SIN-BIN (Sinners on the Ice #1)

by Anastasija White

“You’re not sleeping on the couch.” I take his outstretched hand, letting him pull me to my feet. “I can go back to my dorm and sleep in my bed.” “No.” It’s firm. With a pinch of finality. Steely. Colton doesn’t expect objections. He’s sure I’ll stay. “I don’t really take orders.” “It’s not an order.” He takes a step forward, still holding my hand in his. “Please, Ava, stay.”

“Just to be clear: I’m not taking you into my room to have sex.” “Should I be offended?” I tease him, cocking an eyebrow in question. “You look tired.” He cups my cheek with his hand, bending down to meet my eyes.

“Even though it’d be flattering if you passed out while I was fucking you, that’s not how I want our first time to be.” Colt kisses my nose, leans away, and walks into his bedroom. I step inside, thinking about everything he just said. My mind drifts back and forth between his words, and the more I absorb them, the more my amusement grows. Our first time. He doesn’t want it to be a one-time thing. He doesn’t want it to be his usual, but what does that mean for me?

he’s retreating to the door with a blanket under his armpit. “Where are you going?” “I have zero self-control when you’re around.” He puts his hand on the doorknob, holding my gaze. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

I’m sitting up straight on the couch in my living room, having a hard time calming down. What the fuck was that? Why on Earth was I dreaming about Helen? About her kissing me in my car? I haven’t had a dream like that for a while now, and I didn’t see it coming.

I raise my arms, stretch them over my head, and stand up, grasping my phone from the table. Eight forty a.m. I listen to the quiet of my apartment. She’s still asleep, and I don’t want to wake her up. Not until breakfast is ready. Maybe I should just admit to myself I’d do anything to get her to stay longer? To persuade her to spend the day with me? I’ve never been as whipped as I am right now. It’s ridiculous.

The stubble on my cheeks has become more visible, and I’m not sure if I like it…because I’m not sure if she likes it.

“My dad is the coolest man I know.” She takes a sip of her coffee, cocking her eyebrow. I put our empty plates in the dishwasher, so there’s only a bowl of M&Ms cookies left. “He set my standards pretty high.” “I’ll try to live up to your expectations.”

“Never thought I’d be competing with someone’s dad.”

“I have a question for you, but you have to promise not to lie.” “I never lie.” “Everyone lies.” She rolls her eyes, and I clench my jaw. “I keep things to myself when I think they don’t concern anyone but me. I’m not really open with people or talkative,” I say simply, placing my mug on the table and leaning in. “But I’m not a liar.”

“And you’ve never lied?” “In the past, but not anymore.” My body relaxes, and I sigh. “My lies led to something horrible. Someone incredibly dear to me suffered because of it. The consequences of my actions will haunt me forever, and I don’t have it in me to lie ever again. It’s not worth it.”

“But you’re getting dangerously close to the ugly truth, the one I hide from everyone.” “There’s nothing ugly about you, Colt.” “You don’t know⁠—” Ava interrupts me, grinning. “True, but I intend to fix that.” I laugh, shaking my head. “Looking forward to it.”

“What did you want to ask?” “Do you like me?” Do I tell her the truth or laugh it off? If I want her in my life, there is only one option. “Yeah, I do. I like you. I thought I’d made it embarrassingly obvious.” “And confusing,” she utters, smacking her lips together. “I like you too, but⁠—” “But?” I pinch my brows together. “You don’t date anyone,” Ava blurts,

If my past taught me anything, it’s that everything can change. Nothing is set in stone. Except for one thing: I refuse to accept her not being in my life. “Then how about being my enemy with benefits?” “Why enemy?” “Because they make the best lovers, don’t they?”

“Being enemies with benefits means being exclusive. I’m only yours, and you’re only mine,” I muse huskily and feel her shudder. “Are you okay with that?”

“Are you okay with that, Ava? Ready to be mine?” “Yes,” she purrs, and I kneel, hauling her ass to the edge of my bed. “Then get comfortable. I’m going to eat my dessert.”

“Such a beautiful little cunt,”

“I want you to look at me. I want to see you come, taste you on my tongue. Can you do that for me?”

“You taste so sweet,” he murmurs, kissing my knee. “Like honey.”

“Never heard that.” “Really?” His hands grip my hips firmly. “Then the guys you’ve been with are morons.” “Or you’re just a sweet-talker.” “Me? A sweet-talker?” Colton laughs heartily, standing up. “I’m the grumpy one. The grumpiest of the grumps.”

“You’re not grumpy,” I retort. “You’re just…different.” “In a good way, I hope.”

“If you don’t want to have sex, that’s okay.” Colton reads me with ease, and I sigh, sitting up straight and moving closer to him. I look up, meet his gaze, and place my palm on his cock. “If you promise to go slow and be gentle.” I move my hand up and down, feeling him tremble. “You’re probably much bigger than I’m used to.”

“Take the shirt off,” he orders, pushing down his briefs. “Ava. Do it.”

“Ava, you’re still in my T-shirt.” Colt moves closer and steps between my legs, placing his knee on the bed. “Take it off.” I roll my eyes, a bit confused by my own reaction. Since when do I like to be bossed around? Since when do I enjoy being obedient? Since Colton fucking Thompson, goddamn it.

He grasps my chin and forces me to look at him. I swallow hard, my nipples pebbling instantly. He bends down to look me in the eyes. “Wh-what?” “If I tell you to do something, you do it,” he states, and I stubbornly want to argue. I’m not his toy, I’m— “If you don’t want to do it, you tell me. Don’t stay silent. Please.”

“Lie down and spread your beautiful legs. As wide as you can,”

For a split second, I wonder if I’ll be able to escape this without falling in love with him.

“Kiss me,” I demand, and Colton obeys, covering my mouth with his.

“Does that feel good?” Colt whispers, meeting my gaze. “You feel incredible,”

“Such a good girl you are, taking me so well…”

“Fuck…Ava…your pussy feels⁠—”

“Your tits are perfect,” Colton drawls quietly,

“What else is perfect?” I ask jokingly, but he shoots me a look, and my heart beats faster. “You. You are perfect.”

“Fuck me, Ava. Now.” And with his words, I lose myself in him. Again.

“Fictional men never disappoint me, unlike real ones.”

“Can your book boyfriends do this?” Colt coos, gliding his hand up my chest and lightly pinching my nipple. “Or this?” He nips on my throat, and a quiet moan slips out of my mouth. “Can they make you come even when you feel like you’ve had enough?”

A few hours go by. We talk, we kiss, we laugh, and the more we do it, the more normal it starts to feel. As if it’s something we do all the time.

“Thank you for today. I had an amazing time with you.” The corners of his mouth quirk up, and he beams. “Is there anything I can do to make you stay?” “Nope.” “Thought so.” He hugs me tightly, bending down and capturing my lips with his.

“You hit the jackpot,” Layla comments. “Maybe. For all I know, it could be a one-time thing.” I’m such a pathetic liar. “Yeah, of course.” Her voice drips with sarcasm, and she looks at me. “The guy is whipped, and he truly has never dated a girl in all the time he’s been in college.”

“I still don’t get why she needed to sleep with him to make a point.” “She didn’t.” “She didn’t?” He blinks, his brows knitting together. “Then why the fuck am I wearing this?” “Because you want to be her friend, and she wouldn’t have forgiven you otherwise.”

“How do you know?” “Know what?” “About Ava and Moore.” “She showed me a picture she took of Moore naked and blindfolded, tied to his bed with his hockey glove on his dick. Ava wanted to punish him, not sleep with him.”

“She was furious when she realized I thought she’d slept with him.” “Did she slap you again?” Clay snorts loudly. “No. Even if she had slept with him, I wouldn’t have judged her. She knows that. We’re good.”

“Awesome. I still kinda ship you two together.” “You what?” I say, staring at him like he’s crazy. Clay shrugs and flashes me a smile. “You’re like...

“Can you stop Ava-dreaming?” Clay’s voice rings in my ear, and I almost jump out of my seat. “Stop what?” “You’re Ava-dreaming, obviously. The look on your face says it all.” My

“When are you going to ask her on a date?” “She doesn’t want to date anyone,” I mutter, and Clay frowns. “Ava isn’t interested in a relationship.” “And you’re okay with that?” “Why not?” I’m not okay with that. I want her to be mine, but I can’t do anything about it right now. I only hope my persistence will help me change her mind.

“Ava said I’m missing out on a lot of good stuff when I mentioned I prefer hookups over dating.” He looks me up and down. “You sure she doesn’t want to date anyone? Maybe it’s you she doesn’t want to d...

“Friends with benefits then?” “Why put a label on it?” I dodge his question and head to the dining hall. When the idiot jumps on my back, I know I screwed up. I didn’t openly tell him anything, but I left him enough breadcrumbs to figure it out. He knows Ava and I hooked up. “How was it?” “I don’t brag. Did you forget that?” I brush him off my back with ease. “Man, just this once?” “About her?” I shake my head. “No fucking way.” “Looks like our girl has a magic pussy.”

Clay’s laughter dies in his throat when I clutch his hoodie in my fist. “It’s a joke, Colt. She’s my friend; I don’t think about her that way.” “Then don’t talk about her that way. Ever.” I stare him down, and he gulps nervously. Then he nods, and I let him go. The beast inside my chest slowly calms down.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” “Haven’t I told you she’s my friend and I don’t want you near her?” Clay says. “Friend? A friend who made you wear a fucking dress⁠—” “I deserved it,” my best friend grinds out, flexing his muscles.

“Did she leave you naked, tied to your bed on your own birthday, at your own house? Did she take a picture of you like that?” He spits out the words. “This ho⁠—” “Call her that again…” Benson and I say at the same time, stepping closer to him. “Or what?” Moore demands, but his face pales. “You’ll regret it.” I hold his gaze, ready to do anything to take him down. “If you don’t want anyone to see a picture of you with just a hockey glove on your dick, you’ll back off and leave her alone. If not, I’ll make sure you pay for it.”