Chapter 38
Luna
I’m sore in places I didn’t even know could get sore. A reminder of everything that happened this weekend, which should be the last thing on my mind as I push open the heavy doors of the Aureum.
I walk through the entrance hall, past the rows of golden nameplates honoring Champions, Olympians, and multiple generations of Aldenhursts, toward the dome ceiling lounge between the rinks.
The figure skating rink is on the right, so I should be heading there, but I don’t. Instead, I stop at the mezzanine balcony that overlooks the hockey rink on the left.
Zayden is out there with Coach Aldenhurst—his dad—running full-on suicides with the puck. His dad stands near the center, holding a stopwatch.
He starts at the goal line, keeping his puck close as he explodes toward the blue line. Then he whips back and skates toward the red line, moving at a speed that should be impossible.
He stumbles barely at the red line, but he recovers quickly. He slams the puck back under control like it insulted him. Like his failure wasn’t allowed to exist.
My chest twists, because I know the feeling.
To anyone else, it might look like regular private coaching. But I know better.
As if he senses me, he glances up toward the balcony, and I stop breathing as our eyes meet. His face softens for a second. All the tension from earlier disappears, and I see him.
My Zayden.
The one who took care of me, cooked for me, laughed with me, the one who saw part of me that no one ever has before.
It’s only a second, but it’s enough for me to forget where I am, and that no one can know about us. Especially his dad, who’s looking between us now.
Shit.
I look away and hurry toward the right stairwell. By the time I make it to my rink, my heart is pounding in my chest.
Real subtle, Luna. We’re supposed to keep this a secret, not get caught staring at him. I drop onto the bench to change into my skates, but my hands won’t stop shaking.
I press them into my thighs and close my eyes to steady myself, but my mind is back at the cabin—back to him.
Sunday morning.
He made breakfast while I sat on the couch, watching him. Every so often, he’d glance over at me and smile. I tucked each of them somewhere precious, because I wouldn’t get to see them as often when we went back.
We did yoga after, where he sat behind me and helped me stretch my sore thighs.
Later in the afternoon, we skated together.
And when we stepped onto the ice, everything else disappeared.
Every time we skated together, it felt like my body remembered his.
Like we’d done this many times before. I didn’t have to think, just move.
I already knew where he’d be. How he’d catch me.
It felt like a secret conversation between us.
When it was time to leave, we kissed by the door. One of those long kisses that said so many things at the same time.
Thank you for the best weekend of my life.
I don’t want to leave yet.
“Luna?”
I blink to find Nico sitting on the bench beside me. Wait, has he been here the whole time?
“Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Sorry. Just zoned out for a second.”
Nico raises an eyebrow, that knowing smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Let me guess. Hockey boy?”
I whip my head around so fast, it’s a miracle I don’t pull a muscle. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mutter, trying to sound chill but absolutely failing.
“Oh, so it’s a coincidence you both disappeared this weekend?” he teases, his voice way too loud for my comfort.
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss, glancing around, making sure no one is listening.
Nico laughs and pats my shoulder. “Relax, Luna. I can keep a secret.”
I tighten my laces and follow him onto the ice, trying so hard not to limp. I bite back a wince and keep my face neutral, even when my body is screaming.
Fucking Zayden. I blame him for fucking me so good.
But Nico notices and glides toward me. “You good?”
“Yep,” I say through clenched teeth as I push off the ice and wince.
Nico smirks. “Damn. Hockey boy destroyed you, huh?”
“Shut up, Nico,” I mutter, and thank God there’s a big distance between us and the next pair.
“Hey, no judgment,” he says, skating beside me now. “I’m jealous, honestly. You know how many people on this campus would kill to hook up with Zayden freaking Aldenhurst, myself included?”
“Nico.” I glare at him. “You can’t just say his name. Besides, I didn’t know Zayden was your type.”
“Zayden is everyone’s type.”
I roll my eyes at him.
“Next time, maybe tell hockey boy to go easier on your legs. We kinda need them, Ice Princess.”
“I hate you.”
“Didn’t you say you hate hockey boy, too? Is this your way of saying you love me?”
Dios mio.
I limp my way through practice. When Coach calls me aside and asks if I’m okay, I lie and say it’s just a strain and should be fine in a couple of days.
After practice, I take the back exit, because I’m kinda avoiding Zayden after what happened. The truth is I don’t know how to act around him right now. How do I go back to how we were before, pretending to hate each other?
As I reach the little alcove with the vending machine, strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me into the small space between the hall and the machine. My heart jumps only for a second, because I already know who it is before I even see his face.
I turn in his arms to face him, and he buries his face in the crook of my neck like he needs to breathe me in.
“Zayden…” I whisper, brushing the back of his neck.
“I just couldn’t go the whole day without touching you.”
My heart does stupid flips in my chest, and I melt into him.
I need this as much as he does. I barely slept last night.
I felt like a stranger in my own bed. The pillows didn’t feel the same anymore, not after sleeping on his warm chest and falling asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. It’s terrifying how much I missed him.
He pulls back just enough to look at me. His eyes are tired, like he barely slept. His thumbs brush my cheekbones like he’s memorizing them. I lean into his touch without thinking, my body not caring that someone could walk by and see us.
“No one really uses this exit,” he says, as if he can read my mind. “And the camera can’t see us from here.”
I lift an eyebrow. “How do you even know I’d come this way?”
“Because you always take this exit after a bad practice.”
How does he know that? I do take the back exit after bad practice. Because I don’t want to see or talk to anyone, and I need my favorite chips.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “How long have you been waiting here?”
“Long enough to get these before you could.” He pulls out a small bag of plantain chips and presses them into my hand.
I blink down at the bag in my hand.
“Long enough to know I wouldn’t survive the day without holding you.”
“I didn’t know broody boys could be this clingy.”
His mouth curves just a little, but it’s tired—like whatever happened at practice drained him.
“You okay?” I ask, softer now. “I saw you with your dad earlier…”
Zayden shakes his head once but doesn’t really answer. “I will be. After this.”
Then he kisses me.
It’s not rushed, not greedy. Just…necessary. The kind of kiss that says he needed to feel something real. When he pulls back, his eyes stay closed, and he rests his forehead against mine like he can’t let go just yet.
“What are you doing to me?” he murmurs, barely audible. Like he doesn’t expect an answer.
My heart flutters wildly in my chest. “I don’t know,” I whisper.
“How’s your head?” His thumb gently traces the curve of my temple like his touch could erase the pain if I have one.
“It’s fine,” I whisper through the weird pressure in my throat.
He’s studying my face like he’s making sure I’m not lying to him, telling him I’m okay when I’m not. And the tenderness of it all is too much. He leans down and presses a kiss to my temple that nearly breaks me. “You’d tell me if it’s hurting, right?”
I nod and blink back the pressure behind my eyelids. “I’m fine really, but I wouldn’t mind a little orgasm. You know, for medicinal purposes.”
He stares at me for a few seconds like he knows what I’m doing and decides not to call me out on it.
“Just say the word, Tempestina Mia,” he mutters, sliding one hand down to my hip, fingers teasing the waistband of my leggings. “I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about a migraine all day.”
I hate how much I want that. I want him.
“Not here, Hockey Boy,” I whisper, smiling a little.
He growls low in his chest like I just denied him his favorite meal.
His brows draw together, and his lips press into a pout.
The broody hockey player is actually pouting.
I’m saving this moment right here for when I see him looking all broody.
I have to bite down on my lip to keep myself from laughing.
“You’re adorable right now.” I gently cup his face in my hands and press a kiss to the top of his nose.
He gives me a glare, but it’s all for show. “Meet me at the library later. North wing has a secret section. I promise there are no cameras. And barely anyone goes there.”
“When?”
“Lunch.”
“Okay.” I smile at him.
Then his lips find mine again, slower this time, like he doesn’t want to let me go.
“Go, Luna,” he says roughly. “Before I change my mind or someone sees us.” His eyes are still on me, lips parted like he wants to say something else.
Instead, he leans against the wall, running a hand through his locs. “And don’t look back.”
I walk away, and I don’t look back like he asked, but I still feel him like a bruise. The door closes behind me as I start down the path toward my dorm. Then I receive a notification on my phone, and I think it’s a reminder for my therapy session later, but it’s another anonymous message.
Unknown Number: Hope your little getaway was worth it. Just be careful, Aldenhurst doesn’t like when people get too close to their secrets.
I stop walking and glance around, making sure nobody is following me. For a second, I can’t move. A shiver runs down my spine as I shove the phone back in my pocket and keep walking like nothing’s happened.
But inside, my heartbeat won’t stop racing.
Someone knows we were at the cabin.