Page 114 of Second-Rate Superstar
Using my hands, I gripped the collar, bringing it to my nose but keeping my eyes locked on him. “Smells like you.”
“You have me right here, baby.” He tugged on the hem, and I raised my arms, allowing him to pull it over my head, leaving me only in a pair of the Arabella Reign silk panties Hannah had gifted me. Eyes roving over my mostly naked form, he whispered, “Much better.”
Flicking off the light on the nightstand, he laid down, pulling my back against his chest. His body dwarfed mine, surrounding me with the warmth radiating from his skin. Pressing a kiss to the back of my neck, I could feel the contentment in his voice as he said, “Night, baby. It’s so goodto be home.”
Held in his arms, I drifted off to sleep slowly. But one thought reached me before darkness dragged me under.
So, this is what pure happiness feels like.
Chapter 26
Braxton
Dakota was now minein every sense of the word. And damn if that didn’t make it hard to leave her behind to travel with the team. She was all I thought about, and I itched to return home to her every minute I was away. I had no idea how my brother pulled it off with kids thrown into the mix. How his heart didn’t shatter every time he stepped on the team plane was a wonder.
With two wins in two games on the road, Coach Moreau gave us New Year’s Eve off, with the explicit instruction not to party too hard because there would be no excuses for lazy play in practice the following day. A few new guys chuckled at the threat, but the veterans nodded during the announcement in the Chicago locker room. They knew he wasn’t joking.
While away, I set a plan in motion to make my first New Year’s Eve with Dakota memorable. I knew I was setting a dangerous precedent, trying to outdo each of our first holidays. On Thanksgiving, we shared our first kiss. On Christmas, we had sex for the first time. You wouldn’t think I could top that one, but I wanted to go into our first full year with a bang.
Blindfolding Dakota, I drove through Hartford as she asked excited questions about our destination. Giving nothing away, I merely stroked my thumb over her knuckles where our hands were clasped over the center console of my car, telling her it was a surprise.
Parking, I eased her gingerly out of the car. The last thing I needed was for her to faceplant on concrete and spend the night in the emergency room. She took unsure steps forward, holding onto my hand like a lifeline. She didn’t need to worry. I wasn’t letting her go.
“I’ve got you, babe,” I whispered in her ear.
She huffed out an impatient breath. “Are we almost there?”
“A little bit further,” I coaxed, traveling through the building I knew like the back of my hand.
Easing her to a stop, I placed my hands on her hips from behind. Teasing her, I said, “Not sure you can handle this.”
An exasperated laugh echoed in the space. “Oh my God. You’re running the risk of me going from excited to aggravated. You’re walking a fine line as it is.”
“So sassy.” I nipped at her earlobe before tracing the lines of her cheekbones and sliding over the length of the blindfold tied behind her head. Quickly unknotting it, I let it slide from her face, revealing my surprise.
Staring in awe, her head swiveled from side to side to take it all in. We were standing behind the home bench of an empty Comets Arena. Pulling a few strings with the security guard I’d made friends with back when I was simply Jaxon’s younger brother, I’d explained I wanted to do something special for my girl. He mused about his first love and did me a solid, ensuring we could access the arena when no one else would be allowed inside.
“It didn’t seem this big from where I sat the last time,” Dakota said breathlessly. “How do you not get nervous when this place is packed?”
Hugging her to my chest, I chuckled. “I’m used to it. The stage gets bigger, but the game remains the same. It went from only my parents watching, to youth games with everyone’s families, then high school—which, let me tell you, is a big deal in Minnesota—before the US junior team and college. I was used to an audience, and over time, they grew in size.”
“What are we doing here?” Dakota turned in my arms.
I couldn’t contain my excitement at sharing this piece of my life with the woman I loved. She made it all easier. My feelings of inadequacy had melted away these past few weeks, and I began to love the game again. It was remarkable how one small change could have a ripple effect on my life.
“Thought maybe we could take her for a spin.” I winked.
Blue eyes bulged. “We’re going to skate?Here?”
I shrugged. “Why not? It’s all ours for the night.”
“But won’t we get in trouble?” She peeked around my shoulder down the tunnel leading to the underbelly of the rink.
“Nah. I called in a favor. There’s no place I’d rather be than on the ice with you when we ring in the new year.” As if on cue, the giant screen hanging over center ice turned on, tuning into the live broadcast from Times Square. We had an hour until midnight, and the clock was ticking.
Dakota’s laughter was music to my ears when I pulled out our skates stashed beneath the bench. “You really have this all planned out, don’t you?”
“Nothing left to chance.” I kissed her cheek.
