Chapter 11 #2
He pulls me into his lap, his strong arms warm and comforting after the fight. His fingers dance over my skin, along my hips, up and down my arms. It’s like he’s memorizing every detail of me.
“I’m sorry,” Ashton whispers between kisses. “What can I do to make it up to you?”
I know that telling Luca will just pull us apart again. After the hockey season, which feels like forever, but it’s just a few short weeks. The regular season ended at the end of February. The Narwhals are in the NCHC Quarterfinals.
I can’t let them risk losing because Luca doesn’t have his head in the game. He’s their best player, not that I’d tell Ashton. Although I’m sure he already knows, it’s why he doesn’t want Luca to find out.
It’s just a few more weeks; worst case is April if they actually make the National Championship. The Narwhals have never even made the Frozen Four Semifinals, but they never had Luca and Ashton playing, either.
“Anything you wish.” Ashton drops soft, featherlight kisses across my cheeks and lips. “Your wish is my command.”
A faint smile reaches my face. “Are you a genie now?”
“I could be,” Ashton says. “If I could grant you three wishes, I totally would. What would they be? And don’t give me boring stuff like world peace.”
“World peace isn’t boring!” I elbow him in the ribs.
“Oww!” he whines and then grabs my arms, keeping me from attacking him a second time. “Three wishes.”
“First, would be to let my arms go.”
“Boring.” Ashton rolls his eyes but grins. “Wish granted.” He releases his hold on me.
I laugh. “I’m saving my second and third wish for later.”
“It doesn’t work that way,” Ashton mumbles, and his hands tease my hips, playing with the waistband of my jeans.
He knows exactly what he’s doing, stirring desire within me as I’m situated on his lap.
Damn, he’s good.
My cheeks heat up, and my body succumbs to the warmth, relaxing against him.
“Not a wish, but I want you to go tell Liam you’re dating me. We’re in a relationship. And then proclaim to him how much you care about me.”
Ashton’s face scrunches. “Do I have to?”
“If you want me to forgive you, yes.”
Ashton sighs and rests his hands on my hips. He gently guides me back to my seat on the mattress. He stands, and I do the same, wanting to watch.
“Where are you going?” Ashton glances back at me, surprised that I got up from the bed.
“Oh, I’m one hundred percent here for the show.” I follow him out of my bedroom, wanting to witness his grand gesture to Liam about dating me.
As we step out into the hallway, I lean into him, so only he can hear me. “Don’t screw this up or you’ll be dating your hand indefinitely.”
“Harsh.” He glares playfully at me and then pinches my butt.
My mouth drops, and he chuckles, striding out into the living room where Liam has perched himself on the couch in front of the television.
“Ashton has something he wants to say,” I announce to Liam.
Liam reaches for the remote and hits the button on the television, muting the screen. “I’m listening.” He raises an eyebrow, clearly amused and delighted to hear whatever Ashton has to say.
“Nova and I are dating. We’re in a relationship, so don’t be a dick and call it a situationship. I care about her a lot. She’s not just some girl I’m sleeping with; she’s my best friend and my girlfriend. Don’t ever insult her like that again. She deserves better from you.”
Liam’s eyes widen. “Got it.” He holds up his hand. “Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you, Nova.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not,” Ashton says protectively. “No one should be referring to our relationship as anything less than what it is. I care about her, and I want everyone to know that.”
Liam watches with curiosity. “Even Luca?” He can’t help himself, trying to add more drama.
“Stay out of my relationship, Liam. You don’t see me butting into your friends with benefits shit with that girl at Great Falls.”
Liam bites his bottom lip and glances at the television. “We broke up.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, man.” Ashton keeps hold of my hand as he leads me to the sofa.
A heavy sigh parts from Liam’s lips as we sit, Ashton beside him and me on the end of the couch.
I’m still without any pillows. Damn, but I’m also not stretching out. “I’m sorry to hear things didn’t work out with you and Iris.”
He laughs under his breath. “I actually broke it off with her.”
“Oh?” Ashton and I both wait for Liam to elaborate, but he doesn’t.
Silence fills the air between us.
“What happened?” I finally ask, cutting the tension.
Ashton rests a hand on my thigh, his touch gentle yet firm. It’s comforting.
Liam emits a heavy sigh. “You’d laugh and think I’m crazy if I tell you, so can we just … skip that part and let me just say it’s over with Iris?”
“Was it something that happened between you and Iris?” I guess. If it’s friends with benefits, maybe someone caught feelings or the sex became something way too kinky for Liam or Iris. That would at least explain his reluctance to elaborate.
“No. It was another girl, whom I’m not even dating. We just kissed.” Liam stands, and he’s grumbling under his breath, but I can’t discern what he’s saying.
“You like this other girl.” It’s an easy guess; why else would he break it off with Iris?
“Yes,” Liam says, staring at me. “But I can’t like her.”
“Why not?” I don’t understand the problem.
“It’s complicated.” Liam walks to the kitchen, leaving Ashton and me on the couch.
I glance at Ashton, and he just shrugs. I stand, following Liam into the kitchen.
“Come on, you know anything you tell us will be kept in the strictest of confidence.” I lean against the kitchen cabinets, waiting for Liam to spill the details. I’m a girl for gossip.
“I’m not worried about you telling anyone anything,” he says. “It’s just, there isn’t much to tell. The girl I kissed, I despise. We’re complete opposites. She’s mean. Spoiled. Rich. The kid is a brat.”
“Kid?” I repeat, confused. “I thought it was someone in college. What the hell, Liam? Are you dating someone underage?”
“Fuck, no! She’s not a kid anymore. We knew each other as kids, and she tormented me. Hell, I tortured her right back. We have a tumultuous past. And we’re not dating. It was one kiss.”
“Okay.”
Ashton’s soft footsteps patter across the floor. He drapes an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close against him. “Is that why you came back to the party last week?”
Liam tenses before nodding. “That’s when I ran into the girl and then canceled on Iris.”
“Must have been some girl.” Ashton whistles and smirks. “You should call her.”
“I don’t have her phone number, and even if I did, the girl has a mean right hook.”
Ashton chuckles. “Liam got beat up by a girl,” he sings, teasing his teammate.
“I will deny it and kill you if you tell a soul.” A darkness flashes across Liam’s features, and Ashton holds his hands up.
“So long as you don’t tell Luca about Nova and me, you have a deal.”
“I’ve been keeping your secret, but he’s going to find out, eventually.”