CHAPTER 137: FIRST TIME IN HEAVEN

People were finally filing out.

Nari Han was live streaming, skating onto the rink in her boots. She tilted her phone high, lips pouting as she spun with the scoreboard in the background.

She kept giggling, doing little twirls like she was the one who’d just scored the winning goal

"Bet she’s already tagged half the team," Marcus muttered.

The thought of her flooding her feed with clips of Dominic...of other people drooling over him the way I did, made my stomach twist.

"God, does she ever get tired of pretending she belongs in every highlight reel?" I scoffed.

June’s turned toward me, eyes narrowing like she’d just read an entire paragraph off my face. "Oooh," she smirked, "somebody sounds jealous."

I opened my mouth, then shut it just as fast.

My legs moved before I thought. Past the bleachers, past the concession stand where people were still buzzing, down the narrow hallway lined with trophy cases and faded posters.

The sound dimmed behind me, but my pulse just got louder.

The door to the Falcons’ locker room glowed ahead in golden letter.

Every step made me more aware of how insane this was....me sneaking back here.

Nobody knew about us. Nobody could know. Dominic wasn’t out yet. If anyone saw me go in there for him, what would they think?

The second I pushed the locker room door open, the smell hit first.

Sweat, cologne, damp jerseys.

Then the sight.

And oh my god.

It was heaven.

Half the team were shirtless, steam fogging the mirrors, towels slung loose around waists.

My heart jumped.

Because holy shit.

There were abseverywhere.

Glistening skin, veins, water dripping down their hair, muscles flexing as they jokes and shoved each other around.

Towels sat low on hips, way too low.

And the way some of the guys walked... their stuffs were very obvious under the thin towels. I actually gasped.

It felt like walking into a place I wasn’t supposed to see.

This was so not what I came for.

Of all the people Dominic could want... it was me?

He was surrounded by this. Guys who looked like they were sculpted like Greek gods, guys who probably never got shoved into lockers, who had the kind of confidence I could only fake on my best day.

Guys who could’ve had anyone they wanted.

And yet, Dominic had chosen me.

I whispered, because even in my jealousy, I couldn’t help myself.

"Wow...that guy’s ripped. And that one...holy crap. And...ugh, their...he’s...wow."

June would’ve loved this view, too bad she can only hear me muttering it. Hot seniors everywhere..

"Yo...watch it," one of the players grinned, catching me staring.

I jerked my gaze away so fast my neck cracked.

God, what was I even doing here?

Nobody prepared me for this.

A couple guys noticed too. One smirked, tossing his gloves into a bin.

"Yo, careful, Freshman. Eyes up here."

Another snorted, elbowing him. "Nah, let him look. First time in heaven?"

Laughter rippled.

I jerked my eyes down at the floor, clutching my phone tighter, praying they didn’t notice how red I was.

"Ash?"

I looked up and nearly jumped.

Ian. Leaning against the bench, hair still damp. He flicked his chin toward the far door.

"Dom’s in the restroom. Over there."

My stomach flipped. He knew why I was here?

I nodded quickly, trying not to stammer.

My palms were sweating.

But just as I reached the narrow hall to the restroom, another player stepped forward, blocking the way.

Ian’s arm shot out, blocking him. "Not now." His voice was calm.

The guy blinked, looking confused. "Why? Who is he?"

Ian just shook his head. "He’s here to pick up something."

The guy frowned, then shrugged and turned the other way.

And just like that, he’d made a path for me.

Why would Ian do that? Why did it feel like he was making space for me?

Does he know? Did Dominic... tell him?

Oh god.

I stepped into the small hallway leading to the restroom area, my heart was racing like crazy.

The floor was flooded with water, probably from someone splashing after a shower.

I almost slipped, grabbing the wall, and froze.

And then...not again.

A guy...completely naked, ran past me, water dripping off him, towel nowhere in sight.

My jaw literally dropped.

My face turned hot, and I scrambled backward, gripping my hoodie.

"Uh...sorry!" he yelled, and vanished around the corner.

I swallowed hard. This is not what I signed up for.

Every muscle in my body was tense, and my cheeks were on fire.

I had come here for Dominic, not...whatever that was.

Naked, wet, glistening guys...this was insane.

My eyes darted, trying not to look...but also noticing.

"Focus, Ash," I muttered under my breath.

"Dominic. Dominic. Dominic."

And then I spotted him, leaning against the sink, towel wrapped around his waist. My chest tightened.

Everything else...the water, the other guys, the chaos blurred away. It was just him.

"Dom!" I gasped, and the sound of his name tore out of me.

He turned, widened his eyes for a second, and then, he wrapped his arms around me.

I pressed my face into his shoulder, and felt him raise my head up to look at him.

Every breath we shared made my knees feel like jelly.

"I missed you, Rivera," he murmured.

Before I knew it, he was guiding me, dragging me gently toward the nearest bathroom stall.

He shut the stall door behind us.

I clung to him, holding him tight. "I... I missed you too," I whispered.

His lips found the top of my head. "I know," he whispered. "I’m happy you came."

I pressed myself a little closer to him, my heart was still racing from the game and from sneaking back here.

"Dom... you were amazing out there. That goal...everything, you were so good on the ice. I can’t believe how perfect you were."

He laughed, that teasing sound that always makes my stomach do flips. "Thanks, baby. I told you I wasn’t gonna let you down." He brushed a strand of damp hair from my face. "I can’t mess up when myRivera’s watching."

I felt my cheeks heat up at that. The way he said it... like it was just for me.

He leaned a little closer, and grinned. "Though... someone seems a little... excited." His gaze flicked down my shorts and back up, and I realized he’d noticed I was having an erection.

I tried to hide it, but he just chuckled. "Mm, let me guess... Don’t tell me it’s because of all those shirtless guys you saw on the way

in? That got you all worked up?"

I froze, looking embarrassed, and he laughed again.

"N...no! It’s... it’s only you. Only you can make me...this turned on."

I couldn’t stop smiling, even as my heart hammered. I’d sneaked in here for him, and now, in this stolen moment, I didn’t want to let go.

He pulled me even closer, resting his forehead against mine. "Oh, Ash... you’re too cute. It’s... so unfair, I can’t go down on you right here."

I couldn’t help but grin, shyly. "I... I really missed you."

"I know," he kissed my lips. "And I’ve got you now. My Rivera. Now that I won, is it a yes? Will you be my boyfriend?"