“Haven’t felt what?”
He dropped a quick kiss on my lips. “I haven’t felt anything like this before. I don’t want to give up. I want to give us a chance. Will you take a chance with me?”
Would I?
Right then everything seemed scary. Being with Asher. Not being with him. Risking the balance that existed on our team.
But like him, I’d never felt anything like this, either. And letting it go hardly seemed an option.
“Yes. I’ll take a chance with you.”
Asher’s mouth split into a beautiful, happy grin.
“But! But, we have to promise not to let our feelings mess with what’s happening on the ice. Deal?” I held out my hand.
Asher took it, but didn’t shake it like I expected. Instead, he held it securely as he leaned down to kiss me again. “Deal.”
We walked into school hand in hand. I’d never once held hands with a guy at school before and it seemed everyone noticed me holding Asher’s. Part of me wanted to rip my hand out of his grasp and push him away, but why? I didn’t feel ashamed of him, exactly the opposite.
Asher squeezed my hand just as Natalie came barreling around the corner, giving me just the warning I needed to brace for impact.
Natalie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open when she saw us together, but then almost immediately her expression turned smug.
“Whatever is about to happen, I am so sorry,” I said just loud enough for him to hear.
Asher laughed as he took hold of my shoulders, pushing me in front of him like a shield.
“Chicken!”
“You know it.” His breath hit the skin on my neck giving me goosebumps. He must have noticed because he blew gently again and chuckled.
“Not funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
Ten feet in front of us, Natalie squealed, drawing the attention of anyone in a fifty mile radius. “OMG! Did I call it or what?”
“Nat, calm down.” I should just permanently stain my cheeks red. It would easier. I wanted to switch places and hide behind Asher.
“No way! You two are just too cute together. I’m so excited for you.” She punctuated her statement with another squee and a hug that sandwiched me between her and Asher.
“What on earth is going on?” Kelly asked, watching us with one hand on her hip.
Before I could answer, Natalie broke away to hug Kelly. “Jordan and Asher are together.”
Kelly glanced at Asher and I where we were indeed standing together. “Um, yeah. So?”
“Are they always like this?” Asher whispered in my ear.
“I told you,” I said out the side of my mouth.
Natalie rolled her eyes as she exhaled an impatient breath. “No. Together, together.”
Kelly’s brows rose. “Oh.” She took a second look at us, noticing Asher’s hand on my hip and the way his chin rested on my shoulder. “Oh!”
“Yeah.” Natalie nodded with satisfaction.
Enough embarrassment for one morning, thank you!
“Okay, guys. Let’s move along. We’re drawing a crowd,” I said, waving my friends forward. And it was true. Several people had stopped to gawk at Asher and I.
It would be hard to miss all the looks he got from girls at school on a regular day. But today? Holding my hand? Now, they were staring at me. And not in a nice way. I’d be lucky if I didn’t get my eyes clawed out by day’s end.
“Does this mean you’re going to sit with us at lunch, Asher?” Natalie asked.
“Oh, um-” he looked at me. “We haven’t discussed it, but I usually hang out with Jarom and the guys during lunch. With passing periods on either side, we can usually jam for almost an hour.”
“Jam?” Kelly asked.
“Yeah, I kind of joined their band and we practice during lunch since I don’t have much time after school.” He shot me a look. “With hockey and everything.”
I got a warm feeling knowing everything referred to hanging out with me.
“That is so cool,” Natalie said.
“Don’t be such a groupie, Nat.” Kelly rolled her eyes.
Natalie’s cheeks flushed. “I’m not a groupie,” she said to Kelly before turning back to Asher and me. “Although, I would love to hear you guys play sometime.”