She said she didn’t like crowds.

She also said she still wanted to come to my game.

So, logically, I bought out an entire row behind the bench.

Yeah, maybe it was a bit much. She thought I was over the top, but, well, she hadn’t protested too much. She settled in, propping up her feet and watching the game like it was a movie she couldn’t pause.

We’d won, extra time, 3-2. The whole team was buzzing, but I wasn’t paying attention to them. The moment that buzzer went off, I was already skating toward the tunnel. I’m talking full-on speed skater mode—dodging teammates and coaches like a man on a mission.

And that mission? Her.

I got to the door of the arena, my skates skidding a little as I broke into a sprint. The crowd was still cheering, but the noise wasn’t anything to me anymore. All I could hear was the sound of my pulse in my ears, a rhythmic countdown to the moment I reached her.

And there she was, standing at the end of the row, clapping and looking like the most beautiful thing on the planet. She was smiling so wide, her eyes sparkling, and God, my heart did that stupid skip thing again.

When she saw me coming, her smile just grew. “Ash—”

Before she could finish saying my name, I scooped her up, lifting her off her feet.

She squealed, her laugh ringing out above the noise of the crowd. “Asher!”

I spun her around in one smooth motion, the whole world blurring as she giggled in my arms. Her hands pressed against my chest, but I wasn’t putting her down. Not yet.

She was still laughing when I stopped spinning, her arms draped around my neck, her legs instinctively wrapping around my waist.

“Hi, baby,” I grinned like a complete idiot, but I didn’t care.

She smiled back, a little out of breath but glowing. “Hi, Asher.”

I leaned in and kissed her, soft and quick, just the way I liked it. But I didn’t pull away—just let my lips linger, savoring the moment.

“I can’t believe you bought out a whole row,” she said, her voice teasing but so full of affection.

“Yeah, well… you didn’t want to be buried by sweaty fans,” I shrugged, my grin widening. “And I wanted to make sure you were comfy.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah, but you like it.”

“Not always,” she teased, giving me a gentle shove.

“C’mon, let’s go home,” I said, gently setting her back down on her feet.