Counting Stars

No better feeling in the world exists than sleeping in. That’s my first thought when I open my eyes the next morning. A quick glance at my phone shows that it’s almost noon and I don’t even feel guilty about sleeping half of the day away. I sit up and decide to call my mom, “Hey, mom how are you?”

“I’m doing well hun. But I am a little curious as to why you haven’t visited home yet. I mean you’re only two hours away and everyone would love to see you. Even your father though he would never say it.”

“That’s actually why I was calling, I figured I will come home this weekend for Jeremy’s birthday. I’ll be gone next weekend for the premier so this will be my only free weekend for a while.”

“That would be lovely. Now I was on that EOnline and saw that you were out about with that guy…”

Of course she reads that, “Don’t worry about that Liam and I are just friends, our PR people thought it would be a good idea.”

“His name wasn’t Liam dear, it was Sidney Crosby. “

That’s impossible we were so discreet and the bar we went to wasn’t crowded at all, I hear a frantic knock on my door and it sounds like I have a call waiting. “Mom, I love you, but I’m going to have to call you back. I’ll talk to you soon though.”

I hang up and go open my door, unsurprisingly Emma is waiting there iPhone in hand, “Have you checked the internet recently?”

“My mom mentioned something about it. How bad is it?”

“I’m not overly concerned, but David is. He will be calling you later today. I have the article if you want to read it. Don’t worry though it hasn’t been picked up by the tabloids just E! so it should die down quickly.”

I grabbed her phone and skimmed the article:
It seems that Brooklyn Donahue is for lack of a better term, playing the field. Almost three weeks after her what we are now confident in calling a date with Liam Hemsworth Donahue was back on the Pittsburgh scene. But this time with another man! Brooklyn and a friend were spotted at the Penguins hockey game, both looking casual and comfortable. After the game the two were, according to reports escorted down to the locker room to meet up with the players. The blonde bombshell was evidently invited to the game, by none other than their captain Sidney Crosby. The two then proceeded to have a few late night drinks at sports bar, where patrons remember the pair being flirty with one another. The evening came to a close when Sidney walked Brooklyn back to her hotel room and emerged from the lobby only a few minutes later. It seems that Brooklyn really is a lady or Mr. Crosby is just that good. Without question though the plot thickens in Pittsburgh.

At the bottom of the article they included a few pictures from last night. A few high resolution ones from the game and then blurry ones from Sidney and I’s date. “This could be worse, right?”

“Exactly and today’s your day off so I don’t want you to really worry about it,” as soon as she said that her phone started ringing though. “I think this is for you.”

“Hello David, how are you?”

“I’m assuming you’ve seen it? I really wish you would have run this by me before you went off gallivanting of this guy. I’ve been doing research on him all morning and you’re lucky.”

“Oh yeah, why is that?”

“He’s perfect. Good work ethic, good guy, attractive, rich, famous on his own but not more than you. I’ll call his agent and we can work on a contract.”

“This is actually real, we don’t need a contract.”

He pauses, “Well, I would still like to talk to his camp.”

“No, I’m going to call him right now, because I’m pretty sure he is not acting like this is going to end the world like everyone else. It was one date, it might not even warrant a second date, so relax. I know you’re busy with the press tour for Glimpses of Paradise. Goodbye.”

Now I have to call Sidney and tell him that my PR people are freaking out, and try to not appear clingy. We’ve only been on one date and had one kiss, it was a great kiss, but still just one. This is going to be so awkward. Emma left to go pick up lunch so I’m alone in my suite, with a deep breath I call Sidney.

********

“Good practice Gentlemen. Game tomorrow at 3 against Toronto, our plane is leaving later this evening. Have a nice day,” Coach Dan left the locker room and we were all given a second to change before the media came in.

“How was last night?” Fleury quietly asks from beside me.

I smile, “It was fun, and we had a lot more in common than I thought.”

“That’s it?”

“You know I don’t kiss and tell, Fleury.”

“What are you two ladies whispering about over there?” Pascal yells across the locker room and effectively attracts everyone else’s attention.

I look at Fleury beseechingly, “Captain’s hot date last night.”

“Thanks a lot,” I mumble.

“You should have shared more with me mon ami.”

James spoke up, “We’re waiting Sid.”

“Fine, we went to that sports bar on the South Side and had a few beers,” I paused and the guys continued to press me to say more. “I walked her home and we kissed goodnight that was it.”

“Bullshit, you’re hiding something.”

I paused, “She invited me to spend the night.” Catcalls erupted in the locker room and chants for more began. “Now, that’s where I end boys. I’m sure you can use your imagination for the rest.”

They don’t need to know that I didn’t take her up on her offer or that her suggestion really wasn’t with that intention. I smiled as I packed up my gear, the night was great, we didn’t need to have sex even though I would not have said no if she offered. A small media crew enters the locker room; we just had practice today so there’s not much to talk about. I field the usual questions about conditioning and preparation with ease. It was all second nature to me; I could do it without even really thinking about it.

“So, how’s Brooklyn Donahue in bed?” my brain came to a screeching halt with this question and I focused on who asked it. It was a guy who usually writes gossip pieces that stir the pot. He makes up drama where there is none and apparently he has some inside information.

“Excuse me?” Once I said it I realized that I snapped, I sound defensive. Emotion right now is not a good thing. I look for our PR person but she’s over helping someone else.

He continues, “The two of you were seen at a bar alone grabbing drinks and then at her hotel late at night.”

“Brooklyn is a nice girl, we ran into each other at the bar and I recognized her from when she came to a game earlier this season. Nothing else to say.” Once I say that our PR lady dismisses all press from the room.

“I’m sorry about that Sid. I have no idea where that came from. Do I need to look into this?”

I hear my phone and look down at the caller id, “It happens, he’s and asshole. I doubt it, but let me take this call first. If it’s going to become a problem I’ll let you know at the morning skate.”

“Alright, have a good day.”

“You know you’re supposed to wait a few days to call me right?” I can’t keep the smile from my voice when I answer the phone.

She laughs, “I just can’t stay away from you obviously, and you’ve bewitched me with those massive lips of yours.”

“I don’t think that they’re that big.”

“Relax, their perfect. The real reason I was calling though was that there are some pictures from last night and reporters have already started to pick them up. I just wanted to apologize and say that if your agent gets a call from mine talking about a contract or something to ignore it. And I completely understand if you want to call this whole thing off, not that it was a big thing, but it was a thing, I think. Right? And if it was a thing it might affect your life negatively, but who really knows, I’m just sorry and I understand I guess.”

"Are you done, talking crazy?”

“Um, yes?”

I chuckle, “There is nothing to apologize for, people have been taking personal photos of me for years. I understand that you didn’t have anything to do with it and I already knew. Some jerk reporter brought it up this morning.”

“Jesus, I’m sorry.”

“Really, that’s fine. I do have a problem with you though. Why would you assume I want to end this? I don’t know about you, but I had a great time last night and I would love to see you again. I even planned on seeing you again.”

“Really?”

“Really. I was figuring that maybe we could keep it private though. You know not go out in public in less it’s in a group. I have some pretty crazy female fans out there. Also, I don’t think everyone needs to know our business.”

“I think that’s a good idea. Did you have anything in mind?”

“Well, your car is still here, so I could pick up some food and bring it over to the hotel, then we’ll drive back to Consol for your car.”

“That sounds great. There’s a back entrance you can use just in case there are more photographers around.”

“Alright, I’ll see you in thirty.”

**********

As soon as Sidney and I hung up, I rushed back to my bedroom. I needed to get ready immediately. What should I wear though? I’m rummaging through my closet when I hear the door open. “Okay, so I brought back food from that little Mediterranean Place.”

Oh crap I forgot that Emma was bringing back lunch for us, “So, I called Sidney and he’s on his way over and he’s bringing lunch. I’m so sorry, I totally forgot that you were coming over too.”

“No worries, hun I’ll put the food in fridge and you can have it later. So he was fine with all the pictures and the story?”

“He was surprisingly cool with everything. Now, I just need to decide what to wear.”

Emma walks into my closet and immediately pulls out a cute ensemble, “Here, dark jeans with that white quarter sleeved sweater. Your hair looks cute. I figure that you don’t want to look like you tried too hard right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right. Thanks love, I’m going home in the morning so I’ll see you Monday.”

“Have fun, Bridge!” Emma walks out of my apartment and I finish getting ready.

I’m putting the final touches on my makeup when I hear a knock at the door, “Coming!” I walk through the large suite and take a deep breath before opening the door. “Hey Sidney, how are you?”

“Doing great thanks,” he pulls me into a hug. “And yourself?”

I inhale his scent as discreetly as I can, “Better than ever. So what did you bring for us?”

We walk towards the kitchen, “I brought us some Subway. Figured I couldn’t go wrong with sandwiches.”

“Oh my gosh that smells delicious. I’ll grab us some water.” We sit down at the high boy in the kitchen. “How was practice today?”

“It was good, we’re leaving for Toronto later today. We have a game there tomorrow. The guys are a little obsessed with you, ya know?”

I laugh, “I really doubt that, maybe one of them should have asked me out then.”

“So we are all just replaceable is that it? As long as it’s a hockey player?” Sidney had stopped eating and was staring at me intensely.

“No, that’s not what I meant at all I was just joking,” Sidney just went back to eating without answering, and then his shoulders stated shaking. And then I heard the most unmanly laugh I’ve ever heard in my life.

"You should have seen your face,” Sidney was still laughing, that dorky high pitched laugh.

I threw my napkin at him, “God, I thought you were actually pissed at me!”

“I’m sorry, Brooklyn I just couldn’t resist,” we eat in silence for a while. Once we’re finished we have a few things left over. “I’ll go put this stuff in your fridge.” Sidney walks over to the fridge and puts in the leftovers. “Did you already have plans for lunch? There’s a whole meal still in here.”

Shit, I forgot about the food that Emma brought, “Well, yeah but I figured this would be better company. So yes I had two lunches. A bit desperate isn’t it?”

“It’s cute and not desperate,” He pauses. “What’s desperate is when your teammates google the girl you are going to take on a date before a game to mess with you your head.”

“You googled me?”

We were seated on the couch now, “Technically it was my teammates, but yeah.”

“It’s okay I googled you too,” he looks at me in surprise and then laughs that dorky if not signature laugh. His laugh makes me laugh and suddenly neither one of us can stop laughing. I’m out of breath by the time our laughter subsides. We are silent for a moment and I realize how close we have become during our laughing fit. Our faces our near each other and our breathing slows to match one another. I lean towards to Sidney and he does the same, our lips met for the second time. Once again we started slow, but the kiss became more passionate by the moment. Sidney’s hands cradles my face and then slowly slide down my rib cage. Our tongues mingle and his hands tighten around my waist. I gasp as he pulls me closer to him so that I’m straddling his muscular legs.

We pull apart for a moment and I rest my forehead against his, “This is nice.”

Sidney smiles, “Really nice.” And then he starts to kiss down my neck and when he hits my sweet spot I gasp and I can feel his lips curl into a smile. I grab his face in my hands to bring his lips back to mine and I grind myself down onto his lap. He groans into my mouth and his hand slides down to grab my ass and I moan. “If we don’t stop soon, I’m not going to want to stop.”

I sigh and lean back, “Good point, and you have a plane to catch right?”

“I do and I need to pack still,” his hands fall from my sides and I get up off of his lap and smooth out my top. “You drive me crazy Brooklyn.”

“Oh, the feeling is mutual Sidney. Can you still take me to pick up my car?”

“Of course babe, one thing first though,” I turned and found Sidney right in front of my face. He pulled me into his arms in one last searing kiss. “I figured we should keep the PDA to a minimum.”

“Good point,” I responded breathlessly.

We walk down to his range over with no incident. The ride back to Consol is filled with companionable silence. Once we pull into the empty parking lot he reaches his hand out to stop me from getting out, “What are you up to this weekend?”

“I’m actually going home, it’s my cousin’s birthday. Why?”

He looks down in embarrassment, “I just wondering if you could watch my game, it will be on NBC. That’s probably too forward isn’t it?”

“I was already planning on at least catching part of it. When do you get back?”

“We will be back Tuesday. And we have a game Wednesday, so do you want to make plans for Thursday?”

“I have a movie premiere actually so I’m leaving Wednesday afternoon and I won’t be back until late Sunday.”

I hear Sidney chuckle slightly, “I’m used to being the one with demanding schedule. This is going to be difficult isn’t it?”

“But not impossible, let’s just try to have fun right now though, okay?”

Sidney smiled, “God, I want to kiss you.”

“Thanks for lunch, I’ll see you in week or so,” I gave him a peck right at the corner of his mouth and then slid out of the car. I walked to my white Avenger and drove away trying to not turn around and start another hot make out session with Sidney.

Notes