Page 42 of The Penalty Shot (Totally Pucked 5)

Quietly, I start to pick up the food, and then I see Asher’s open sketchpad. When I lean over and see the drawing, I almost drop everything in my hands.

Oh my god.

On the paper is a sketch of….me. Or at least what I think is me. But she’s gorgeous, breathtakingly so. He’s started to fill in the color, and the hair color is a shade that almost matches mine.

Asher drew this? Is this truly how he sees me?

Full, sensual lips. Delicate and high cheekbones. Slender waist, thick thighs.

I look…beautiful.

My fingers trace over the expressive lines on the paper, and I suck in a breath.

“Do you like it?”

His words startle me, causing me to jump, dropping the containers I just picked up back on the coffee table.

“Asher?” I look over at him. He looks so handsome; it makes my heart flutter wildly in my chest. His hair is mused from sleep, and he wears a wicked grin.

“I love it. Is t-this me?”

He nods. “It is.”

My eyes flit back to the drawing, and I shake my head in disbelief. “It’s amazing, Asher, my God. You make me look beautiful.”

He sits up from the couch and pulls me into his arms. They’re strong and familiar as they wrap around my body. His fingers tip my chin up. “You are perfect, Auden. I couldn’t even capture your beauty adequately, I could never. Perfection can’t be captured.”

Emotion catches in my throat, and I blink back tears. I’m overwhelmed, and touched, and feeling entirely too tender after the conversation with MJ tonight.

“I’m going to go take a shower.”

I pull away before he can stop me and walk to my room, shutting the door behind me.

These feelings are too much. Whatever is happening between us…it can’t. He’s my roommate, and nothing can ruin that. I want to continue whatever physical connection that is happening between us, but I can’t offer him more. We agreed to keep things casual.

I can’t have my heart broken, not when it’s been broken so many times before by the two people who are supposed to love me unconditionally.

There are no pieces left to give.

If we cross these lines, things will get messy, and then when they go wrong and he moves out, I’ll be in the same position I was before he became my roommate.

Screwed.

I mean, he’s a professional hockey player for goodness’ sake, Auden. You know better than to let this man into your heart. He’s going to take it and run, leaving you empty. Imagine the women who throw themselves at his feet daily.

Models, actresses, influencers. All with perfect bodies, and even more perfect faces, whoaren’tinexperienced and insecure. They could give him everything I lack and more. I’ve seen my father’s infidelity my entire life, and I know that men in the spotlight are constantly being tested, and he has failed every time.

I quickly take off my work clothes and turn on the water in the shower, willing myself to stop being emotional and letting it control me.

I doubt that Asher feels anything for me, and I'm just overthinking things, once again. Once the water heats, I open the glass door and step inside, letting the scalding water pour over me.

It’s exactly what I needed after today. Steam billows around me as I stand under the spray, my eyes squeezed shut, enjoying the feel of it raining down on my tense and knotted shoulders.

I’m not sure how long I stand under the water, but the sound of the door clicking has my eyes flying open and whipping around to face the door.

Asher walks into the bathroom and shuts the door behind him, his eyes fixed on me through the steamed glass. He doesn’t move to get in the shower with me, simply leans against the bathroom vanity and crosses his arms over his chest, watching me. I try not to let my eyes drop to the muscled biceps that seem to burst out from his t-shirt.

“Can I join you?” he says quietly.

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