Page 105 of Penalized Love

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.”

EPILOGUE

ISLA

Four Years Later

The bright California sun beats down on me as I leave our new house with my camera. I snap a couple of photos before I begin walking across our property. How is this my life right now?

Moving to San Diego was a leap of faith, but somehow, everything has fallen into place. Asher’s with the Sharks, and I’ve found my stride in my photography career. It’s funny how life has brought us here. We have gone from dating and breaking up when I was a senior in high school to getting back together after I transferred to Crestwood University. Then, we survived being long-distance while he chased his hockey dreams, and I focused on finishing school and building my portfolio.

We’ve come a long way. And now, here we are, surrounded by the beauty of the coast, with everything we dreamed of becoming reality.

I reach my brand-new studio, but don’t step inside. Instead, I pause for a moment to take in this space that we’ve built. This building is my protective space. The enormous windows let in allthe sunlight, and I have lined some of the walls with memories I’ve captured over the years. Every photo has a story, each frame a chapter in the book that is our lives. And to think, there are so many more pages that need to be filled.

“Isla! Are you here yet?”

Asher’s voice cuts through my thoughts, and I can’t help but laugh. It is finally time for me to join him inside.

As I step across the threshold, Asher wraps his arms around me, pulling me back into his chest. I’ll never get tired of this feeling of being loved and the passion that we share with one another. I lean back into his chest, and we stand there in silence for a couple of minutes.

“Just admiring the view,”I whisper, looking into his green eyes.

“The view is pretty spectacular,”he agrees, but his eyes never leave my face.“But it pales in comparison to you.”

I allow a giggle to fall from my lips, and I know a blush is coming right behind it. Even after all this time, Asher’s compliments still have the power to make my heart race. He makes me feel cherished, like the most precious thing in his world.

And deep down, I know that’s because I am.

Gently, he turns me around in his arms so we’re facing each other. His hands come up to cradle my face, his thumbs brushing softly over my cheekbones. I close my eyes, leaning into his touch. This brings me back to my junior year at Crestwood when he kissed me in front of an arena full of people after he helped the Red Wolves secure a tremendous victory.

The memory of that kiss and that moment makes me shiver from the thrill of it all. It was another moment that was a stepping stone in the journey that led us here. And now we can enjoy this life we’ve built together.

“Welcome home, sunshine.”

I smile up at him.“What do you mean? You are my home.”

Asher puts his index finger under my chin to tilt my head up.“Now who’s saying all the sweet nothings?”

“You’ve inspired me greatly, I guess.”

A knowing grin spreads across his face as he leans in. The moment his lips touch mine, I forget about everything else. His kiss is soft at first, but gradually, the intensity builds. I find myself clinging to him as I pull him closer, needing to feel every inch of him pressed against me.

When we finally break apart, we are both breathing heavily. I rest my forehead against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat is just another source of comfort for me, but there’s a question I’ve been dying to ask him.

“Why did you want me to meet you out here?”

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