PARKER

The sound of a puck slamming into the board's booms throughout the empty arena.

"Try harder, you weak little boys!" Brooks taunts Connor and me.

Practice ended twenty minutes ago, but the three of us remain on the ice, attempting to score on Brooks. Normally, this would be easy considering we know his weak spots, however today he's forcing us to spin around ten times before shooting.

"Dude, if I keep going I'm gonna puke all over the ice," Connor breathes out, looking a little green.

"Same here, let's call it."

"Fine, I was getting bored anyway. You both suck ass," Brooks laughs out as he approaches us, leaning against the boards.

After Dakota told me about her and Lincon the other day, I couldn't even bring myself to look at him on the ice today. The last thing she would want is for me to crack his face in half, no matter how tempting it sounds.

"I meant to ask, when did Dakota bring the cookies over yesterday? I never saw her," Connor questions, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"She didn't. I made them," I puff out my chest, feeling proud.

Brooks laughs, "no you didn't, those are Dakota's I know that taste anywhere."

"I'm serious, she showed me how to make them last week while you guys were at that study group."

Their jaws drop, eyes wide, looking at me as if I told them the world was ending.

"She taught you how to make them? Like gave you her recipe and everything?" Connor's gone pale.

"Yeah, why are you two acting like dumbasses right now?"

"I've been trying to convince her to teach me for seven years," he looks confused. "What the fuck did you offer her that could make her give it away?"

"Skating lessons."

The boys look at eachother before breaking out into booming laughter. Brooks almost goes down, grabbing onto Connor as they continue laughing.

"Oh shit. I love those cookies, but man, I would never try and teach her to skate again for them," Brooks barely gets out between breaths.

"She can't be that bad, maybe you were just bad teachers."

The guys give me a look before they continue to laugh, skating off of the ice, and heading towards the locker room while I trail slowly behind.

~

After changing and taking a quick shower, I snagged the passenger seat while Connor drives us back to the hockey house.

"Ellie told me that you and Dakota have been talking," Connor looks at me, a smirk on his face.

I immediately look down, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "Just a little, I wouldn't call it a lot."

Brooks leans forward, shoving his head in between Connor and I's seats, remaining silent.

"I'm not saying it's a problem, trust me. If anything I want it to keep happening," he looks to me, sincerely. "She's had trouble with some guys in the past, and it's made her more reserved when it comes to meeting new people. I've never seen her open herself up to someone so quickly. You're a good guy, Cadell, don't let her regret letting you in."

I don't respond, unsure how to, and continue staring out the window. I made it a point to avoid relationships, only going for hookups while in Wisconsin. I didn't want to make anyone feel like they need to follow me if I get drafted. Now though, I want to be a little selfish when it comes to Dakota.

~

A few hours later, both Brooks and Connor have left for the night to meet up with some of the team on a mission to find some puck bunnies. A year ago, I probably would have joined, but now I see the quiet house as a perfect opportunity to hang out with Dakota again.

Once I finish my last few assignments, I pull out my phone and shoot her a text.

Are you busy right now?

She answers me almost instantly.

Just finishing up a new recipe then I was gonna watch a movie

Bring them over for a taste test? Please?

Hmmmm, I think I need to be convinced

I got a video of Brooks singing 'Style'

I wait for a response, but one never comes through. Ten minutes later I throw my phone down, giving up before someone rings the doorbell repeatedly.

"I'm coming, calm the fuck down," I fling the door open, ready to verbally abuse whoever is on the other side.

To my surprise, it's none other than Dakota, looking seriously disheveled. I take in her messy hair, cropped tank top, leggings, and.... two different slippers? She pushes past me, rushing to the kitchen and throwing down a box of dessert before whipping around to face me.

"I brought you the food, give me the video," her tone scares me a little if I'm being honest.

I run back to the living room and grab my phone, pulling up the video of brooks. She reaches out to me with grabby hands. "Nope, tell me what you brought first."

She opens the container, pulls out a cupcake, and holds it out to me. "Cinnamon roll cupcakes, I've never made them before so go easy on me."

I take the cupcake, dropping my phone into her waiting hand at the same time. I remove the liner as quickly as possible, shoving half of the dessert into my mouth, groaning in delight.

Dakota pays no mind, giggling at the video of Brooks. Her smile right now could light up an entire city.

"This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. I'm forcing him to do karaoke with me at the next party, he can't get out of it by saying he doesn't know her music anymore."

I don't respond, watching as she clicks restart on the video a few more times, realizing I would take a hundred more if it makes her this happy. A few minutes later, she hands the phone back to me.

"So, what do you think?" She asks, nodding her head towards the cupcakes.

"I think you're gonna have to make me a million more," I chuckle.

Dakota smiles triumphantly, "where are Brooks and Connor? I want to give them some too."

"They left for the night, but I'll try my best to save a few for them," I give her an insincere promise.

"You better, Cadell," she gives me evil eyes. "I'll get out of your hair now, I've got a movie waiting at home for me."

"You don't have to leave, watch it here," I hope she can't hear the desperation in my voice.

"I was planning on watching Little Women, I don't think it'd be up your alley."

"Kota, sit on the damn couch," I say playfully.

She giggles before obliging, settling down in the center of the large couch. I grab the remote and a blanket before sitting to her right, draping the blanket over our legs. Dakota takes the remote, quickly pulling up the movie before pressing play. As the movie continues, she keeps moving closer to me until my arm is wrapped around her shoulder and her head resting on my chest.

I stay completely still, not wanting Dakota to think I'm uncomfortable and want her to move. Not long after, I hear soft snores escape her lips. Letting out a light chuckle, I turn off the movie and carefully adjust us so that we're laying down, her body on top of mine.

I stare down at her, studying her features as she sleeps soundly on my chest. Something about her drives me wild, and I hope it doesn't stop anytime soon.

~

A flash of light causes my eyes to snap open.

Brooks stands over me, looking far from guilty as he takes pictures of me on the couch. I question his motives until I feel something shift around on my stomach.

Dakota.

She's still stretched out on top of me, her head buried into my neck, lightly groaning as the light from Brooks' phone wakes her up too. Lifting her head, the look she sends him is deadly, and he raises both hands before backing away slowly.

"Kota, before you punch me just remember without me the team will never win again," his voice is shaky, yet the smile on his face gives away the act.

"I wasn't going to punch you, Brooks, I love you too much," Dakota's voice is sweet, "I'm just taking away your dessert privileges for the time being."

The pained expression on Brooks' face has me dying, and I shove my face into a pillow, trying to muffle the sound.

Dakota wraps her arms tighter around my waist, giving me a quick squeeze before nestling her face back into my neck and letting out a soft sigh.

"I hate to break up the lovefest, but it's nine a.m. and I want to watch game tapes," Brooks says tentatively.

"Oh shit, I have class today," Dakota says, startled, jumping off of me and rushing to find her slippers.

Walking to meet her by the door, I wrap her up in a hug. "I'll see you this weekend," I mumble against her hair, pressing a light kiss on the top of her head before stepping back.

"It's a date," she smirks, throwing my words back at me from the night we met. I can't help but smile like an idiot as I watch her walk to her car.

After she drives off, I turn to see a smug-looking Brooks. "Careful, Cadell. Your soft side is showing," he laughs.

"Shut up you dumbass," I smack the back of his head before rushing up to my room.

______

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Big times coming next week!