LOGINIvyI followed him to the elevator in stunned silence.The doors slid shut, trapping us in the confined space. The hum of the elevator filled the silence between us.After a moment, Asher spoke.“You can have the bed.”I looked at him suspiciously.“I’ll take the floor.”I snorted.“How chivalrous.”A crooked smile tugged at his lips.He took one slow step toward me, close enough that I could catch the clean scent of his cologne. His eyes held mine, amusement dancing in them.“Relax, CeeCee.”His gaze deliberately swept over me before returning to my face.“You’re not my spec.”Heat rushed to my cheeks.“I wasn’t worried. And for your information, you're not my type either.”“Liar.”“I’d rather sleep in the hallway than in the same room as you.”His smirk only widened.“Keep telling yourself that.”The elevator chimed and the doors slid open before I could think of a comeback. He walked out first, carrying my suitcase as though he’d won the argument.I hated that he probably thought h
IvyI woke slowly, cocooned in unexpected warmth.Something solid and steady rose and fell beneath my cheek. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I registered was the blue Northbridge hockey shirt stretched across a broad, very familiar chest.Asher.My breath caught.My head was resting on his shoulder. One of his arms lay loosely behind me, almost like he’d been shielding me in my sleep. The bus was completely silent. Empty.Everyone else had already gotten off.I jerked upright, cheeks flaming. “Where is everyone?”Asher stretched lazily, looking far too comfortable for someone who had just served as my personal pillow. “They got off about fifteen minutes ago. We’re at the hotel.”I stared at him in disbelief. “And you didn’t wake me?”He shrugged, eyes softer than I was ready to handle. “You looked like you hadn’t slept properly in days. Figured you needed the rest.”Something tightened in my chest.Then immediately tangled itself into annoyance.Since when did Asher become
AsherIf anyone had told me few days ago that I’d end up in a fake relationship with Ivy Hart, let alone publicly announce it in front of half the campus, I would’ve had them arrested for insanity.Charity Case.That’s what she used to be to me. The quiet girl in high school I tormented just because I could. I thought if I pushed hard enough, she’d disappear. Break. Leave me alone. But she never did. She just took it, endured it, and somehow still ended up here — at Northbridge, with a full ride, camera in hand, and that stubborn fire in her eyes that refused to die.And now?Now I’m the one who can’t seem to stay away.I loaded her ridiculously oversized suitcase into the bus compartment, ignoring the way she murmured a quiet “thank you.” I didn’t respond. Just slammed the compartment shut and headed inside to sit with the guys.The second I dropped into my seat, the teasing started.“Yo, lover boy!” Jax called from across the aisle, grinning like an idiot. “Since when do you play
IvyThe evening practice had settled into a steady rhythm. The team was running drills, sticks clashing, skates carving sharp lines into the ice. I stayed on the sidelines, camera raised, trying to focus on my job instead of the way Asher kept glancing in my direction every few minutes.Things were stable and almost normal.Until Coach Harlan blew his whistle and waved me over.“Hart, come here for a second.”My stomach tightened. I lowered my camera and walked over to the bench where he stood. He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, looking unusually serious.“How are you doing today? I heard about the five points deducted from your scholarship,” he said without preamble. “That’s rough.”I nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes, Coach.”He sighed. “You know how these things work. Those points can follow you all the way to graduation, affect your overall standing, future recommendations, everything. As a scholarship student, there’s not much wiggle room.”I stayed quiet, grippi
IvyAsher looked up at the reporters, his expression shifting instantly from irritated to fiercely protective.“Look, guys, you want a statement? Here it is.” Asher’s voice carried down the corridor, deep and authoritative. He tilted his head down and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to the top of my head. The unexpected softness of his lips against my hair made my breath hitch. “Ivy and I are together. What happened last night was just a fight. Couples argue, and unfortunately, things got loud, emotions ran high, and it looked worse on video. But we’re fine. We’re good. Now turn the cameras off and give us some space.”The reporters erupted with a barrage of new questions — When did you start dating? What about Jennie? Is this serious? — but Asher ignored them all. Keeping his arm locked securely around my shoulders, he steered me down the hall, forcing me to walk in perfect lockstep with him.Every eye in the athletic complex was glued to us. His body heat radiated against my side, hi
Ivy Girlfriend? I stared at Asher like he’d lost his damn mind. My brain was still short-circuiting from the kiss — the way his hands had cupped my face, the heat of his mouth, the way my stupid body had leaned into it for those few treacherous seconds. The moment we stepped inside the empty hockey lounge, I yanked my hand out of his and exploded. “Are you out of your mind?” I yelled, voice echoing off the walls. “There is no way in hell I’m dating you!” Asher scrubbed a hand over his face, looking as exhausted as I felt. “Tell that to Coach Harlan. He’s the one who suggested this. If the public thinks we’re in a relationship, the whole thing gets spun as a lovers’ quarrel instead of athlete misconduct. I get to stay on the team. You get to keep your scholarship.” I held up a hand. “Hold on. None of this is making any sense.” He kept talking like I hadn’t spoken, pacing in front of the lockers. “We have to think radical here, Ivy. The school doesn’t punish messy love lives. The
Chapter 5: The HeroThe sick bay smelled like antiseptic and stale coffee. Asher carried me straight through the doors like some tragic hero from a romance movie, my wet clothes dripping all over the floor. The nurse on duty jumped up from her desk, eyes wide.“What happened?” she asked, rushing ov
I couldn’t sleep.I tossed and turned on my narrow dorm bed, the sheets twisting around my legs like restraints. Every time I closed my eyes, Asher’s face appeared — that split-second hesitation in the VIP room, followed by the cruel smirk as he shoved me out. Would he keep my secret? Or was he alr
IvyI walked across campus clutching my bag like a lifeline, my steps slow and heavy. The meeting with the student adviser kept replaying in my head on an endless loop.The woman had been polite but firm, her expression unreadable as she reviewed the notes on her laptop.“The board is already revie
IvyI barely slept.After the chaos at the party, after the slap, after watching Asher walk away into the night, I had tossed and turned for hours. The alcohol had left me with a dull headache and a heavy sense of dread. I finally drifted off sometime close to dawn.“Ivy! Ivy, wake up!”Lena’s voic







