Page 68 of Second-Rate Superstar

The team had gone on the road right after the holiday, so this was our first time seeing each other since that night. Excitement fluttered in my belly as I pulled open the passenger door and slid inside.

The sun had already set on this December day, so Braxton was only illuminated by the interior car lighting, but he was as breathtakingly handsome as ever. And now, he was mine. I still couldn’t believe it—not only that he’d asked, but that I’d said yes.

Even in the dim light, his eyes sparkled when he watched me slip into the car. Reaching over, he grasped my hand, kissing my knuckles softly. My skin tingled where his lips made contact, and I bit my lower lip, fighting hard against the blush rising to my cheeks.

“I missed you.” The smile on his face told me the words were genuine.

Before I could respond, telling him I returned the sentiment, an excited cry came from the backseat, “Da-pota! Hi!”

Turning in my seat to view the little girl behind us, I gave her a wave and a smile. “Hey, Charlie. Are you ready to go skating?”

“Yes!” she screamed, her voice echoing in the tiny confines of the car.

Braxton put the car in drive and pulled out onto the street. I couldn’t help but stare at him in awe. It spoke to the kind of man he was, willing to have a toddler tag along on our first date as an official couple. He loved his family, including his older brother, even if it was painful to walk in his shadow.

Arriving at the rink, I watched, biting back a smile as he struggled to release Charlie from the car seat restraints. He hadn’t been joking when he said he didn’t want to mess with it. I had a feeling it would be a team effort to get her strapped in for the car ride home. I was as inexperienced as he seemed, but two heads were better than one.

I held Charlie’s hand while walking through the parking lot. Braxton had his hands full with a bag of gear. The second we passed through the sliding glass doors, Charlie bolted, trying to run from me, but I was quick enough to grab her around the waist and haul her into my arms.

“Hey!” she protested. “I wanna skate!”

Braxton chuckled. “And how do you think you’re going to do that without skates on your feet?”

Frowning, Charlie peered down at her sneakers. “Oh.”

He tilted his head toward a bench near the glass overlooking the ice. “Let’s head over there, and then I’ll get my two best girls all laced up.” He threw me a wink, and my cheeks flamed.

Would I ever get used to the flirtation? Would the excitement fade with time? Would we fall into a comfortable rhythm at some point and lose all semblance of romance?

Whoa. Slow down. It’s your first date, and you’re worried about keeping the spark alive?

Right. Couldn’t get ahead of myself. Who knew where we’d be a few months from now, let alone a year or more? It was best to enjoy what we had and not take a single second of how he made me feel for granted.

Braxton did my skates first, then Charlie’s. I watched in amazement as his fingers flew nimbly over the laces with practiced ease. It only made sense, considering he’d spent years on the ice, lacing up daily, but I was still transfixed.

Wonder what else he can do with thosefingers?

Jesus, Dakota. There’s a child present. Down, girl.

Peering up at me, Braxton raised an eyebrow. “You okay? You’re breathing funny.”

“Fine.” I stood, getting more stable walking in skates with each session.

Buckling a helmet onto Charlie’s head, we walked together through the glass doors to be met with the chilly air of the rink. My dirty mind had me overheated, so the temperature change was a welcome relief.

Unlatching the heavy door to the ice surface, we formed a chain, Braxton gliding out first, a hand on one of Charlie’s in the middle while I held her other hand from the rear. The second Charlie’s skates touched the ice, she squealed in excitement. Her pure joy was infectious, and I found myself laughing in response.

Braxton caught my eye, smirking, before glancing down at the toddler between us. “Shall we, ladies?”

After the first few strides, Charlie wrenched her hands away, declaring forcefully, “I can do it!”

Instinct demanded I regain my hold—she was only three, and I was barely stable out here at twenty-one—but Braxton shook his head slightly, indicating I should let her go.

Braxton glided backward to give his niece space, and I followed his lead. I held my breath as she took those first wobbly steps, practically stomping on the ice.

She’s safe. She has a helmet. Braxton knows what he’s doing.

Charlie made it all of three feet before she crashed to the ice. I rushed forward to help her up, expecting her cries to echo throughout the space, but Braxton held a hand up, halting me.

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