12. Braxton

I was making progress.

As Dakota and I spent more time together, I watched her defenses lower, and she stopped pushing back. Teasing her, making her laugh—those were great. But what I really enjoyed were those moments when I pushed the limits, flirting with her and watching her response. She was no longer outright shutting me down, and I knew if I was patient, I could eventually win her over.

Dakota was incredible. I'd known that early on, but now that I was getting to know her? Fuck, she was constantly on my mind. I'd never felt this way about a girl before. Not even when I thought I wanted a future with Lacey.

I didn't even have Dakota and wasn't sure I would ever get enough.

Going back on the road so soon after our last skating session and my sly ice cream date add-on was torture. Time and distance could be a setback, allowing her to overthink and re-evaluate our current relationship. I texted her occasionally—but not too much to seem needy or desperate—to touch base on her hockey research. She was getting there, but slowly.

I couldn't imagine how overwhelming it must be to cram learning the entire game into a few months. I'd had my whole life, and there were still things I was learning. Hockey was unique in that the game was constantly changing and evolving. Rules were updated in any sport, but the style of play adapted to those currently playing. What used to be a game of big hits, requiring massive enforcers on each team, was now one of speed and skill, involving scrappy players with creativity.

For fans of the game, it was an exciting time. Highlights were mind-blowing on a nightly basis.

And that's why I sent Dakota a few highlight reels while on this most recent away trip. She'd been through the basics, and now it was time to see the game in action. Asking her to watch an entire game without me there to explain it in real-time would be too much, but short clips of players making unreal moves and scoring in unique ways might help spark inspiration for whatever she was working on.

I had to admit, I was curious as to what her book was about. Sure, the sport had plenty of female fans, but I still didn't see the appeal of reading about it instead of watching. I held out hope that, eventually, Dakota might become comfortable enough with me to share more details about her latest project. She knew all about my job, but I knew very little about hers.

By the time the Comets touched down in Hartford, I was desperate to see her. The team plane arrived late at night, as we often returned home after playing our last road game, so it would have to wait until the following day.

I knew I wouldn't sleep a wink. The anticipation was too great for the moment when we would be reunited. I still couldn't believe that pint-sized girl had somehow found a way to make me believe there was a person out there who could see past the noise surrounding my life and into the heart of me.

I might never get a chance like this again, and I wasn't about to waste it.

Knocking on the door of the house Dakota shared with Bristol, I bounced on my feet, unable to contain my excitement. A phone call received this morning with a change of plans had provided an opportunity. If what Dakota had said about having no one after losing her mom was true, this was my chance to show her the human side of hockey players. Better than that, the family side. Social media loved seeing players with their kids; it melted everyone's hearts.

Yes, I knew taking Dakota with me to the hospital when Max was born fell under that category, but Natalie went off the rails with her oversharing and probably did more damage than good. Truth be told, I was still a little scarred from that encounter.

The door opened, and I was met with Bristol's smirking face.

"Ooh. Dropping by unannounced? I like it. Doesn't give her a chance to overthink."

Bristol made it no secret she was on my side. An ally on the inside was invaluable.

"Is she home?" I asked.

"It's your lucky day." She stood aside to allow me entry. "She's upstairs in her bedroom slash office, probably staring at a blank document again. I'm sure she'll be glad for a distraction."

"Here's hoping." Crossing my fingers, I threw her a wink. "Can you go get her for me?"

Eyeing me, Bristol shook her head. "Not necessary. You can head right on up. Her door was cracked, which means she's open to interruption. Hers is the room on the right, past the bathroom."

Skeptical, I arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Of course." She waved me on toward the stairs.

I sent up a silent prayer that Dakota would be glad to see me versus the alternative of her threatening my manhood for breaching her inner sanctuary without warning.

Calm down. She's fiery, but she's not Hannah. It'll be fine.

Maybe I should have texted first, but it was too late now.

Taking the stairs, I saw the cracked door on the right that Bristol had mentioned. Giving it a light rap with my knuckles, I waited for a reply but was met with silence. Shit. She was probably sleeping; it was still early. I'd just wanted to see her so damn badly that I hadn't considered her flexible schedule might mean she was a night owl who slept in.

Pushing the door open to peek inside, I found Dakota, not sleeping but sitting at her computer with headphones on. Leaning against the doorjamb, I watched as her fingers flew furiously across the keyboard. She was so in the zone I almost felt bad for interrupting.

The headphones must have been noise-canceling since she hadn't heard my knock. Walking into the room, I half expected her to catch my approach from her peripheral vision, but when she didn't, I moved behind her to see what she was working on.

Was this a violation of privacy? Probably, but I was too curious.

The screen was split down the middle, and my eyes first went to where the words magically appeared, filling up a blank document. A smile crept onto my face, glad that the writer's block Bristol had alluded to downstairs had vanished. Movement on the other half of the screen caught my eye, and I nearly swallowed my gum when I saw what she was watching as she banged out the words.

Banged. You've got that right.

My sweet Dakota was watching porn. And not regular girl-on-guy porn. A woman was being spit-roasted violently on-screen, one man's cock shoved far down her throat while another took her from behind.

Tearing my eyes away from the action, I focused more intently on what she was writing, reading over her shoulder.

Growling, Noah commands, "Get down on your fucking knees."

Fuck. I love the hard edge to his voice when he is close to losing control. Almost as much as I love having his cock in my mouth.

Dropping to my knees without hesitation, I peer up at him, awaiting my next instruction.

Noah grips my hair, forcing my head back. "This dick isn't going to suck itself, princess. Open wide. I've got a game to win tonight, and you're my lucky charm."

Yes, I was. The past four games I'd gotten on my knees for Noah, the Renegades had won. Most notably, with Noah scoring the game-winning goal. Even if I didn't love sucking his cock, I wouldn't be the one to break their streak.

"Jesus Christ," I whispered, stumbling back in shock.

Not paying attention—my mind trying to reconcile what I just witnessed—my foot caught on the edge of her footboard, and I crashed to the ground.

Sprawled out, I had the perfect view of Dakota spinning around in her desk chair, eyes going wide as her cheeks flamed red. Ripping the headphones off, both hands flew up to cover her face as she groaned. "Oh my God."

Stunned, I said in a daze, "Hannah was right. I can't believe it."

A frustrated noise sounded behind her hands, her words muffled. "Just go."

"So, you're really writing a dirty hockey book? That's a thing?"

Peeking through her fingers, she whispered, "Yes. Now, if you could please leave. It was nice knowing you."

Regaining my bearings, I sat up, crawling to where she sat. Sitting up on my knees, I peeled her hands away until I could see her beautifully red face. "Please tell me you see the irony here. You think I'm going to run because of what you do for a living?" I chuckled. "Haven't I proven I don't give up that easily?"

The sound of grunts and groans leaked from her headphones, discarded on the desk, and when she followed my line of sight, she turned away, slamming the laptop shut.

My chuckle breached the awkward silence. "I've seen porn before, you know." I didn't offer up that I hadn't needed to watch it recently as the woman sitting before me had become muse enough.

Shaking her head, Dakota looked skyward. "Thanks for sharing."

Gripping the seat of her chair, I spun her to face me. "Part of the writing process?"

She shrugged. "Kinda? When I'm writing a spicy scene, it helps get me into the right headspace. The words start to flow. I don't know what it is."

"Spicy seems such a tame word for what those two guys were doing to that girl," I teased.

A tiny bit of that signature fire entered her dark blue eyes, and she shoved my shoulder lightly. "Ever heard of discretion?"

Smirking, I retorted. "Oh, is this where you tell me you don't oil up muscular torsos for your covers?"

She scoffed. "Please. That's quickly becoming a thing of the past. Women are all about the discreet covers with either cartoon characters, or more abstract, with objects pertaining to the story."

My brows rose. "Cartoons? Seriously?"

"Make no mistake. Those cutesy covers are a decoy. What's inside on the pages is sizzling hot. And the best part? You can read them in public, and no one's any the wiser."

Bracing my hands on the arms of her desk chair, I caged her in. "Would you let me read one of your books?" I was genuinely curious to learn about her job—what I was quickly learning was her passion.

Trying to escape, she plastered her back against the chair. "That would be a hell no."

"Why not?" I teased, dropping my voice. "Would be a useful instruction manual. Learning all your deepest and darkest desires."

Dakota's throat muscles worked as she swallowed, the insinuation that I would one day like to take our relationship to a physical level striking home.

Breathless, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Letting her off the hook, I pulled away, giving her some breathing room. "I come bearing an invitation."

She tilted her head, suspicion written across her face. "An invitation? To a party?"

"No." I shook my head. "I wanted to see if you would like to come to Thanksgiving at Jaxon and Natalie's house." When Dakota merely blinked at me, I added, "With me. If that wasn't clear."

"Um." Dakota's eyes darted around the room, and I watched as she attempted to rack her brain for an excuse to say no. "I can't. I have plans."

"Oh yeah?" I quirked an eyebrow. "With Bristol?"

She flinched, knowing Bristol would rat her out in a minute if she said yes, and that wasn't true. Bristol was on my team and hadn't been subtle in declaring our alliance.

"No. She's spending the day with her family."

"Okay. So, who are your plans with? A boyfriend I should be on the lookout for?" My smirk was automatic. I loved watching her squirm.

Narrowing her eyes, she grumbled, "Real cute."

Flashing her a broad smile, I ducked my head. "Why, thank you."

"With an ego to match," Dakota muttered. Taking a deep breath, she replied to my original question. "You don't know them."

"That's fair," I mused. "Well, if you won't come with me, I would love to accompany you wherever you're headed."

Calling her bluff, I sat back and waited for her next move.

Satisfaction coursed through my veins when it became apparent that I'd backed her into a corner. It was a calculated risk, offering to crash her plans. I was fully prepared to bow out of a family and friends Thanksgiving to spend it with Dakota. I didn't get many full days off and wanted to spend it with her.

Sighing, she huffed. "Fine. You got me. I don't have plans."

"Great." I clapped my hands like it was a done deal. "So, you'll come with me?"

Timid blue eyes met mine as she chewed on her lower lip. "I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea. We're just friends, and this sounds like a family affair. Not sure I should be meeting your parents, even if I have already met your brother and sister-in-law."

She didn't know it yet, but in Natalie's mind, Dakota was already family. Bringing over food for her and the kids while the team was out of town had sealed the deal. Natalie didn't let people in easily. But once she did? There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for the people she cared about.

I was fortunate that Jaxon had brought her into my life. She knew what it was like to struggle under the weight of expectations you would never reach, and saw me drowning. Natalie provided a life raft before anchoring me in a way that allowed me to keep moving forward—even on days when it felt impossible.

Setting Dakota's fears aside about an awkward "meet the parents" moment, I replied, "Found out this morning that my parents are stuck in Minnesota. An early snowstorm blew through, and flights are canceled."

"Oh." It was written on her face that she was out of excuses.

"It messed up plans for a lot of people here in Hartford. Liv's family—you met her at the hospital—is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in the same storm's path. They were going to have their own Thanksgiving, and my mom was going to cook at Natalie and Jaxon's. Usually, it's her sisters-in-law, Amy and Lucy who cook the meal, but with newborns, they were planning on taking a year off. So, everyone decided to converge on the Slate compound and have a good old-fashioned Friendsgiving catered instead."

Boldy taking her hand, I asked, "So, friend, will you join us?"

Dakota sighed. "What happens if I politely decline?"

I shrugged. "That's no problem. It's fully within your rights to do so. Just know that I will be wherever you are."

"Are you seriously blackmailing me into attending Thanksgiving at your brother's house?"

She eyed me carefully, but I could see the tiniest hint of humor in those blue depths. I could only imagine the type of banter she wrote in her books. I was more determined than ever to find a covert way of snagging a copy and discovering what made this girl tick.

"Blackmail is such an ugly word," I said in mock disdain. "I prefer to view it as strategic coercion."

"Call it what you will," Dakota shot back. "But it means the same thing. Don't forget who you're dealing with. I make a living on finding ways to express equivalent ideas with different words."

Puffing my chest, I grinned. "So . . . What you're saying is you're impressed with my linguistic skills. Dare I say they're author-worthy?"

The tiniest hint of a smile crept onto her lips. "Let's not get carried away. Best to leave the writing to the professionals."

"Fair enough." I nodded my agreement. "Is that a yes to Thanksgiving?"

Raising an eyebrow, I could sense the last-ditch effort coming my way. "You would be happy to have me there under duress?"

At the risk of scaring her away, I was desperate for her to know where she stood with me. "I'll take you any way I can get you." Blue eyes widened at that admission, but she didn't shy away, so I pressed further. "Don't you get it yet? You're the main attraction in my life."

A slight gasp slipped from her perfect pink lips. "Me?"

Taking one of her hands, I brought the knuckles to my lips, gracing it with a soft kiss, my eyes never leaving hers. "Yes, you. Please spend the day with me."

Swallowing, her voice took on a husky quality when she said, "Fine." Clearing her throat, she asked, "What can I bring?"

"Just yourself."

The determined glint in her eyes tipped me off that that answer wouldn't fly.

"Nope. I refuse to crash this holiday empty-handed."

I tried to reason with her. "Seriously, Dakota. You don't know what these things are like. They could feed an army with the amount of food."

"My mom raised me to always bring something when invited as a guest. It's non-negotiable, Braxton." She lifted her chin, daring me to argue further.

Smiling, I couldn't even be mad at her. She wouldn't be the Dakota I was developing feelings for if she didn't push back. When her feisty side came out to play, it might be my favorite. And I couldn't help but wonder if she used it in the bedroom. If the type of porn she chose to watch was any indication, I might be in for a wild ride.

That was if she ever let me past her walls. We were taking baby steps, and I wasn't going anywhere. Not when I had this unicorn of a woman before me.

"I heard the meal you brought to Natalie's was one of your mom's. She loved it, by the way. Hasn't been able to stop raving about it since we got back from that trip. She's been hounding me to get the recipe."

Dakota blushed, dropping her eyes to her lap and nodding. "It was one of my favorites. I asked her to make it for my birthday every year." She chuckled to herself. "Not like she didn't make it at least once a month anyway. But she never refused my request."

Squeezing her hand, I mused, "Sounds like she was a great mom."

Eyes fluttering shut, Dakota whispered, "The best," as a tear slipped down her cheek.

My heart ached inside my chest at having made her cry. I couldn't begin to imagine the all-consuming pain of losing your only parent.

"Will you tell me more about her?" I asked softly, needing her to know I was there for her. "I'd love to know more about the woman who raised such an incredible daughter."

Two more tears leaked out from behind her tightly shut lids. Shaking her head, Dakota's voice was thick. "It's still too hard."

Nodding, even though she couldn't see me, I reached up to wipe the wetness from her face with the pad of my thumb. "Okay. Just know I'm here any time you need. I don't care if I'm traveling on the road with the team; reach out. I'll always take your call."

"Thank you." Pulling her hand from my grasp, she brought both of hers up to rub across her cheeks.

"I'd really love it if your mom made an impression on our first Thanksgiving together. Maybe another famous recipe you've been hiding?"

Lowering her hands, red-rimmed eyes stared back at me. "Really?"

"Really. Thanksgiving is for reconnecting with loved ones. Your mom should be there in spirit."

Shaking her head, she huffed out a disbelieving laugh. "You are so different than I thought you'd be."

Smirking, I hedged, "Is that a good thing?"

Flashing me the tiniest smile, she nodded. "Yeah, I'm beginning to think so."

Warmth spread through my chest, and my brain screamed to kiss her, but I knew it was too soon. She wasn't ready, even if I was.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there staring at each other in silence before she asked, "What time should I be ready?"

"I'm actually going to be running a little bit behind. If you don't mind being late, I can get you around two, or you can head over yourself at noon. It tends to be an all-day affair." I chuckled. "We don't often get full days off during the season, so go figure, we'd want to spend most of it with each other. But I guess, in a way, the team is like our family, right?"

Dakota cut her gaze to the floor, and she pulled her knees to her chest, hugging them tightly. "Right," she whispered.

Confused and terrified that I set us back, not knowing what I'd done wrong, I reached out a hand to touch her but dropped it halfway there. "I'm sorry." It was the only thing I could think to say.

Dropping her chin to her knees, her gaze held mine. "It's fine. You have somewhere else to be?"

Oh God. With her perception of athletes, Levi in particular, she probably thought I was stringing her along, double dipping on the holiday with another woman.

Eager to set her mind at ease, I shouted, "No!" When she shrank back, I realized my mistake. Running a hand over my face, I tried again. "Yes, I have somewhere to be, but it's not what you think." Taking a deep breath, I explained, "I help serve a meal at the Hartford Community Soup Kitchen downtown. That's why I can't make it here to get you until two."

Blinking at me, she asked, "You're serving Thanksgiving at a soup kitchen?"

"Yeah." I dipped my head. "I've been blessed to always have a roof over my head and food in my belly. It's important to give back to those who are less fortunate. Most of the guys on the team can write checks to support worthy causes, but for now, I can only volunteer my time. It's not much, but it's something. Or, at least, I hope it is."

"Can—" Her words had my head snapping up, and she paused. "Can I come with you?"

Hope bloomed in my chest. "Of course. I'd like that."

The tiniest corner of her lips turned up, and she replied, "Then it's a date."

The air whooshed from my lungs. Was I dreaming? Had she really just said that? Was she finally giving me a chance?

Dakota's smile grew wider at my physical response. "Finally managed to render him speechless. Point for Dakota."

Not wanting to press my luck, I pushed off the ground, shoving both hands in my pockets. Flashing her with a wink, I replied, "Pick you up at nine on Thursday."

Leaving her bedroom, I fist-pumped the air as soon as I was out of sight.

This was it. Dakota had opened the door the tiniest crack. It was up to me to get her to throw it open wide and let me inside.