Page 107 of Ice Bet

I completely understood. My beer bottle clanked with her cup, and we tipped our drinks back and took a gulp. My phone buzzed, and I knew it was Aasher. I’d missed nearly all his texts from this afternoon because I was in the rink, practicing.

My tryout for the figure skating team was a formality, according to Coach Chen-Wong, but the entire board would be there. First impressions meant everything, and I wanted to be ready.

Aasher: If you aren’t at this party, you’re in trouble.

A wicked grin curved onto my face as I typed back.

Me: What are you going to do if I’m not?

Aasher and I were on a whole new level. Instead of our usual antics of denying our attraction and hiding our desires, we were embracing them in the only way we could without messing everything up.

I liked knowing he wanted to see me.

I had butterflies every time I thought about him, and just a simple glance from him made me pause.

The anticipation of him walking through the front door had me on the edge of my seat. I nibbled on my bottom lip and watched as several hockey players walked through with their confidence as haughty as ever.

Where is he?

“What am I going to do, hmm?”

I shrieked, making Sutton jump beside me. I spun and gripped my beer bottle by the neck.

Aasher was standing against the kitchen bar with his arms crossed over his gray Henley.How long has he been there?The first two buttons were undone, and I gulped at the sexy smirk he was wearing.

“Jesus,” Sutton said, placing her cup on the bar top. “You scared me.”

Aasher’s gaze didn’t leave mine. “Sorry.”

He wasn’t sorry.

Sutton grabbed her drink again and put her back to Aasher and me. Ford and Emory slipped in past us, and after they said hi to me, they ushered Sutton farther into the party. The guys knew that Crew was showing up. It was all over campus. They would take care of Sutton. She had nothing to worry about.

“You’re lucky,” Aasher said, staring directly at my lips.

“Am I?” I asked, popping my hip out. I leaned against the edge of the counter beside him. I stared at his strong profile, watching his dark lashes move up and down with his slow blinks.

“I’d find you one way or another.” He grinned, and to anyone else, it would look like he was talking to the person in front of him instead of talking to me.

“And what would you do to me if you found me?” I baited, feeling edgier than usual. Just talking to Aasher made the few gulps of beer in my belly bubble.

The muscle lining his jaw flickered, and when he turned toward me, my knees buckled. “Want to find out?”

I tipped my beer back and chugged the rest of it. Aasher’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing. I pushed the bottle into his chest, feeling his ramming heart thump against the back of my hand. “Yes,” I whispered. “You’ve gotta find me first, though.”

His lips parted at the temptation.

I giggled and turned on my heel and weaved through the party, knowing he’d come find me. I stopped and talked to a few people—Taytum, some of her sorority sisters, and even one of the freshman figure skaters who stumbled over every word when she recognized me. Some of Aasher’s teammates followed my every step, probably still attempting to secure that bet they had, but I slipped right past them and darted up the stairs.

I felt Aasher’s eyes on me, even if I didn’t have the notion to look back. Most of the doors were locked, so I slinked down the dark hallway and slipped into a closet.

A laugh brewed.

Why is this so fun?

I was giddy with nerves at the thought of Aasher opening the door and finding me.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my back pocket.

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