PARKER

Nothing would be able to wipe the smug smile off of my face as I walk downstairs, hearing my best friends and girlfriend joking with eachother.

Last night was incredible, and it took everything in me to stop from word vomiting my feelings to Dakota. Seeing her laid out bare, trusting me with her whole body was overwhelming.

As if she can sense my presence, her eyes snap up to mine the second I enter the kitchen, and she bounces over to me, wrapping her arms around my torso. I hold her head to my chest, not wanting her to see Brooks air-humping behind her.

"It smells great, love. Thank you," I lightly tug her hair, pulling her head back so I can kiss her.

Connor gags, spitting pancake out. "I had to hear it, don't make me see it too."

I chuckle, pulling Dakota's lips back to mine and shoving my tongue into her mouth while flipping him off with one hand and groping her ass with the other. She only lets me continue for a few moments before pushing my chest.

I look to Connor, "consider it payback for all the bunnies I've had to hear screaming."

He tips his glass of milk in my direction, "well played, Cadell."

"Don't call them bunnies," Dakota chastises, shoving me onto a barstool, "I want to give you your present before you all go to practice."

"What would you prefer we call them?" Connor asks, rolling his eyes.

"Women," she eyes him. "Eat," she points to me.

"Yes, ma'am," I scarf down the tall stack of chocolate chip pancakes she places in front of me with a kiss on the cheek.

When I finish, she puts the boys in charge of the dishes and drags me back upstairs to my room. "Sit," she points at the bed, and I happily oblige, spreading my legs. "You're not getting a blowjob right now, baby," she giggles.

"Oh," I flush, bringing my thighs back together.

She holds out a piece of paper, shifting back and forth on her feet, nerves evident. I unfold it slowly to reveal two tickets for the Hurricanes-Lightning game in North Carolina in a few weeks. Squinting in disbelief, I look closer and realize they're right next to the penalty box.

"Holy fuck, Kota. Are you serious?" My eyes make their way back to hers, wide open.

She moves forward, sitting sideways on my lap and wrapping an arm over my shoulders. "The game is at the beginning of break, so I thought I could maybe come home with you for a few days and we could go together. My plane ticket is refundable if you'd rather I don't."

I have no words, so I kiss her harshly, running my fingers through the hairs that have escaped their clip. "Kota, I'd love it if you came home with me," I keep my forehead against hers as I speak.

"Good because I lied. The ticket isn't refundable," she laughs lightly, kissing me again.

"These are too much though, you could've gotten me nosebleeds and I would have been just as excited" I wave the tickets.

"I've always wanted to sit there, this was the perfect excuse" she shrugs, ending the discussion before it can even begin.

I pause for a second, thinking. "Wait, how did you know when my flight was?"

She blushes, "your mom sent me everything."

Laughing, I nuzzle my head into her neck. "And you refuse to believe she's obsessed with you."

~

Today's practice was weird.

As I drive to pick Dakota up from class, I keep replaying what happened in my head.

"Look who's here," Coach was on the three of us the second we walked in.

"Goodmorning, sir," Connor is the first to greet him, polite as ever.

"I heard you all spent some time in jail yesterday," he smirks, "that calls for ten minutes of suicides. Get dressed and get going."

None of us get the chance to respond as Lincoln walks by, eyes on Coach only, "it's Cadell's birthday, cut them some slack."

Everyone, including staff, knows the four of us have issues, which is why we all stand in silence for a few beats. Connor and I share a confused glance, and Brooks physically takes a step back.

Coach clears his throat, "very well then, consider yourselves lucky." He walks away, trying to hold back a rare smile.

Lincoln turns to us and briefly nods before walking down the hall.

"What the actual fuck just happened?" Brooks voices for all of us.

So, yeah. Lincoln Ricard stood up for us.

Not that it means I'm cool with him. I'm still very far from even being civil.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when the passenger door opens, and my favorite girl slips inside.

"Wait!" I yell at her, holding a hand out. I jump out of the car, rounding the hood, and open her door. "Get out," I unbuckle her and lightly tug her hand until she does, closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing, Park?" She giggles.

I kiss her lightly and then re-open the door for her. She gets in but continues to laugh at me, especially when I buckle her in myself and hand her the Dunkin Donuts cup from the cupholder.

"You're something else, baby," she smiles up at me, eyes bright.

"And you're the most gorgeous girl I've ever seen," I press a kiss to her flaming cheeks and close the door.

"Someone's feeling sweet today," she grabs my hand on the center console, linking our fingers before placing a kiss on my knuckles.

When we hit a stoplight, I look over at her, "I'm trying to butter you up."

Her eyebrows scrunch, "for what?"

"A couple of guys want to take me out tonight, and I'd really love it if you'd come with. Maybe you and Ellie could DD?" I give her my best pouty face.

"Of course, did you really think I'd say no?"

"Nah, baby. You like my big dick too much to turn ever turn me down," I smile smugly.

She gasps, "Parker!"

I shoot her a glance when I pull into her apartment complex, and she stays put when I park, waiting for me to open her door.

"What's up, El?" I greet her when we walk inside, and she bounces off of the couch.

"Presents!" She runs down the hall, I'm assuming to her room.

Dakota lets go of my hand and removes her backpack from my shoulder, placing it on the counter. "She refused to tell me what she got you," she shakes her head, "that means it's bad."

"Have some faith in your best friend," I step closer to her, wrapping my arms around her torso from behind. "And stop stepping away from me, it's my birthday, you're obligated to let me hang all over you."

She pats my forearm, leaning her head back to my chest, "you say that like I don't let you do it every day."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" I'm actually a little worried, I don't want her to be uncomfortable.

"Nah, I like it," she turns her head, placing a kiss on my jaw as Ellie comes back into the room.

A bag is thrust into my arms, and she bounces on her toes, excited. I pull out the tissue paper and hand it to Dakota, who places it all in the trash. My head falls back in laughter the second I get a glimpse at the Costco-sized box of condoms inside.

"That one's more for Kota than you," Ellie explains, "this is a baby-free zone."

Dakota reaches in the bag and pulls out the box, chucking it at her best friend. "Ellie Branson!"

She just laughs, stepping forward to wrap Kota up in an unwanted embrace, "you're welcome, bestie."

There's one more thing in the box, and I grab it, unfolding it to reveal a Carolina Hurricanes hoodie.

"Thanks, El," I hug her quickly. "I'll make good use of your gifts," I wink at my unamused girlfriend who rolls her eyes.

"El, be ready at eight, you're going out with us," is all she says, grabbing my hand and dragging me to her room.

Once she closes the door, I decide to test my luck since it is my birthday after all. "We are gonna use them, right?" I whisper.

"Yes," she mumbles.

"Right now?" My dick starts to harden at the thought.

She pushes me onto her bed, "no. You ruined my vagina between last night and this morning."

"Say that again," I smirk.

"Shut up," she laughs, pushing my shoulder. "I'm taking a shower, by myself!" She adds.

~

I thought I may be wrapped around Kota's finger, but now it's blatantly obvious that I am. Not just to me, but to everyone around us as well.

While she got ready, I put a movie on but ended up watching her the entire time. As she dried her hair, styled it, put on makeup, and got dressed, my eyes never left her frame. Even now, at the bar, I can't stop looking at her. Teammates surround me, talking and laughing, but I'm sitting here with a smile as I watch Brooks twirl her around on the dancefloor.

Every time I try to get up and go to her instead, she brings me back to the table, wanting me to spend more time with the guys since I've been with her all day. They've also been buying me shot after shot, so not only am I lonely but also plastered. Now, there are two of everyone.

"Cadell," Austin, one of our senior players, nudges my arm.

"What?" I slur, breaking out of my trance.

He shakes his head, chuckling. "I was just saying, it's good to see her back out with us, having fun."

My eyebrows furrow, "who?"

"Dakota," he says with a smile like it's obvious. "She used to all the time but stopped for a while. I think everyone with half a brain knows she's out here cause of you."

Brain still foggy, my eyes dart between him and Dakota, who is now being taught how to salsa dance by Miles, one of our sophomore players. "I think she would've come out eventually."

"Not a fucking chance," he tilts a beer in my direction. "Last spring, she wouldn't even come to all our home games. We all missed her like hell, so we're happy to have her back up there."

"It's Connor's last year, of course, she'd be there."

"I don't know, man. I think you've done quite the number on our girl."

Shrugging, I continue to watch her move around, trying to teach a group of drunk-as-hell players to dance.

An hour later, the bar is slowing down and half of the guys have already left. Dakota finally lets me come over to her.

"Hey, baby," I stumble over.

She smiles, wrapping her arms around my torso. "Ready to get going?"

"Take me home," I somewhat smirk, trying to squeeze her waist but accidentally tasing her instead.

She yelps, giggling. "Yeah, I'd say it's time to cut you off."