Line Mates & Study Dates (CU Hockey, #4)

by Eden Finley

“You feel so good.” His back muscles shift beneath me. “Damn, I didn’t know how much I needed this.” “What?” “You. Inside me. Owning me. Fuck, Kole, you’re all I can feel. It’s …” Whatever it is, he doesn’t have words for. He reaches down and grabs my hand, linking our fingers together. “Please …”

“Em, put your shoes on,” West yells. “We’re already late! Rhys, you can’t wear a shirt that says, ‘Fuck Christmas.’ Where did you even get that? Go change. This is my boss’s house. Everyone on their best behavior.”

🤣🤣🤣🤣

“I’d say he doesn’t seem like your type, but when it comes to people who are helpless or lost, they’re the ones you can never resist.” I’d thought that about Asher at first too. “The fact you think he’s either of those things proves you don’t know him at all.” “And you do?” “Maybe better than anyone.” Dad scoffs. “I know you think I’m being naïve, but you can just go ahead and think that, old man. Because when we go back out there, you’re going to treat Asher like you would any other boyfriend I brought home. You’re going to be embarrassing and intimidating, but you’re going to make him feel welcome. For me.”

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

“Have you got big NHL dreams?” Kole’s mom asks. “I do. Until then, I just hope to do the school proud.” All this acting like a respectful human being is making me gag. I reach for my water. Kole leans in and mutters, “Kiss ass,” and I practically choke on my drink. I cough and splutter. “Thanks for that.”

HAHAHAHAHHAHA

“That’s because Eckstein’s a …” Do not swear, Asher. “Hard professor to impress,” I finish and give myself a mental pat on the back. West snickers because I assume he knows I wanted to call Fuckstain a dick. “Is that why he was at your house the other week?” Kole asks.

👀👀👀👀👀👀

Me and Asher, we were meant to end up here. We were meant to be together. Even when I first saw him and assumed “trouble,” there was always something there. Something that made me look a little longer, a little more carefully. And now that I see him … I want to keep him. Possibly forever. Definitely forever.

“Kole!” I jerk around to find Emmett running up to me, a huge smile on his face. He holds up his bandaged hand. “I got three stitches. It was so cool. They sewed me together. Ben is going to be so jealous if I end up with a scar.” Nine-year-olds, I swear. I high-five his good hand. “That was so brave of you.” “I didn’t even cry!”

AWWWWWWWW

“That’s not the only thing West got from Dad,” Zoe says. “What about his horrible cooking skills. His specialty dish is anything burned.” Asher cracks up. “You’re not much better,” Zoe mutters to him, and his face falls. The rest of the kids think it’s hilarious.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

“I want to tell you everything. You might not be mad, but I don’t want you to wonder. That first day I approached you in the locker room, I’ll admit, I did it because your brother asked. But that same night, when Rhys went to the park and you were freaking? That was a total coincidence, and I saw something in you then that I knew you would never show the team. I saw a glimpse of the real you that night, and that’s what drew me in. I … I’ve been yours ever since.”

I’ve broken down walls for him and let him in. I don’t know why it was so easy to do when it comes to Kole, but I do know I wouldn’t have made it through these last few months if it weren’t for him. He brought me back when I was on the brink of self-destruction. That wouldn’t have been good for me or the kids. He gave me an outlet to finally grieve over the loss of my dad and stepmom. He helped me pass my classes so I could stay on the team and keep the one thing I know I can do well in my life. He didn’t fix anything, he was just there, offering what I needed and wanted. A safe outlet to work through my shit and stop fighting the world.

“You’re not sweet. At all.” “Nope.” I throw my head back while my mean boyfriend leaves kisses down my neck. “You’re not patient—” “Definitely not.” “Hmm, actually, yeah, you’re not patient on the ice. Or in bed. But with your brothers and sisters—” “Can you please stop pointing out all my flaws?” Kole works his way down my body but looks up at me through his lashes. “That’s where we’re different. You see them as flaws. I see them as the things that make you mine.”

Asher pinches my chin and presses a quick kiss to my lips. “We’re going to have to get used to that, aren’t we?” Simms asks. “Sure are. I have no plans to keep my hands off my boyfriend just to make other people comfortable.” “Eh,” Rossi says. “You guys can’t be worse than Beck and Jacobs.” “Sounds like a challenge to me,” I say.

“Even in the hard moments, being with you is easy.”

“Either you’ve contracted some deadly disease that’s messing with your thoughts, or … you’re in love with me.” The smile slides from his face, and he cups my cheeks in the way that I love. “Definitely the second.” I suck in a breath, because with Asher, I really had no idea if he’d acknowledge it or not. “And I have bad news for you,” he continues. “I think it’s contagious.” A shiver runs down my spine. “Uh-oh, I think you’re right.” “Yikes. Have we caught the love?” “Gross.” “So gross. And so you know,” Asher says, “I blame you for this.” “I am pretty irresistible.”

you later to make up for it.” I laugh and then kiss Asher, long and hard, not giving a shit who sees us. I’ve always been a pretty happy person, but this, right here, is a whole new level of happy. “I really love you,” I breathe. “Yeah, Kole.” He clears his throat. “I really love you too.”

“Because with you, I don’t have the need to hide who I am. I don’t have to pretend to be strong. I don’t need to do stupid shit to prove I can’t be hurt. All of that excess anger I was keeping inside that would erupt in forms of self-destruction aren’t there when I’m with you, and it’s not because of anything you do or say. It’s because I’m my true self around you. No pretenses.”