How Did I Fall for You?

Shoving her shoes into her bag full of dance clothes as she walked towards the bus stop. It was going on ten at night and three days before, her car battery died and her brother said that he was going to take care of it and until then she had to take the bus. Hearing her phone going off, she pulled it out of her bag. Seeing Brayden's name on the screen, she answered the call.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Brayden's voice said coming through. “What are you doing?”

“I just got out of rehearsals and waiting for the bus.”

“Do you want to take the bus?”

“Not really, but until Andrew gets the battery in my car replaced, then I'm stuck taking the bus.”

“How about you turn around?”

Confused, Brynn slowly turned around and smiled when she saw Brayden standing in front of her. Ending the call she walked up to him and let out a loud sigh as he wrapped his arms around her and she did the same the best she could with her bags still in her arms. “Long day?” Brayden asked as he kissed the top of her head.

“More like long week. I'm just so tired and I want my car back and I want to relax right now.”

“I think I can help with that,” Brayden told her taking her dance bag as well as her school book bag leaving her holding nothing but her phone and purse. Leaning down, he captured her lips in a short kiss. “C'mon, I borrowed Kyle's truck.”

“Why did you do that for?” Brynn asked as she felt his fingers lace with hers. “It isn't that big of a deal to take the bus. I've done it before.”

“But now you are dating me and I don't want you to. Not when I can so easily pick you up and either take you home or to the apartment.”

“Brayden...”

“I know, I know,” he smiled pulling her towards Kyle's truck. “But let me spoil you, okay?”

“How long have we been together?” Brynn asked as he stopped in front of the truck that belonged to his teammate Kyle Clifford.

“If you count the first time we had sex, two and a half months,” Brayden smirked. “But it you are talking about you finally admitting that you might have misjudged me and decided to give us a chance then about a month.”

“I didn't misjudge you,” Brynn said as she tossed her purse to the floor of the passenger's seat before turning back to look into his eyes. “What?”

Leaning down, Brayden's lips touched Brynn's in a soft and gentle kiss. As he moved to pull away, Brynn wrapped her arms around him to keep him right there. What she felt when standing there kissing him was nothing like she had felt before. As soon as air became necessary, they broke the kiss, but she didn't drop her arms from around him. Leaning back up, she placed a quick kiss onto his lips before she finally dropped her arms and turned to get inside the truck. Shutting the back door of the truck where he had placed her stuff, he slammed it closed before letting Brynn close her door and making his way to the other side where he got in so that they could go.

“Where am I taking you?” Brayden asked as he pulled out onto the street. When he didn't get a response, he took a glance over at Brynn only to find her fast asleep. “And of course you fall asleep the moment I get onto the road. Alright, since you can't answer, I'm just taking you back to my place.”

As soon as he pulled up into the parking spot that Kyle normally parked in, Brayden saw that Kyle was seeing his friends off. Getting out of the truck, he called him over. “Where is ballerina Brynn?” he smirked.

“Sleeping. Can you grab her book and dance bag so I can get her upstairs?” Brayden asked as he opened the door where Brynn was still fast asleep. Unbuckling her seat belt, Brayden picked up her purse and put it on her lap before picking her up bridal style and heading for the apartment.

Kyle smirked at them as he opened the back door and picked up the book bag and the second bag that he assumed had Brynn's dancing stuff before shutting both doors to his truck. Walking inside Drew Doughty was still sitting on the couch with the video game controller in his hands. Closing the door with his foot, Kyle walked towards Brayden's room where he walked inside and placed the bags by the foot of the bed so Brayden could move to where he wanted them later.

“Keys?”

Digging the keys out of his pocket, Brayden tossed the keys to Kyle and watched him leave his room. Surprisingly there was no comment made about Brynn already sleeping. He really liked Brynn and Kyle knew it, hell the whole damn team knew it. But she was not the typical hockey girlfriend and that was something new to Brayden, but it was something he loved. Knowing that Luke would be in town made him a little nervous, but not about playing against him. If truth be told, he wasn't sure if Brynn was ready to meet anyone in his family just yet. Taking off his shoes, he tossed them by her bag before stripping down to nothing but his boxers and crawling into the bed beside Brynn.

Waking up around two in the morning, Brynn saw Brayden asleep next to her. She knew he would have never gone to her place if she fell asleep on the way home, especially not after her brother let it be known that he didn't approve of their relationship. She knew he was being protective of her, but Brayden was different. They could go a few days without speaking, but then her phone would go off with a text message from him and each and every time it would bring a smile to her face. What she didn't understand was why her brother couldn't see how happy she was with Brayden. Brayden supported her for her dancing and her going to school. Although she hadn't been a hockey fan when she first met him, she was definitely changing her view on that.

“What are you doing awake?”

Turning and looking at Brayden's sleepy face, Brynn smiled. Leaning over she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. “I can't sleep. Why are you awake?”

Brayden wrapped his arms around Brynn as she sat up so that he brought her back down. Brynn rested her head on his bare chest as his hand rested on her butt. “You move too much when you are trying to fall back asleep.”

“Oh,” Brynn smiled before looking at him before leaning down on his chest and placing a feather light kiss on his chest. “Let's go for a walk.”

“Now?”

“What else are you going to do?” Brynn asked.

“Well seeing as it's two in the morning I was thinking sleep.”

“Fine, I'll go by myself.”

Moving to get out of the bed, Brynn suddenly found herself pinned under Brayden's body. “Are you sure there is no chance of me getting you to stay in bed?”

“None.”

After getting out of bed, Brynn found her shoes and put them on before going into the bathroom. When she came back out, Brayden was surprisingly ready to go. He tossed her a hoodie from his closet to put on before they left. After they were dressed and were ready to go, Brayden grabbed his keys and stuffed them into his pocket after locking the apartment door and leaving with Brynn.

To her, she thought that it was a beautiful night and the company was just who she wanted. With one hand laced with Brayden's, she didn't care where their destination was. They had only been walking for about ten minutes when Brayden nudged her to point out the park across the street.

“It's a park.”

“C'mon,” Brayden said pulling her along as they crossed the street. “They have swings.”

Brynn laughed as she saw him lower himself closer to the ground. “What in the world are you doing?”

“Hop on.”

With a grin on her face, Brynn wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her legs. “So, I think the swings look like fun.”

As soon as they were in front of the swings, Brayden let Brynn go and motioned for her to get on. She did so and she looked at him waiting for him to get on the one next to hers, but he didn't. “Aren't you getting on?”

“No, I'm gonna push yours.”

“If that's what you want.”

Brynn laughed as on one of the times when she was coming back for Brayden to push her, she felt his hand slap her ass. “Brayden! That isn't how you are supposed to treat your girlfriend!”

“Is it too soon to have a serious talk?” Brayden asked as he continued to push her on the swing.

“About what?”

“Our relationship,” he said. “I just wanna know if we are both getting what we want out of this relationship.”

“So what kind of question do you have?”

“I've seen how good you are with your nephews, does that mean you want kids someday?” Brayden asked. “Do you want to get married and settle down with the white picket fence and all that stuff?”

Dragging her feet to stop the swing, Brynn got off the swing and looked at Brayden. “Where is this coming from?”

“I know we haven't been together that long, but when we are together and I see that smile on your face it just makes me happy and I want to be the one to keep it there.”

“I think that I do want all that someday, but not today or tomorrow,” Brynn sighed. “I'm not ready to give up my dancing. It just wouldn't be fair.”

“I'm not saying these things have to be decided today,” Brayden told her. “I just want to know that there is a future, for us.”

Walking towards him, Brynn wrapped her arms around his waist. “I wouldn't be here if there wasn't hope for a future.”

“What? At a park at three in the morning?”

“With my boyfriend at a park at three in the morning,” Brynn smiled as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “And him insisting that he carry her the whole way back to his apartment.”

“Insisting, you say?” Brayden smiled at her.

“Yep.” Brynn smiled.

“You're lucky that you are so cute.”

“Brayden...” Brynn said as she looked at him. “I just want you to know that I -”

“That you what?” Brayden asked looking at her.

“That I appreciate you coming to the park and walking with me in the early hours.”

“I like it better when we go swimming late at night at your place,” Brayden smirked as he lowered himself so she could hop onto his back as they headed back to his place. “Any plans for tomorrow?”

“Sleep.”

“That's funny,” Brayden said. “Those were mine to. I hope you know that clothing is optional.”

“Brayden!” Brynn laughed into his back. “When did you become such a horny bastard?”

“This is nothing,” he laughed. “Wait till you meet Luke.”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah,” Brayden said. “He's in town this week and I wasn't sure if you were ready to meet him or not. And to be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready to share you with my family.”

“I see.” Brynn said.

“Do you want to meet Luke?”

“I've never met a boyfriend's family before so I'm not sure that I'm ready.”

“Then it can wait and I can keep you to myself,” Brayden smiled. “I like not having to share you.”

“I bet you do.”