Page 65 of The Penalty Shot (Totally Pucked 5)

“Thank you. You will never understand how much it means to me that you did that.”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you both, Killer,” I whisper. My eyes search hers, and she nods, eyes glistening.

It's at this moment when I realize that both Alex and Auden have made a home in my heart, and I have no intention of walking away from either of them.

Chapter Twenty One

Auden

When Alex’sart teacher called me earlier in the week and said there was a last-minute cancellation for this weekend’s art camp and asked if he would like the spot, I jumped on it. I knew, without a doubt, he wanted to go because he had mentioned it several times about how bummed he was that he wasn’t able to go.

When I told Asher that Alex was going, he jumped into action, and planned a weekend away in the matter of hours. An entire weekend away with him, and I haven’t the slightest idea where we’re going. He hasn’t given me a single clue, no matter how many times I’ve asked. His only words were “pack a bag.” When I asked him what I should pack to wear, he said he’d prefer nothing with the most wicked grin, but relented, when I poked him in the stomach, and said a dress to wear out for dinner, and the rest comfortable things to walk in.

This is the first weekend I’ve ever been away from Alex, and my stomach is a flurry of nerves. But, I know that the last thing he’s probably thinking about is his mom.

The weekend bag I spent the last four hours packing is so heavy on my shoulder that I almost topple over when I take the steps down to the street, where Asher’s pulling up his truck in front of our apartment.

“Ready?” Asher says, walking up and lifting the bag off my shoulder. He looks delicious today. His dark hair is damp and combed back, fresh from the shower, and he’s wearing my favorite jeans. The ones that hug his tight, firm butt and legs, paired with a black t-shirt that shows off his biceps.

Standing so close, I can smell the fresh pine scent of his body wash, and for a second, my mouth waters. Every time we’re in close proximity, my mind drifts to him, like an am radio. There’s only one channel it tunes only into Asher Hart.

My body has its own visceral reaction to him.

“Yep. Are you ready to tell me where we’re going?”

He grins, the dimple in his cheek deepening. “Nope. You’ll see when we get to the airport.”

My eyes widen. The airport?

"We’re flying?”

Asher nods as he opens the back door of his truck and slides my bag into the back seat, then opens the passenger door for me. “We are. I’ve already got our flight booked, so we just need to go through security. We’ll carry these two bags on.”

I’ve only flown a few times in my life, mostly whenever I was a child with my parents as my father traveled for conferences, but I love it.

When Asher asked to take me away for the weekend, I was hesitant. Not because I didn’t want to go, or because the lines that we had clearly drawn seem to be getting murkier by the second, but because I’ve never been away from Alex before.

Logically, I know Alex will have a blast at art camp, and that he will be perfectly safe, but it’s the idea of being so far away from him, so I told Asher after a few hours of contemplation that I would agree to a weekend trip, as long as we didn’t go terribly far from home. Just in case.

He agreed, and the rest has been a secret. Even Alex knew but refused to tell me, even when I bribed him with ice cream.

I see where your loyalty lies, mister.

Asher offers me his hand as I slide into the vehicle and he shuts the door behind me, walking around and opening his own door, joining me in the truck. I watch as his forearm flexes when he puts the car into drive and pulls out of the parking garage.

My stomach is doing somersaults.

I’m going away for the weekend, with a man, to a new place that I’ve never been. It’s a lot of change for a girl who has never done anything for herself until now.

“Are you excited?” Asher asks, reaching over and pulling my hand from my hair that I was absentmindedly twirling from nerves. He links his fingers in mine, then brings the back of my hand to his lips and presses the gentlest, slightest brush of his lips there.

It makes my heart flip in my chest. This happens a lot when he’s around, and it never stops surprising me.

“Yes. Nervous too.” I smile.

“It’s okay, Killer, Alex’s going to have fun, and we won’t be that far from home. But, this is one of my favorite places, so I wanted to show you what it was like…with me.”

I nod, swallowing down my emotions. Asher planning this trip is thoughtful and… romantic. It’s more than I ever expected, and I truly am excited to go away with him. Wherever it is that we’re going. If I could just get over my nerves.

---