Page 70 of Penalized Love

It takes a moment for him to put the necklace on me, and he helps me wipe away my tears. Once he does, I look up and find what I can only describe as doubt in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

He runs a hand through his hair. “I hope I’m not fucking all this up. We have a lot of history, and I don’t want to mess it up again.”

“Aren’t we older and wiser and all that now?”I ask as I play with my new necklace and earn another chuckle from Asher.

“I suppose we are.”

“But what are we doing?”

Asher’s thumb gently caresses my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. He doesn’t wait for me to respond to his question.“I think,”he says,“we’re giving ourselves a second chance.”

I search his eyes, trying to read the true meaning behind his words within them.“Is that what you want?”I whisper.“A second chance?”

Asher nods, his gaze never leaving mine.“More than anything, sunshine. I know I hurt you before, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. But if you’re willing to give me anothershot, I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make it right this time.”

“I want that too, but I’m terrified.”

“Completely understandable. It was the same way for me the first time around, but not anymore. I’m not running away from this again. I’m not running away from whatever this is and what it could turn into.”

“But what about my dad? He’s still your coach.”Apparently, blurting out questions today is the name of the game. I’m stating the obvious, but it’s the truth. I still work with the team. Is that against any rules in the paperwork I signed?

Asher’s gaze shifts for a moment, and I can see the cogs in his brain turning before his eyes meet mine again.“I know it’s complicated with your dad being my coach and you working with the team. But I’m willing to face whatever challenges come our way. I’m not going to let that stop me from being with you. I did it once, but I’m not doing it again.”

“But I don’t want to be a distraction for you.”

“You would never be a distraction for me. Hell, if anything, you’d be the reason I’m less distracted. Knox would be proud.”

I tilt my head to the side, and Asher drops his hands from my face. I immediately miss his touch.“What does he have to do with this?”

A soft smile plays on Asher’s lips.“It’s a long story, but Knox has been on my case about you since the moment he saw us together at the rink.”

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.“Oh really? And what has he been saying?”

Asher chuckles before leaning back against the couch. I might stare for a second longer than I should when his shirt rises, showing a hint of abs, but his words bring my attention back to his face.“He pretended like he was going to go after you to piss me off because I was denying what I knew to be true, eventhough it was the first time we’d been in each other’s presence in years.”

I can’t help but laugh at the thought of Knox pushing Asher’s buttons that way. It’s oddly reassuring to know that Asher’s feelings for me are so obvious that his teammates, who would know him best, have noticed.

“Well, I’m glad he could give you a little nudge in the right direction,”I tease. Some of the nervousness I’ve been feeling since the moment I decided to text him leaves my body.

A smirk appears on Asher’s face.“I agree, but it didn’t take much. Now, enough about him. The last thing I want you to think about right now is another guy.”

“Oh really?”The words sound more flirty than I anticipated, and I have to give myself a mental pat on the back.

Asher leans in closer, his face mere inches from mine.“Really,”he murmurs as his hand cups my cheek once more.“Right now, I only want you thinking about me and what I’m about to do to you.”

And then his lips are on mine.

27

ISLA

This kiss is so much different from the one we had at the team bonding event. The thought of getting caught fueled that one, and while there’s a chance that Asher’s roommates might walk in and find us, the idea of it is so far from my mind. The only thing that matters is getting as close to Asher as I can, and I don’t want this to stop.

Ever.

Our kiss starts slowly, as if we’re exploring each other for the first time all over again. Given how long we’ve been apart, it might as well be. However, the kiss grows in intensity, igniting something more fiery inside of me. The kiss becomes something that grows more urgent, and soon I’m desperate to have more. I can tell that Asher feels the same as his arms tighten around me, and my hands end up fisting his shirt.

I’m convinced that I can rip the fabric with my bare hands if I want to.

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