh yes, go, go! I’ll bring your family down to the tunnel, where we can meet up with you,”I reply.

Asher gives me a quick kiss and waves goodbye to Clara and Avery before he makes his way back to the ice.

I text my mom, hoping she and Dad are available to join us. Moments later, my phone buzzes with a response from Mom.“She said they’d love to come,”I announce.

It takes a little while for Asher and Dad to wrap up their duties, but once we are at the Riverstone Grill, dinner goes well. Everyone chats with one another in an effort to get to know each other. I wish Grace could have been here, but she’s back in California, dealing with something she won’t tell me about. I swear she’s gone through all the stages of grief, but I wish she would let us in so that we can better help her. We’ll have to see if we can schedule some time for everyone to get together around the holidays or something.

I can’t believe I’m already thinking of that.

Once dinner is over, Asher and I drive back to his house, where we already know the guys are throwing another banger. The main floor of the home is mostly silent, but when I think he is going to hit the stairs to head up to his room, Asher seems to have another plan up his sleeve.

“There’s something I need to grab from the kitchen. I’ll meet you upstairs, and I want you completely naked, lying on my bed, waiting for me,” he says.

I’m left stunned, trying to process his words. Did he just say what I think he just said? Did that kiss we shared at the arena affect him as much as it had me ready to melt into a puddle on the floor?

Shit.

It is only going to take him a second to come back, I assume, so I dart up the stairs, enter his room, and slam the door shut a little louder than I intended due to my excitement. I quickly toe off my sneakers and remove my Crestwood hoodie and jeans. I still my movements for a second to see if I can hear Asher on the stairs. When I don't hear anything that resembles footsteps, I remove my underwear and ungracefully plop down on the bed. I'm grateful he isn’t in the room to witness that because I would be embarrassed by how eager I am.

How did he want me to lay? Did he want me to?—

The door opens, forcing any thoughts from my mind. Asher steps into the room, his eyes immediately finding mine. He makes sure to close and lock the door behind him. That’s when I notice he's holding his hand behind his back. It’s clear that he’s hiding something. But what it is, I have no idea, though I assume I will find out shortly.

"You followed my instructions perfectly," he says. His voice is lower than normal as he drinks all of me in.

I feel exposed under his scrutiny, but there's a thrill there as well. He moves closer, and with every step he takes, I swear the pounding in my ears gets louder. When he reaches the edge of the bed, he reveals what he's been hiding: a can of Reddi-Whip.

"I wanted to have a little fun with two of my favorite things," Asher says. He tosses the container on the bed, and it’s followed by a condom before he begins getting undressed.

"Two of your favorite things?" I whisper.

"You and dessert, of course."

“Not gonna lie, I expected you to say hockey.”

He chuckles as he kneels on the bed, completely naked. The mattress dips under his weight and I can tell he knows exactly the effect he is having on me when he slowly and deliberately shakes the can of whipped cream.

"Now, Isla, I'm going to trace every line of your body. And then..." He pauses for a second, leaving me hanging off of his every word. "I'm going to savor every last bit."

The nozzle of the can hovers over my collarbone, and goosebumps appear along my skin in anticipation. The first touch of the cold cream against my body makes me gasp. Asher's steady hand moves lower, leaving a delicate trail of white across my chest, paying special attention to my breasts.

I close my eyes because all of this feels like too much. The coldness from the whipped cream, the heat radiating from my body and from Asher, plus the tension in the room.

"Open your eyes, sunshine," Asher commands softly. "I want you to watch me."

I obey, meeting his gaze. The intensity in his eyes makes me shiver, but I don’t close my eyes. I’m too entranced now by the scene in front of me. Asher lowers his head and his tongue darts out, tasting the sweetness on my collarbone.

"Delicious," he murmurs against my skin, the vibration of his voice sending tremors through my body.

I fight to keep my eyes open as he slowly works his way down my body. Each lick and nibble stokes the fire within me. My hands clench the comforter under my fingertips; every sensation leaving me more desperate for something to hold onto.

His lips move lower, and I arch my back involuntarily. The room feels impossibly hot now, contrasting against the coolness of the cream on my skin. Asher's mouth has made its way to my stomach, and I shudder because I know where he’s going next.

He looks up at me and says, "Patience, baby. We're just getting started."

I swear, before he even finishes his sentence, he’s pressing the nozzle, squirting cream along my hip bone. His tongue soon follows, and I’m struggling to keep up with all of the sensations coursing through my body. When he moves down toward my pussy, I freeze. The feel of his stubble on my inner thighs is almost too much to bear.

"Please," I let out. The word falls out almost involuntarily.

Asher looks up at me with a wicked grin. "Please what, sunshine?"

I bite my lip, torn between desire and embarrassment. Do I really want to say what I want him to do with me out loud? But the hunger in his gaze makes me feel as if I can take over the world. "Please taste me. Eat me, fuck me. I don’t care; I just need more of you."

“Those are the sweetest words you’ve ever said to me.”

Without breaking eye contact, he lowers his head and drags his tongue along my folds. The sensation is electric. I cry out, and before I know it, my hands are in Asher’s hair, anchoring him to me. He hooks his arms under my thighs and pulls me closer. That gives him more of an opportunity to devour me, and I’m not complaining.

Waves of pleasure crash over me as he works me with his mouth. The room fills with the sounds of my breathless moans and gasps. I hear a few groans from him too, as if what he’s doing to me is bringing him just as much pleasure. My hips begin to move all on their own, grinding against his face as he continues his relentless assault on my senses.

The tension within my body grows, and I'm dancing on the edge. I’m so close to falling apart completely. Asher must sense it because he doubles down, focusing his attention on my clit with quick, firm strokes of his tongue.

"Oh, fucking fuck. Asher," I moan, my voice barely recognizable to my own ears. "I'm so close."

He hums against me in response, and the vibrations send shockwaves through my entire body. My back arches off the bed as the first waves of my orgasm hit. Asher doesn't let up, making sure to work me through every tremor and the aftershocks.

Holy. Hell.

When he finally pulls away, his chin is glistening. My eyes finally shut as I try to recover. I can feel him crawl back up my body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake.

"You taste so good, sunshine," he murmurs against my neck, his breath dancing along my skin. His voice is rough with desire, and it does something to me. Something I can’t quite describe.

I reach for him, running my hands down his muscled back. "Now it’s my turn, hot-shot.”

With his help, I flip us over and position myself so I’m straddling his hips. His eyes darken as he takes me in, using the opportunity to put his hands on my thighs. I reach over and grab the can of whipped cream. Asher's eyes follow my every move, and I notice that his chest begins rising and falling rapidly.

I trace a creamy line down his chest, all the way to his cock. I lean over and use my tongue to lick up every last bit of the treat before me. Asher's breathing grows more rapid as I work my way lower. I love the feel of his muscles tensing under my touch. When I reach his cock, I stop to watch him, looking up at him from where I am. His eyes meet mine as his hips twitch, obviously wanting more contact.

"Isla," he groans.

I put him out of his misery when I lick his dick. Asher's head falls back against the pillow as a strangled moan escapes his lips. I can tell it’s taking everything for him to maintain control and it’s only a matter of time before he’ll snap.

Encouraged, I take him into my mouth, and a rush of air leaves his body. His hands find their way into my hair as I set a steady rhythm. I decide to alternate between long, languid strokes and quick, teasing flicks of my tongue.

"Fuck, Isla," he pants.

His words urge me to do more, so I double my efforts, taking him deeper, hollowing my cheeks as I suck. A couple of minutes later, he’s finally able to form more words.

"If you keep that up, I'm not going to last."

When I need to take a quick breath, I move my mouth and his cock falls past my lips with a wet pop. "That's kind of the point, Bennett."

In one fluid motion, he sits up and pulls me to him just before he crushes his lips against mine. The kiss is all heat and desperation, which suits us right now.

When we break apart, both gasping for air, Asher reaches for the condom he threw on the bed earlier. "I need to be inside you," he growls, fumbling with the wrapper.

I take the condom from his trembling hands and tear it open with my teeth. Our eyes lock as I roll it onto his length. As I position myself above him, his hands grip my hips as if he wants to throw me down on his cock. Part of me wishes he would.

Slowly, I lower myself onto him. My eyes slam shut, and I can't help the moan that escapes my lips. The way he stretches me is the best feeling I’ve ever experienced. I pause as I take in the way we fit together, not to mention the pressure of Asher's fingers digging into my hips.

"Isla," he whispers. "You feel incredible."

And I feel incredible, especially being the one in control this time. My eyes open and my gaze meets his. I begin to move, setting a slow, torturous pace. I watch as the man underneath me clenches his jaw as he fights for control.

"Is this what you want?" I say, rolling my hips in a way that makes us both gasp.

His response is a groan that sounds as if it comes from deep within his soul, and it’s music to my ears. His hands leave my hips and slide up my sides. When they reach my breasts, he cups them gently as his thumbs brush over my nipples.

I increase my pace because I know it’s what we both want. The room is filled with the sounds of our heavy breathing and our bodies coming together. Sweat starts to form on Asher’s forehead, and I wonder if it’s from the workout I’m giving him or because he’s doing everything in his power to let me control our movements.

"Isla," he says, sounding breathless. "You're driving me crazy."

I smile. "Good," I whisper against his ear before nipping at the lobe.

Suddenly, Asher's hands are on my hips again, and he's thrusting up to meet me. The change in angle has me seeing stars, and I cry out.

"That's it, baby," he growls. "Let me hear you."

I'm close, so close, and from the way Asher's movements are becoming erratic, I know he is too.

"Asher," I moan, "I'm going to?—"

"Me too," he grits out. "Come for me, sunshine. Let go."

His words push me over the edge. My body shudders as I reach my climax. I scream out Asher's name, and I know for a fact the rest of the guys in the house have heard me, but I truly don’t care. All that matters is that I’m riding out my release on my boyfriend’s cock. He follows right behind me, and I collapse onto his chest. As a result, he slips out of me, and I immediately miss the connection. He must sense this because he closes his arms around me, and for a moment, we’re both still. It’s hard trying to come back to reality after that.

I nuzzle into the crook of Asher's neck, breathing him in. His skin is damp and salty against my lips.

"That was..." Asher trails off as if he can’t figure out what he’s trying to say.

"Yeah," I agree, unable to find the right words myself.

His fingers trace lazy patterns on my back, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. I feel completely at peace in his embrace. The world outside this room seems distant and unimportant. But I do know that we have a party we need to get ready for and that we both are sticky.

“We need to shower after all of… this.” I somewhat gesture to our bodies, but it’s half-assed.

Asher laughs at me. “You’re right. You left some clothes over here that I washed, so hopefully they are comfortable enough for you to wear to the party. Unless you want to run back to your room really quick?”

I rise up so that I could look him in the eye. “You did my laundry? A man after my own heart. I’m sure whatever I left here is fine.”

It takes a few more minutes, but we manage to gather the clothes we want to wear tonight, and once Asher confirms the hallway is clear, we sprint into the bathroom to take a shower. It takes a little longer for us to get out of the shower because of… the sex we just had, but once we are both clean, dry, and dressed, I open the door. As I walk out of the bathroom with Asher following behind me, I hear another door creak open down the hallway.

I glance to my left and my mouth almost drops to the floor. I see Selene sneaking out of what I’m assuming is another bedroom, and I think it’s Knox’s. Her cheeks are bright pink, her hair slightly disheveled, and she’s wearing a Crestwood Red Wolves hoodie that’s clearly not hers. My eyes widen as everything about the scene in front of me clicks into place.

Selene freezes when she sees me, but I can tell she’s trying to mask her anger. “Oh, um... Isla! Asher!” she stammers, clearly flustered. “How are you? How was the game?”

“Fine…but what are you doing here?”

“I was just... helping Knox... with something. But I’m leaving now.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Right. Helping. But why do you look pissed?”

Asher places an arm around my waist, and when I look over at him, his expression mirrors mine. We are obviously on the same page and know what this is about.

Before she can respond to my comment, Knox’s voice calls from inside, “Selene, did you forget something?”

Selene’s face turns a deeper shade of red. “Fuck you,” she mumbles before she waves at us awkwardly and practically runs down the hallway.

“Wait—”

She cuts me off. “I need to calm down. I’ll call you later, okay?”

I slowly nod my head as I watch her disappear. This is bonkers, and I’m completely thrown by what I just witnessed. Part of me wants to chase after Selene to find out what’s up, but if she truly wanted to talk to me right now, she would have stayed or tried to find some place where we could talk alone without Asher or Knox.

Instead, I turn to my boyfriend and say, “I’m going to let her cool off, but I need to text her later because what the hell was that?”

Asher shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine.”