*Duncan's POV*

"You okay Annie?" I ask as I take the seat beside her at the bar. She looked over at me a little started.The Blackhawks had rented out the private, upper level, VIP section of the club to host tonight's event since we didn't have a game tonight. From the looks of it, they had gone all out. There were decorations everywhere, a catering company had been hired for the event and there was an area off to the side with tables overflowing with party apps, and a fully stocked makeshift bar had been set-up for the event complete with bar stools.

"Huh? I'm sorry, I was a little zoned out for a sec." She smiled at me apologetically. "But yea. Yea, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Cause you seem a little off, gorgeous... but off." I press hoping to see that smile that always seems to light up her face. It wasn't a huge secret that I liked her. Hell, the guys made it a point to make fun of me for it ever chance they got. Always asking me when I was finally going to make a move. The truth was we always flirted, it was always harmless though. It seemed as though we were experts with skitting across the boundary of crossing the line with each other. The truth was... she was the girl of my dreams. After having known her for years, I've come to know her better than any other woman I've ever had a relationship with.
She started laughing as she shook her head and glanced down at her drink. "You have to stop giving me so many compliments Duncs, you're starting to ruin other guys for me. You've raised the bar too high."
"Maybe you need to raise your standards then Annie. I can't really apologize for telling you the truth." I said as I took a sip of my beer.
"I just don't think I thought tonight thru very well is all. I'm not used to being alone on New Year's Eve and the idea of going downstairs and picking a random guy up in the next 20 minutes doesn't sound too tempting. Pathetic I know, but true." She said with a small tight lipped smile.
"Ah, you're worried about the kiss?"
"Yea, the kiss." She said looking down at her drink again.
I couldn't believe that I was getting a chance at this opportunity right now. For once, she didn't have a plan, didn't have a fucking dumbass boyfriend, and she had no intentions of finding a random guy to hook up with for the night. She looked stunning in her little sequined dress and little boots, she wouldn't have any trouble finding someone to kiss at midnight, let alone go home with after.
"Well that's easy to fix. You can kiss me! See, easy! I didn't even have to be a statistician to solve that problem!" I said laughing at the end. She just started chuckling as she looked back up at me.
"Duncan, you can't be my midnight kiss. You're my friend! Honestly, I probably trust you more than I do Pat! Scratch that, I definitely trust you more than Pat. I'd think I'd trust a drunken squirrel more than I do Pat, for multiple reasons." She said getting sidetracked from the conversation and looking off in space at the wall again before shaking her head to clear her thoughts and look at me again. "I can't do anything to screw up our friendship. I can't lose you Duncs. I'm just going to suck it up and be an adult. I'm just going to clap and cheer at midnight and blow one of those little horn thingies." She said finishing off with a small smile and wide eyes looking at her drink yet again. It was cute to see her trying to look so determined yet buzzed at the same time.
"It would take a lot more than a kiss to scare me off as your friend, Annie. Even if it was a downright horrible kiss, which let's face it, I seriously doubt you've ever given a bad kiss in your life. But, if that's the way you feel about it, I understand." I could tell this probably wasn't going to happen tonight. But I would kick myself in the ass tomorrow if I didn't give it everything I had, so I went for broke and whispered in her ear. "Just let me know if you change your mind." And then I left her sitting on her bar stool with her mouth slightly agape with wide eyes and went back to mingling with my teammates.

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