#bsabres

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted this.” Jeff murmured between kisses. He was certainly right about that because until half an hour ago he’d given you no other sign that this was something he’d wanted. 

Sensing your hesitation, Jeff pulled back, his eyes full of concern. 

“I’m gonna need you to talk to me…” Letting go of your hand he swallowed hard. “If this isn’t something you want, that’s okay. I just…I thought we were on the same page.” 

Tears pricked your eyes, causing you to wipe at them frantically. 

“Of course it’s something I want.” You snapped softly. “But how was I supposed to know that you wanted it?” 

Jeff started to open his mouth but you shook your head causing him to pause. 

“You kissed me in Pittsburgh and then never brought it up again. I assumed it was a mistake.” You started ranting. “And sure you said you’d like to fuck me but I’ve known more than my fair share of men who sure would love to enjoy my body so long as it doesn’t come with any of the baggage of a relationship.” 

Pausing to swallow the lumps in your throat you sighed. 

“And I’ve gotten nothing but mixed messages since arriving here. You tease but how am I supposed to know what you mean by it unless you tell me?” 

Waiting a breath to see if you were finished, Jeff stepped back toward you before pulling you against his chest, hugging you tightly. 

“I’m sorry.” He murmured against your ear. “I didn’t want to make things awkward with the kiss but I should have made sure you knew it wasn’t a mistake. And yes I want to be with you intimately but not to use you. And I don’t care if that’s something you aren’t ready for, I still want you. You’re my best friend and I want you to be mine because I’ve never felt like this before. We can take things as slow as you want to.” 

Squeezing his side, you nodded and stepped back, moving over to where your coat was hanging. Reaching into the pocket of your jacket, you pulled out the box Jeff had given you earlier and opened it. Carefully pulling the chain from the soft padding you tossed the box aside and returned to Jeff holding the necklace. 

“Put it on for me?” You requested, a bit shy. 

Tingles raced through your body as Jeff took it, spinning you around before carefully latching it behind your neck, his fingers lingering against your skin. 

“Does this mean you want to give this a chance?” He asked. 

“It means you should kiss me and we’ll go from there.” 

Twisting you to face him, Jeff did just that, placing kiss after kiss on your lips filled with everything he was feeling. When your knees started to go weak, Jeff’s arms slid behind your thighs, carrying you over to the couch where he sat, pulling you onto his lap before resuming the kisses. 

Though Jeff never pushed for more than kissing with his hands resting on your hips or at the small of your back, you could feel his body responding under you as your own arousal pooled low in your stomach. 

Unconsciously, your hips pressed down against his and the groan that spilled from his throat only spiked your need further. 

“Baby…you gotta stop.” Jeff mumbled against your lips. “Y/N.” He repeated before lifting you off of him. “Not tonight. Not gonna take advantage of you like that.” Seeing your pout, he groaned but remained firm. 

“Go take a shower baby and then we’ll get some sleep.” 

Though your body wanted more, you knew he was right that you shouldn’t take anything any further tonight. 

Climbing off the couch, you moved to go get some pjs and everything you needed for your shower before slipping into the guest bathroom to get ready for bed. By the time you finished, pausing to look at the new silver chain adorning your neck, Jeff was already waiting in bed. 

This time there was no confusion about it being anything but deliberate and affectionate when he pulled you close, snuggling against you to sleep.

***

When you woke, you found Jeff watching you, causing heat to fan over your cheeks. 

“Will you go on a date with me tonight?” He questioned, voice still scratchy with sleep. 

“I think I can manage that.” You replied, stretching a bit causing Jeff’s eyes to flash at the feeling of you along his body. 

“Good. I’ve got practice in a bit but after that I’m all yours.” 

“Sounds good.” You agreed, kissing Jeff’s jaw before shifting to crawl out of bed despite his protests. 

Taking care of business, you moved out to the kitchen to start on breakfast, smiling to yourself as Jeff pressed up against you upon joining you. Everything about his actions this morning had been slightly more deliberate with him trying to more clearly communicate just how he was feeling. 

You couldn’t deny that since last night you hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the physical aspects of a relationship. After all, you only had today and part of tomorrow left before you had to head home to spend Christmas with your family. And who knew when you’d get to see Jeff next after that. He’d said he didn’t mind waiting but really, hadn’t you both been waiting since Pittsburgh already? The attraction was there and very much mutual and you weren’t sure you wanted to wait for some uncertain future date to take that step. You couldn’t imagine going home not knowing what it felt like to be with him fully. 

You were grateful he’d stopped things last night but having slept on it, you knew what you wanted now. Though you certainly hadn’t brought anything for that kind of activity, a quick google search while Jeff got ready for practice revealed that there was a mall with a Victoria’s secret not too far away. 

It definitely wasn’t someplace you shopped for everyday wear but you were confident you could find something to wear under whatever you picked for your date later to surprise Jeff with when you came home. 

Once he had left promising to be back in a couple hours, you moved to get dressed yourself and head out to find something to suit your needs. 

It didn’t take too long to get to the mall and after looking around the store for a while you finally picked out a push up teddy that made you feel confident and desirable. Quickly heading back to Jeff’s you hid it amongst your things and moved to curl up on the couch excitement starting to rise. 

With Jeff still gone around lunch time you made good use of the leftovers from your first night here knowing that they were going bad otherwise. 

To your surprise, when Jeff returned around two o’clock he had a mischievous look on his face. 

“How do you feel about starting our date early?” He questioned. 

“I mean I need to get ready but sure.” You replied. Laughing a bit as Jeff waved for you to get on with it already, you moved to grab the lingerie and clothes before heading into the bathroom to change and do your hair and makeup. By the time you were done you felt hot and after cleaning up you met Jeff back in the living room his eyes going wide. 

“Wow…” He murmured, pressing his palms against his jeans. “You look...incredible.” 

“So do you.” You replied glad that he was just dressed semi casually signaling that this wasn’t going to be too crazy of a date. 

“You might want to wear your boots.” Jeff suggested as you headed over to get shoes on. Nodding, you pulled on your boots and reached for your coat assuming that if you needed boots you would certainly need it as well. 

As you took the elevator down, Jeff asked if you’d be okay walking since it wasn’t too far. Having no problem with that, you let Jeff lead you out the lobby into the cold snowy Buffalo streets. It was only a moment before Jeff slipped his gloved hand into your own and you smiled squeezing gently. 

“So I’d ask where we were going…” You started. “But I have a feeling you won’t tell me.” 

“Wonder what makes you think that.” Jeff teased, though the glimmer in his eye as he looked down at you revealed that you absolutely weren’t wrong. 

There was no hurry to your pace as you walked through the Buffalo streets. As you did, Jeff pointed out little tidbits about the places you passed and told stories from his time here. 

Though it was only approaching four in the afternoon, the sun was already starting to set and you knew it wasn’t long before it would get dark. And while you weren’t in the most built up part of town, you felt safe pressed up against Jeff’s side. Nearing a casino, you half wondered if there was a restaurant or something inside that he was taking you to, but Jeff showed no signs of stopping as you passed by it, crossing the street once more before turning left. 

Suddenly Christmas music filled your ears and the smell of all sorts of good things filled your nose. After a moment, Jeff guided you through an archway on your right and you instantly felt like you’d been transported into a Hallmark movie. 

String lights were strung over the entire outdoor courtyard and pathway and little wooden chalets with vendors of all sorts surrounded you. It was absolutely breathtaking and screamed Christmas. 

“I was thinking we could walk around, do some browsing, get something to eat…” Jeff murmured nervously. “But if you don’t like it we can go somewhere else.” 

Though you’d been friends for months, it was clear that Jeff wanted to impress you on your first date. 

“Jeff…” You murmured. “This is perfect.” 

Seeing him smile, those dimples you adore so much out in full force, you couldn’t help but press up to kiss him softly. This truly was the perfect first date and showed just how well he knew you already. 

Tucked against Jeff’s side as the two of you walked around the market, you truly couldn’t have been happier. He’d bought each of you a cup of warm mulled wine which helped fight off the chill as it continued to lightly snow. You’d gotten both dinner and dessert (and a second and third dessert) from some of the many food trucks scattered around. 

While browsing some of the other vendors you picked up a few small things to take home to your family. Jeff did as well and you finally got the nerve to ask him about Toronto. 

“So your family was at the game the other night…” You prompted softly. 

“They were.” He agreed, squeezing your hand which was once again wrapped in his. 

“A game you invited me to come to…” You added. 

“I didn’t fully think that through.” Jeff admitted, quickly resuming his words so that you wouldn’t get the wrong idea. “I wanted my family to meet the girl I adore while she was visiting but I should have communicated a lot of things better before putting that into motion.” Breathing deeply, he sent you a nervous smile. “But as long as I don’t fuck this up there will be plenty of other chances for that.” 

“You really want them to meet me?” You whispered, insecurities filling your voice. 

“Yes I really want them to meet you.” Jeff declared fervently. “You may not know it but I can’t shut up about you.” Your stomach swooped at his words and it was no longer just the second cup of mulled wine making you warm. If it weren’t for the numerous children around you probably would have kissed him deeply. 

Instead you simply murmured ‘okay then’ before resuming walking through the vendor stalls, looking at what each had before moving to the next. Having walked the whole market, the two of you headed back to the small stage, listening to the music for a few minutes. The snow had started to pick up and Jeff squeezed your hand after shifting the bags he’d insisted on carrying. 

“Should we head back before the weather gets worse?” He questioned and when you nodded he worked to guide the two of you through the small crowd back onto the street to head back to his apartment. As you approached his building he slowed his pace a little, almost like he wasn’t ready for it all to end. 

“Did you have a good time?” He asked. “I know it wasn’t really a typical date but…” 

“I’m pretty sure it’s impossible not to have a good time with you.” You insisted, cutting him off. “The weather might be cold but I’ve never had a date as perfect as this one has been. The only thing that could make it more perfect is if you turn on that gas fireplace of yours when we get back.” As you spoke your voice shifted from serious to teasing, causing Jeff to giggle. 

“I think I can manage that.” He agreed, his pace picking up again as he dragged you down the street to his apartment building. 

Once inside, coats and boots were shed in the entryway and Jeff immediately moved to turn the fireplace on so it would pump out some additional heat. 

Following after him, you wrapped your arms around his waist from behind, hugging him close. 

“Movie?” You suggested, knowing that as much as you may have wanted to, you couldn’t just jump him as soon as you walked in the door. Jeff nodded and once you had let go of him he reached for the remote to turn the tv on. Though he moved to hand the remote to you, you told him to pick something while you headed to use the bathroom. 

Returning, you sunk into the couch, smiling at the Christmas movie that was playing. Jeff must have had the same idea because a minute or two later he appeared from down the hall and slid in next to you. After tucking you against his side, he pulled a blanket over you both, finally relaxing. 

Though your hand wandering over Jeff’s chest and stomach had initially been accidental, as soon as you felt Jeff shift slightly and realized, it quickly became intentional. You’d seen Jeff shirtless back when you first met and you’d slept pressed against him. Those things paled in comparison to actually being able to touch him. To feel how solid his body was, how his muscles responded to your touch. 

“Baby…” He groaned softly, the sound causing your core to clench with want. “You’re supposed to be watching the movie…” 

“I was…” You defended. “And then I discovered something far more interesting…” 

Pulling your gaze from the television, you looked up at Jeff to find him already looking at you. With your fingers trailing down his covered abdomen once more, you held his gaze showing him the desire you were feeling from your head to your toes. Though his warm brown eyes darkened, Jeff didn’t move a muscle, instead holding you captive under his stare. 

Curious to touch him without clothes in the way, you slid your fingers down to the hem of his shirt before carefully creeping under. The moment your fingertips made contact, his abs twitched at the touch and something snapped causing Jeff to crash his mouth onto yours. 

It was the culmination of every kiss you’d previously shared. Never in your life had you felt this wanted, this loved. 

By the time the kiss was broken for the two of you to breathe, your palm was firmly pressed against Jeff’s stomach and he’d pulled you even closer to his body. 

“I need you to stop me now if you aren’t ready…” He whispered against your lips. 

Though you appreciated the gesture, you couldn’t possibly be more ready. And while you could tell him that, it seemed easier to show him. As much as you didn’t want to stop touching him, it was necessary - at least for a moment - and so you pulled your hand away from him before shifting to perch more upright beside him. In as smooth of a motion as you could manage, you pulled your top off revealing the black lingerie beneath. 

Jeff’s jaw dropped. 

“Fuck…” He groaned, his tongue swiping over his lips as his eyes drunk in your body. 

“That’s the idea.” You teased softly, your hand dropping to rest over the bulge in his pants. 

“Baby…” Jeff hissed, still holding onto a shred of restraint. “I don’t want to take advantage of you. For you to feel like you have to. Are you sure?” 

Leaning forward, you pressed a kiss just below Jeff’s ear before whispering. 

“I can’t imagine going home not knowing what it feels like to be yours. To feel you pressed against me, inside me. I don’t want to wait for who knows how long until we see each other again.” Swallowing back the emotions triggered at the thought of leaving him, you took a deep breath and continued. “So yes I’m sure. I’m sure that I want you to lay me out right here on the floor in front of the fire with your Christmas tree twinkling and bury yourself inside me until all I feel is you. Us. Together.” 

As soon as you’d leaned back enough that Jeff wouldn’t headbutt you, his hands had cradled your jaw and he’d pulled you into a fierce but tender kiss. 

“Mine.” He murmured between kisses, your skin warming all over at the sound of it. 

“Jeff please…” You pleaded. You knew that you should appreciate the foreplay, just making out with Jeff after you had dreamed about it for so long. Yet you couldn’t help the desperation you felt for more…for everything. 

That need caused you to whimper as Jeff merely kissed you again. But then his hands dropped from your face to your ass and he stood in one fluid movement causing you to wrap your legs around his hips. Pressed tightly together, you could feel the insistent firmness of his length right where you wanted it most, causing an obscene moan to spill from your throat as Jeff carefully lowered you to the floor before sitting back on his knees. 

“I want to see all of you…can I?” He questioned, his usually soft voice rough from desire as his fingers slipped to the waist of your pants. All it took was a simple nod before he carefully pulled the pants from your body leaving you stretched out in nothing but the lingerie. 

When Jeff didn’t say or do anything after a long moment, the insecurity started to creep in. What if he didn’t like what he saw? Nervously, you lifted your head to look at him and your heart stopped at the sight that met you. 

There was no judgment, no displeasure on Jeff’s face. Just the biggest smile you’d ever seen, his eyes crinkled with delight and dimples on full display. 

“You’re incredible. Stunning.” He murmured, awestruck. 

Leaning over you, Jeff kissed you softly, mixing between soft tender kisses and playful pecks. 

“Mine.” He stated again, stealing one more kiss before his lips trailed along your jaw and down your throat. 

Tangling a hand in his hair, you sighed as he kissed his way down your body, missing not even an inch of exposed skin. He settled between your thighs, mouth nipping and then soothing the skin of your inner thighs in a way that would surely leave marks while also causing you to squirm against him. 

Gently you tugged at his hair and when he looked up, his eyes were nearly black with pleasure. 

“More.” You begged, aching to be filled, aching for release. 

Pulling away, after surely leaving another bruise on your skin, Jeff sat back and pulled his shirt off over his head. 

Perfection. Strong but soft. 

He was everything you could have wanted and more. Feeling him lay over you, chest to chest, you were certain that you would combust. He kissed you yet again and your hands wandered exploring his skin as he pushed your desire to heights you didn’t even know existed. 

“As much as I adore this bodysuit…” Jeff murmured in your ear. “It’s time for it to go.” 

You couldn’t possibly have agreed more and as Jeff guided the straps off your shoulders you adjusted your weight, letting him pull it down your body and off with ease. 

Laid bare, you watched as Jeff adjusted himself in his pants before he settled over you again, dipping to catch first one nipple and then the other in his mouth. The way he played your body was unlike anything you’d ever felt and a string of moans spilled from your throat as he brought each nipple to full arousal before kissing and sucking his way back down your body. 

“Jeff you don’t….” Your assurance that ‘he didn’t have to’ died in your throat as Jeff dived in, his tongue swiping through your core as he settled between your thighs. Your fingers quickly scrambled for purchase in the fibers of the soft rug and your head twisted, lost in the pleasure of Jeff’s mouth. 

“You taste so good.” He hummed, his fingers toying at your entrance. As he wrapped his lips around your clit he pressed first one and then a second finger inside of you, scissoring them. “Can’t wait to feel you wrapped around me baby.” He cooed. 

“Then get inside me.” You whined. Though his fingers were large, they still weren’t enough to make you feel full. Not in the way you needed. 

“Soon.” He promised before diving back into your slick heat. You couldn’t even describe the things he was doing with his tongue but between that and his fingers curling against the spongy tissue of your g-spot it was only a few minutes before you were screaming his name as your body shook with the force of an orgasm. 

Grinning, Jeff pulled his fingers out, wiping them on his pants as he tongue laved gently across your core, licking you clean. 

Regaining use of your extremities, you reached for Jeff only for him to kiss your head tenderly. 

“If you still want more I need to get a condom baby.” He explained. 

“I’m on birth control.” You insisted, not wanting him to leave for even a moment. 

“We should still use a condom…” He urged, though he made no move to get up. “But I trust you, so if you’re sure…” 

“I am.” You stated firmly. 

“Okay.” Jeff agreed. “Just give me a minute to lose the pants.” He stood up and a moment later his pants and boxer briefs hit the floor and were kicked to the side before he lowered himself back down beside you. 

You’d thought the top half of his body was perfection but it was nothing in comparison to the bottom half. Strong calves, thick thighs, that incredible hockey ass. And then there was his dick. You needed it inside of you more than you needed air. 

“Please…” You begged. 

“Needy.” He smirked, though he shifted to press his weight over you, the length of his body bare against yours for the first time. 

“I’ve been dreaming about it since Pittsburgh.” You admitted. Your words caused a string of curses to fall from Jeff’s lips and he quickly reached between your bodies to line himself up before burying himself inside of you. For a brief moment there was a sharp sting as your body worked to adjust but just as quickly as it started it faded and you were left with that fullness that showed how perfectly you fit together. 

Jeff looked pained from trying to remain still and you kissed him softly, rolling your hips up against his to signal him to move. 

“I’m okay.” You assured him. 

Kissing you deeply, Jeff tested out a few rhythms before finding one that worked best for both of you. Already you could tell that he wasn’t going to last long and you reached a hand between your thighs to help drive you over the edge. With the stimulation to your clit and the feeling of his length slipping inside of you with every thrust both internally and through your fingers, by the time Jeff’s hips stuttered and you felt the warmth of him spilling inside of you, you were already tipping over the edge into your second orgasm. 

When Jeff pulled out, he rolled off of you, onto the rug beside you. His skin was flushed, his hair looked like a bird had made a nest out of it and a sheen of sweat coated his skin. He was still the most attractive man you’d ever seen. 

“You’re a mess.” He murmured, grinning. 

“So are you.” You echoed. 

“My mess though.” He declared, pride filling his voice. 

And though you’d already had two orgasms and knew that he’d need a refractory period of at least a half hour, you couldn’t help but roll over and kiss him, tongue caressing his the way he’d just caressed your body. 

Breaking the kiss a few minutes later, Jeff did make you get up to go pee, his cum dripping down your thigh as you walked. While you did so, Jeff cleaned up the living room and by the time you finished he was waiting in bed where a twenty minute make out session led to another round of spine tingling languid sex. 

After that, Jeff carried you to go pee again and guided you into a warm soothing shower where his hands gently washed every inch of you before dressing you in one of his shirts and guiding you to bed. There, you cuddled against him and quickly fell asleep with his arms around you. 

----

When you awoke the next morning, the soreness from last night’s activities had settled deep in your bones and you winced slightly. There were absolutely no regrets, but it was definitely going to take some time for your body to get used to what sex with Jeff was like. 

The bed beside you was empty but before you could even ponder where Jeff had gone, the door to his room cracked open and he appeared, tray in hand. 

“Good morning baby.” He grinned, his gaze instantly filling you with warmth. “I brought you breakfast.” 

Shifting to sit up, you hissed softly at the movement, waving off Jeff’s look of concern. 

“Just sore.” You assured him. “It had been awhile…” 

His cheeks flushed as he set the tray down over your lap before leaning down to capture your lips in a soft kiss. 

“I’m sorry.” He murmured. 

“I’m not.” You replied, fingers tangling in his hair for a moment. The way that had him grinning into the kiss made your heart flutter and you had the sudden inkling that you were more gone for him than you had realized. 

And yet, this afternoon you were leaving. Jeff had to head to the airport for the final pre-Christmas road trip and when he did, you had planned to get on the road home. And you didn’t know when you’d see him next. 

It all hit you at once and you pulled back from the kiss, desperately trying to keep from crying. 

“Woah…baby…” Jeff murmured, reading the emotions written all over your face. As quickly as he had set the tray down in the first place, he moved it to the side before pulling you into his arms. 

“It’s going to be fine baby.” He consoled. “All star break is in a little over a month and I’ll come see you.” He promised. “It’s not that long…and we can text and facetime whenever you want.” 

Fist clinging to his shirt, you tried to take a few deep breaths. 

“I know.” You whispered. “I knew what I was getting into but it kind of just hit me that we only have a few more hours. I’m sorry, I’m being silly.” 

“Not silly.” He breathed into your ear. “Trust me…I’m dreading leaving to get on that plane.” 

Staying in his arms for a few more minutes, you eventually pulled back, your eyes still damp but feeling more secure knowing that everything you were feeling Jeff was too. You weren’t alone. 

“So what did you bring me?” You hummed, looking over at the tray Jeff had brought, filled with all sorts of good things. 

Shifting the focus to be present in the moment, you pulled Jeff close, the two of you cuddling in bed while feeding each other from the tray he’d brought. When your phone vibrated on the bedside table once you ignored it. When it buzzed repeatedly after that, you looked at Jeff before reaching for it. 

A quick glance at the screen revealed a string of instagram notifications and suddenly Jeff appeared a bit sheepish. 

Opening instagram, you scrolled past a few posts until Jeff’s username appeared on your screen, five little dots underneath the first picture. Taken on its own the first picture didn’t explain why your phone was blowing up as it was just Jeff when he’d gone to sit on Santa’s lap. 

Beneath it was a simple caption of “Santa came early this year…” Hesitating for just a moment you started to swipe through the photos, your heart beating out of your chest as you looked at each. The second was of Jeff staring at you at dinner with his friends as you laughed at something, his affection written all over his face. (How hadn’t you noticed that?) The third was Jeff holding you tightly after the game, his name and number on your back. The fourth…was you clinging to Jeff as he slowly pulled you around the ice at the end of their family skate. And the fifth. Well it wasn’t a photo of the two of you. Rather it was a photo of a letter to Santa penned in Jeff’s messy hand. 

Dear Santa, 

I won’t ask for much this year…after all, there’s just one thing I want. This Christmas please bring me a woman who is smart, funny, compassionate, and beautiful both inside and out. My best friend. Someone who understands the craziness of the life I live but who wants to be a part of it anyway. Wants me anyway. 

Jeff

Dropping your phone to the bed beside you, you looked at Jeff in amazement. That was as public a declaration as one could make. Any doubts you had about Jeff’s interest vanished and you shifted to straddle his lap. 

“Santa did come early this year.” You murmured, hands settling softly on Jeff’s chest. “He came in July when he brought me you.” 

And so you kept your talents to yourself and skated for yourself. And there was nothing better than spending a hot late summer day in the chill of a rink doing what you loved most. Throwing yourself into one of your favorite routines, you had no idea that there was a pair of eyes watching you from near the benches. That was…until your blade caught weird in the ice upon landing a triple axel and you went tumbling down, a curse spilling from your lips and pain radiating up your ankle. 

Before you could try and pull yourself back onto your blades, a pair of sneakered feet entered your field of vision. Trying to catch your breath from having the wind knocked out of you, you looked up to see a handsome dimpled face looking at you with concern. 

“Are you okay?” A gentle but masculine voice asked as the man attached to it squatted down to check on you. Sitting up on the ice, it took a minute to find your voice before you could finally respond. 

“Yeah. I’ll be alright.” You finally murmured. “Not the worst tumble I’ve taken.” 

“You’re really good.” He commented while offering a steady hand to help you to your feet. Hesitating for a moment you took it before wincing as you put pressure on your left ankle. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, seeing the grimace on your face. 

“Thanks.” You whispered shyly in response to the compliment. “Yeah, nothing ice and rest won’t fix.” 

“This might sound crazy but I feel like I should know you.” The man whispered softly as he guided you on one skate back to the bench area and off the ice. 

“Yeah that sounds just a little bit crazy.” You murmured, your sarcasm rising to new heights because of the throbbing in your ankle. A bashful smile flickered across his face and he shrugged not taking offense from your words. “Do you compete?” He inquired, his hands dropping into the pockets of his joggers as you sat on the bench to take your skates off. “Because you really are that good.” 

“Nope.” You mumbled before hissing softly as you dropped your skate to the ground, your ankle slightly red already and likely to swell later. You’d had ankle sprains before that had been far worse than this so you weren’t too worried even if you knew that you were about to be catching up on some movies over the next few days and not moving around too much. 

Sliding off your other skate, you worked to change into sandals before reaching into your bag for a bottle of water and two pain killers. 

“Well…thanks for the help off the ice.” You declared, moving to stand up, most of your weight on your good ankle. “But I should probably get home and take care of this.” 

As you turned to leave, hefting your bag onto your shoulder you heard him call out for you to wait. 

Pausing, you looked back and saw him shifting to lean closer, his hand held out in greeting. 

“I’m Jeff.” He introduced himself. Returning the introduction, you again shifted slightly to leave. 

“Maybe I’ll see you around.” He called and you knew instantly that if that was in fact true then you were about to be in a lot of trouble. 

*****

You had in fact seen Jeff around. You ran into him almost every time you went to the rink once your ankle had healed and you’d even run into him once at the park when you were babysitting your nephew and playing in the first snowfall.

And that was how you found out that Jeff was Jeff Skinner, winger for the Buffalo Sabres. Your nephew hadn’t been able to contain his excitement and had tugged on your winter jacket drawing your attention to Jeff who had been waving at you as he jogged by. Seeing that you were finally looking his way, Jeff stopped and jogged over to you, pulling his headphones from his ears. 

After chatting with your nephew for a few minutes he looked up at you, eyes all soft. 

“What do you think?” He’d asked. 

“Huh?” You’d replied, having not been fully paying attention to their conversation. 

“A suggestion was made that I take you on a date sometime. What do you think?” He repeated, clarifying the line of conversation as his warm breath swirled around you fogging up the air slightly. 

You’d agreed and that was how you were here. Here being a small private outdoor rink with string lights overhead. With light snow coming down it was almost magical. Jeff had insisted on helping you lace up your skates and once you were both ready to go he helped you to your feet before leading you to the rink. 

A contented sigh spilled from your lips as your blades cut through the ice and you smiled up at him glad that he had chosen something you both loved to do for your first date. 

For the next hour you lazily skated around the rink, shock crossing your face when you learned that Jeff too had started out figure skating. Demanding that he prove it, at least as best he could in hockey skates, you moved to prop yourself up on the small half boards. And prove it he did. While it was clear that the skates didn’t lend themselves to that kind of movement and that he was a bit rusty, you could definitely see the foundations of figure skating in the way he moved across the ice. 

Watching him, you found yourself growing extremely fond of him and when he approached, sliding into you smoothly, you allowed his body to slide between your parted knees. 

“What do you say we get some hot chocolate before I take you home?” Jeff murmured, causing you to smile in response. 

“Sounds perfect.” You agreed, reaching out to keep him there as he attempted to skate backward far enough to pull you down from the boards. “First though…” You murmured before leaning forward just a little when he looked back at you to cup his cheek before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He hesitated a moment out of surprise before responding, his mouth slotting against yours in a gentle but firm exploratory kiss. 

Yeah, this was definitely up there as far as first dates go. 

*****

It had been about three months since your first date with Jeff and so far things had been going really well. Of course it was hard dating someone who traveled for a living but those hardships were definitely worth it. 

You’d met a few of his teammates just by chance but Jeff had yet to introduce you to the team and their significant others as a whole or his family, the two of you taking things relatively slow to start out.

But now you were on your way to Hamilton, Ontario for the Sabres outdoor game. Specifically, you were headed up for the family skate the day before the game itself. Though you’d told yourself that everything was going to be fine, you couldn’t help but be nervous knowing that you were going to meet not only the team but also Jeff’s family. 

Finding and parking in the lot you had a pass for, you made your way to the stadium with just a small bag containing your skates over your shoulder. After showing your credentials, you were directed on how to get down to the ice and you made your way there, pausing to take it all in. There was already a significant amount of people on the ice, laughter filling the air. 

Quickly you pulled on your skates before stepping onto the ice. A breeze whipped through but you were dressed warmly even if you weren’t nearly as bundled up as some people were. Carefully skating around, you looked for Jeff, but instead of finding him, he found you. 

“You made it!” He exclaimed, quickly pulling your body into his and kissing you softly in front of all these people. A few whistles and a ‘get it Jeff’ sounded from around you but otherwise no one really seemed to notice. 

Though you were nervous, you let Jeff lead you around, both of you skating with ease, as he introduced you to some of his teammates and then finally his siblings who had made the trip. You couldn’t help but let out a bit of a relieved laugh as his sisters pulled you into hugs murmuring that Jeff had told them so much about you and you smiled watching his nephew toddling around still a little shaky on his skates. 

When one of his sisters needed to use the bathroom, you took Jeff’s baby niece into your arms and smiled at her chubby face while skating lazy circles. After a moment you could hear someone whispering to Jeff but you just ignored it, turning after a few minutes to see a soft look on Jeff’s face. 

“A baby looks good on you.” He mumbled once you had handed her off and he had pulled you back against his body. 

“Hmm, is that right?” You teased just enjoying how welcomed you felt despite your initial worries. You shouldn’t have worried though because being on the ice with Jeff had always extended that feeling that this was where you were supposed to be. 

*****

Though you knew you probably shouldn’t be, you couldn’t help but be a little annoyed with Jeff. This was date night and he knew that and yet you’d gotten the text from him twenty minutes ago that he had gotten caught up in a practice session and asking if you could meet him at the rink to head to dinner from there. 

Walking into the rink you let the cold air swirl around your legs under your knee length dress and you made your way around looking for where Jeff could possibly be located now. Running into him in the hallway with the locker rooms you sighed seeing him still in skates and workout clothes, not the nicer clothes you were expecting he would wear to dinner. 

“I’m so sorry, we ran late. I know you’re probably pissed but can you do me a huge favor and clean up the pucks on the ice while I change?” He requested, bending slightly to peck your lips. 

Glaring at him for a moment, you let your shoulders slump and sighed, turning to head to the ice and telling him that he better hurry his ass up. You loved him, lord did you love him but sometimes he was just too much. Gathering a bag to collect the pucks from the bench, you opened the gate and stepped onto the ice, not used to being out here in street shoes. 

It took you a minute to find your footing but once you did you headed over to the black spots near center ice. Taking only a few steps, you blinked quickly before letting the bag fall out of your hands. You had expected to find just a random collection of pucks sprawled across the ice. What was before you however was something very different. 

‘MARRY ME?’

Hockey pucks spelled out the words and when you turned, Jeff was there in slacks and a dress shirt, bending down onto one knee. His cheeks were slightly flushed and as he spoke your name softly you watched him reach for the puck serving as the dot on the question mark, picking it up and sliding a rotating lid open to reveal your dream engagement ring. 

“Will you?” His soft voice questioned. “This past year of knowing you…I can’t imagine ever spending another year without you by my side. You are my best friend, you are my rock, and you are my favorite skating partner. All I want in life is to skate forever with you by my side. So will you make me the happiest man and be my wife?” 

Though you didn’t realize it at first, you must have been nodding your head because Jeff’s smile grew brilliant and he reached up with a shaky hand to slide the ring onto your left hand before standing up and pulling you against his chest. 

You may be late for your dinner reservation but at the moment you couldn’t honestly care less. 

*****

Scritch, scritch, thump.

You paused waiting for a cry that never came. Instead your brown eyed, curly haired little boy grunted softly as he attempted to push himself back onto his tiny skate covered feet. Jeff stood behind him, there to help if necessary though you both knew your two year old was likely going to be too stubborn to accept it. 

Scritch, scritch, scritch, thump. 

That there had been one more unsteady step this time made you smile and you skated backward just a bit before encouraging your little one to get up and try again. You weren’t sure who had been waiting for this day longer, you or Jeff. 

After a year long engagement and three years of marriage you had finally gotten pregnant with your little boy and you knew that you had both dreamed of the day he would get onto skates for the first time all by himself. 

He’d been on the ice plenty, the two of you often taking him for skates when he was merely an infant all the way through the early toddler years. 

But this morning, your baby boy had woken up and proclaimed that he wanted to skate by himself. 

Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch, thump. 

Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch, thump. 

Slowly but surely he was getting it and when he finally reached your arms you cheered loudly as his squeal echoed through the rink. 

Looking over at Jeff, the pride you were certain was on your own face was on his as well. Growing up, skating had always been an emotional journey for you. But you’d never imagined the journey it would take you on as an adult. It had brought the love of your life to you and now, now you would get to experience the journey it brought to your son. 

Needing a few minutes of privacy, you stepped into the shower and just let the hot water pour over your body, trying vainly not to cry. This was supposed to be a good trip, this was going to be a good trip, you just needed to manage your expectations better. 

By the time you finished your shower, Jeff was gone, having rolled out of bed to go to practice. On the kitchen counter was another note from him with the time he expected to be home and some suggestions of touristy things for you to do today while he was out. 

Pulling on your coat and other warm winter gear after getting dressed, you snapped a picture of the note and headed downstairs, trying to figure out whether it would be easier to walk or drive. Walking was thrown out the window when you stepped outside and realized just how cold it was. Instead, you moved to climb into your car and drive to the sites. 

By early afternoon, you had stopped for a muffin at a quaint local patisserie, visited the Roosevelt Historic Site, and explored Buffalo’s Naval Park and Canalside. Finding another local restaurant to grab some lunch you headed back to Jeff’s apartment to wait for him to come home and figure out what dinner plans were going to be. 

Tired and cold from being so close to Lake Erie most of the morning and the lake effect winds, as soon as you made it back to Jeff’s place you curled up on the couch with some hot chocolate, the throw blanket, and switched the gas fireplace on. Yet no matter how hard you tried, it was hard to get warm. You must have still been visibly shivering when Jeff walked through the door because almost immediately he had sunk onto the couch beside you and lifted you onto his lap, wrapping his arms around you. 

“Where did you go that you’re so cold?” He murmured softly into your ear as his hands rubbed over your back and arms. Despite just coming in from outside himself, Jeff’s body radiated warmth onto your cold skin. 

“Canalside.” You whispered back quietly, teeth chattering a bit as you spoke. Sighing softly, Jeff just continued to hold you in his lap, trying his best to warm you up. 

“Weren’t supposed to freeze on me.” He teased softly when your body finally relaxed as warmth filled you. 

“Not my fault I’m not Canadian and it’s December in Buffalo.” You mumbled back causing Jeff’s laughter to vibrate through you. He nosed at your head but didn’t say anything more, instead just reaching for the remote for the tv as his arm continued to hold you close. 

It wasn’t long before you dozed off and when you awoke it was because Jeff was tracing patterns along your fingers as they rested against his chest. 

“Hey sleeping beauty.” He whispered softly when he realized that you were awake. “Time to start waking up to get ready for dinner.” 

Groaning softly, you shifted to stretch your curled up legs before attempting to stand, all the while rubbing at your eyes.

“How fancy is dinner?” You murmured not sure that you had brought anything super nice for going out. Jeff’s eyes were soft as he looked at you before clearing his throat to speak. 

“Casual. We’re just going to a steakhouse we frequent.” He assured you. Nodding you ran a hand through your hair which was mussed from sleeping on him before retreating to the bedroom to pick out clothes to wear.  Within the hour you were dressed with your hair tamed and makeup done. 

“Wow.” Jeff commented when you came out to slide shoes on, ready to go. Shooting him a smile, you commented that he cleaned up nice too. 

“So who all is coming?” You questioned softly needing to mentally prepare for meeting Jeff’s teammates. 

“Jack of course, Shears and his wife Jordan, Sam, and Linus too I think.” Jeff answered. That wasn’t too big of a group and at least you wouldn’t be the only woman there so that took an element of awkwardness out of it. Still, at the same time, you couldn’t help but be nervous and your expression must have shown it because Jeff stepped close to you tipping your head up to look at him while brushing his thumb across your cheek. 

“They’re going to love you.” He assured you softly. “There’s no need to be nervous. It’s just dinner.” He continued, sliding his hand back down to your waist to pull you into a hug. He didn’t pull back until your body relaxed and only then did he ask if you were ready to head out. 

Ultimately, dinner hadn’t gone nearly as badly as you had worried it would. Though it did leave you feeling like you were missing something. Of course, there were the inside jokes which you expected to be out of the loop on, but more than once one of the guys looked at Jeff a certain way or something they said made his cheeks pinken when there was no real reason for it and you couldn’t figure out why it all made your stomach feel unsteady. 

Jordan was a doll, her and Conor chatting with you about the penguins since her Uncle was their head coach and Conor had previously played for the Pens. She insisted that you meet up with her before the game tomorrow and that she would introduce you to all the other significant others and you could tell that she genuinely didn’t mind making that offer. Given that it was an unfamiliar arena and everything else, that invitation was welcomed and you exchanged numbers to solidify plans tomorrow. You knew that Jeff had gotten you a ticket in the family section and while you weren’t quite sure you fit in there, you were grateful that you would have someone there to guide you through the routine of a Sabres game. 

By the time you piled back into Jeff’s car, you were exhausted from the social interaction and nerves of meeting new people. 

“Told you they’d love you.” Jeff commented as he settled into the driver’s seat. “Did you have fun?” Replying that it had been nice, you leaned against the window looking out at the city lights. 

“Hey...are you okay?” Jeff questioned as he finally pulled into his parking garage, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“Just tired.” You assured him, sending him the best reassuring smile you could muster. “The wine didn’t help.” You teased, because it had been really really good wine Jeff had ordered for you to have with dinner. You felt his eyes on you for a moment before he nodded and shut the car off moving around to help you out before you could even reach for the door handle yourself. 

Things were quiet as you made your way inside and moved to change out of dinner clothes into something more comfortable. Your stomach still swirled but it seemed like Jeff was completely unaware of the tension you felt in the air. Though it was still early, you hugged him goodnight and moved to crawl into bed hoping that if you fell asleep before he joined you, you could keep some distance tonight. 

*****

When you woke up the following morning, Jeff was already gone having left for morning skate before his game that evening. Rolling over in bed, you laid there for a few minutes, the scent of Jeff wafting from his pillow as you pulled it close. 

Chastising yourself as you woke up further, you climbed out of bed and moved to throw on some comfy clothes before settling onto Jeff’s couch to pick out a show to binge for the day. 

That was where Jeff found you when he came home to eat and take his pregame nap. 

“Hey. What’cha watching?” He questioned appearing behind you and ruffling your hair. Shooting back an answer you turned to look at him only to have a gift bag enter your vision instead. 

The bag was dropped into your lap and you just stared at it for a minute before looking back at Jeff. 

“What’s this?” You questioned softly, confusion lacing your voice. 

“Just open it.” Jeff insisted, dimples appearing on his cheeks as he smiled brightly. 

Lifting the tissue paper aside revealed white fabric detailed with blue and shimmers of gold. As you lifted it out you realized that it was one of the sabres 50th anniversary jerseys, Jeff’s name and number emblazoned on the sleeves and back. Though it shouldn’t be a big deal of a gift it felt like one and you swallowed hard. 

“Pretty.” You finally whispered, remembering your conversation with Jeff when they had announced these jerseys and how you’d commented on how nice they were. He had remembered. 

Jeff just beamed and though he continued to speak, none of his words reached your ears over the thrumming of your own heartbeat. When you were six hours or more apart, it had been easy to ignore the confusion of whatever it was that was between the two of you but now...now it’s not so easy and the not knowing was slowly getting under your skin making it hard to breathe. 

“You do like it right?” Jeff asked, drawing you back from inside your head. The expression on his face showed concern and you quickly masked your expression before looking up at him. 

“Of course I do.” You whispered, fingering the soft fabric. “Thank you.” You continued putting all of your sincerity into those two words. Jeff’s grin grew in response and he moved to the kitchen, asking if this or that sounded good for lunch because he was starving. 

Pushing back any uncertainty to the back of your mind, you moved to help Jeff with lunch, asking about morning skate and other idle chatter. After lunch, Jeff retreated for his nap, commenting that you could join him if you wanted. Assuring him that you weren’t really tired right now, you settled back in to watch some more tv and sighed, reminding yourself that Jeff was your best friend and that you didn’t need to make things awkward or complicated because of some mixed signals. 

Being just his best friend was really hard though when he came out of his room after his nap looking sexy in his suit which fit in all the right places. Your mind flashed back to the only other time you’d seen him in a suit in person and how his lips had felt against yours for that brief moment. Shortly after, Jeff headed out, dropping a kiss to your temple as he murmured that he would see you after the game. 

The heat of his lips burned against your skin and you sighed because once again, he was making things hard to read. You should just ask him, but you were scared. You’d never had someone understand you the way Jeff did and you didn’t want to risk losing that based on some assumption that maybe you were just imagining or reading too much into. 

Fixing yourself something to eat, you sent Jordan a message about what time and where she wanted to meet up. By the time you had finished eating she had responded that she would just swing by Jeff’s building to get you since you were close to the arena anyway and that she’d be there around 6pm. Shooting her a thumbs up, you moved to change into some jeans and a long sleeve shirt, pulling the jersey Jeff had given you earlier that day over top of it. Spending just a few minutes fixing up your hair and makeup, you moved to throw on some shoes before flopping onto the couch to wait for Jordan to arrive. 

____

The Keybank Center wasn’t all that different from other arenas you’d been to previously. It wasn’t necessarily filled with the crowds that Pittsburgh brought in night in and night out but in a way that made it a little easier to handle.

When you arrived, Jordan guided you straight to the seating section containing all of the friends and families of the players. It wasn’t overly full yet, but Jordan introduced you to the few people that were there already. Checking to make sure that you were okay, she disappeared for a few minutes before returning, two cans in hand, one of which she handed to you with a smile. 

“You look a little like you need this.” She declared softly, no judgment in her glance. Thanking her softly you popped the can open and took a sip before relaxing as the teams came out onto the ice for pregame skate. After skating a few laps, Jeff looked up in your direction and a beaming smile lit up his face causing you to let out a shaky breath. 

Trying to hide the turmoil you were feeling you pulled your phone out to take a few pictures. 

As more people flooded into your section, Jordan made sure to introduce you to all of them and you did your best to keep on a warm, friendly expression. As people chattered around you, it was easier to relax and so you were a little caught off guard when someone called your name. 

“Is this your first game seeing Jeff in person?” They asked. 

Shaking your head you replied. “No, I surprised him when they were down in Pittsburgh.” Various comments about how sweet that was and the like filled your ears and you sunk further into your chair trying to play down the attention that had been placed on you. Thankfully the subject changed and as you listened to the guy’s significant others talk, you felt even more out of place. You were just a student that Jeff had befriended, this wasn’t someplace you belonged. 

Passing your drink off to Jordan, you murmured that you were going to use the restroom before the game started and if you purposely lingered in the concourse until after the anthem no one had to know. 

Once the game started, it was easy to focus on the action on the ice and not the people around you. The game was chippy and you couldn’t help but bite your nails. 

Midway through the second Jeff took a stick up near the corner of his eye under the visor and you winced when you realized that there was definitely blood. Jordan sent you a soft look as he disappeared down the tunnel for repairs and passed you another can that someone had gone for during the first intermission. 

Thankfully he was back by the start of the third and you watched as he continued to battle. The team came up short and you sighed softly following everyone down toward the locker rooms as the arena cleared out. 

Conor exited the locker room first and he gave you a nod as Jordan asked if you were going to go to Toronto with them the following day. Telling her that you’d get back to her she nodded telling you if not then she’d see you at the team Christmas festivities. Swallowing back a lump at her seeming understanding of everything you wished her and Conor a goodnight. 

Slowly the hallway grew quieter and eventually, Jeff stepped through the door, his smile tired and a bit pained and his temple littered with at least half a dozen stitches. Immediately his arms wrapped around you and he held you tight, neither of you speaking at first. 

“Ready to go home?” He asked quietly, his breath ghosting over your ear. Nodding, you let him lead you to the car and you dozed against the window for the few minutes it took him to get back to his apartment. 

Once inside, you quietly moved to get ready for bed and settled in beside Jeff under the covers. Within minutes he was asleep and you cursed how easily sleep had settled over him. It wasn’t fair. You weren’t sure if he was typically this quiet after a loss or if he was also picking up on the mood you were trying so hard - and likely failing - to hide. If he had picked up on it, he again hadn’t said anything and you bit your lip starting to wonder if this trip had been the biggest mistake. 

As Jeff turned toward you in his sleep, you could see the stitches along his eye looking painful even in the dark. Carefully, you brushed your fingertips over the wound before turning away from Jeff as uncontrollable tears rolled down your face. 

****

Thankfully, Jeff had once again already left before you woke up. This time the note was beside the bed stating for you to let him know if you decided to join the girls in Toronto but again that there was no pressure. Knowing that there was no way you could make it through not just another game but hours in a car with some of the halves without your mask completely falling apart, you texted Jordan and Jeff that you were just going to watch this game from home. 

For a few minutes, you debated whether to try and distract yourself by finding something touristy to do, however, the snow that was starting to fall outside won that debate and you decided just to stay in for the day and catch up on a tv show or something. 

As the clock approached seven, you almost decided not to turn the game on but for some reason, you couldn’t pull yourself to do that. 

You were only half paying attention to the broadcast when a mention of the entire Skinner family being in the building reached your ears. You knew Jeff was from the Toronto area so it was entirely possible, but he hadn’t said anything about it. 

Assuming you had misheard, you pushed those thoughts to the back of your mind just trying to enjoy the game. 

But when you were laying on the couch, the game long over, just playing on your phone you were confronted with the reality that you definitely hadn’t misheard. Because there on Jeff’s Instagram was a photo of him with his entire family. 

Holy. Shit. 

Jeff’s family was at the game. The same game that Jeff had made clear you were also invited to. He had to have known…there was no way he didn’t know that over a dozen members of his family were going to be there. 

Had he thought about you meeting his family? Had that crossed his mind? If so, why the hell hadn’t he said anything? Was he just going to drop that on you? And if he was then what did it mean? That you really were just friends because friends meeting a friend’s family isn’t a big deal? 

There were so many questions you wanted to ask him. So many thoughts that were going to keep you awake tonight. 

Yet you knew that you’d never have the nerve to actually ask. Jeff would get home, you’d hug if you were still up, and then the two of you would go to bed neither acknowledging the things that you both knew. Because now that you’d viewed his story, Jeff had to know that you knew his family had been there. But you doubted that he would say a word about it. 

Swirling snow outside mirrored the swirling emotions in your body and you sighed once again starting to wish that you’d never come to Buffalo. Because you were starting to think you were only going to leave with your heart broken. 

********

Jeff had come home and sent you a tired smile before asking if you were coming to bed. And that was the end of that conversation before it even began. 

The team family skate was this morning and though Jeff had said he didn’t have to go, you knew that he’d regret not doing so. So you’d bundled up in layers and lightly teased that you’d see about him getting you on the ice. 

At the arena, there were kids of all the players and support staff running around and it was chaotic but joyous. You murmured for Jeff to go skate with the kids and though he hesitated for a moment, he headed to do so as you settled into bleachers. Jordan waved at you from the ice, gesturing for you to come out but you shook your head not sure you were ready for the embarrassment of not being able to skate on top of everything else you were struggling to contain. 

The kids were having a good time though and you knew that they enjoyed skating with Jeff, some of the girls goading him into attempting a few figure skating moves. 

The rink was the primary source of entertainment until Santa arrived and then slowly the kids all filtered out to see Santa and tell him any last-minute Christmas requests. Being nearby, you assisted in taking some pictures and helping to pass out some of the small presents the organization had for the kids. 

That was where Jeff had found you and with his cheeks slightly pink he asked if you’d told Santa what you wanted for Christmas yet. Your declaration that you were a little too old for that was met with a pout and an ‘are not’ as Jeff promptly went to go “sit” on Santa’s lap as the kids lingering around laughed and cheered. Playing it up, Jeff whispered in Santa’s ear for a moment before Santa whispered something back. When Jeff stood up, his cheeks were a little pinker and he moved over to you announcing proudly that see you’re never too old to tell Santa what you want for Christmas. Patting his chest, you assured him that you were good and going to get another cup of hot chocolate. 

Jeff did convince you to come out on the ice for just a few minutes after most people had left and you couldn’t help but cling to him, unable to find steady footing. 

By the time you left the rink, you were in desperate need of a nap and so Jeff dropped you off at his place murmuring that he had a couple of errands to run before heading to Jack’s later. 

You slept until Jeff woke you, murmuring a question about whether you were still okay going tonight. You still weren’t sure you belonged at a team party for the guys and their partners but you’d already told Jeff that you would go so you weren’t going to back out on him now. 

Throwing on jeans and a red sweater, you moved to fix your hair and makeup before deciding that you were as ready as you were ever going to be. 

Jack’s place was already full of people by the time Jeff led you in through the door and you were immediately directed to get some food and something to drink. For the next hour, you let Jeff pull through the house to mingle letting him lead the conversation and just adding a few words when it was expected of you. 

Feeling as though you were losing control of those nagging thoughts in your mind again, you excused yourself and stepped outside, not caring that it was freezing and just needing some air. 

It hadn’t even been five minutes when you heard the door open and a blanket was draped over your shoulders as Jeff moved to stand beside you. You could hear him shuffling a little as you looked out at the sky and then suddenly a small wrapped box was sitting on the railing in front of you. 

“What’s this?” You asked softly, glancing between the box and Jeff. “We weren’t doing presents.” 

“Just open it.” Jeff urged quietly, his hand open to take the paper as you tore it off of the box. 

Lifting the lid off the box revealed a small silver heart necklace and your face crinkled with more confusion. 

“It’s pretty but I don’t understand.”  You breathed. 

“It’s my heart,” Jeff said. “I told Santa what I wanted for Christmas and he told me that I could only have it if I offered my heart up first.” His hand rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment before he continued. “I thought I already had…but uh…based on the past few days I guess I hadn’t been clear enough.” 

You weren’t sure if it was the pounding of your heart or his that resounded in your ears loudly. 

“I want to be able to kiss you whenever I want. I want to make love to you whenever you’re ready for that. I want to share my bed with you because I’ve never slept better than when you’re beside me. I want you to wear my name on your back not because you’re just like all the other fans, but because you’re mine. I want you to meet all of my friends and eventually my family too. I want to cuddle you and laugh with you. I want you to be my best friend, but I also want you to be more than that. So I’m giving you my heart so maybe someday you’ll give me yours. You’re all I want for Christmas and I really hope I’m not misreading things.” 

“You want to be more than friends?” The voice that spoke didn’t sound at all like yours even though you were the one moving your mouth. Hockey-honed hands wrapped around your hip holding you in place as Jeff’s body crowded closer. 

“I’m going to kiss you now.” He murmured as his lips crashed onto yours. 

It was nothing at all like the kiss in the tunnels of PPG Paints Arena. That had been short and sudden, barely a tease. This was…deep, consuming, lingering. The way Jeff’s lips covered yours as his body kept you close was far more than you ever knew a kiss could be. And yet you couldn’t get enough. You kissed until both of you were out of breath and then you kissed again, so many emotions ebbing and flowing between you washing the tension away in waves. 

When Jeff pulled back it was only to tug you inside, staying only long enough to grab your coats before he was guiding you out the front door.