Page 90 of The Penalty Shot (Totally Pucked 5)

“Yesss!!!” I scream with MJ. She grabs my hand, and we cheer my man on, and my heart feels so full, it might burst.

“Oh God, this is like a high.” I breathe, squealing as Asher skates up to the boards, kisses his fingers and brings them to the plexiglass. “Hi baby,” I mouth and return his kiss.

I’m sickly in love. You know, the kind of love that everyone around you complains that they’re going to throw up as they watch? Yeah, that’s us, and I’ve never been happier.

As the crowd begins to disperse, Elijah, Tyler, MJ and I all make our way to wait by the locker room.

“So, how are you going to celebrate?” Ty asks.

My stomach somersaults. “I honestly have no idea. Asher says he has a surprise for me for after the game, so we’ll see?”

“I can’t believe you’re going to be a nurse, Auden,” Elijah says, as he pulls me into his arms, wrapping them around me tightly, “I’m so fucking proud of you, you know that?”

I blink back tears as I nod against his chest. “I know, Eli. I couldn't have done it without you and Ty both.” I pull back to glance at Ty, who looks just as weepy as I feel.

Yesterday, I submitted my application to The University of Chicago to start my BSN degree. It’s not going to be easy, but with a little encouragement from Asher, I decided that the new Auden isn’t holding back. She’s chasing her dreams, and when Alex, Asher and I sat side by side last night and I pressed submit, I made a vow to myself, to the new me, that no matter what, I would follow through with my dreams.

I owe it to myself.

Elijah lets me go and turns toward Ty, taking his hand tightly in his while we wait, both of them teasing MJ about her new hair. Green this time.

My eyes stay trained on the exit, waiting for Asher to walk through. I check my phone again to respond to Alex’s text, and then the massive double doors, leading into the locker room open, and the players begin to file out. One by one, they pass by until Asher walks through clad in a navy blazer and vest with cigar pants. He’s freshly showered, his hair combed back, and a blinding bright smile on his face as he spots me.

God, he’s so handsome. Even now, my heart flutters in my chest at just the sight of him.

“Hi, Killer,” he murmurs, his lips immediately finding mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless and clinging to the front of his suit.

When I’m finally able to talk again, I respond, “Hi yourself. You wereamazingout there.”

He shrugs noncommittally, as if he didn’t carry the entire game on his back today. “Thanks, babe.” He greets Elijah, Ty and MJ, then tucks me tightly against his side while they talk hockey.

Asher, Ty and Elijah all became fast friends, and truly, nothing makes my heart feel more full. Well, aside from seeing him be best friends with my son. It’s like Asher walked into my life and made a place just for him. It was never a question, or a doubt, and now I can’t imagine my life without him. I hoped I never have to.

“I can’t wait to give you your surprise.” He pulls me closer and whispers against my hair.

“Tell me what it is?”

His deep laugh vibrates from him. “No can do, Killer. You’ll see in a few.”

Knowing that he has a surprise waiting at home for me, I’m even more giddy. We quickly say goodbye to my friends, and he leads me out the players’ exit, hand in hand. As always, he holds my door open and helps me inside his truck then tosses his hockey bag into the back seat.

The entire ride, he keeps his hand resting on my thigh, gently swiping his thumb along my skin until he pulls his truck into the parking garage of our apartment.

By the time we make it up to our apartment and through the front door, I’m practically buzzing with excitement.

“You’re adorable Killer, I love you.” He laughs as we walk towards the bedroom, hand in hand. When we enter, he guides me to the side of our bed and gently sits me on the edge. “Though, we might have to work on your patience.”

The low, husky timbre of his voice as he says it has my eyes snapping to his. I know what that voice means, and he knows the affect his dirty mouth has on me.

Smirking, he turns towards the closet and pulls out two gift wrapped boxes from the top shelf and faces me.

The gifts are wrapped in a light blue silver paper with a black bow, and I’m going to assume that they were done professionally because there is absolutely no way that Asher did that himself unless he’s been hiding his talents from me.

“Which one first?” I ask.

He glances down at the boxes and the corner of his lip tugs up playfully, “Mmm… Maybe this one.”

The bigger one. Okay…

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