Page 51 of The Penalty Shot (Totally Pucked 5)

I’ve only been here once with Alex, but it was so crowded, we could hardly even make it to the Skydeck, that’s made of glass and extends a few feet off the side of the tower. Stepping inside, you feel like you’re floating above all of Chicago.

Asher’s hand slides in mine, once I step out, and he tugs me toward the entrance. I’m excited and intrigued. But also nervous. There’s a tall, extremely muscle-y security guard standing at the exit with his arms crossed over his chest. When he sees Asher, he simply nods, then opens the door.

Immediately, I notice how quiet it is. There’s not a soul in sight.

What is happening? Where is everyone?

“Asher…what’s going on?”

He stops in front of the elevator and turns toward me with a boyish grin, “almost there,” and then presses the button that leads to the top floor.

A short ride later and we arrive at the same floor as the Skydeck. I still don’t understand how we’re here and the entire place is empty. I have so many questions, and it seems like until we’re at wherever he’s taking me, that I’m not going to have them.

Stepping off the elevator, my breath halts in my lungs. From this spot, the entire Chicago skyline is directly in front of me. Lit up like thousands of fireflies spread out in the sky.

“Oh my god,” I breathe, unable to take my eyes off the view in front of me.

I feel Asher tug on my hand, pulling me closer to the panoramic windows and to the Skydeck that extends out over the city.

I’m shaking as I step out onto the glass ledge. For so many reasons. Because we’re so high in the sky and stepping out onto what looks like nothing and I’m terrified that I’ll plummet to my death. Because this crazy, insane man has, apparently, worked some type of magic to have the entire Willis Tower to ourselves, just to impress me. Because being with him feels right. It feels natural, and when we’re together, the rest of the world seems to fade away.

“Asher, this is crazy,” I whisper, turning toward him. His dark eyes are on me, reading me, devouring me.

“Did I set the bar high enough?” He asks. “So high that no one will ever dare to touch it.” Stepping forward, he pulls me against him, the shimmering skyline behind us as he cradles my jaw so tenderly, I could weep. Like he’s afraid that I’ll break. His forehead drops to mine, and I inhale, savoring the smell of his body wash, savoring him.

This moment.

I nod. I don’t trust myself to speak right now. I worry what my mouth may betray. My pounding heart. My emotions that seem ready to erupt. My feelings that aren’t at all what we promised they would be.

“This view is beautiful, but it’s nothing compared to you, Auden.Nothingcompares to you.”

Before I can even speak, he presses his lips against mine in a kiss so tender, so gentle that I feel it all the way to my toes. As if I’m precious to him. My hands snake into his hair as his lips move over mine, growing more hungry, more demanding by the second. His tongue slips into my mouth, and he swallows the throaty moan that leaves me, pressing me tightly against him.

My hands fist in his hair when he tears his mouth away, kissing a path down my jaw to my neck, where his teeth graze my skin.

“I wish I could have you here. Bare and pressed right against this glass, but not tonight. Soon, I will. I wish the entire world could see how lucky I am, how fucking envious they should be that you’re mine.”

You’re mine.

The words echo in my head as I try to suck in a shaky breath. My lungs feel too tight, too compressed to breathe properly. My mind races while my heart seems to knock frantically against my chest.This entire moment feels like something out of a movie. Things like this…romantic, dreamy moments like this don’t happen to girls like me. Not even close.

And it’s dangerous. I’m in such deep trouble. Falling for Asher Hart wouldn’t be the smart thing to do.

I just don’t know if I have any say in the matter.

Chapter Seventeen

Auden

My hands tremblewith a combination of nerves and anticipation; the lust-filled look on Asher’s face as he watches me from his spot on the side of my bed. The look in his eyes as they linger on me makes me impatient. It seems like the entire night has been a form of foreplay. The way his hands brushed along the small of my back as he walked me into the restaurant. How he drew circles on my palm as I told him a story of when Alex was little, or the way that he genuinely seemed to care about getting to know me. When I felt nervous, butterflies swarming in my stomach, my immediate tell was to grab my hair and roll it between my fingers.

It was something I have been doing since I was a child, a nervous habit that seemed to calm me in those moments, and Asher was the first to ever call attention to it.

“Every time you’re uncomfortable or nervous, you play with your hair.” He said it so matter-of-fact, leaning back in his chair with a small smile on his too handsome face. He nodded toward my fingers as they absentmindedly played with my hair. Immediately, I dropped my hands to my lap like I’d been caught.

“Uh,” I laughed, picking up the wine glass to take another sip, thankful for the tart flavor on my tongue to help quell the nerves, “yeah, sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it.”

Asher leaned forward, cradling his hand against my face as he swiped his thumb along my bottom lip. “Do I make you nervous Auden?” he rasped.

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