Hot Cocoa

Danni Reid just wanted everything to be perfect.

She knew Ryan wouldn’t care but she did and it meant a lot to her that this Christmas, their first that they would actually spend together, be nothing short of perfect. Especially since they had gotten engaged in March.

Everything in her life was going better than she could have ever imagined and she owed it all to one night in April almost three years earlier when she had spied Ryan Nugent Hopkins alone in a restaurant, looking miserable and sad. She had slipped into the booth with him, seamlessly becoming a part of his life and discovering the man she’d fall head over heels in love with.

Love was not at all what she had expected that night but it was what grew between them. She took a job in Edmonton to stay near him, even though they had only known each other a few days at the time. She stayed with him and his then roommate, Justin Schultz, the first few weeks, helping him out after his shoulder surgery. They had spent the summer together, traveling to Philly where her family lived, going to his family home in Burnaby, and finally to Oklahoma City with Justin before returning back to Edmonton.

She had her own place that first year, and Ryan still lived with Justin but they saw each other nearly every day. At their one year anniversary, Ryan asked her to move in with him and at the start of the next season, they got their place together.

The first Christmas they were a couple, Danni had gone home for several days at Christmas. The second Christmas, Ryan had the chance to go home to his folks and Danni encouraged him to take it. This year, Ryan had played away on the twenty third in LA and was due back into Edmonton around one in the morning on Christmas Eve. Danni expected he'd be home by two and it was presently 1:53.

She had spent all day working out the details and setting everything up. She had a fire going in the fireplace and two mugs of steaming hot cocoa waited on a tray, along with chocolate peppermint bark and a plate full of cookies she had spent all day making. Now she was pacing nervously, waiting to hear Ryan’s key click in the lock, signaling his arrival. He had been gone for twelve days and she had been counting down his return since two days before he left.

Danni froze when she heard the lock click in the door. 1:54. She rushed over to the spot she had set in front of the fire and waited.

Ryan stepped through the door, expecting to find darkness and silence but instead heard the crackling of a fire and it's warm glow.

"Danni?" Ryan called out.

"In here," she answered.

Ryan followed the sound of her voice into the living room, dropping his bags in the hallway. He stopped when he walked into the room, rooted to his spot as his mouth fell open.

"Wow, Danni," he breathed. "Wow." Her deep sapphire colored, sheer baby doll exposed all of her to him. A matching thong left nothing to his imagination.

She stood, walking towards him. "I missed you." Ryan swallowed and licked his lips. Danni smirked as she reached him, slipping her hands under his suit jacket to his shoulders and pushing the jacket down his arms. She laid it on the arm of the couch and reached for his tie, unknotting the material and pulling it away, letting it fall to the floor.

Danni took his hand and led him to the spot she had created. She sat and patted the spot next to her and Ryan scrambled down to join her. She passed him a mug of cocoa.

"What is all this for?" Ryan asked.

“I told you,” Danni smiled. “I missed you.”

“You always miss me but I’ve never come home to this before.”

“It’s Christmas. Our first Christmas that we get to spend together, just me and you.”

“When did you get so sentimental?” Ryan teased.

“When you asked me to marry you. It’s exciting, Ry. This is the first Christmas we get to spend together, and we’re engaged. It’s special.”

“It is special,” he agreed. “Now, what did you get me for Christmas?”

Danni held her arms out wide. “Ta-da!” She grinned.

Ryan laughed. “I get you every day.”

“I got you me in lingerie, jerk,” she giggled.

Ryan scooted closer to her and pulled her into his lap. “You look sexy...and dangerous....and like you might kill me with a look but that I would definitely like it.”

"That was the plan," she smiled.

"It's a really great plan," he said lowly as he lowered his mouth to her breast, sucking her through the sheer fabric. Danni rocked against him, her ass pressing into his lap. Ryan was already half hard as she wiggled there, gasps of pleasure spurning him on as he moved to her other breast, circling her nipple through the fabric. She gasped as he tugged it with his teeth.

"Oh, Ryan," she murmured, her fingers running through his hair. She reached between them and quickly moved to unbutton his shirt. She moved off of his lap and reached for his belt, pulling it free.

"Off," Danni breathed out, pointing at his dress pants. Ryan smirked, rising to his feet.

“So right here in the living room then?”

“Yes, right here in the living room. Because sex by the fire is a quintessential bucket list item we haven’t crossed off yet. And next time Justin comes over, we won’t tell him and I’ll make sure he sits somewhere your naked butt touched.”



They woke up after ten the next morning in the floor, Danni curled around Ryan. He had two days off and Danni had planned ahead so they didn’t have to leave their apartment at all during the time if they didn’t want to.

They spent Christmas Eve in the apartment, just the two of them. Danni cooked breakfast for them and they ate in the floor. After, Ryan tossed her over his shoulder and made for the bathroom. He drew a bath and they sat for over an hour, Danni between his legs, leaning back against Ryan as they talked about the road trip and the upcoming stretch of home games and the lessons Danni had planned for her fifth graders in the coming year.

They climbed into bed after the bath and slept until three in the afternoon, having a light lunch after they woke up. They curled up on the couch and watched Christmas movies until seven, when Ryan left for twenty minutes to pick up Chinese food for them. Danni started a fire while he was gone and they ate in front of it once he was back.

They fell into bed shortly after eleven and promptly fell asleep. Danni woke up first on Christmas morning and shook Ryan awake.

"Merry Christmas, Ry," Danni said softly, kissing his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Nuge," Ryan smiled, his eyes still closed.

"Mrs. Nugie," she giggled.

Ryan smiled and cracked open one eye. "Should we open presents?"

"Yes!" Danni jumped out of bed and Ryan groaned as her barely covered backside hurried from the room.

“Can you put clothes on? Please?” Ryan called after her. She bounded back into the room as Ryan stepped out of bed, a pair of plaid pajama pants riding low on his hips.

“Can you please take your clothes off?” Danni returned sweetly. She squealed as Ryan chased her out to the living room, grabbing her around the middle and drawing her to him before settling onto the floor with her across his lap. The t-shirt of his she wore was up around her waist, exposing her Christmas themed bikini briefs.

“Do you like my holiday spirit?” Danni teased him.

“Love them,” Ryan winked with a wolfish grin before kissing her senseless in the living room floor. Danni laughed as Ryan reclined onto his back, settling Danni over top of him. “I love you,” he smiled.

Danni smiled back. “I love you too. Now, where’s my presents?”

Later in the afternoon, Danni was dressed and cooking in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Ryan answered it and soon their home was filled with the voices of his teammates. Justin Schultz appeared in the kitchen and hugged Danni before hopping up on the counter and sticking a finger into a bowl of batter. Danni swatted his hand away and Justin grinned.

“What’s for dinner?” he asked.

“Nothing for you if you don’t keep your hands out of my cake mix.”

“What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the necklace around Danni’s neck.

She reached for it, fingering it lightly with a smile. “Christmas present,” she answered him. The trinity heart necklace was three bands intertwined with one another in three shades of gold. Pink for love, yellow for fidelity, and white for friendship Ryan had explained earlier.

“Because I love you, you’ll always be it for me, and you’re my best friend,” he had told her with a smile as he fastened the necklace on. “Just don’t tell Schultzy; he’ll be jealous.”

Justin leaned closer to inspect it. “Nuge always has to go all out, trying to outdo the rest of us. All I got Jessie was a ring.”

“A ring? Justin, did you?”

He smiled knowingly and hopped down from the counter. “I got you a present,” he said as he walked out of the room, returning moments later with his girlfriend Jessie with him. Danni grabbed for Jessie’s left hand and squealed at the diamond ring on her ring finger.

“Congratulations! I’m so excited for you guys.”

“Thank you,” Jessie replied. “I want you to be my maid of honor. Well, matron of honor really. You and Ryan will definitely beat us down the aisle. I already made Justin promise that this would be a long engagement.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. I don’t know that I ever would’ve come here if you hadn’t talked to me in Oklahoma City. And I definitely would have never survived here without you.” Danni enveloped her in a hug and Justin threw his arms around both women. When they broke apart, he handed Danni a large gift wrapped box.

“You weren't supposed to get me anything,” Danni protested. “We said no presents.”

Justin shrugged. “I lied. Now open it!”

Danni laughed as she pulled the paper off. She shouted with delight as she lifted the lid from the box and pulled out a women’s Oilers jersey, complete with Justin’s familiar number 19 and name on the back. “Thank you, Schultzy,” she said as she hugged him.

“You needed one of these three years ago,” he replied with a smirk.

“What’s going on in here?” Taylor Hall demanded as he walked into the kitchen. Danni smiled as she hugged his girlfriend Roni.

“Justin got me a jersey,” Danni smirked.

“Don’t you have one of Hoppy’s in every color?” Sam Gagner asked as he joined them. The Coyotes were playing the Oilers on the 27th and Sam had come into town ahead of his team to see his old friends.

“I do, but I didn’t have Justin's until now.”

"He should've gotten you one of mine."

"You got me one of for my birthday last year."

“Because I’m the best.”

“Ference is the best; that’s why he’s captain,” Danni teased. Sam frowned and Danni came around to hug him, kissing his cheek. “You’re totally the best in Phoenix, Sam.”

“Better than Hoppy?”

“Of course.”

“Are you just saying that because its Christmas?”

“Of course,” she smirked.



After eating, the friends gathered in the living room, spread around the room with a fire roaring in the fireplace and Christmas music playing softly in the background. Danni handed out mugs of hot cocoa and left out a tray of cookies and cupcakes. She took her place in the floor beside Ryan, kissing his cheek as she settled in close beside him. She smiled as Justin curled an arm around Jessie’s shoulders on the couch, drawing her into his side with a content smile. Taylor and Roni whispered back and forth to each other for a moment before she sat across his lap on the other end of the couch with a quiet giggle and a shared smile between them.

Jordan leaned back against the couch, his girlfriend Eva settled between his legs, her back resting on his chest as he placed a sweet kiss at her temple. Laid out on his back just to her left was Sam, his arms folded under his head, his eyes closed. His girlfriend McKinley sat beside him, her legs folded under her as she ran her fingers through his hair. Sam let out a sigh.

“Thanks for dinner, Danni. I’m officially a fat puppy,” Sam announced seconds later. The others laughed at him.

“Here, have a cupcake,” McKinley told him. He sat up hurriedly and stuffed the treat in his mouth. “There’s always room for dessert,” she smiled.

“That’s later, when we’re home,” he winked. She blushed in response as the boys began teasing them.

Danni wrapped her hand around Ryan’s and smiled up at him when their eyes met. “Merry Christmas, Ry,” she told him softly.

“Merry Christmas,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her. “For the rest of our lives.”

FIN