Play With Me ✔️|| 2 || Off the Ice Series

31 | Arden

Jason's lips are warm and insistent against mine, and for a moment, it feels like the world stops spinning. There's no media, no chaos, no voices telling me this is a bad idea. It's just us, him and me and for the first time, I let myself sink into it.

His hands come up to frame my face, his thumbs brushing softly against my skin as if he's afraid I'll slip away. But I don't. I stay right here, kissing him back like it's the only thing keeping me tethered to the ground.

When we finally pull apart, both of us breathing heavily, Jason rests his forehead against mine. His blue eyes search mine, his expression both serious and hopeful.

"Say it," he whispers, his voice low and rough.

"Say what?" I ask, though I know exactly what he means.

"Say you'll give us a chance."

I swallow hard, my chest tightening with the weight of everything unsaid. But when I look at him, at the vulnerability in his eyes, at the way he's laid everything bare for me, I know there's only one answer.

"Okay," I whisper. "Let's give this a try."

Relief washes over his face, and the smile that follows is so genuine, so unguarded, it makes my heart ache. He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead before pulling back just enough to meet my gaze again.

"You won't regret it," he promises, his voice steady.

I laugh softly; the sound shaky but real. "You better not make me regret it."

He grins, and for a second, everything feels light, almost easy.

But then the door swings open, the sudden sound making me jolt back like a guilty teenager caught breaking curfew. My heart leaps into my throat as I spin around, and there, in the doorway, is Matt.

My brother stands frozen, his hand still on the doorframe, his eyebrows practically in his hairline as he takes in the scene before him. His gaze flicks between Jason and me, lingering on how close we're standing, on Jason's hand still resting on my waist.

For one excruciating second, no one says a word.

And then Matt does the last thing I expect; he grins.

"About time," my brother says, stepping fully into the room and crossing his arms over his chest.

I blink, my brain short-circuiting. "What? What do you mean about time?"

"Don't look at me like that, Arden." Matt's tone is maddeningly smug as he leans against the counter, eyeing us both like he's been waiting for this moment for years. "You've liked each other for years, of course I noticed."

"No, we-" I shake my head vehemently and Matt cuts me off with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes, you have, you're both just stubborn. Why do you think you two were on this trip together in the first place? Why do you think your rooms were next to each other? I'm not stupid."

I stare at him, my jaw hanging open. "You planned this?"

Matt shrugs, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "I might've... nudged things along."

Behind him, Aster appears, wide-eyed and utterly bewildered. "Wait, what? You did this? I thought it was just a coincidence!"

Matt glances over his shoulder at his wife, his smirk widening. "A coincidence? Really? You didn't think it was odd that they just happened to be sitting next to each other on the same flight and in adjoining rooms? I did the booking."

"Matt!" Aster looks horrified, but I barely register her reaction because my brain is still stuck on the fact that my brother, the same brother who is always so overprotective of me has been meddling in my love life.