16. Dakota

Braxton: Normally, I'd come to the door, but I've got precious cargo, and I'm not messing with this car seat until I absolutely have to.

Smiling, I grabbed my coat and flung open the front door to find Braxton's car parked along the street. Locking up behind me, I walked to the passenger side and peeked through the backseat window.

Charlie was buckled in tight for our shared ice rink date. Braxton had made good on our promise to his niece that she could join us the next time we went out on the ice.

My heart had melted on Thanksgiving for that man. First, when I saw him with his nieces and nephews—he was so fun-loving with them, especially the younger ones who demanded his attention. Then, there was the game of mini sticks in the basement. I should have known his competitive drive would match my own, though mine was usually reserved for internal competition. But when he'd found me in the basement after the disaster at dinner? He was so kind and patient, listening without judgment. I should have known he wouldn't condone my father's actions—given he wasn't thrilled with Nix's antics—but hearing the words from his mouth was needed. He took care to share his own story, opening my eyes to the fact that athletes were just as prone to being used in a relationship as their partners. Braxton saw my vulnerability and raised it with his own, baring insecurities he hadn't shared with many others.

And that kiss? God, I could still feel it on my lips, even a week later.

The team had gone on the road right after the holiday, so this was our first time seeing each other since that night. Excitement fluttered in my belly as I pulled open the passenger door and slid inside.

The sun had already set on this December day, so Braxton was only illuminated by the interior car lighting, but he was as breathtakingly handsome as ever. And now, he was mine. I still couldn't believe it—not only that he'd asked, but that I'd said yes.

Even in the dim light, his eyes sparkled when he watched me slip into the car. Reaching over, he grasped my hand, kissing my knuckles softly. My skin tingled where his lips made contact, and I bit my lower lip, fighting hard against the blush rising to my cheeks.

"I missed you." The smile on his face told me the words were genuine.

Before I could respond, telling him I returned the sentiment, an excited cry came from the backseat, "Da-pota! Hi!"

Turning in my seat to view the little girl behind us, I gave her a wave and a smile. "Hey, Charlie. Are you ready to go skating?"

"Yes!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the tiny confines of the car.

Braxton put the car in drive and pulled out onto the street. I couldn't help but stare at him in awe. It spoke to the kind of man he was, willing to have a toddler tag along on our first date as an official couple. He loved his family, including his older brother, even if it was painful to walk in his shadow.

Arriving at the rink, I watched, biting back a smile as he struggled to release Charlie from the car seat restraints. He hadn't been joking when he said he didn't want to mess with it. I had a feeling it would be a team effort to get her strapped in for the car ride home. I was as inexperienced as he seemed, but two heads were better than one.

I held Charlie's hand while walking through the parking lot. Braxton had his hands full with a bag of gear. The second we passed through the sliding glass doors, Charlie bolted, trying to run from me, but I was quick enough to grab her around the waist and haul her into my arms.

"Hey!" she protested. "I wanna skate!"

Braxton chuckled. "And how do you think you're going to do that without skates on your feet?"

Frowning, Charlie peered down at her sneakers. "Oh."

He tilted his head toward a bench near the glass overlooking the ice. "Let's head over there, and then I'll get my two best girls all laced up." He threw me a wink, and my cheeks flamed.

Would I ever get used to the flirtation? Would the excitement fade with time? Would we fall into a comfortable rhythm at some point and lose all semblance of romance?

Whoa. Slow down. It's your first date, and you're worried about keeping the spark alive?

Right. Couldn't get ahead of myself. Who knew where we'd be a few months from now, let alone a year or more? It was best to enjoy what we had and not take a single second of how he made me feel for granted.

Braxton did my skates first, then Charlie's. I watched in amazement as his fingers flew nimbly over the laces with practiced ease. It only made sense, considering he'd spent years on the ice, lacing up daily, but I was still transfixed.

Wonder what else he can do with those fingers?

Jesus, Dakota. There's a child present. Down, girl.

Peering up at me, Braxton raised an eyebrow. "You okay? You're breathing funny."

"Fine." I stood, getting more stable walking in skates with each session.

Buckling a helmet onto Charlie's head, we walked together through the glass doors to be met with the chilly air of the rink. My dirty mind had me overheated, so the temperature change was a welcome relief.

Unlatching the heavy door to the ice surface, we formed a chain, Braxton gliding out first, a hand on one of Charlie's in the middle while I held her other hand from the rear. The second Charlie's skates touched the ice, she squealed in excitement. Her pure joy was infectious, and I found myself laughing in response.

Braxton caught my eye, smirking, before glancing down at the toddler between us. "Shall we, ladies?"

After the first few strides, Charlie wrenched her hands away, declaring forcefully, "I can do it!"

Instinct demanded I regain my hold—she was only three, and I was barely stable out here at twenty-one—but Braxton shook his head slightly, indicating I should let her go.

Braxton glided backward to give his niece space, and I followed his lead. I held my breath as she took those first wobbly steps, practically stomping on the ice.

She's safe. She has a helmet. Braxton knows what he's doing.

Charlie made it all of three feet before she crashed to the ice. I rushed forward to help her up, expecting her cries to echo throughout the space, but Braxton held a hand up, halting me.

Panicked, I watched as she got on all fours, then pushed off the ice with her hands, regaining a standing position before taking off on her stomping trek again. The breath flew from my lungs as I stood there, stunned.

Sliding an arm around my waist, Braxton whispered in my ear, "Kids are resilient. None more than that one. When she sets her mind to something, she will stop at nothing to get her way."

Leaning into his hold, I mused, "Hmm. Wonder if that's an inherited trait—Slate stubbornness."

I could hear the smile in his voice as his lips grazed my ear. "Try tenacity, sweetheart."

A shiver rolled down my spine. Maybe Bristol was right, and I'd met my match. His way with words spoke to me. And I had a feeling he knew exactly what it did to me, as evidenced by the way his grip on my waist tightened.

Could he really be the perfect guy for me? My heart was ready to take the leap, but my brain warned that he seemed almost too good to be true. There had to be a flaw hidden somewhere, right?

Braxton rolled to a stop outside my house. We'd had such a fun evening with Charlie, snagging pizza at the snack bar after we finished skating, and now her soft snores filtered from where she was securely strapped into her car seat in the back.

As far as first dates went, I didn't mind sharing. Braxton was an attentive uncle, and it only highlighted how good he was with kids.

Peeking back at his niece with a smile, he sighed. "I'd love nothing more than to walk you to the door and give you a goodnight kiss, but I can't leave her alone in the car."

Unclipping my seatbelt, I turned in my seat, leaning across the center console and capturing his lips in a quick kiss that had my skin buzzing with electricity. Before I could slink back to my side of the car, Braxton gripped the back of my neck, hauling me closer and slanting his mouth over mine.

He parted my lips with his tongue, and I whimpered, sinking deeper into the kiss. I admit I didn't have much experience, but Braxton knew what he was doing, so I let him take the lead as he teased and tasted. Emboldened, I nipped the corner of his lower lip, and that simple action elicited a groan from deep within his chest that had the pulse between my legs beating in time with my heart.

After a few softer brushes against my lips, Braxton released his hold, allowing me to slump back against the headrest of my seat. Our heavy breathing had fogged the windshield, and I bit back a smile.

Braxton shifted in his seat, and I thought I caught the tiniest hint of a bulge in his jeans before the shadows hid that area from my view.

I had been a self-proclaimed bookworm most of my life, so guys didn't often approach me. I never had a problem with the lack of attention, preferring to lose myself in a fictional world rather than face the realities of the harsh one I lived in. But now that I knew what I'd been missing out on? What it felt like to be desired, to have that rush of attraction toward another human being? I should have looked up once in a while.

Eyes flashing gold from the streetlamps casting light off the hood of the car, Braxton stared at me with such intensity—as if I were the only thing he cared about. That kiss had warmed my blood, but the look on his face now warmed my heart.

"That was better than an awkward kiss on the front porch. No risk of nosy neighbors getting a good peek." Braxton's gravelly voice went straight to my core, the throbbing there intensifying.

"No, just a sleeping audience of one in the backseat," I teased.

We both turned to check on Charlie, who was still out for the count.

"We wore her out." A smile crept onto my face.

"Yeah," Braxton agreed. "But she had the time of her life."

I couldn't help but stare at the beautiful little girl, her face relaxed in sleep, rosebud lips parted as deep breaths eased past them. "She looks like an angel."

"It's hard to believe Beau was this little when Jaxon stepped in as his dad. But easy to see how he stole his heart."

My chest tightened, knowing my own father had walked away. How could you look at your child, this innocent being that you created, and not love them with your whole heart? Charlie was working her way into mine, and she was merely Braxton's niece.

Needing to shake the dark thoughts threatening to ruin this perfect evening, I mused, "I think she looks a little bit like you."

"You mean, she looks like Jaxon." I could hear the edge to his voice.

Tearing my eyes away from the sleeping toddler, I shot him a look that said, You know you look exactly like your brother, to which he rolled his eyes.

"So, what you're saying is . . ." He gestured to his face. "This is a good look on a girl?"

I quirked an eyebrow. "Fishing for compliments?"

That broke the blanket of tension over him, and a hand flew up to his chest. "Never."

Another peek back at Charlie, and the words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Do you think you might ever want kids?"

My eyes widened, and I slapped a hand over my mouth. "Oh my God. Forget I said that." That's not something you asked a guy on the first date. Clearly, my brain was misfiring with the cuteness level radiating from the backseat.

Scanning my face, Braxton reached out a hand to pry mine away gently. "Remember this, Dakota. I am interested in everything that comes out of your mouth."

Groaning, I closed my eyes, wanting to erase the last few minutes of my life.

"But to answer your question, I used to think about having a family." His voice was soft, with a hint of sadness in his tone.

Forcing my eyes open, I questioned, "Used to?"

Braxton's chest expanded with the force of the deep breath he held before releasing it. "I was a dumb kid, caught up in first love—or at least, what I thought was love. Lacey and I had it all planned out. We would have two: a boy and a girl. Even picked out their names—Bentley and Lainey. B on the boy for me and L on the girl for her. So stupid."

Squeezing the hand that was still holding mine, I whispered, "Not any more stupid than writing love stories and crafting happy endings for fictional characters to move past your mom never getting hers."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "It's probably for the best it didn't work out with her. She would have left the first time there was a threat to my playing career. Injuries are a part of the game, some more serious than others. If I suffered one that took me out of action for a while or maybe even permanently, I have no doubt she would have cut and run. What if we had kids at that point? Would have ruined my life." His thumb stroked over my knuckles. "And if I'd stayed with Lacey, that would have meant never meeting you."

The breath caught in my lungs, and I dropped my gaze. But Braxton wasn't having it. His free hand gripped my chin, tilting my head up so I was forced to meet his eye. There was nowhere to hide from this man.

"Tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind," he commanded.

I chewed on my lower lip for a minute before answering honestly. "I understand how past trauma can affect the choices you make for the future better than anyone. I closed myself off and lost myself in books. I figured a fictional man would never let me down. At least not one in a romance novel. They always get the girl, no matter what conflict arises that threatens to tear them apart."

"And now?" His eyes stared into my soul, and I knew I couldn't hold back the truth.

"Now I want what they have. A man who will fight for me, a man who would throw himself in the line of fire to protect me, a man whose love for me will consume him." I let out a bitter laugh. "Not even sure that exists in real life."

Braxton swallowed, his long throat muscles working, drawing my attention. His voice was raw and deep when he finally spoke. "Firefly, I am that man."

A gasp tore up my throat, and for the first time in my life, words escaped me. It wasn't only the nickname that stole my breath—God, I wished he'd bring it out more—but his declaration that he was the type of man I'd built up in my mind, going so far as to immortalize in print, and he wanted me. Me.

It was so overwhelming that I didn't know how to respond.

Sliding the hand gripping my chin along my jaw, he cupped my cheek, stroking softly with the pad of a calloused thumb. My heart threatened to stop beating at the tenderness in his eyes.

And then he spoke.

"I wasn't sure I would ever find a girl who could see past all the noise surrounding my life, my identity. I was so close to giving up hope that there was someone out there for me. One that would take me at face value and nothing more." He chuckled, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Then I met you. And you blew me away with a few simple words. Which I now realize are your weapon of choice, but I came prepared to fight." His free hand joined its partner on my face. "I haven't wanted to fight for anything in so long. You sparked something inside of me that I thought was lost forever—hope. Hope that I can make a life with someone. Hope that I might have a family someday. Hope that I can finally be myself."

"Oh, Braxton." My heart was lost. He owned it now, and I had a feeling I'd never get it back.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've been seen as my own person? Someone more than ‘Jaxon's brother'?" He paused for a moment, thoughtful. "You know, I'm not sure I ever have."

"I see you." The words were simple and few, but I watched Braxton's face transform. That hope he'd spoken of sparkled in the whiskey depths of his eyes.

"I see us," he countered. "I see us finding a little place here in Hartford. It won't be big, not to start, but it'll be ours. I see us maybe getting a dog so you won't be lonely while I'm on the road. I see us staying up all night talking. Getting to know each other so well that we know what the other is going to say before they speak. And yes, I do see us having kids someday. I pray to God that doesn't scare you off, but I want to be honest about my vision for our future. I don't care if we have one or ten, so long as they are made from the love we share. A love I'm already beginning to feel for you, Dakota."

How did I get here?

One night, I went to a house party at a hockey playboy's home, and somehow landed in this car with a kind and caring man, staring at me like I was his salvation while having no clue that he was mine.

And he wasn't done.

"I thought my brother was crazy when he believed Natalie was his fate. He sat on the sidelines for years, waiting for her. Believing deep down they were meant to be together. Now that I've watched their relationship blossom, the love they share? He was right. They're a perfect match. Without her, he would have never become the man he is by her side. And the same goes for Natalie. He brought her back to life when she was barely hanging on, trying to survive. So, how can I not believe you were thrown into my path that night for a reason? That you are the one person placed on this Earth I was meant to find?"

Mom, I know you're up there watching. And if you sent him, thank you.

Braxton's thumbs spread wetness across my cheeks, and only then did I realize I was crying.

"Was it too much?" His eyes searched mine.

Squeezing my eyes shut, more tears leaked out, but I shook my head. "No. It was everything and more."

I felt his forehead touch mine. "I'm never letting you go. Never."

A watery laugh flew past my lips, my voice thick as I whispered, "I'll hold you to that."

Rustling from the backseat broke our trance as a tired voice whined, "I'm sleepy, Uncle Basston."

I could hear the smile in his voice before my eyes opened. "Sorry, Charlie girl. Just wanted to say goodnight to Dakota before I took you home. We'll go now."

"Night, Da-pota," she said groggily. "Now, we go home."

She was seriously the cutest thing, and I tried to muffle my laughter as I peeked back to find her eyes had drooped closed again, whispering, "Night, Charlie."

Braxton brushed a soft kiss on my lips. "It was a very good night. Thanks for letting her tag along."

"Anytime."

His amber eyes darkened, and he shook his head. "No, next time, I want you all to myself."

It was dark inside the car, but when his eyes roved my face, I knew he could see me blushing at what "being alone" would entail.

Clutching blindly for the door handle, I finally managed to pull it and swung the door open. Stepping out on unsteady legs, I poked my head back inside the car. "Goodnight, Braxton."

"Night, Firefly."