26. Braxton

Dakota was now mine in 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.

As she sat, extending her left foot for me to slip on her skate, she asked, "You know there will come a time when you can't outdo yourself, right?"

Repeating the process with her right foot, I placed my hands on her knees. "All I want is to make you smile. Whether it's grand gestures like this one or a lazy night at home, your happiness is all I strive for. In my mind, it'll be a game to keep you smiling. The how doesn't matter."

Dakota's hand cupped my cheek. "How do you always know the perfect thing to say?"

Turning my head, I kissed her palm before replying, "You bring it out in me, Firefly."

She let me lace her up, and then I quickly did my own skates. Holding her hands in mine, we glided onto the pristine ice surface.

Glancing around as we skated in slow circles, she mused, "It's stunning from this angle."

Bumping her shoulder, I joked, "Oh, is it not from the stands?"

Rolling her eyes, she bumped me right back. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah." I nodded my agreement. "It never gets old."

"Pardon me." She slowed to a stop beside me. "What happened to the Braxton I met months ago? The woe-is-me-hockey-is-just-my-job Braxton?"

Placing both hands on her hips, I leaned in for a kiss, savoring the taste of her lips before pulling back. "He fell in love, and the world took on new meaning."

There was a devilish gleam in her eyes, glittering beneath the bright lights. "I think you're full of shit. Willing to say anything to get the girl. Saw a wounded bird and figured the key to landing her was a relatable story." She shook her head in mock disgust, scoffing. "Shameful, Braxton. Really."

Her quick wit was one of the things I loved most about her, and I knew life would never be boring with this woman by my side. But that didn't mean I couldn't make it even more interesting.

I arched an eyebrow before throwing one arm straight in the air. "That's it. To the penalty box, you go!"

"What?"

Her laughter floated behind me as I dragged her to the box and unlatched the door.

As I ushered Dakota inside, she whined, "What was my offense?"

Stepping behind her, I closed us in. She jumped with the heavy thud of the door. "Two minutes for being a smartass."

She huffed, but I could hear the smile in her voice. "Bullshit call, Stripes."

Fuck. I love this woman.

Crowding her space, I forced her to step forward until her knees hit the bench. Against the shell of her ear, I said, "Do you know what the players call this place?"

"Nuh-uh." Dakota shook her head.

"The sin bin," I whispered darkly. "You've been naughty and need to be punished, baby."

I was rewarded with the sweet sound of her moan as she leaned back against me. "Braxton," she breathed out.

"Knees up on the bench." I dropped my lips to her exposed neck, teasing the skin with my teeth.

Following my command, she kneeled on the bench meant for players to sit while they served their penalties.

Scanning the arena quickly with my eyes, I knew there were security cameras everywhere, but with the place empty, likely no one was manning the room with the live feed. And unless there was an incident, it was unlikely that they would go back to review tonight's replay. It was a calculated risk, but one I was willing to take.

"Hands on the glass." My voice came out rough as the idea of taking Dakota in this tiny box became more of a reality.

Stepping up behind her, my groin pressed against the curve of her ass, and I groaned. Dakota's heavy breathing created a patch of fog on the glass directly in front of her face. If I had any doubts about her willingness to perform a very private act in a public place, even an empty one, they flew out the window at the eager wiggle of her backside against my rock-hard dick.

Gripping the sides of her leggings, I slid the stretchy fabric down her smooth thighs until they hit her knees. Using my hands, I positioned them as far apart on the bench as the material would allow. There was just enough space that I could step between her skates, the blades pointing in my direction.

I left her silk panties on. When she turned her head in question, I teased the fabric aside with my fingers, brushing against where she was already dripping wet for me.

"No one gets to see you but me," I rasped.

Blue eyes widening, her head whipped around, likely searching for someone lurking in the arena, but I set her mind at ease. "No one is here. But there are cameras . . . everywhere."

A sharp gasp flew past her lips, and arousal flooded my hand.

Smirking, I sank a finger inside her. "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to star in one of those little videos you watch on your computer?" Dakota rode my hand, panting. "Tell me the truth, baby."

"Yessssss." Her head lolled back against my chest.

"Then let's give 'em a show." Easing a second finger inside her warmth, I made sure she was ready before shoving the waistband of my pants down to free my cock. The way I had us positioned, it might be obvious what we were doing on a security feed, but it wouldn't be explicitly graphic.

Removing my hand, I pressed my cock against her entrance. With her legs barely spread, there was just enough space for me.

My grip on her hips tightened, and I warned, "It's gonna be a tight fit, baby."

"Isn't it always?" she taunted back.

Well, shit. She had me there.

Dipping my head, I growled in her ear, "And that kind of backtalk is exactly what landed you in this position." Those were the last words I said before I slammed home, and we both groaned at the connection.

Her hands slid on the foggy glass ahead of her as she tried to grip it, needing an anchor as I pounded into her hard from behind.

I was losing control. She was too perfect, her pussy gripping me tighter with each thrust.

"I wanna hear your screams echoing throughout this space so loud I can hear them in my dreams." A cry split the air at my words, and my fingers dug into her soft flesh. "Good girl," I grunted, and she moaned, keening against me.

"Do you know what I'm doing right now?" I gritted my teeth as my balls tightened. I wasn't going to last much longer.

Dakota could only manage a whimper in response.

"I'm rewiring your brain. I want you throbbing for me every time you watch hockey. Hell, I don't want you to smell fucking ice without getting so wet that you're dripping down your thighs."

I was seconds away from blowing my load when her pussy fluttered at the picture I painted. She was right there; I just needed to throw her over the edge. Slipping one hand around her hip and into the front of her panties, I circled her clit furiously with my fingers. This had become a race, and I was determined to let her win.

Her scream split the air as she clamped down on my cock hard enough to steal my breath away. I managed a few more thrusts, spurred on by the near sobs slipping past her lips before I let go. Groaning into her neck, I spilled deep inside her.

There was a sense of satisfaction knowing I would be leaking out of her for the rest of the night. With any other woman, I would be panicked, worried about a failure rate on her birth control. But with her, I didn't care. She was it. Kids were an inevitability for us, and if they happened to surprise us early, so be it. Wouldn't change a thing.

Sighing as her breathing regulated, Dakota said, "Damn, you weren't kidding when you said two minutes."

Barking out a laugh, I slid from her body carefully, tucking myself into my pants. "Careful, Firefly. Talking back to the ref could earn you an extra ten minutes. Ready for round two already?"

I stepped back, allowing her to stand. She bent to pull up her leggings but wobbled on unsteady legs, and I jolted forward to support her.

"Am I going to have to carry you back to the car?" I teased.

"Forgot I was in skates. I'm okay." The smile in her breathless voice was audible.

"Fucked the sense right out of you, did I?"

"Cocky as ever," she shot back, feigning annoyance.

Nuzzling her neck, I murmured, "Coulda fooled me. Half the time, you're begging for my cock." Lowering my body until I knelt behind her, I offered, "Allow me."

I was face to face with her ass, and I couldn't help leaning in and inhaling deeply between her thighs. "Fuck, I can smell myself on you, baby." She tried to shimmy away, but I held firm. "Give me a minute."

"You know, it's kinda cold in here . . ."

I took one last drag of our unique blend of scents and slid her leggings back into place.

"Happy now?" I gave her a pat on the ass.

Turning in my arms, Dakota's eyes darted over my shoulder before they fixed on my face and she smiled. "Happy New Year, Braxton."

I whipped my head around and saw that we'd missed the countdown while having fun in the penalty box. Buried deep inside the woman I loved as the clock struck midnight was symbolic—we were getting a fresh start, together. The future was what we made it.

"Happy New Year, Firefly." I slid my hand into her curls, tipping her head back before sealing my lips over hers in a kiss.

A new year, a new life, and I couldn't be happier.

Coach was pissed. The death glare he shot me as I headed to the box for the fifth time that night would have scared most players straight. Too bad it wouldn't work on me. Not tonight.

The first time I was called for an inadvertent high-sticking penalty, I skated off without much of a fuss. Sure, it sucked that sometimes your stick ended up somewhere it wasn't supposed to be, and it looked worse than it was. As I made my way to the box, the replay on the big screen showed it as accidental. Our sticks got tangled, and when Kohler for the DC Eagles lifted his, mine went with it, clipping him in the chin. It didn't matter that there wasn't intent; the second my stick touched his face, I was guilty.

So, off to the box I went.

The second the attendant shut me inside, I lost my damn mind.

The scent of Dakota—of sex—filtered into my nostrils, and I became a man possessed. I would be damned if any of my teammates got a whiff of my girl and that became the topic of post-game locker conversations. I knew they wouldn't be able to let it slide. They'd dig until they figured out which among us had had sex in the penalty box. And then it would become a discussion of when, and I wouldn't put it past one of them to grease the palms of the security team to pull the tapes to find out.

That couldn't happen.

Once I was let out, I made it my personal mission to be the only Comet to land himself in the box, which wasn't an easy task. I was one of eighteen skaters. Anything could happen when I wasn't on the ice.

But when I was out there, I took bad penalties. I needed another hit, and it clouded my judgment. The more time I spent in the box, the more I craved Dakota. God help her later because I was going to tear her apart.

This fifth and final penalty had been strategic. I started a fight with thirteen minutes left on the game clock. I knew I would get the two for fighting, but I made sure to call the ref a pussy, and that earned me an extra ten. There was enough time past my penalty that they wouldn't send me down the tunnel and say my night was over. There would be a little over sixty seconds remaining after I'd served my time.

The instant I was let out, Coach told me to take a seat through gritted teeth. He would make me pay for it tomorrow at practice, but I didn't care.

The buzzer sounded on a three-to-one win over the Eagles—no small miracle with how much time we'd spent shorthanded, courtesy of yours truly—and we skated to congratulate Reed for a great game played in net.

As the captain, Jaxon was always the last one off the ice and waited for me by the bench door. One dark eyebrow raised, he asked, "What in the world got into you tonight?"

I shrugged. "You know how it is. Sometimes, you're in the mood to mix it up."

Gesturing for me to step off the ice ahead of him, we walked toward the locker room.

"Yeah, I do know how it is. But usually, when a clean player can't stay out of the box, something else is going on. Everything okay with Dakota? It seemed like you two worked everything out back at the lake house."

"Better than okay," I shot back, an edge to my voice.

Jaxon tugged my elbow, halting me before we reached where the media was huddled outside the locker room, ready and eager to be let inside.

"Look, I thought we shared a moment while up there. I don't know, maybe I was wrong. But if you ever need my help, know you can always come to me. I wasn't around a lot when you were a kid, but I'm here now. And I want us to be closer."

Fuck, why did Jaxon always have to be the better man? He was trying, and I was being an asshole to him.

Leaning against the concrete wall, I let out a heavy breath. "Yeah, we did. I'm sorry. I promise Dakota and I are fine. I was in a weird head space tonight. It won't happen again."

His whiskey eyes, identical to mine, surveyed me skeptically. "Dad?"

I rolled my eyes. "Fuck, no."

"All right." Jaxon nodded. "Let's go get cleaned up. Better take it easy tonight because Coach is gonna ride you hard tomorrow." He chuckled. "Been there."

I would take whatever punishment came my way for my actions tonight. But right now, all I cared about was getting my hands on Dakota.