I'm Addicted to the Thrill

I walked back into the apartment with the jacket Patrick had given me still wrapped around my shoulders. He had said that he was sorry for getting me so wet, but I laughed at him when he said anything about it. I dropped my bag on the ground in the entry way and just stepped out my shoes with him standing behind me. Apparently, as I stopped, he didn't notice and walked right into me.

"You did that on purpose," I said.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. I could feel myself start to smile more as we stood like that.

"Maybe, maybe not," he laughed. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. He let go of me and walked past me into the living room. I rolled my eyes and made up my mind not to follow him.

I walked through the living room to my room as he sat down on the couch. Patrick turned his head to watch me, and I slammed the door behind me. I wondered if he was going to just follow me there, but I heard him knock at the door. Neither that or the fact that I heard him sigh surprised me.

I pulled the wet clothes off and changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top. It was warmer in those than it had been wearing the wet shirt and dress. My hair was up in its regular ponytail faster than I could say "Blackhawks." It was the only way I could manage to not feel like it was going to be a boring night in to grab a blanket off of the bed. Wrapping up in it, I opened the door and looked at Patrick.

He stared at me, and I pushed my way past him. I plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote as Patrick took a seat next to me. He pulled me into his lap and took the remote out of my hands.

"I'm not watching some chick flick," he smirked. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I didn't want to watch a chick flick. I wanted to see if there was any news on," I lied. Secretly, I was more interested in seeing what was on Adult Swim at the moment.

He changed the channel to the local news. I huffed as he kissed my shoulder. Patrick tickled me, and I fell off his lap on the ground in surprise. He laughed on the couch at my reaction as I sat on the ground trying to decide whether or not to stay there or leave him there alone. He got off the couch and sat next to me. I crossed my arms and refused to scoot over when he pat the empty space between us.

"Are you ever not stubborn?" he asked. I shrugged. "You are such a pain, Dani."

I rolled my eyes at that and got up. I laid out on the couch before he moved from the ground and grabbed the remote changing the channel to Lifetime just to mess with him. He groaned and looked up at me. I made a face at him then flipped through the channels looking for Cartoon Network.

"That's acceptable," he said as I found the channel I was looking for. I grinned and pulled my knees in to give him space on the couch.

As he sat down, I got up. This was going to become a game where I had the upper hand. Patrick got up, and I ran for my room and closed the door as I got in there. I hid on the side of the bed away from the bed and waited for him to come in, but he didn't.

I sighed and got into bed. It wasn't much fun if he didn't come looking for me. I waited for thirty minutes before finally falling asleep. He didn't show up, and I guessed that it was his loss. Patrick didn't have to come searching for me or even join me in my room.

-x-

I woke up the next morning with a note on the nightstand. I looked at it surprised and wondered what he could have possibly written to me. My hand went straight to my ponytail. It seemed like that would be my hairstyle for the day since I hadn't been smart enough to take the ponytail out before going to bed. Oh well.

"Dani,
You were still asleep when I had to leave. I used your phone to ask Christine to take you to work. We kinda left your car at your apartment. I'll see you later.
Patrick.
P.S. Cuddling last night was rather nice."

That was true. We had taken Patrick's car to his place that few days ago, and I didn't have anyway to get to work since he'd likely be asleep for his pregame nap.

Then I read what else he had to say at the end of his little note. I turned over and looked at the other half of the bed. It was all messy as though someone had been sleeping there last night. I felt my face heating as I realized that he did end up coming in last night. I wished that I had at least stayed awake for that. It was just another time I fell asleep before he had joined me in bed.

-x-

Christine knocked on the door. I had gone through the texts and saw that he told her exactly where to pick me up and what room he was in. She grinned at me and came in as I opened the door.

"Having fun with your new roommate?" asked my friend. She hugged me and walked around. I had the mind to do the same thing with the fact that he was asleep.

"I love it here. He doesn't expect me to gossip with him about people I don't even know," I laughed.

"Good for you," she smiled. She walked back out, and I followed her. Christine seemed to be genuinely happy for me despite the fact that her relationship suggestion had fallen through, but I had to thank her for the fact that it probably led to the best thing that had happened to me while in Chicago aside from meeting her, Niki, and Madi.

-x-

At work, Anna had asked me about what I was doing lately. I told her that I was staying at Patrick's for the time being. She seemed shocked by that and then proceeded to ignore me as much as possible. I walked around down in the media lounge and looked at all of the seats that would be filled after the game.

With the boys playing Edmonton, I was waiting for the game to just end. As it went to overtime at a tied score of two, I was getting more and more tired. I couldn't imagine how Patrick and the boys were all feeling. Madi and Niki pulled me aside as they were in the family area while I wandered around.

"The wedding. I'm thinking about asking Christine to be in the bridal party," said Niki. I grinned and nodded. It would be great for the four of us to all get the chance to hang out. I knew that Madi hadn't really had the opportunity to spend time with us, but I guessed that she and Christine would get along as well as my non-Blackhawk related friend and Niki had gotten along.

"That'd be really nice of you. Any particular reason why?" I asked her. I was glad to be able to say that the three bridesmaids I knew of, myself, Madi, and now Christine, would be a great group.

"She thinks that she and Kris Versteeg would be a cute couple," laughed Madi.

I thought that over. Something about Kris and Christine seemed just perfect. The former Blackhawk had been mentioned to me by Christine on a few occasions. It would be perfect.

"Sounds good to me," I said. I heard the buzzer go off and looked at the television screens.

The Blackhawks had won with a few seconds left in overtime. I cheered as I saw it was Jonathan with the goal and an assist by Patrick. I shook my head and bid my friends farewell. I had to go wait for everyone to come out for their interviews and for the whole night to get over with.

As I stood there, I felt a tap on my shoulder when the interviews were completely over. I grinned and turned around to hug Patrick. He hugged me back, and I saw Jonny standing behind him.

"She's in the family lounge," I told him. "Congrats, by the way."

"Yeah. I know. I just wanted to let you know that we're doing the wedding here in town to keep from making everyone travel. We're going to do a big tropical thing at the end of the season for all of our closest friends," said Jonny.

I nodded as he walked away after letting me know that. I could see them having a tropical wedding it. That was how my night ended. It was just the ending I had hoped for.

Patrick put his arm around me and walked me out to the offices to let me gather my things and check out of work. He kissed me as I came back out of the office.

"So did you like my note?" he asked me. I nodded and kissed him. Maybe there was really something more than all the child I knew of him. He was proving to be more sweet and romantic than I had imagined him being. He was great. Patrick was everything I could have asked for. He was basically mine.