Page 144 of Second-Rate Superstar

I chuckled because she wasn’t wrong. “I know not every love story gets a happy ending. And that ours might end someday. But know that I’d rather have a handful of amazing days with you than close the door now, for fear that it won’t work out.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Closing the gap between us, I pulled her into my arms, content for now to hold her close. I should have known the connection we shared was too strong to be severed so easily.

It was at that moment I knew it would never be broken again. Dakota was my person, and I was hers. My faith in us had been shaken but was finally restored.

I was never letting her go again.

Chapter 34

Braxton

After I was showeredand changed, Dakota and I returned to my hotel room, where we stayed up all night talking.

We had months of catching up to do and were both slightly skittish around the other, so jumping right back into our physical relationship would have been a huge mistake. Honestly, I was happy to take it slow. It wouldn’t be easy to rebuild the trust between us, but I knew it was worth the effort.

Dakota dozed off sometime before dawn, and I nudged her awake half an hour before checkout. She rolled over, mumbling into her pillow something about five more minutes.

Yeah, I’d definitely missed her.

I brushed my lips against her temple. “Babe, I’ve gotta go.”

Sighing, she turned enough to give me a sleepy pout. “Already? I just got you back.”

“I have to go back to Indy with the team. It’s gonna take a few days to tie up loose ends from the season ending.” I smoothed the hair away from her face.

“Are you coming back up here after that? For the summer? I can stay and wait for you.”

Shaking my head, I replied, “Probably not. There’s nothing up here for me. I don’t want to crash Natalie and Jaxon’s summer with the kids, and there’s no way I’m walking into whatever shit storm is waiting for me at my parents’ after losing last night.”

“Where will you go?” Her brows drew down, creating a tiny wrinkle between them.

I shrugged. “Maybe stick around Indy. Maddox, our captain, is recuperating from his ACL tear, and I’ve been staying at his place since the trade.”

“Oh.” Dakota sat up, staring down at the sheets. “I see.”

Tipping her chin up, I searched her eyes. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on our second chance.”

She nodded. “I know.”

Leaning in, I captured her lips in a soft kiss, the first once since we’d reconciled. When I pulled back, she was finally smiling.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t visit each other.” I gave her thigh a squeeze beneath the sheets.

Dakota chewed on her lower lip. “I’m gonna spend a few days up here.”

My eyebrows raised. “You are?”

“Yeah. Natalie invited me to the lake when the Speed lost since they wouldn’t be heading to Indy for Game 7.”

I winced. The wound was still raw.

“You and Natalie have been talking?” I asked, surprised.

Sheepishly, she smiled. “When I couldn’t reach you and found out you’d moved out of Nix’s place, I went to her. She’s the one who told me you were traded. She’s also the one who urged me to sort out my own baggage before coming to you. It was good advice. She’s a smart lady, and her kids are lucky to have her as a mom.”

“Nat’s the best,” I agreed.

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