Effortless

Two weeks later

Dianna Hawkins POV

I ended up working three hours past my shift, the ER was crazy and there had been a huge accident near the South Side and almost everyone involved needed medical attention. Luckily, no one had died, but the one driver was in critical care.

Getting too my apartment seemed to take forever because all I wanted was to get home. I opened the door as quietly as possible, I didn’t want to wake Nora because we both had rehearsal tomorrow and it was going to be a long one and being woken up at two in the morning would not help. I took my coat off and I noticed a pair of men’s sneakers by the door. It would figure that Nora found a cutie to bring home. I tiptoed past her door trying not to bother them and slid my top off as I shut my bedroom door behind me.

I let out small scream from the surprise of a smiling Kris Letang lounging on my bed.

“Hey bebe” he smiled as I tried to slow my heart, “I didn’t mean to startle you, but I figured you would have seen my shoes” his shit eating grin let me know how funny he thought this was.

“Those don’t look like your normal sneakers and I figured that Nora had someone over. Give me a second I need to restart my heart” I responded walking over to the bed where he sat with his feet on the floor. I stepped in between his legs and resting my arms on his shoulders, crossing them at the wrists.

“I should scare you more often if you’re going to take your clothes off for me, “he said dipping his head and kissing where my ribs began. I closed my eyes and let the feeling of his hands on my hips and the small circles he was drawing with his thumbs relax me.

“It was a long night in the ER,” I mumbled out as he laid his head against me. I felt his facial hair move across my skin and I knew he was looking up at me. I opened my eyes and let the warmth of his brown orbs wash over me.

“You want to talk about it?” he asked, tentatively. Kris was never really sure what he should say when I told him I had a rough night at work. The doctor-patient relationship was different in the ER sometimes things got to you and Kris had yet to see me in tears over it.

“No, nothing awful, just long and tiring, “I replied, hooking his thumbs into my scrub bottoms. He got the hint and pulled them down. He scouted back and let me climb onto his lap and lay my head on his shoulder.

“I’m not trying to be rude, and I’m completely happy that you are, but why are you here” I asked into his neck. His big hands were caressing my torso.

“Well, I stopped by at 11:30 when I thought you’d be home cause I wanted to ask you something and Nora said that you weren’t here, but that I could wait for you, so I did” he answered, pushing me up so that he could look at my face.

“What did you want to ask me?” I questioned, sitting all the way up. I kept my eyes on his face, trying to read it. He could have just called or texted me, why drive all the way to my apartment.

“I can’t remember now” his lame answered made my eye brow rise.

“Kris, c’mon, what is it?” I urged.

“It’s nothing, Ballerine, really. You’re tired it’s for another day” he responded leaning up and kissing me on the lips quickly.

I huffed and got up, “Fine, I’m going to go take my make-up off” I said pushing myself off of him and walking towards my bathroom. I was slightly annoyed that he wouldn’t tell me, especially since he came all the way here.

Standing at the mirror and wiping my eyes of mascara I noticed Kris standing in the doorway.

“Getting some tips” I joked.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, petit l'un” he said, shifting his weight. He was nervous.

“You didn’t upset me, just weird that you would come all the way to my apartment to ask me something and then when I’m here you change your mind” I accused, throwing the cotton ball into the garbage can and turning to him.

The Jersey in his hand caught me off guard.

“Dianna, I wanted to know if you’d come to the game on Thursday and wear my number” he said, the shadow of his crooked smile on his face.

I looked at his face, and then to the jersey in his hand. He shifted his weight to the other leg, his nerves continued to plague him.

“Come here” I motioned him forward and he came up to me. On my tip toes I wrapped my arms around his neck. He hooked his hands under my knees and hoisted me up onto the counter. I took his face between my hands and kissed his lips gently, I could feel the tension leave him and he deepened the kiss, slowly. Soon, my bare chest was pressing into the soft cotton of his t-shirt.

I pulled away for a second, “Kris?” I moaned, his hands cupped my breasts as his thumbs caressed my nipples.

“Yes, Sunflower?” he whispered against my jaw. I tried to get my courage up to ask him, but it faltered at the last minute.

“That jersey is a small right?” I felt his smile against my collarbone.
>>>

The night of the game I was pretty excited and I spent way too much time getting ready. I pulled my hair up into a simple pony tail letting my long fringe down. My make-up was more dramatic and I put on a darker lip than I normally would have. My skinny jeans were a darker wash and I wore a pair of black flats. It was my first time actually being in public together and my seat was right next to Vero and C’s so I felt more confident. Yet, this brought many thoughts to my mind,

Were Kris and I together?

Did he want me to be his girlfriend?

Was him inviting me to the game his indirect way of him asking me to be his girlfriend?

These thoughts added to my nerves and when I heard the knock on my door. I pretty much ran to the door. Christina was on the other end. Her dark hair was twisted into a bun and her bangs were held back by two gold head bands. The “C” on her t-shirt was ironic.

“Dianna, baby doll, you look good. Not to dolled up, Kris’s cup isn’t going to fit right” she stated walking into the apartment.

I laughed, and rolled my eyes. C and I had gone out to lunch a few times and spent a little too much in a MAC store; our friendship was blooming.

“You look good too, C. Are you ready? I’m kind of nervous” I confided in her as she took a bottle of water out of my fridge and put it in her purse.

“Nah, this is like my 90th game. I’m taking two water bottles, it’s like 125 bucks for one at CONSOL.” She said grabbing the other one and shoving it in her purse. “Don’t be nervous, love, I know it seems daunting and sometimes after the game when you walk to the cars there usually a lot of fans, with cameras” she rolled her eyes, “but you’ll get used to it. Don’t worry, Sid texted me today telling me how Tanger would not shut up about you coming, so don’t sweat it” she finished.

“Thanks for the pep talk, C” I said, my nerves calming down.

“Hey, don’t mention it. I wish someone had given me one the first day”

>>>
The game was against the Buffalo Sabres and though I knew a little about hockey I definitely didn’t know as much as C and V who were furiously yelling during the second and third period when penalties weren’t called on the other team. I enjoyed the flow of the game more than anything. It reminded me a lot of dancing and now I could see how Kris had fallen in love with it.

The Pens ended up winning and me and the other two girls made our way to the sitting room outside the boy’s locker room.

“I think we are going to go out to a bar tonight, to celebrate the win” Vero, told me leaning forward to look at me. C sat between us digging through her bag, trying to find her phone.

“Oh, I didn’t know we were going out” I said, wishing I had packed another shirt.

“Me either, Marc, just texted me”

“Well, I’m game I guess, I’ll see what Kris says” I replied, looking at my phone, no new messages for me. Perhaps I was getting mixed signals.

“Seriously, those men are a bunch of pussies, what is taking them so long” Christina complained about twenty minutes later.

“You know how they are, the make fun of us all the time saying how long it takes to get ready and we are always waiting a good forty five minutes after each game. “ Vero laughed.

“We are not ladies, C, just cause you wear the pants doesn’t mean all hockey players are women” Max said walking through the entrance, Kris at his heals.

His smile was big and crooked and I couldn’t help but smile back, I felt my ears turning pink.

“You played so well, Kris, congratulations” I said as he hoisted me off the couch.

“Merci, Dianna. Did you have fun? “He asked hands on my shoulders.

“Nope, no fun at all. Hockey is such a boring sport it’s sooo slow” my smile gave me away and he leaned down and pecked me on the lips.

>>>
The bar was actually more like a club and it wasn’t something I was use to at all. I waited for Kris by the door as the valet gave him his ticket.

“You have a nice night, Mr. Letang” the guy said as Kris slipped him a twenty.

He jogged over to me, his tie gone and his baby blue shirt un-buttoned a few times at the top. Vero luckily had a small cardigan in her car and I was able to safely leave my jersey in Kris’s back seat.

“So, Mr. Letang, how do you feel about the game tonight, you feel that you played well” I mimicked a reporter and he tucked me into his side.

“Ugh, please do not call me Mr. Letang. It makes me feel so weird.” He said leaning down and kissing my ear.

I found myself about fifteen minutes later standing in the middle of Vero and Christina as the boys surveyed our height.

“So, wait, you’re how tall Di?” Sid asked leaning forward at the table and scrunching his face.

“I’m 5’2,” I laughed. Apparently these giants weren’t used to seeing us without high heels on.

“Okay, so if you’re 5’2, then Vero you’re like 5’4?” Vero nodded and rolled her eyes at the same time.

“That would mean that, C you’re what three feet tall?” Jordan asked. He and Geno thought this was the funniest thing ever.

“I am not three feet tall! I’m a healthy five feet” she said crossing her arms and huffing.

“Baby girl, no one likes a liar” Sidney smirked at her.

“Fine, I’m 4’11 and HALF” she emphasized the half.

“Christina Maria…” Sid deepened his voice and pretended to be scolding.

‘FINE I’m 4’11, you tall brutes” she stomped towards Sid and sat down next to him. “No one even likes you that much” she glared at him and he smiled and I knew he was holding her hand under the table.

We got our drinks and I couldn’t help but notice Kris was a little more quiet than usual. Even though his arm was resting on the back on my chair, I felt like something was off.

“Vous bien”

You okay?

“Of course, I’ve got a beautiful girl sitting next to me” he smiled, and physically moved my chair closer to him. It hit me that everyone was on the down-low here. Even Marc-Andre and V were sitting as close as possible, but there was no touching. Aside, from the small affection earlier Sid wasn’t even sitting by C and she was tucked nicely between Jordan and Geno, they dwarfed her. However, Sidney’s whole body was turned toward her and she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. I guess this was something I had to get use too. PDA wasn’t something that I was use to per se, but I definitely wasn’t use to Kris not touching me. It seemed when we were together my hand was either in his or his arm was tightly around my waist. I looked around the club, so many people had their phones out, some taking pictures of our table, other furiously texting and looking our way. Then I understood.

“Are you okay, Ballerine?” he questioned back, his smile a little dopy. His drinks were hitting him.

“Of course, I’ve got a beautiful girl sitting next to me” I laughed and he scowled at me.

Kris Letang’s POV

I watched as Dianna and the other two girls headed off towards the dance floor. She begged me to come dance with her, but there was no way that was going to happen with all these people around. She was a dancer and even though I made her skate with me, she could teach me to dance in private.

“So how’re things going with Di?” Max asked finishing off his beer.

“Really good, she’s great” I responded as I watched her laugh and C who was dancing wildly.

“It’s been almost two months now, see it heading anywhere?” Sid said moving to where Vero once sat so he could hear better.

“Yeah, I do, I just hope she is okay with this life-style, you know. It’s a lot of time alone and well you guys know”

“We, do but she has our girls and she has her really good friend, that blonde who is smoking” Max hinted for the 900th time. If we didn’t introduce him to Nora soon, I’m pretty sure he would burst.

“I know, I think we were about to have to “what are we talk last night” but we both chickened out”

“Don’t stress it, man just let it happen” was the advice that seemed to be everyone’s.

We continued to talk about our girls and I kept stealing glances at Dianna. She looked amazing, her body moved to the music so well and she would laugh when Vero couldn’t keep the beat. Vero would punch her in the arm and then they would dance together. I was glad that she got along with the other girls around here. I was worried that she wasn’t going to fit in, but then I remembered, this is Dianna it’s almost impossible not to like her. She’s like sunshine.

“Dude, what the fuck” Max shoved me in the arm hard and pointed to where the girls were.

I looked down and guy about Jordan’s size had come up behind Dianna and was trying to dance with her. His hands on her hips seemed tight as she tried to pull away. He pulled her back, and all I managed was “be back” to the guys as I made my way down the stairs.

I kept my eyes on Dianna as I made my way to her any buzz that I had been feeling was gone. She managed to get free of the creepy guy and turned to tell him something and then he grabbed her hips and pushed his own against hers, grinding up on her. I saw as she tried to push him away. My heart was beating faster than after a penalty kill or a big hit. My hands were shaking as I almost picked up C and moved her out of the way.

I put my hand on the dude’s shoulder, “I got it from here, man, thanks” I said, my voice didn’t sound like my own.

“Fuck off, jackass, I was here first” he replied he pulled Dianna closer and she tried to pull away again. She and I were about to do some serious upper body work out’s this week.

“She’s my girl, let go” the hand on his shoulder shoved a little.

“Sorry, man, chill out” the guy let go of her and Dianna had her arms around my middle before he was even out of sight.

“Are you okay, bebe?” I asked, she nodded and I knew it was time to go.

“What a douche, Di. We’re sorry, we tried to signal that he was coming” Vero yelled over the music.

“It’s okay, V, I think Kris and I are going to head out” she yelled back and I was thankful that she knew what I was thinking.

I got Dianna into my car, and out of the parking lot about ten minutes later.

“I’m sorry, “she whispered into the silent car.

“Why’re you sorry, Dianna? Please don’t be, you don’t have to be. That guy was a asshole” I reassured her. She smiled at me and her hand was still safely in mine, the only time she had let go of it was when I went to get into the driver’s side.

We drove in silence for a couple more minutes.

“I meant what I said, Ballerine.” I quietly said, my heart was beating fast again.

“What?”

“That you’re my girl” I peeked over at her, and a small smile appeared on her face.

“Pull over”

“What’re you talking about?’’

“I said pull over”

I slowed down and pulled over to the side, the streets were pretty much empty-it was almost three in the morning.

I barely had the car in park before she was climbing into my lap. Her legs straddled me and it was surprisingly comfortable. My hands naturally went to her hips and her hands lay gently on my chest.

“I’m your girl?”

“I mean if you want to be, if you don’t want to be that’s fine. Well, it’s not fine, but I can handle it. It’s up to you real” she cut me off.

“Kris, I’m your girl” her hands gripped my shirt to pull me forward, but I beat her too it.

We kissed but it was almost impossible through our smiles.