7. Axel
7
AXEL
The date couldn't have come quickly enough. We spoke for hours, and her shy, kind nature oozes from her. I hate the idea of hanging up the phone, and I don't want to be away from her in any way.
I fisted my hand in the air, Breakfast Club -style when she agreed to join me the next night. I wanted to ask her to see me when we were hanging up, but last night was a lot for her. She takes me as the type who needs downtime to decompress and take everything in. The way she answers questions, she's thoughtful and wants her words to be as accurate as possible.
Unlike me, who let every thought spew out of me, which under normal circumstances is strange. I'm a vault and usually don't prefer to talk, but Brina makes me want to share everything with her. Make sure nothing is hidden. I want her to fall in love with the real me. No surprises.
Because if I wasn't a goner from my first look, I'm definitely a man in love after talking to her for hours. We didn't hang up until two in the morning. Still, it wasn't enough time.
There's no way to avoid the crowds when I pick her up. I twinge at how public everything is, and a large part of me wishes I had gone a different way about this, but I also didn't want to become like a stalker. I figure she might've felt a little safer if it's so public because what asshole would make himself so publicly known if he's to do something shady.
The thought of anything bad happening to Brina has me gripping the steering wheel tight as I park my SUV in front of her building.
The crowds are heavy, and people are cheering and waving. I let out a breath and think of ways to make this up to Brina. She isn't kidding when she says she's an introvert and likes a quiet life. Anybody can see that after speaking with her. And here I am, the selfish asshole who blew her quiet life out of the water.
I'll fix it, though. I don't know how, but I make her so fucking happy that everything around us will be fucking white noise.
The crowd is louder once I'm out of the truck. News vans and people with their phones are recording me head inside the building while people are shouting for a picture, an autograph, or wishing us luck on our date. It's a fucking circus, and I can't believe I created this madness.
Brina's voice, which comes over the intercom when I buzz her place, stops all of the thinking, and I can't help but know it's going to be worth it.
"Hey, love, you ready?" I try to come off as calm and collected, but I'm a mess, and my palms are sweating. This is worse than my first pro game. I can't fuck this up because I'll be lost if I can't make her mine.
"Yeah, come on up." She buzzes me in, and I'm relieved when the door closes, and the crowd's sound dims significantly.
I head toward the elevator as I take in the lobby area, and I'm pleased to notice it's a safe neighborhood with a locked entrance and security cameras everywhere. I'm also thankful her front door doesn't face outside, where anybody can walk straight up to her door.
Finding her apartment is easy, and I knock eagerly, dying to see her up close and without a concussion.
The door slowly opens, and I can't help the shit-eating grin on my face. Brina is stunning in her tight jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, accentuating her curves. I told her to wear jeans and warm clothing for our date, and I can't help but take her in.
"Fuck me, you're even more perfect than I remembered," I mutter, and I didn't mean to say that out loud, but who am I kidding? It's not like I won't say something even more ridiculous later. I just want to tell her how beautiful she is, not use profanity or anything. After all, isn't that what women like to hear?
A small, silly smile peaks out at me as she blushes. "Um, I don't think I'm perfect, but thank you for saying that."
"Oh, love, you're the closest thing to perfection I've ever encountered, and there's no arguing about that with me. It's the truth."
She keeps her mouth shut as she looks me over, and my cock swells as her eyes soak me in. I've never been so full of lust in my life. "You look handsome." She blushes and drops her head as she turns quickly and grabs her purse.
The need to take care of her and make her comfortable has me reigning in my libido. "Thank you. Are you ready?"
"Yes. Are you going to tell me where we're going? You've been so hushed about it."
It's true. I only told her what to wear, and we've been texting since we both woke up this morning, but I wouldn't reveal anything. But once we start talking, we can't stop talking to each other, and I love it. I want it to always be like this. It's like I not only found my soulmate, but I found my best friend.
"Nope, it's a secret," I smirk, even though I can tell her now. I didn't want to say anything earlier if I couldn't pull it off. But now that it's happening, I like watching her enjoy needling me because it's adorable as she guesses and tries to get it out of me.
"Just know that we'll be alone, and we won't have to deal with that." I point to the window as we get off the elevator, and the crowd is still as large as ever.
Brina sighs. "Thank you. I appreciate that. I hate feeling like I'm in a fishbowl."
I wince, and her face softens, and she grabs my forearm with her hands, and even though our skin isn't touching, a sizeable electrical charge rushes along my arm, and we both stiffen as we react to the chemistry between us.
I recover before her. "I'm so sorry, about all this, but I'll never be sorry about pursuing you the best way I knew how at the time." I gaze into her eyes, hoping she believes me.
Brina nods and smiles. "Apology accepted."
Feeling ten feet tall, I put my hand on her lower back, and those charges are zapping along my fingers and palm. "Ready?"
Laughing, she shakes her head. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Opening the door, I try to use my massive body to protect her from as many pictures as I can, but the street is overflowing with people, and I can't help but think how much more ridiculous this is than at a game. Brina's safety has me stressing out as I think about hiring a security detail for her because there are way too many people, and she lives alone. I don't want her alone at any time if I can help it.
I get her into the passenger side, and she keeps her head down as I ensure she gets buckled in. I work through the crowd to the driver's side and slowly and angrily pull out, hoping I don't hit anybody, but I can't help but think it would be their damn fault.
The drive is a comfortable silence as we sit and take in the quiet moment together. For me, being in the same vicinity as her is a relief. I don't need to talk, and she doesn't need to talk. Just having her next to me satisfies me and settles me in a way nothing has ever done before. I always thought hockey would always be my biggest love in my life, and I can't believe how wrong I am.
Brina snaps her head toward me with the cutest, most confused look on her face. "The arena? Our date is at the arena?"
I smile, park in the player's parking, and give a chin lift at the security guards as I step out of the car and open Brina's. "Come on, love."
I grab her hand, lead her to the player's entrance, and head toward the rink. I nervously smile as she gasps at the sight before her. On one side of the rink is a red carpet with a table and two chairs. Rose petals line the carpet and the ice around the table, as food trays and the covers are placed, and a bucket with champagne. The lights are dim, and the faux tealight candles are placed around the ice lit up. Soft music plays in the background.
"The morning has been hectic trying to get all this set up." I smile as Brina takes everything in.
"Are those calla lilies?"
I nod. I learned from her social media page they're her favorite flower, so I had the place decked out with calla lilies everywhere. I bought out every flower shop in Denver .
"And is that Romano's?" She points at the food I had special ordered from her favorite restaurant, which has all her favorite dishes, which she gushes about.
"I wanted tonight to be perfect for you. With me being an idiot, we can't go anywhere now without privacy, so I thought this was the perfect place for our first date. It's where we met. It's where I knew my life was going to change forever."
She gasps and looks over her shoulder at me. Her emotions are all over her face. Her eyes are wet, and I worry I did something wrong.
"Oh, baby. Did I do something wrong? Shit, I fucked up, didn't I. We don't have to stay here. We can go somewhere else if you want."
Damn, how could I have been such an idiot? Jilly and Doc said this is romantic and sweet, but they're not Brina.
I frown when Brina grabs my hand and pulls me over to a row of seats. She steps up a couple of steps and then turns around. I bunch my eyebrows together, trying to figure out what she's doing.
Brina smiles. "Thank you. This is the most romantic, sweetest, most awesome thing to have ever happened to me. I can't believe it. Thank you." She leans over, and now I get it. We're closer in height now, and her silky, soft lips brush against mine.
I wrap her in my arms and take over the kiss. I try to make it soft and sweet, but now I have her taste. Her taste makes me desperate, and I need as much of her as possible. Thankfully, she submits to my domination of her mouth, and I can't help but growl. She whimpers.
And I'm gone.
I'm hers. Even if she's never mine, I'll always belong to her.