Tumble and Fall

“Hoppy!” Sam yelled after the game. “Did you bring your girlfriend? Are you bringing her out with us?”

“Yeah, she’s here. Miranda went to get her,” Ryan answered.

“I had Miranda leave her a pass,” Justin said proudly.

“She offered to bring her down since she doesn’t know her way around,” Ryan added.

“Makes sense. Miranda is smart,” Sam said.

“Yes she is,” Ryan chuckled, remembering her advice of the south stairwell.

He turned to leave the room and Taylor fell into step beside him. “Danni’s here?” Taylor asked as they walked out of the locker room.

“Yeah. Can I talk to you real quick?” Taylor shrugged and Ryan stopped and waited for some of the others to pass before continuing. “Danni and I are seeing each other.”

“Okay.”

“And....we’re seeing each other.”

“Yeah, I heard you the first time.”

“Just don’t try any of your games on her. She’s mine.”

“Come on now, Nuge. I wouldn't do that to you. We’re boys. But I mean really, what do you even know about her? You’ve known her for what, two days?”

“Three and I really like her so I would appreciate it if you didn’t flirt with her. We’re together.”

“So she’s like your girlfriend.”

“Not officially but we’re dating. I just broke up with Bre, she broke up with someone a month ago. Look, just, whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

“It’s all good Nuge. She’s yours, I heard you. Loud and clear.”

“Ryan!” They heard Danni’s voice and they both turned at the sound. She walked over and Ryan hugged her, holding her at his side. “Hey, Taylor. Good game.”

“What are you wearing?” Taylor asked.

“A shirt.”

“That is a Flyers shirt.”

“I know. Isn’t it a beauty?”

“Not really.”

“You have bad taste.”

“Are you ready?” Ryan asked. “I don’t want anyone else to see you in that.”

“Mm-hmm. See ya, Hallsy!” Ryan put an arm around her shoulder and led the way down the halls.

“Now that is something I never thought I’d see here.” Danni stopped moving as Jeff Carter stepped out of the visitors locker room. “Richie! You have to see this!”

“Pinch me I must be dreaming,” Danni breathed. Ryan pinched her arm lightly. “Ow!” She slapped his arm.

“You said to pinch you,” he laughed.

“I didn’t mean it literally.”

“What is so urgent that I have to see it right now?” Mike asked as he walked out. Jeff pointed and Mike turned and laughed. “Your girlfriend is a Flyers fan, Ryan?”

“She is and she really likes you,” Ryan answered.

“She has good taste. I’ll forgive her for dating you.” He smiled at Danni and strode closer. “I’m Mike.”

“Danni,” she said, shaking his hand. ”Holy crap you were my favorite Flyer.”

“What about me?” Jeff pouted.

“Second favorite,” Danni answered.

“Who is your favorite now?”

“Oh that’s easy....Hartsy. He was third so he just moved right on up.”

“You’re from Philly?” Mike asked.

“Uh-huh. Could you....could you sign my shirt?” Danni blushed.

Mike smiled. “Sure. Take a picture of us too, Ryan.” Danni smiled and Ryan pulled his phone out. Mike put an arm around her and Ryan snapped the photo.

“Okay, now one with me too,” Jeff said, muscling in on Danni’s other side. Ryan took a second photo and Danni thanked both of them. She floated out to Ryan’s truck and climbed inside.

“I can die happy now,” Danni declared, flipping back and forth between the two pictures Ryan had taken. “So amazing.” She pulled her t-shirt off and traced her finger along Mike’s autograph before laying it in the backseat with Ryan’s jersey.

“Happy?”

“You have no idea. Did you make that happen?”

“Happy accident. Wish I had thought of it though. Imagine the brownie points that would have earned me.”

“I know, right?” She lifted the center console and scooted into the seat beside Ryan, buckling the seat belt across her waist and leaning up to kiss his cheek. “What are the other guys like?”

“Loud.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “They’re going to love you.”

“Don’t leave me by myself?”

“Of course not. But if we get separated, Justin will be there for you too.”

“Got it.”

“When do the guys leave on their road trip?”

“Day after my surgery.”

“Are you scared?”

“About my surgery?” Danni nodded. “A little but I think that’s normal.”

“Probably.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you scared for me?

“A little but I think that’s normal too. You know, because we’re dating or whatever.”

“Danni?”

“That’s me.”

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

She paused for a moment. “Is this because I made out with you?”

Ryan laughed. “Yes, it’s because you made out with me in a stairwell and crossed something else off my bucket list.”

“What else is on your bucket list? I’m assuming sex in your jerseys since you said it and all. Which is fine but not yet. That’s like a fifth date kind of thing and you’ve taken me out once.”

“Twice. I took you to dinner tonight.”

“So three dates to go then. Better start planning,” she teased.

“You never said how your interview was today.”

“They offered me a job.”

“That’s great, Danni.”

“Yep. Now I just have to decide whether I’m going to take it or not.”

“Do I get a vote?”

“Well, you’re my boyfriend so I’m gonna with yes.”

Ryan smiled broadly. He liked the way it sounded when Danni called him her boyfriend. “I’d like it if you moved here.”

“I need to find someplace to live.”

“I’ll have some free time on my hands the next few months. I bet I could help you with that.”

“My parents are going to flip when I tell them I’m moving to Edmonton.”

“They’ll be mad?”

“No. Surprised though.”

“You have family nearby though?”

“My grandparents, some aunts and uncles, cousins. Oh lord!”

“What?”

“I just realized that I come from a long line of Calgary Flames fans. Growing up a Flyers fan was hard enough; now my boyfriend is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers? I am so going to be out of the will now.”

“I’ll win them over, don’t worry.”

“You realize I am talking about a family of die hard Flames fans here. Like they take the battle of Alberta very seriously.”

“We’ll figure it out, I promise. I still have to explain to my family how my girlfriend is a Flyers fan.”

“Just tell them I have brain damage. It would explain that, as well as why I’m dating you.”

“Funny,” he deadpanned. He pulled up to a downtown club and parked his truck. Danni slid over to the driver's door as he stepped out, and Ryan grabbed her around the waist and lifted her down to him.

“I wish I had heels,” Danni said.

“Why?” Ryan asked.

She gestured towards the girls waiting in line as Ryan walked to the entrance past the line. “Do you see what those girls are wearing? I am way underdressed or overdressed as the case may be.”

“You're the only girl I see. And you look gorgeous.”

“Thanks, Ry.” He gripped her hand as he made his way through to where he knew he'd find his teammates upstairs on the clubs private second level.

“Hoppy!” Sam called out. “I was beginning to think you bailed on us,” he said as he walked over. “You must be Danni. I’m Sam.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam,” Danni said. Sam pulled her into a hug. “You’re definitely hot,” he whispered to her. “Taylor did not lie.” Sam tugged Danni away from Ryan and steered her into the group of hockey players. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

“Where did you get a girl from?” one of the guys yelled out to Sam.

“This is Hoppy’s girlfriend. Danni, meet the team,” Sam said.

“What do you mean girlfriend?” the same one yelled back.

“That’s Jonesy; don’t listen to him. He thinks he knows everything,” Sam told her.

“No seriously. I thought Nuge broke up with his girlfriend,” one of the other guys asked.

“He did; this is his new girlfriend,” Sam explained

“Already?”

“Already,” Ryan answered, placing a hand at the small of Danni’s back. She leaned into his touch and he held her around the waist. Danni smiled up at him in thanks and Ryan kissed her in front of everyone. He blushed as the guys began to hoot and holler at them.

“Alright, alright, knock it off,” Sam said. “We don’t want to scare her off yet.” He shook his head. “Sorry, Danni. They don’t know how to act around a pretty girl. I apologize for them.”

“Thanks, Sam.”

“So that’s Devan, Ales, and Magnus. That over there is Ryan Jones, aka Jonesy, you know Justin and Taylor and Jordan...that’s Shawn; he’s the captain. Uh, let’s see...Theo, Corey, Nail....there are a few more around somewhere. You'll meet them eventually.”

“Stop overwhelming her, Sam. Sheesh,” Justin said. “Come on, Danni. You can dance with me. As I'm sure you can imagine, Nuge is awkward as fuck so he will be of no use to you. I however am one hell of a dancer.”

“So awkward,” Danni agreed. She slid her arm through Justin’s. “Lead on.” He grinned and pulled her with him downstairs. Ryan sat talking to some of his teammates but he could see Danni with Justin below them on the dance floor. Jordan and Taylor headed down a short while later, Taylor most certainly to find a conquest for the night. Jordan made a beeline for Justin and Danni and cut in, turning Danni away from Justin. He could see Danni laugh and then dance with Jordan as Justin grabbed the nearest girl and started grinding with her.

“My turn,” Taylor said close to Danni’s ear after her dance with Jordan. He gripped her hip and pushed against her. She turned to face him and Taylor held her close. Danni took a step back from him but he moved with her.

“You know Ryan and I are together, right?”

“He mentioned that.”

“So then what are you doing?”

“No idea what you're talking about. We should get dinner sometime. I can show you around Edmonton, give you the real VIP tour.”

“No thanks.”

“You won't be happy with Ryan.”

“I’m sorry?” She stopped moving and stared at Taylor.

“He won't keep you happy. I can keep you happy.” He let his hand drift, settling on her ass. “Really happy.”

“You need to back the fuck off,” Danni hissed at him. “Learn some manners, have some respect for yourself and your friend.” She pushed him off of her and stalked away from him. Ryan saw the exchange and excused himself, heading downstairs to find Danni. He met her on the stairs.

“Wanna go?” he asked her.

“Yes.”

“Come on; let’s go tell everyone goodbye.” She nodded and he turned to go up the stairs but Danni caught his hand and he stopped, looking back at her. She moved up the stairs until she was on the one above him and smiled at him before leaning into him and kissing him. He moved her back against the wall, pinning her under him. She put a hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss as she tilted her head to him.

“I’m really starting to have a new appreciation for stairwells,” Ryan said when she eased her hold on him.

“Me too.” He tipped her face to his and kissed her again.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked from the top of the stairs.

“Kissing my girl, what does it look like?” Ryan replied. “We’re leaving. Tell everyone we said bye.” He took Danni’s hand and they made their way out and to his truck to make the drive back to his condo. She grabbed her things and followed Ryan inside, heading straight for his bedroom.

“Do you want the bathroom first?” Ryan asked.

Danni nodded. “Thanks.” She dug a few things out of her bag and went into the bathroom, emerging five minutes later in a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top. Ryan kissed her as they passed each other and as he went into the bathroom, Danni settled under the covers of his bed. He came out in a pair of gym shorts and no shirt, taking care to hang his suit in the closet.

“Movie?” Ryan asked her.

“Something funny?” Ryan nodded and looked through his DVDs before settling on one and popping it in. He turned off the light, plunging the room into relative darkness before getting in bed beside Danni. She immediately snuggled in beside him and he welcomed the warmth of her body against his, the tingle on his skin everywhere she touched him. He grabbed the remote and pressed play when the menu screen came up.

“This is 40?” she asked.

“On account of you being a Flyers fan and all,” Ryan replied.

“You’re so thoughtful.”

“You can thank me later."

“I could thank you now.” She sat up, touching his face and running a hand along his jawline. She leaned into his chest and kissed him, wresting control from him without him even knowing he was giving it up to her as she pushed her tongue past his. She dominated his mouth and Ryan wrapped her in his arms. The movie played in the background but they paid it no attention as they made out.

After thirty minutes of kissing, Danni sat back from him and Ryan smiled with a dazed expression. “You’re not at all like other guys,” she mused.

“Is that bad?”

“No, it’s good. Most guys would’ve been trying to get up my shirt, cop a quick feel, maybe sneak a hand into my shorts, see how far he could push his luck. But not you.”

“Should I have done that?”

“Nope. You were perfect, respectful. I really like that,” she admitted. “Jesus I like kissing you.”

Ryan blushed. “I like kissing you too.” He ran a finger across her lips and she smiled. “I like how swollen your lips are, and how flushed your cheeks are.”

“All you.”

He grinned and Danni laid her head on his chest. “We should start the movie over,” she yawned.

“We can watch it tomorrow,” Ryan said, reaching for the remote and turning everything off.

“Okay.” She snuggled against him and his arm wrapped her shoulder as she draped an arm across his chest. “G’night, Ry.

He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter. “Good night, Danni.”