Page 66 of Puck & Her Blades

I feel dazed but nod. “I know who you are.”

“And I know who are. You’re Puck. Our Puck.”

The way that he says our puck…I could live in it.

Before I can stop myself, I nuzzle against his shirt. I take a deep breath of his peaches and cream scent and then wish that I hadn’t. It’s so much more delicious mixed in with the fresh and clean scent of his skin.

I can’t help glancing at the showers to the side, which are puddled with water.

My cheeks redden, as I think about Asher standing there sandwiched between Jackson and Zev — just like they are on the ice — naked, as they wash after the game.

Now, I can’t stop my mind wandering to the image of the water cascading down the hard planes of their chests and the soap sliding down their abs lower to their…

I shake my head, and Asher raises his eyebrow.

“Are we still entangled in that threesome in your beautiful mind?” He asks. “I just want you to know that I have no problem with that.”

“Fantasy you is going home with blue balls.” I extricate myself from his hold with difficulty, smoothing down my hair just so that I have something to do with my hands. “So are you.”

He shrugs. “I normally do.”

“Poor Ash.” Cygnus holds his hand out to him, and Asher bends over to sweep his lips against the back of it.

Yet he never looks away from me.

I shiver.

Then his gaze flashes, dangerously. “I don’t have time to explore this scene of yours anyway. I was sent here earlier than Jackson and Zev because coach wants to talk to me about my performance. He’s going to be here in about ten minutes.”

Cygnus sits up comically fast, giving up the pretense that he’s resting. “Dad’s coming here?”

“Yeah. Just a suggestion, but you may want to get dressed and then get out.”

“Rude.” I point at Asher. “What do you mean, talk about your performance? You scored both the goals. You won the whole game. Hell, you were the best player out there. I mean, you’re amazing.”

I’ve wanted to say that for days.

Asher’s face lights up like the sun.

He slips a small, rubber puck out of his pocket and fidgets with it like he doesn’t even know that he’s doing it. “Thanks, but I’m the only Beta on the team. So, coach doesn’t see it like that.”

My chest tightens. “That’s not fair.”

“I learned a long time ago that life isn’t fair. Anyway, I’m going to have a serious conversation with the security guards about how you got in here. I mean, I don’t regret seeing you because I’ve been wanting to from the moment that you joined the pack. But Cyg was vulnerable in here, and I’m going to bust their nuts that they let anyone in. I feel like tearing out their throats but I’ll settle for making sure that the most serious thing they’re guarding from now on is our sticks.”

Guilt slams through me. “Don’t punish them. I’m the one who broke the rules by sneaking in here.”

Asher studies me. “It was their responsibility to guard this room, not yours. Why did you break the rules? I’m shit at protocols and stuff and get my ass beaten for it all the time but I thought that they taught being obedient at the Institute. Cyg is normally a good boy.”

Huffing in annoyance, Cygnus pushes himself to his feet.

He tilts up his chin. “We’re both rebels now.”

Fuck, I’m so proud of him.

But what the hell will Asher say? Do?

Can we trust him?

---