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Jonny's about to pull himself out of the pool after completing his sixty laps, when Hayds pops abruptly out of the water next to him.

"Jesus, some warning please," Jonny says, flicking water at Hayds' face. Hayds, undaunted, just shakes it out of his face and jerks his chin at the opposite end of the pool.

"Look who showed up," he says, grinning.

Jonny looks over and rolls his eyes. "It's just Alexandra."

"Just - just Alexandra?" Hayden says, sputtering. "That's how you refer to Alexandra Fortin, the hottest freshman on campus?"

Jonny shrugs. For some reason his entire group of friends are crazy into Alex and her friends. Jonny kind of knows Alex - he has her number, they bonded over being French-Canadian - but even though she's undoubtedly pretty and has made it clear to Jonny on more than one occasion that she wouldn't say no if he asked her out - he's not interested.

"I mean, she's nice," he says. "She's - not really my type, I guess."

"She's everyone's type, Tazer," Sharpy says, surfacing next to them. Great, soon the entirety of the UND hockey team is going to end up congregating here, checking out girls like they're perverts, when all Jonny really wants to do is get out of the pool, shower, and get back to his room so he can start on his Sport Psychology assignment.

"And of course the only one among us who has her number is the one to say she's not his type," Ryan says, joining their little group; Jonny groans inwardly and considers pulling rank to tell them to get out of the pool and stop staring at the girls before they're called out for harassment, or something. Really, it's embarrassing; it's not as if none of them have ever laid eyes on a pretty girl before.

Hayds is still staring at Alex, laughing and chatting with her group of friends, mouth hanging slightly open. "Honestly though, I don't understand how Alex just like, appeared, and somehow got all the cutest girls on campus as friends. That is one group of babes if I ever saw one."

Jonny sighs and glances over at the girls. He doesn't actually know most of them, although they seem to have noticed the hockey team huddled in the corner, and are starting to give each other sly glances and coy smiles as they turn to stare at the boys and then launch into giggles that Jonny can hear even across the pool. They're all wearing slinky bikinis, and while Jonny can definitely appreciate the female form, none of them stand out to him.

So he just says, "Fine, you guys can stay here and ogle them, and don't blame me if you get kicked off the team for being pervs, or whatever. I'm getting out."

He lifts himself up out of the pool and just as he climbs out, he sees a girl running towards Alex's group and waving.

"Sorry I'm late!" she says, her voice carrying across to Jonny. "I was talking to Professor Moore after class."

"Pat! Finally!" one of the girls - Dayna, Jonny thinks, the one Seabs has his eye on - says delightedly.

Jonny looks over at the girl - Pat - again; he can't explain why, but he finds his attention drawn to her for some reason. Maybe because she looks so different from the other girls in the group; her hair is scraped back into a messy bun and she's wearing a black one-piece swimsuit with a high neck instead of a bikini. But then she says something to the girls and smiles, and Jonny's just - he's floored by that smile. She has dimples that cut deep grooves in her cheeks.

Jonny's always had a thing for girls with nice smiles and dimples. Pat has a gold star in both.

She's a little on the short side too, when her friends are mostly tall, slim, leggy brunettes; but even the cut of her swimsuit can't hide her generous chest, or the way her waist curves in before curving right back out into shapely hips and a perfect, rounded backside.

Jonny realises he's staring and doing the very thing he'd been telling his guys off for - being a fucking pervert - and tears his eyes away from her.

'You know who that girl is?" he asks Ryan, as casually as he can manage.

"Who?" Ryan asks, craning his neck.

Jonny turns again, just in time to see Pat take a running leap and dive into the pool with a loud splash. Her friends are laughing and clapping, and when she emerges from the water right in the midst of the group, she's grinning broadly, those dimples popping in her cheeks again.

"That girl who just jumped in the pool," he mumbles.

Ryan stares at him; then he turns to look at the girls, and back at Jonny. "Are you serious?" he says disbelievingly. "We have like ten of the hottest girls on campus over there, and you're looking at Patricia Kane?"

"What's wrong with her?" Jonny says defensively. "She's - kinda cute. How do you know her?"

"I have an Economics class with her," Seabs says.

"I share Accelerated Calculus with her," Hayds pipes up. "I gotta say, that girl's brain is really something - she's one of the smartest students in the class, if not the department. She's definitely not as hot as Alexandra though."

Patricia Kane. Well, Jonny at least has her name now.

He can't help but watch her as she pulls herself out of the pool to sit at the side, laughing at something Dayna just said. She lifts her arms to fumble at her bun and then pulls her hair-tie off, shaking her hair out; Jonny stares, transfixed, as a cascade of thick blonde curls tumble down her back. To Jonny, she looks like a bright sunflower in the midst of a field of slender-stemmed roses.

"Oh boy," Sharpy says. "Guys, Tazer is smitten. Look at his face."

"Shut the fuck up," Jonny says, as the guys start hooting and laughing. "I just - I think she's pretty cute, that's all."

"You honestly have the weirdest taste," Hayds says, shaking his head. Jonny bites back a caustic response that his taste is perfectly fine, thank you very much, it's just that he's not as fucking basic as Hayds is.

"Ask her out," Ryan says, grinning. "There isn't a single girl on campus who would say no to Jonathan Toews. Just hang out here with us, wait for them to get out, and then go ask her for her number or something."

"You're crazy," Jonny says. "And also, I think that counts as borderline stalking, you fucking stalker."

"Jesus, Jonny, it's just asking her for her number," Ryan says. "It's nothing you haven't done a hundred times before. How many girls have actually said no to you since you came to UND?"

Jonny thinks about it. Since he's been here, he's been on several dates, hooked up with a bunch of hot girls, and it's all been fun; and well, Ryan's right, he's never ever had difficulty asking a girl out, especially not since the Chicago Blackhawks drafted him third overall earlier this year. Being a hotshot NHL-bound hockey player helps.

"None," he says.

"Then do it, man," Hayds says. "I mean, Patricia Kane basically has the misfortune of being in a friend group of girls who are literally drop dead gorgeous. No other dude's going to notice her while she hangs out with them - so you, my man, are in with a one hundred percent shot. Go for it."

Jonny frowns. "Stop talking like that about her, jesus, she's not bad looking at all." He sneaks another glance over at her; she's twisted her hair back into a bun, but it only serves to emphasise her fine bone structure and high cheekbones. She's in profile to him, and he can see even at this distance the pink fullness of her lips.

"No, she's not," Hayds says, "but next to girls like Alexandra Fortin and Nicole Schmaltz, she may as well be invisible."

Jonny makes up his mind. "Okay. Cool. I'll ask her for her number later if I see her." Fuck the guys anyway - Jonny can't believe that guys wouldn't look at Pat when she looks the way she does, gorgeous and bright with those golden curls and that smile and a rocking body at that.

"Good," Ryan says. "I'd wish you good luck, except you don't need it, since girls never say no to you."

---

"No," Pat says.

Jonny blinks at her. "I'm sorry?"

"I said no," she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jonny finds himself thinking that he might have needed Ryan's good luck after all. He's a bit thrown by the disdainful surety with which she's saying no - like, shit, he's never had to deal with a situation like this before.

But he's not an asshole, and more importantly, his mother didn't bring him up to be a creep, so he just swallows and takes a step back. "Okay, it's fine," he says. "I'm sorry if I bothered you."

Pat glances up at him for a second; she's petite enough that she doesn't quite reach his chin, and the oversized sweater she's wearing swamps her body. But she has the most glorious blue eyes, and long thick lashes, and Jonny knows just enough about girls to know she's not wearing any makeup and yet - she still looks amazing.

"I'll see you around," he says, swallowing, and turns to walk away. But he can't help turning back to look at her; she's rejoined her group of girlfriends now, and all of them are looking curiously at him.

Well, fuck. He didn't get her number, and now he's probably going to be a laughing stock amongst Pat's friends. He sighs.

---

He sees Pat a few days after that; she's walking across campus alone, heading towards the Math department, carrying her laptop and several fat textbooks. She's in leggings and an oversized tee this time - Jonny has just a moment to wonder why she's always covering up like that when she has like, the most delicious hourglass figure that he remembers in her swimsuit - but her curly hair is loose down her back, and she looks beautiful like this, pink-cheeked and her hair glowing golden in the sun.

A gust of wind sweep past just then, blowing her hair into her face; as Jonny watches, she shakes it out of her face exasperatedly, and then puts her bag and stuff down on the ground to scrape her hair back and twist it up into a ponytail.

Jonny bends down just as she does. "Hi," he says. "Need any help?"

Pat yelps - actually yelps - and nearly stumbles. "What the hell," she says. "You startled me."

Jonny holds his hands up. "Sorry," he says. "I was passing by. Wondered if you need help."

Pat heaves her books up in her arms, holding them before her like shields. "Nope," she says. "I'm good."

It makes Jonny wilt a little; he was hoping he could walk with her, maybe have a chat. "Uh - okay," he says.

Pat glares at him, and this is entirely the wrong time for it, but Jonny can't help being mesmerised by her eyelashes, and her lush mouth, even though it's twisted into a grimace at the moment. "Is there something you want?" she asks.

"Um, kind of?" Jonny manages. "I mean, I asked for your number, but you said no, so - "

"Of course I'd say no," Pat snaps. "I doubt the captain of the UND hockey team, Mr. Number Three Draft Pick, is really ever going to want my number."

Jonny blinks at her. Then he says, "You seem to know a lot about me. Uh, I mean hockey."

Pat actually flushes a little; Jonny stares, fascinated, at the deepening pink on her cheekbones. "It's not you," she says. "I watch a lot of hockey, that's all."

Despite her antagonism, Jonny finds himself more and more intrigued by her. A girl who's super cute, has a bangin' body, and is into hockey? Pat Kane is probably Jonny's dream girl - if she'd only agree to go out with him.

"Okay, how about this," he says. "You don't have to give me your number, but you should definitely come watch us play. If you haven't yet."

Pat frowns up at him. "What exactly are you up to?" she says. "Listen, if this is some dumb game with your dudebro friends - you can stick it, okay? I'm not some idiot you can make a fool out of just so you can have some fun at my expense."

It takes a good few seconds for Jonny to get what she's saying - but when he does, it becomes clear in a flash: the reason she's so resistant to him is because she actually thinks Jonny - made a bet or something to get her to go out with him, just for fun.

Jesus christ. Jonny feels sick that she'd think he'd do something like this; and then he kind of really wants to punch whoever did such a number on Pat's self-esteem, because the fact that such a gorgeous girl thinks guys only want to date her for a dare or a game fucking blows his mind. And not in a good way.

"Holy - okay, shit, no," he says. "I'm sorry if I made you think that way, but I swear - it’s nothing like that. I just - I think you're pretty cute, and I want to get to know you better, and honestly I want to get to know you even more now that I know you're into hockey. That's it. That's all. I don't know what made you think this, but I'm not such a dick. I wouldn't do that to anyone."

Pat's staring at him, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "This doesn't make any sense," she says at last. "You're a - you're going to the NHL! Why are you asking me and not, I don't know, someone like Alex?"

Jonny groans - will everyone calm down about Alex Fortin already. "If I wanted to ask her out, I'd ask her. I want to get to know you, not her."

Pat still doesn't look convinced, so Jonny adds, "Listen - I'll leave a ticket for you at the box office outside the Ralph, okay? For our next game on Thursday. It's against Denver. No pressure - you can come, or don't come if you don't want to, but - it'd be really cool if you did. And I mean that."

Pat bites her lip and Jonny tries not to stare at the way her teeth sink into the plump pinkness of it.

"I - I'll think about it," she says at last, and Jonny tries to hold himself back from whooping out loud. "But no promises."

"Sure," Jonny says, beaming. "The game starts at seven. Again, no pressure - but your ticket's going to be there under your name, if you come."

"I said I'll think about it," Pat says.

"Good enough for me."

---

When he skates out onto the ice for warmups, the first place Jonny looks at is the seat right behind the home bench, where Pat should be - if she turns up.

The seat is empty. Jonny swallows against the lump of disappointment in his throat and skates away to where the guys are going one on one against their goalie, warming up their shots.

He just - he doesn't know why he's so hung up over Pat. He barely even knows her. Sure, he thinks she's gorgeous, but there are plenty of gorgeous girls on campus. He can't figure out what makes Pat stick in his mind like that, but she does.

He's still thinking about her - damn it, he needs to get his head in the game instead - when he skates another lap past the bench and looks up, and Pat's there. She's just settling into her seat, holding a bottle of water, hair piled in a bun again and wearing yet another soft, too-large sweater instead of a Sioux jersey - but she's there.

He stops so fast he sends a shower of snow into Sharpy, who's getting a Gatorade from the bench. "Watch it, Tazer," he says, glowering. "The game hasn’t even started."

"Yeah, whatever," Jonny says distractedly. He waits until Pat looks up and makes eye contact with him before he grins at her and gives her a thumbs up.

She flushes again, her cheeks a charming pink, and looks away; so Jonny skates off, still smiling. He's got a good feeling. This is going to be a great night.

---

It's not really an important game in all senses of the word - it's the start of the season, the Sioux have already won their first three games, and Denver are kind of floundering at the bottom of their conference - but there is no universe in which Jonny's not going to give his all in every game. Especially not when there's a girl he's trying to impress.

He takes his chance midway through the first - the clock is ticking down on a Sioux penalty and one of the Denver wingers turns it over close to the blue line. Jonny hooks the puck to him, dodging the stick of a Denver defenseman; the ice is clear ahead and he charges up on a breakaway. He feels a tap on the back of his skates from someone's stick, but manages to put an explosive burst of speed into it, and he knows he shouldn't be doing this because he can't miss a breakaway chance like this, but he shows off a little as he comes up on the goalie: forehand, backhand, forehand, five-hole. Shorthanded goal to put the Sioux 2-1 up.

The arena explodes into cheers; Jonny's teammates crash into him, knuckling at his helmet, before he leads them down the ice towards the bench for the fistbumps. As he nears it, he looks up at Pat; she's standing and clapping, and she's actually smiling.

Jesus, that's an A-plus smile. Jonny finds himself hoping he scores all game if it gets Pat looking like this.

He reaches up and points at her. "First goal for you," he shouts through his mouthguard, and winks; he's not sure if Pat hears him through the roar of the crowd, but she must have, because she turns pink again, biting down on her full lower lip.

He settles on the bench as the next line hop out for their shift, and Seabs slips next to him and gives him a nudge. "Good goal, Jonny," he says. "So - you're really into Patricia Kane, huh?"

"Shut up," Jonny says.

"I didn't say anything bad," Seabs says, but he's grinning. "Just keep your mind on the game, eh, captain? And off the ladies."

Jonny ignores him. He is not having his mind on the ladies, dammit. Just one, maybe, but that's it.

They roll out 4-1 winners that night and Jonny's pumped as hell; just before he goes down the tunnel, he catches Pat's eye again and - he'd told himself he wouldn't pressure her for anything she didn't want to do, but adrenaline is thrumming through and he can't help but mouth at her: Wait for me please?

She looks confused at first, but to Jonny's relief, she nods at him, and he clomps down the tunnel as fast as he can go. He's in and out of the showers in like, under three minutes; he doesn't think he's ever showered that quickly in his life, but he dumps his equipment at his stall, pulls on his clothes, and takes off at a run, shouting, "I'll be back soon to clear out my stuff - see you guys back at the dorm."

He makes his way through the crowds leaving the arena to where Pat's sitting behind the bench; it's hard, because some people try to stop him to clap him on the back or talk about the game or whatever, but he smiles at them all, says "Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry" and they reluctantly let him pass until he gets to where she is, sitting patiently, texting someone on her phone.

"Hey, Pat," he says, coming up next to her. "Thanks for coming."

She looks up at him, blinking. "Oh. Yeah. I mean, it's a free ticket, and the team always sells out, so. Thanks for the ticket."

"But - you enjoyed the game, right?" Jonny asks. It's suddenly very important to him that she answers in the affirmative.

She arches an eyebrow at him, as if she knows exactly what he's gunning for. "I did, yeah," she says. "Good game. Good win. And nice goal, by the way."

And - whoa. He wasn't expecting that from her at all. "Yeah?" he asks, trying and failing not to sound much too eager.

"Yes," she says, sighing; but there's the ghost of a smile playing about her full lips. "I guess I can see why you got drafted third."

Jonny shrugs; he's pleased she knows this about him, but he tries his level best, most of the time, to not make a big deal out of it. The last thing he wants is to get a big head. "The Blackhawks needed a center."

"Jordan Staal's a center," she points out. "But I think Chicago will be a better fit for you, so it was a good pick anyway. The Penguins already have Crosby and Malkin - and frankly, you're probably too good to end up as a third line center behind them. You could be a franchise cornerstone for the Blackhawks. And if they pick a good winger in next year's draft - who knows, you could be tearing it up pretty soon."

Shit. Jonny feels like he's walking on air. He feels a little dizzy, actually; it's not like he doesn't see his scouting reports and press and all that jazz, and he has no false modesty about himself, he knows he's good. But to hear this girl, who's been - nothing but wary and kind of unfriendly to him, actually, tell him she thinks he's good enough to anchor a franchise - well, Jonny can't be blamed if he actually pumps the air and lets out a loud, violent whoop, or something.

He doesn't, but it's a very close call.

"You really do know your hockey," he says admiringly.

"I told you," Pat says. "I watch hockey. A lot." There's a defensiveness about her when she says it that tells Jonny she's probably not had many positive reactions from people, about being a tiny, petite girl who's into a sport like hockey.

He wishes guys wouldn’t be such dicks, but it does give him an idea. "Do you want to have dinner with me now, and tell me about it?"

Pat glances at him, looking amused. "You're not giving up, huh?"

"I mean - if you really don't want to, I won't - like, I'm not a jerk," Jonny manages.

Pat continues to look steadily at him for a few seconds; her eyes are wide and very blue. "When you said," she begins hesitantly, licking her lips, "you said you weren't doing this for fun. You meant it?"

"Yes," Jonny says emphatically. "I know I don't have any way to prove it - and I'm really, really sorry that you've been made to feel this way about guys - but I meant it, a hundred percent. I genuinely want to hang out with you, take you out for dinner. Please."

Pat chews on her lip again - and god, she keeps doing that, like she's trying to distract Jonny or something. "Okay. Fine. But not tonight - I've already got plans, I'm supposed to meet Nicole and Dayna right now."

"Oh god," Jonny says; there's a funny swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach, and he can't seem to stop grinning. "Yeah, yes, of course. Anytime you can make it, obviously. Uh - can I get your number? So I can text you later, set something up?"

"'Kay," she says, and Jonny's stomach does that funny swoop again. It's always been so easy for him to get girls; he's never had to make any effort, and he's never ever felt like this in the presence of any girl before. It's kind of astounding, really, how Pat's already got him so hung up on her. "Give me yours first, I'll text you."

Jonny rattles off his number to her as she taps at her phone; he feels his phone vibrate and pulls it out to see a text from Pat that just says Goodnight.

He gets the message and stands up to let her gather up her things and move past him into the aisle. "I'll see you soon then," he says, as she climbs a step and turns back to look at him. Even standing a step higher she still has to look up a little at him.

"Yeah. Thanks again for the ticket," she says.

"Anytime," he replies, and is rewarded with a smile and a flash of dimples before Pat walks away. Fuck yeah.

---

When Jonny picks Pat up in the car he's borrowed from Seabs, he's pleasantly surprised to see that she's actually dressed up for the occasion. She's waiting for him on the steps of her dorm, wearing a blue and white dress with a flared skirt, cinched in at the waist with a belt to show off her small waist and full hips. She's also wearing a cardigan over it, buttoned up to her neck. But she looks sweet like this, her curly hair let down and wearing a little makeup, and Jonny can't stop himself from looking at her mouth as she gets into the car, lush and red from some lipstick.

"Hey," he says. "You look great."

"Thanks," Pat says, turning to look at him, her eyes raking over him slowly from head to toe. Jonny's glad he didn't overdress tonight; he's just wearing slacks and a nice button-down shirt, but he thinks he catches her gaze lingering on the open triangle of skin below his collarbone, where he's left the top three buttons undone. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Jonny bites back a smile as he puts the car in gear. "Hungry?" he asks.

"Starving. I was rushing an assignment today and didn't really have the time to grab a proper lunch."

Jonny really likes that Pat's so forthright; there's no artifice or pretence about her at all, and it's a really refreshing change from the girls he used to take out, the ones who are giggly or constantly fiddling with their hair and makeup, or pick at their salads and barely eat around him. "Me too," he says. "What class was your assignment for, anyway?"

"Statistical Calculations," she says, and Jonny remembers Hayds saying he shares a Math class with her. "You've declared already, haven't you? What's your major?"

"Kinesiology," Jonny replies.

Pat laughs. "Figures that an athlete would want to major in something related to biomechanics and exercise physiology. Hey, but you'll be heading to Chicago after this year, right? Or are you staying to finish out your degree?"

"I'm not sure yet," Jonny admits. "I mean, they did want me to sign right after the draft - but I thought it'd be better for me to come back and play at college level for another year, maybe try to get the team to the Frozen Four. My mom wants me to finish my degree, of course - she's all about education - but I don't know. I'll see how I feel later this year, how I perform."

She turns to look at him. "For what it's worth, you really are a good player. I bet you wouldn't have any problem transitioning to the NHL."

Jonny feels a burst of happiness flare up in his chest. "Hey, so yeah, tell me about yourself. Ever played hockey?"

Pat grins at him. "You know, you're like the first guy to ask me that. Yeah, I did. My family's crazy about hockey. I've got a cousin in the USNTDP, most of my cousins play, and my three brothers do too. I'd play with them pretty often."

"That's awesome," Jonny says sincerely. "You know what, if you wanted, we could play together someday when we're free. I get to use the rink on campus anytime, so you know, we could just hang out there a little bit. You got your equipment?"

"Oh - wow, yeah, that'd be amazing," she says, her blue eyes sparkling. "And I do! I haven't played since I got here, but - I'd really love to."

"Deal," Jonny says.

---

Pat's super easy to talk to, and Jonny's mildly surprised to find that their date goes really smoothly, no lingering awkwardness or antagonism, especially after Pat's been so wary around him. He can see her relaxing more as their date goes on; she laughs a lot more, dimples deep in her cheeks, and they talk about everything under the sun: hockey, school, their families. Pat's from Buffalo, loves math and statistics, and she's really well-informed about advanced statistics in hockey. "I built a model in high school, you know, to predict expected goals against shot rates, and then I tracked the Sabres that entire season," she tells him enthusiastically. "It actually worked pretty well too - like, obviously not a hundred percent accuracy, but close enough for a simple model like that. I was pretty proud of myself for it." She tucks a curl behind her ear and grins at him.

Jonny honestly thinks he may be in love.

When their food arrives, Pat cuts into her burger with gusto. "Damn, look at this bad boy," she says, spearing a fat piece of juicy patty and holding it up. "I love the burgers here." She pops the bite into her mouth, her eyes fluttering closed, and Jonny tries very hard not to stare at the way her full lips close around her fork. He's not very successful, especially not when Pat drags the fork out of her mouth and slowly licks her lower lip, corner to corner.

"Good?" he asks, hoping that he sounds normal and not like he wants to leap over the table and like, kiss her stupid or something.

"So good," Pat says. "Here, try a bit." She cuts a piece for him and holds it out on her fork. Jonny hesitates, not sure if she means for him to take her fork from her or -

"Just eat it, Jonny," she says, sounding amused, and oh - okay, Jonny guesses she's going to feed him off her fork. When he leans forward, she slips the piece of meat between his lips and watches him as he pulls off it.

"It's really good," he says, chewing slowly.

"Yep," she says, winking at him. She taps the fork against her lower lip and looks down at her plate, like she's thinking of what to go for next, but Jonny can see the indentations the prongs leave on her mouth when she sucks it into her mouth, as if she's not even aware she's doing it.

Jonny's pretty fucking certain that she's flirting with him now, and it's ridiculous, but he can feel the beginnings of a boner stir between his legs.

He's dated and hooked up with his fair share of girls. He's taken out girls who are sexier and far more flirtatious and inviting. But he's never felt like he was ever completely gone for them the way he feels now towards Patricia Kane. And it's only midway through their first date.

They end up sharing a creme brulee for dessert; it's going to wreak havoc on Jonny's diet plan, but he rationalises that an occasional cheat night is fine. Plus, it's hard to say no when Pat's leaning in close to him, laughing as they chat, both of them practically eating off the same spoon, and it's just - it's the best date Jonny's been on in ages, fun and easy and relaxed, but just looking at the way she smiles up at him through her lashes, and the shape of her body in her dress, is making him sweat.

Jonny is so, so screwed.

---

He drives her back to her dorm on campus after; when he pulls into the driveway and stops, he turns to her. "It was great tonight," he says. "I had fun - but well, I mean, if you wanted to, maybe we can do this again?"

Pat tilts her head. "You mean you want to take me on another date?"

"Yeah," Jonny says. "Lots of dates, hopefully."

Pat laughs - actually laughs at that, but thank fuck, not in a mean or derisive way; she sounds happy, in fact, surprised but pleased. "Okay. You know what, I kind of thought you were a fratbro jock when I first saw you - but I have to say, I really did have an awesome time tonight. You're really great, Jonny."

"So - does this mean you'll go out with me again?" Jonny asks hopefully.

"Yeah," Pat says. "Yeah, I will."

"Great," Jonny says, grinning broadly. "I'll text you."

"Okay," Pat says, dimpling at him. "Thanks for tonight, Jonny."

She leans over and, to his surprise, gives him a peck on the cheek; he hadn't been expecting it at all, but he's definitely not objecting to this. This close to him, he can smell the scent of whatever sweet-smelling shampoo she's using, and he resists the urge to comb his fingers through her hair to see if her curls are as springy as they look.

She swings open the door to get out, and it's only then that he recovers his wits enough to say, "I had fun too. I mean, it was great. You're great."

Pat turns back and bestows another lovely smile on him. "Yeah, I really enjoyed myself. Night, Jonny." And then she's off, heading up the stairs, while Jonny sits helplessly in the driveway with his hands on his steering wheel and thinks, oh god, he's gone, hook, line and sinker.

---

She goes out with him again the next week; they drive into town for a movie and then go to a Mexican place that Pat suggests. It's a little more informal than their first date, but Pat's also more relaxed, and Jonny himself is less on edge than he was the first time, less worried that he'll mess something up with her.

Pat's handsier this time too, sometimes placing her hand on his thigh, eating off his fork, licking her lips compulsively, and Jonny's like, pretty damn certain by now that she's flirting. So he really dials up the charm, flirts back at her, and yeah, it's fun; Pat's really fun to hang out with, and also really good to look at, and Jonny's not sure how he got so lucky.

They stay so long, just talking and shooting the shit, that they nearly close the restaurant; Jonny makes sure to leave their server a large tip. He drives her back to her dorm, but instead of stopping in the driveway he pulls into the parking lot behind the building. It's quieter here, not many people at this time of night, and he cuts the engine and turns to her.

"Thanks again, Jonny," Pat says.

"I had a really good time," Jonny says. "You wanna do this again? Maybe this Saturday? We have an afternoon game, but if you'd like, I can leave you another ticket, and we can go out after."

"Oh, wow," Pat says. "Yeah, I'd love that."

She smiles at him, looking happy and pleased, and the combination of that devastating smile coupled with the adrenaline-charged delight of knowing Pat's happy to go out with him again gives him just enough courage to ask, as confidently as he can, "Can I kiss you goodnight?"

At the mention of a kiss, Pat licks her lips, but she's staring at Jonny like she doesn't even know she's doing it, and Jonny can't help but track the slow movement of her tongue tip across her plump lower lip helplessly.

"Come on over here then," Pat says, her voice suddenly dropping low with the slightest hint of breathiness, and Jonny doesn't waste any time; he leans over the gear stick and kisses her full on the lips.

Pat's mouth is as soft as it looks, plush and giving under his. He slides a hand under her sheet of curly hair, up her back until he can cup the nape of her neck and pull her in closer to him. Pat curls into him sweet and easy, twining her arms around his neck, and he takes the chance to lick along the seam of her lips until her mouth falls open in a little gasp. When he licks into her mouth, she sucks on the tip of his tongue, pressing herself closer until Jonny can feel her full breasts against his chest, and his dick twitches in his jeans.

He tilts her face up a little with a gentle press on the back of her neck; she opens up under his mouth like a flower, her breathing coming faster and louder now. Fuck, he's been dreaming about doing this all night to her gorgeous mouth.

"I'm been dreaming about kissing you the whole fucking night," he murmurs against her lips; she laughs breathlessly.

"I could - yeah, I could tell," she says, as Jonny kisses along the sharp edge of her jawline, trails his mouth down the smooth skin of her neck. She's not wearing any perfume, but she smells of floral soap, and Jonny likes it far more than any perfume.

"Can't help it," he says. "You're gorgeous, and your mouth - "

She laughs again, and worms her hand between Jonny's mouth and her neck to unbutton the top two buttons of her cardigan, giving him more room to work. The top she's wearing under it has a deep scoop neck, and when he folds back the top of her cardigan, he has to just - stop for a moment, just to look at her and the wide expanse of soft, flawless skin across the top of her chest, the hint of cleavage peeking out over her neckline.

He kisses her on the mouth again before dragging his lips back down, over her neck; she throws her head back as he licks down her throat, all the way down to where the deep line of her cleavage starts, before licking back up again slowly. Her fingers sink into his hair and press against his scalp like she needs to hold onto something to anchor herself.

"And you smell so good," Jonny adds, burying his face in her neck and taking a deep, slow breath.

"Mmm," she says, turning her head; her eyes are closed, her lashes brushing her cheeks, but Jonny knows what she wants, and moves back up to kiss her on the mouth again deeply. When she arches towards him, her hips lifting off the car seat, Jonny's seized by a sudden idea; he runs his hands down her sides and over the voluptuous curves of her body before he grips her hips and lifts her right over the divide between them, hauling her into his lap.

She squeaks in surprise, but makes no protest as she wriggles into his lap, wedged between the steering wheel and his body. She's small enough that she still has wiggle room, even, but Jonny fumbles for the lever under his seat anyway, pushing it back so she's got more space.

"Fucking hell, you're strong," Pat says, half-laughing, half panting, as she fits herself into his lap, her hands wandering over his shoulders and biceps. "You just lifted me up like - nothing."

"You don't weigh much," Jonny says, biting gently at the hinge of her jaw, a signal that he wants to keep making out.

She shudders a little. "Mm, yeah, okay, keep kissing me," she orders, and really, who is Jonny to deny such a request.

Jonny strokes a hand down her spine as he kisses her; he lets it rest on the pert shelf of her ass, full and rounded and firm against his thighs, and resists the temptation to move his hand down any further, because, well, she hasn't said he could. But it's agony like this, Pat squirming and moaning in his lap when he licks over the top of her breasts, her ass bracketing his hard cock. He's so fucking hard he feels faint, but he contents himself with just kissing her, burying his face in her neck, dragging his lips along the neckline of her top and wishing more than anything that he can pull it down, get her gorgeous tits out in the open for him to suck on.

He loses himself in Pat completely; he has no idea how long they spend in his car kissing and making out, but by the time he can tear himself away from her, they're both sweaty in the enclosed stuffiness of the car. It's only then that he remembers he turned the engine off because he'd thought of walking her to her dorm; the windows are fogged up now, and when Pat blinks her eyes open, looking like she's emerged from a fog, she starts laughing at the sight of the condensation on the windows.

"We really heated your car up, huh?" she says, giggling.

Jonny looks at her; her curls are mussed from when he was combing his fingers through it, she's breathing hard, her chest heaving, her lips red and swollen and wet from his mouth. He can see her skin gleaming with sweat and spit from when he'd licked over her neck and the top swells of her tits. She looks fucking amazing, even though she's still fully clothed, and all Jonny wants is to take her apart and lick every inch of her body.

"Do you want to - come back to my room, maybe?" he asks, a little desperately. "I have a single - "

Pat actually looks kind of regretful for a second, but what she says is, "Take me on a few more dates and we'll see."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Jonny says, grinning at her despite the rush of sheer disappointment that washes over him.

"Yeah, I'll be waiting," she says, and straightens up to button her cardigan up again; he stifles a sharp groan as the movement makes her ass rub down against his groin. But the incongruity of Pat covered from neck to ankle, all buttoned-up and straight-laced, against the Pat who was just whimpering out loud and clutching at his shoulders as he mouthed across her chest, gives him a moment's pause. Fuck, he wants her so badly, wants to take her to bed and get her naked and just - drink in her body.

He walks her to her dorm anyway once she's straightened herself up and climbed out of his seat; he'd had to reach into his jeans to adjust himself once she was off him, because he's so hard he's literally aching. She looks almost normal, except for her reddened mouth, and Jonny hopes that no one will notice his dick, still hard inside his jeans.

"Goodnight," Jonny says when they reach the door of the building. "I'll call you, okay?"

Pat leans over to kiss him once more, sweet and close-lipped this time, in stark contrast to the hot, open-mouthed, deep kisses from earlier. "Thanks for tonight," she says. "I had fun."

Jonny watches her as she turns and walks up the steps, disappearing into the building. Then he drives the two minutes to his own dorm, where he yanks his jeans and boxers down the moment he steps into his room, and jerks off so hard thinking about Pat's mouth and tits and ass that he thinks he goes cross-eyed for a few minutes when he comes.

---

Over the next few weeks, Jonny's days meld into a blur of lectures, hockey practice, games, and Pat. There are times when he's so busy he can't see Pat all week, but they text constantly and talk on the phone every day; Pat's started turning up at home games too, even when Jonny doesn't leave a ticket for her, and eventually he starts making sure that she has a standing ticket at the box office for every game he plays in school.

When they do go out, it's always fun, always easy, and Jonny never feels pressure around her; Pat's like a burst of colour for Jonny's world, especially during times when he's so busy everything's a grey blur to him. Jonny starts holding her hand when they're walking together, even when they're on campus, and Pat never stops him or pulls away. And the fact that they usually end up making out for like, an hour at the end of the night doesn't hurt either.

Jonny kind of thinks Pat might be his girlfriend, except that he hasn't actually asked, and it feels pretty awkward to say "So hey, are you my girlfriend now?" out of the blue, not to mention that it sounds stupid, and maybe a little childish. But he thinks he could get used to the idea, if only he could like - make it official, or something.

---

They're on their sixth date when Pat pulls herself away from him, flushed from making out in the car for the past forty minutes (Jonny can't even begin to feel bad about using the car he borrows from Seabs for that, truth be told), and announces, "Okay, we're going to your room."

Jonny stares at her blankly; his brain feels like it's kind of gone offline for a bit, like it usually does when he's been kissing Pat. "Huh?"

Some of Pat's hair has come undone from her bun and is hanging in loose tendrils around her face; she tucks a few curls behind her ears, and says, "Didn't you say you have a single room?"

Jonny's brain slams back into place, and he gets the car started and floors the pedal. He's never driven so fast in his life.

The moment they get into his room and the door shuts behind them, Jonny's pushing her up against it; his hand cupping the back of her head to shield it from thudding on the door. Pat doesn't bat an eye, just loops her arms around his neck and goes back to kissing him hungrily. Her mouth is soft and yielding under his, and Jonny's head is already spinning at the fact that she's in his room, that he's finally going to be able to get his hands and mouth on all of her, like he's been thinking about after weeks of just making out.

He slides his hands down to her ass and cups it gently, feeling the curve and heft of it in his palms, before he lifts her; her legs wrap around his waist as easy and natural as breathing. She fits in his arms perfectly, Jonny thinks.

"I'm so fucking into it when you lift me up like this," Pat murmurs into his mouth.

"I'll fuck you like this if you want me to," Jonny says boldly.

Pat laughs, but he doesn't miss the way her fingers dig harder into his shoulders when he says that. "Fuck, yes," she says. "Definitely want that, but - bed first, okay?"

"Yeah," Jonny says; as if he's going to deny her anything she wants.

He stumbles his way blindly to the bed with her in his arms, his mouth never leaving hers; the moment he deposits her on the bed he sits up on his knees to pull his shirt off, eager and frantic. He's gratified to see Pat's mouth fall open as her eyes rove down his body, over his chest and abs. But when he reaches for her, she tugs her sweater off herself. Her bra is deep blue and lacy; her breasts are full and creamy against the lace, and Jonny can't take his eyes off her. He nearly misses seeing her fold her sweater into a neat square and lay it on the floor next to the bed, and then she unsnaps her bra, shrugs it off, and places it on top of the folded sweater.

Jonny can't even remark on Pat's unusual neatness - he can't do anything but stare at her for a good few seconds. It feels like all the blood is rushing from the rest of his body into his cock; Pat is just - fucking gorgeous, all smooth pale skin and hourglass curves. Her nipples are large and generous and tightened into rosy pink peaks that Jonny just needs to get his mouth on, so he does, practically springing forward and closing his mouth around one swollen nipple.

"Oh - oh," Pat says; she lifts her shoulders off the bed a little like she's trying to push more of herself into his mouth. "Oh god, yeah."

She moans when Jonny curves his hand under the generous swell of her other breast and brushes his thumb over her nipple, rubbing back and forth in feathery strokes. Pat's so beautifully responsive, and Jonny loves it; he dares to pinch her nipple with a little more pressure, and Pat arches her back, gasping out loud. Jonny squeezes her tits together gently and crams both her nipples into his mouth at the same time, sucking hot and eager on them. Pat thrashes a little under him, and he licks over her nipples with quick flicks of his tongue, alternating with sucking on them.

He could quite happily spend hours right here with his face in her gorgeous full breasts and playing with her nipples, but he pulls off with a loud, lingering suck and licks a slow stripe down the middle of her chest, between her tits, before he looks up at her. "Is it okay if I bite? Or leave marks?"

She laughs breathlessly at him. "As long as it's not anywhere people can see," she says. "How about this: you do whatever you feel like, and if it's not for me I'll tell you no."

"Deal," Jonny says, and proceeds to suck a biting kiss in the centre of her chest. She gasps again and Jonny feels her cup her own tits, squeezing them together gently on either side of his head. Fuck, she's so hot that he has to stop for a moment and take a breath. He cups a hand over one of hers; her tit spills out over their joined hands, and Jonny rubs over her nipple again, swallowing a groan when she cries out.

But there are other parts of Pat's glorious body he wants to explore, so he moves down over the flat planes of her stomach, keeping his fingers on her nipples, now slippery with his spit. She's still got her leggings on; he bites into the waistband and lets it snap back against her skin before he moves lower still, to the tantalising V between her legs, which she lets fall open when he presses his face into her clothed cunt.

"God, I wanna eat you out so bad," he says; the heat of her against his face is mesmerising. Her leggings are stretched out thin over her cunt from the way she's spreading her legs, and he can see the pattern of lace under it; he sucks over the seam of the fabric and she gasps and jerks.

"Yeah - fuck, yes," Pat says, already yanking at her leggings.

Jonny helps to peel them down her legs; he has to sit up to roll them down until he can get them off, but it's worth it, because the sight of her in nothing but lacy blue panties that match her bra is stunning. He has to press the heel of his hand against his cock for a moment, hard in his jeans; patience, he thinks to himself.

Pat reaches up to her messy bun and pulls out the pin holding it in place; Jonny's distracted for a moment by the sight of her tits lifting along with the movement of her arms, before her blonde hair tumbles down in a riotous mass of curls. Jonny leans over to run his fingers through it, stopping to kiss her sweetly. "I love your hair," he says.

This, of all things, is what makes Pat flush a little, pink rising in her cheeks. "My hair is crazy, Jonny," she says. "I look like - I don't even know. It's a mess and I can never get it under control and - "

"It's beautiful," Jonny says firmly. "And - you are too."

"Jonny," she says, biting her lip.

"No - you should see yourself, you're so fucking gorgeous," Jonny says. He wriggles back down between her legs, presses two fingers against her panties, right up on her cunt. She's soft and damp already and even the little bit of pressure Jonny's applying is making her hips hitch upwards. "So hot."

He punctuates this by licking up over the dampened gusset of her panties, listening for her answering groan, and then he pulls her panties off entirely.

And fuck, fuck, she's bare and smooth all over, glistening faintly from her wetness, just from making out, and Jonny wants his tongue in her in the worst fucking way.

He buries his mouth in her cunt, nose brushing the top of her cleft, and god, she smells so good, warm and musky and perfect, and when he licks up and down her cleft with the tip of his tongue, she tastes just like she smells, tangy and sweet.

"Oh fuck," Pat cries out. "Oh jesus, Jonny - "

Jonny spreads her open with his fingers; she's wet enough already that his fingers slip a few times, but he manages to hold her open and licks deep into her wet folds. She arches her hips up, pressing desperate and hot against his mouth, and he gives her what she's asking for, sweeping the flat of his tongue over her pussy and pressing it against her clit.

Pat's making a lot of noise above him, but he's not opposed to that at all.

He seals his lips around her clit and sucks gently, and her hips fly off the bed so hard he has to throw an arm over her stomach to hold her still. When he drags his tongue back down her, he keeps going until he licks into her ass, and then slides back up in long slow strokes.

"Oh my god," Pat gasps when he licks over her clit with delicate fluttering flicks of his tongue, and then deep and slow. "Oh yeah - like that - "

It doesn't take Jonny long to figure out what Pat likes; he works his tongue over her, listening for her moans getting louder, feeling when she starts to roll her hips, grinding her pussy into his face. Pat likes it when he licks deep into her folds, loves it wet and sloppy, when he licks her with the flat of his tongue rather than the tip. She's so wet now that she's leaking down over her ass and Jonny's chin, leaving a wet patch on Jonny's sheets, and Jonny slides his tongue into her, circling it around her entrance, the taste of her thick and sweet on his tongue.

"Oh god," Pat sobs as he closes his lips around her clit again and sucks; she grabs his head desperately, fingers sinking into his short hair as she clings on, working her hips into his face. "Like this - Jonny, yeah, just like this - "

He keeps sucking on her clit as he works his tongue between her folds and holds it there so she's got something to grind against; it's warm and swollen on his tongue, and he pauses to lick over it before he suckles on it again. Her cries are getting louder and her movements more rhythmic and jerky; he thinks she's going to come soon, and he slides two fingers into her to help her along. She's literally sopping wet, and his fingers push into her easy as silk, no resistance at all.

She's bucking against his mouth and hand by now, and he curves his fingers upwards inside her, stroking the tips over the wet heat of her until he feels what he's looking for: a swollen little bump a little way inside her pussy, and he presses his fingers against it while he works his tongue over her clit, letting her ride his mouth.

"Oh fuck," Pat chokes out, gasping, "fuck, I'm gonna - Jonny, don't stop, I'm coming, I'm coming - "

"Shit, yeah, come for me, babe," Jonny says against her pussy, and sucks once more on her clit.

Pat screams - literally screams - and her back arches into a beautifully curved bow as she pushes her cunt into his mouth and comes in a warm, wet gush that splashes against Jonny's nose and cheeks and chin. Her clit throbs against his tongue as she comes, her pussy spasming around his fingers, and jesus, all Jonny can think of is to get inside of her and make her come like this again on his cock.

"Oh shit," Pat's moaning, tugging on his hair hard enough to hurt, but he doesn't care, not while she's still like this, hips still working desperately on his tongue. "Oh fuck - so good, that's good, lick me some more - "

And okay, yeah, Jonny's not going to refuse her, even though his cock is aching. He undoes his jeans one-handed and pushes them and his boxers down over his thighs so he can take his cock in hand, jacking it slowly just to ease the pressure on it. He's hard enough to pound fucking nails.

Pat's trembling and sensitive when he licks over her clit this time, so he takes it slow, swiping his tongue over her in lazy, gentle flicks. She's still moaning loudly, still twitching from the aftershocks of her last orgasm, but at the same time she's so hot and greedy for it, pulling her knees up towards her chest so Jonny has more room for his mouth to work.

"Keep going," she says breathlessly. "Don't stop, you can make me come again if you don't stop."

Jonny's fingers are still in her, and since she's not protesting, he feels for her g-spot again and rubs over it as he licks; she cries out loud, her thighs quivering around him. It doesn't even take her long to come again, she's thrashing around on the bed when she nears orgasm, and Jonny licks it out of her, his tongue deep in her wet, dripping folds. It's less explosive this time, but it seems to go on for longer; she comes in a long, full-body shudder, her pussy throbbing against his tongue and squirting yet another gush of wetness over his eager mouth, her hips undulating against his face as she sobs and shakes and moans his name over and over.

God, she's so hot it makes Jonny's head spin.

He eases his fingers carefully out of her with a wet sucking noise, and gives her cunt one last lingering lick, enjoying the shudder that wracks her. Fuck, but she's wet all over, gleaming over her pussy and her inner thighs and even down her ass, and Jonny's face is probably covered in it. He wipes his chin off with the back of his hand and then sucks her wetness off his fingers, watching her as she does so.

She's flushed down to her chest and even to her nipples, which are hard and swollen, and she's still quivering as he gazes at her. "Jesus, that was - so good," she says, panting hard. "What was - what did you do?"

"What did I do?" Jonny says. "I - ate you out?" He's not quite understanding what she's asking, but he stares, fascinated, as she seems to blush even darker.

"You know," she says. "The - wetness. Like - I felt myself gush a little? Kind of? Or squirt? That's never happened for me before."

"Woah, really?" Jonny asks, blinking. He can't help feeling smug as hell. He fucking made her do that, so - he'd pat himself on the back if he could.

"I thought that only happened in porn," she confesses.

"Nope," Jonny says. "But - it was fucking hot to feel you do that." He leans over her, bracketing her with his arms, and she doesn't shy away when he lowers his head for a kiss even though the lower half of his face is probably still glistening wet from her, but kisses him eagerly, licking her own taste out of his mouth. "I could eat you out every day, babe. Every fucking hour. You're so hot."

Pat whimpers a little, like she's thinking of it, and it makes Jonny grin. But the ache between his legs reminds him that he needs to get off too, so he presses close to her, until his cock slides over the wet, sloppy folds of her cunt. He has to stifle a groan at the feeling of it, her folds spreading to encompass his dick, so wet that he can start a slow rub against her.

"Oh, fuck, yeah," Pat says, pulling away from his mouth. "We've got to take care of you, huh?"

Jonny looks down at their bodies, where his cock is resting in the cleft of her pussy, its red, swollen head jutting out over her mound. She reaches down and rubs a finger over his sticky cockhead, and Jonny jerks at her touch.

"God, you're big," she says, eyes wide as she circles her finger around it and down the shaft. That light touch is fucking torture.

"I'm sorry but - I need to like, fuck you now, or something," Jonny says desperately.

She looks up at him. "And here I was thinking I wanted to suck you first, before you fuck me."

"Shit," Jonny says. "Yeah, yeah, okay - "

He rolls with it when she pushes at his shoulders gently until he's seated with his back against the headboard and she's kneeling between his thighs. She looks especially small and pale against the thick bulk and golden tan of his thighs, but her back curves gorgeously as she lifts her perfect rounded ass in the air, and she looks fucking amazing to Jonny. "Figure you'll be able to get a better view if you sit up like this," she says, grinning wickedly at him, and Jonny groans when she fits her mouth over his cock and goes down.

Jesus, this is what he's spent like, hours jerking off over: the sight of Pat's lovely mouth stretched wide on his cock, her blonde curls spilling around her face and her tits bouncing with every bob of her head, nipples brushing the bed. Her mouth is hot and wet, and it makes Jonny think about how her pussy felt, throbbing equally wet over his mouth.

"Fuck," he bites out when she applies suction on her way down his cock, her mouth contracting deliciously around his sensitive cockhead; he has to close his eyes for a second just to get himself under control, because he doesn't want to come too fast. But Pat doesn't make it easy for him with her greedy mouth; she sucks harder on her way up, dragging her lips and tongue along the length of his cock, before she pulls off and tongues at the head and over the slit.

Jonny tries to resist the urge to just - fuck up into her mouth when she sucks him again and swallows him down, her lush lips sinking down inch by inch on his cock, but when he sees her reach her hand between her legs to rub at herself - well, that's just a little too much for him to deal with.

"Wait, okay, stop," he gasps, and she pulls off him, licking her lips, which are very red.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"Nothing - just that, I don't want to come this way," Jonny says. "Can we - "

"Hell, yeah," she says. "Get your condoms."

Jonny rolls out of bed to dig for his condoms in his desk, cursing himself for not putting them in the nightstand next to his bed. By the time he gets the box out and rips one packet open, rolling the condom quickly over his cock, and turns back, Pat's already on all fours on the bed, her cunt open to his view. She's swollen there from when he was licking her out, and still glistening wet, and Jonny has to bite back a groan.

"Like this?" he asks as he climbs on behind her. He can't resist tapping his cock against her pussy gently, taking it in hand and rubbing the head up and down her cleft.

"Yeah, it's good for me like this," she says breathlessly, so he lines his cock up and, as slowly as he can, pushes into her.

God, Pat feels absolutely perfect, tight and clinging in all the right ways. She's still wet enough that he goes in smooth and easy, although she's trembling by the time he bottoms out, hands gripping the headboard for support. "You good?" he asks, stroking a hand down her spine and willing himself not to move until she gives the go-ahead.

"Yeah - yes," she gasps. "You're just - it's been a while, and you're so big. But it's good - you can move."

It's stupid how smug that makes Jonny feel.

But he starts to pump his hips like she asks, sinking in and out of the wet clinging heat of her cunt, and when she starts to moan and squirm back onto his cock, he ups the speed of his thrusts, fucking into her until his thighs are slapping against her ass. He watches it ripple around him and takes a handful of each butt cheek, squeezing gently, and then holding her cheeks apart so he can see her tiny pink hole and the way his cock fucks in and out of her cunt. It's hot enough to make his head spin, the way she clings on to his cock with every push-pull, like her pussy isn't willing to let it go.

He leans over her to cup her breasts, fingering her nipples as she moans; fuck, he loves her gorgeous, generous tits, and he only wishes she was facing him so he could see them. She's fucking herself back on him now, gasping loudly, and when he stops for a moment to adjust both their positions, she whimpers in protest.

"Hold on," he tells her; he wraps an arm around her waist, shoving himself deeper into her, and reaches his other hand between her legs. "Just gotta do this - "

Pat practically melts against him when he slides his fingers into her folds, down to where his cock is pumping in and out of her. He can feel it, feel the way she stretches open around the fat width of his dick, and she's slick and wet with it. He rolls his fingers against her clit, and she cries out, clenching up deliciously around him.

"Oh - that's good, that's so good," she says. "Keep doing that, Jonny."

Jonny obligingly keeps his fingers on her clit as he fucks into her; she grabs his wrist and holds on tight, guiding his hand to where she wants it, and he goes along with it, letting her grind backwards onto his cock and forward on his hand. She's letting out these sweet, breathless little moans with every thrust of his cock into her, and Jonny drinks up her noises like water.

"You feel incredible," he says, mouthing over her shoulder. "So tight."

She clenches even harder on him when he says that, and Jonny groans, his fingers slip-sliding in the wetness of her cunt as he picks up the speed of his thrusts. He's barrelling towards his orgasm, he can feel it, caught up in the clinging heat of Pat and the way she's so beautifully responsive to his every touch, moaning and gasping and squirming. He just - needs to hold out until she comes again.

"Come on, babe," he says, panting hard. "You gonna come for me again? Wanna feel you come on my cock."

"I'm - nearly there," Pat says, and whimpers when Jonny circles her clit with his fingertips. She's still clutching his wrist, like she needs something to anchor herself to, rather than guiding his fingers anymore, so Jonny figures he's doing it right. "Just - keep fucking me - "

"I am, I am," Jonny says, and fucks as hard into her as he can, screwing in deep with each thrust. He can feel her muscles beginning to flutter around his cock and her legs start to quiver.

"Oh, shit," she groans, "Jonny, fuck, your cock - "

Her back snaps ramrod straight as her entire body tenses up for a second, all her muscles locking tight, and then she's shaking apart for the third time that night, crying out, desperately fucking herself back on Jonny's dick. She's squeezing down so tight on him that he just - he can't hold his orgasm back anymore, the feeling of it building up at the base of his cock until he has to take his hand off her to grip her hips and slam hard into her; two more thrusts into the tight rippling muscles of her cunt and he's gone in an explosion of pure, white-hot pleasure, shooting where his cock is buried all the way deep in Pat.

When he manages to blink his eyes open again, he's literally dizzy from the sheer force of his orgasm. He looks down blearily; Pat's collapsed face down into his bed, her curls in wild disarray and her body gleaming with a sheen of sweat. His cock has slipped out of her, still hard; he rolls the condom off with shaky hands, and attempts to tie it closed twice before giving up and dropping it over the side of the bed. He'll clean it up later when his body's not feeling like a quivery jellyfish.

It's only then he notices the red marks on Pat's hips; fuck, he'd been holding her tight enough to leave marks on her, and he immediately feels guilty for it. He settles himself behind her, bundling her into his arms, and lays kisses on the top of her head, her cheeks, the side of her neck. "I'm sorry," he says, stroking over the skin of her hip. "Did I hurt you?"

"Buh?" Pat mumbles.

Jonny tries not to laugh. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"Mmm," Pat says. "Very good. Good job."

It's not quite an answer to his question, but he takes it to mean that she is, indeed, perfectly okay. "You're amazing," he says, pressing more kisses to her head. "You want to stay here tonight? Sleep with me?"

"'Kay," Pat says. She fumbles behind her until he grabs hold of her hand; then she twines their fingers together and pulls his arm over her, resting their joined hands on her stomach.

"I guess this makes you officially my girlfriend, huh?" Jonny says. He's only half-joking; Pat's never mentioned anything about making them serious or official or anything like that, but - he likes her, more than he's ever liked any girl, and he thinks he could love her, for real.

To his surprise, Pat chokes out a tired little laugh. "Thought you'd never ask," she says.

A warm burst of happiness flares up in Jonny's chest; he holds her a little closer and tighter. "Just did," he says quietly.

Pat squeezes his hand, and then the room's quiet apart from the sounds of their mingled breathing as they drift into sleep, wrapped up and cocooned in each other.

---

"So," Ryan asks one morning after skate, "you're dating Patricia Kane now? For real?"

"How'd you know that?" Jonny says, pulling his t-shirt on.

Ryan gives him a look. "Because you borrow Seabs' car a lot to take her out? Because I saw you the other day holding hands with her in the cafe near the Math department? Because you literally tweeted a picture of the both of you out last night?"

And - okay, fine, Jonny maybe feels a little dumb.

"Yeah, I am," he says. "She's great."

"No, this is great," Hayds calls from the other side of the room. "With you off the market, maybe the rest of us here will have a shot at the ladies. Specifically, Alexandra Fortin."

"Fuck off, Hayds," Ryan says. "Alex wouldn't give you the time of day and you know it."

Jonny rolls his eyes and leaves them to their bickering, but then Duncs strolls by, and slaps him on his shoulder. "Nice one, Tazer," he says, and gives him a fistbump. "Glad you're finally getting laid, might help you be less serious about things."

"I get laid plenty, what the hell," Jonny says. He does too - had Pat coming twice on his cock this morning, in fact, before he left her asleep in his bed so he could make it to practice. He decides not to mention that to Duncs or anyone.

"Sure you do," Duncs says. "I'd be surprised if you've gotten past her first layer of clothing. Especially given how many layers she seems to wear."

It takes everything Jonny has in him not to burst out laughing. Instead he just slings his bag over his shoulder. "Okay, for one, stop talking about my girlfriend. And for another - it's none of your fucking business."

He heads out of the rink and makes his way across campus; Pat's waiting for him, so he thinks he'll pick up breakfast for her on his way and he'll maybe get a blowjob out of it. Pat loves sucking his dick, can't get enough of it the same way he can't get enough of her, so basically, Duncs and everyone else can fuck off with how wrong they are.

---

Pat's everything Jonny could have asked for in a girlfriend: she's incredibly smart, witty with a great sense of humour, super easygoing, great in bed, and gorgeous to boot. She tends to be shy and a little wary with people she doesn't know, but when she's with Jonny, she's sweet and warm and affectionate, and Jonny's the willing recipient of her unfailing sweetness most of the time.

He comes down with the flu in January; he's pretty pissed about it because he's missing a week of school and has to sit out a game. The Sioux are top of their conference right now, but both St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth are just a point behind, and St. Cloud has a game in hand. It's the period where every point is critical, and Jonny is pissed that he's confined to his room for a week, instead of being out there helping his team get the buffer they need.

He's probably not the best company given the severity of his flu and his foul mood, but Pat comes over anyway and insists on staying with him.

"No, don't - you'll catch it from me," Jonny says hoarsely, when Pat enters his room with a bag and her laptop, dumps both at the foot of his bed, and announces she's staying until he gets better. He coughs and winces at the pain in his throat, groping blindly for the bottle of water he had on the nightstand. It's empty. Fuck.

Pat comes over to him and strokes his hair back from his forehead gently; he's clammy from fever, but she doesn't seem to care, just bends over and kisses him there. "Don't be dumb," she says. "You can't be on your own when you're this sick. I'll be okay."

"Pat - " he says again, trying to dissuade her, but launches into yet another coughing fit. Pat stays with him until it's over; there's a frown between her brows, and she looks upset, like she can't stand to see him like this.

"You need lots of fluids - just hang on, okay? I'll get you some water," she says, and disappears.

She comes back a few minutes later with bottles of water and Gatorade; she cracks one open for him and holds it to his mouth. "Drink," she says, and he does as she asks, closing his eyes and letting the cold liquid soothe his painful throat. When he's done, she puts the bottle within easy reach of him and climbs into the bed, letting him rest his head on her thigh.

"God, this sucks," he says heavily. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"Jonny, it's fine," she says. "I'll be worried all day if I'm not with you. Just - let me stay here and take care of you, okay?"

Jonny can't lie - it's a comfort to have Pat here with him, his head pillowed in her lap while she sponges him with a cool, damp towel. "I'm just worried you'll get sick too," he says feebly.

"If I do, then it'll just be your turn to look after me," she says, laughing a little, and just the sight of her smiling makes Jonny feel better.

"Thanks, babe," he says. He's too tired and achy to do anything more than nuzzle against her stomach, but he feels her run her fingers through his hair again and scratch gently at his scalp. It's soothing and relaxing and Jonny's - he's grateful she's here.

"I want you to get better soon, okay?" Pat says. "I made you some chicken soup, it's in a thermos in my bag. You should nap now and then you can have soup when you wake up."

"You made me soup?" Jonny asks, blinking his crusty eyes open to look up at her.

"Yeah, I got my mom's recipe and made it in my dorm's kitchen," she says. "It's really good, trust me. I'm not such a bad cook."

"I - that's not what I meant," Jonny says. He tucks his face back against her stomach. "You're the best girlfriend ever. I love you."

"Love you too," Pat says. "Just need you to get well, babe."

"With you around? And your homemade chicken soup? I will."

Pat smiles. "I'll hold you to that," she says, dropping a sweet kiss on his temple.

---

North Dakota is mathematically confirmed as first seed in their conference in early March, guaranteed a spot in the regional semifinals. Jonny doesn't allow himself any time to celebrate; they have two elimination games to win before they even make it to the Frozen Four.

They clear the regional semifinals with ease, the finals against the Air Force a little less so, but they run out 5-4 winners in overtime. They've done it. Jonny's led the Sioux back to the Frozen Four for the first time in eight years. They might not win it; they're up against Ohio State for the semis, and Ohio State was seeded first amongst all the conference champions - but the important thing is, they're in. They have a shot at it.

Jonny barely has time to let the euphoria sink in when he gets a call from the Blackhawks - from their GM, Dale Tallon himself. Dale was the one who'd drafted him last year; he'd known the call was coming, but the truth is, he hasn't made up his mind yet.

Dale doesn't keep him on the phone for long, just wishes him luck for the championships, and then asks him if he's decided yet whether to give up college eligibility to sign an ELC with them, or whether he intends to stay on in UND.

"I'm - not sure yet, to be honest," he says. "Can I have some time to think about it? Maybe until after the tournament is done?"

"Of course," Dale says. "Although I'm really hoping you'll come join us. We could use someone with your talent and leadership skills, as you know."

Yeah, he knows. Chicago's a proud Original Six franchise that's now a shadow of its former self; he knows that when he's there, he'll have the weight of the franchise on his shoulders, with twenty years of declining home attendance and a city no longer interested in hockey after nearly five decades of no Cups, all depending on him.

But Jonny's never been someone to shy away from a challenge.

"I'll let you know soon," he says.

---

Pat celebrates him clinching the championship semifinal berth that same night by giving him the best blowjob he's ever had, long and slow and wet. Each time he feels like he's about to come she pulls off him and makes him wait, drawing it out, and when he finally comes down her throat it's almost explosive with how hard his orgasm rushes through him.

Pat's looking extremely pleased with herself when he emerges from his come-dumb haze; she's kneeling back on her heels, hands still on his thighs, and her tongue darts out to swipe at the corners of her mouth, like she wants more of his come. "That's for my boyfriend leading his team to the Frozen Four," she says, grinning, and - god, her voice is fucked up from having him down her throat for so long.

"You - come here," Jonny says urgently. "Up here, now."

She obligingly climbs up over him, straddling his stomach as she runs her hands up and down his chest. She looks amazing like this, all creamy skin and smooth curves, her nipples hard and swollen.

"Up more," Jonny says, and reaches out to pull her towards him until she's hovering above his face, thighs splayed out on either side of his head. Her cunt spreads open slightly, revealing her slick inner folds, and Jonny grabs her ass to pull her down on him and licks right into her, tasting her familiar musky sweetness.

"Fuck," Pat says, drawing out the vowel. "Oh yeah, fuck, I love this."

Her hips are already swivelling, grinding down onto his mouth. Jonny fucking loves it when she rides his face; she gets totally into it, working herself up and down on his tongue, and sometimes all he has to do is keep his tongue out straight and flat and she'll get herself off on it by rubbing her clit against it. But he wants to return the favour since she gave him that glorious blowjob, and he licks long, deep stripes from the bottom of her cunt to her clit at the top, feeling her quaver as he holds her up with his hands on her ass.

She moans when he suckles lightly at her clit before he resumes licking deep into her; she's dripping already, her wetness leaking in rivulets down her inner thighs and over his mouth and chin. He stops to lick up a trail from her thigh before turning his attention back to her pussy; it's swollen and warm against his mouth and he just wants to have her sit on his face for as long as she can take it.

"Oh god," she says, spine snapping straight, when Jonny spreads her cheeks open and rubs his thumb lightly over her hole. "Yeah, Jonny, can you - "

Jonny knows what she wants; he slides two fingers into her pussy first to get them slick. She's sopping wet inside, and the angle's tough on his wrist when she's on his face but he fucks his fingers in and out of her for a few strokes before he pulls them out and lowers her back onto his mouth. He's licking back over her when he runs his wet fingers down the cleft of her ass and slips one into her hole.

"Fuck, yes," Pat says, panting, she grinds down on him harder and with more purpose, rocking back and forth between his tongue on her cunt and his finger in her hole. "Oh shit, that's so good, that's it - "

Jonny really loves eating her out, especially when she's like this, needy and loud and grabbing at his hair so she can press herself down harder on his face. She's the most responsive girl he's ever slept with, and the most sensitive; every light touch makes her shake and whimper, and Jonny's just so fucking into her all the time. He sucks over her clit, waits to hear her start gasping, and then works a second finger into her ass, so she'll have something more substantial to clench on when she comes.

She's rolling her hips faster now, leaning back slightly so she can fuck herself down on his fingers harder while Jonny eats her out. Jonny can tell when she's close; her moans ratchet up in volume and she's working her cunt in quick, repetitive movements over Jonny's tongue. He licks her as deep as he can go into her folds, stroking his tongue over her clit, and it doesn't take her long at all, not like this when she can control how hard or deep or fast Jonny licks her. She comes screaming into the headboard, her thighs clamped around his head as she pushes her cunt on his mouth, her ass squeezing and contracting around his fingers.

Fuck, she's so hot. Jonny licks frantically at the welcoming gush of wetness out of her, swallowing it down, before he eases his fingers out of her. She's still shaky, little tremors racking her body, and Jonny strokes his fingers soothingly up and down her sides, over the curves of her waist and hips, until she takes a deep breath and pushes herself backwards, her wet cunt brushing over his abs.

The thing about Pat is she's practically insatiable. One orgasm is never enough, which makes Jonny grateful that he has a pro athlete's endurance and refractory period. And he's definitely not going to complain, especially now, when she's taking hold of his cock and sinking down on it, tipping her head back and her mouth open slightly as she goes down.

It's always a sight when Pat's riding him, because she looks sublime like this, her hair in a spill of gold over her shoulders and her tits bouncing slightly as she works herself up and down on his cock, and Jonny pushes himself up into a sitting position because he just has to get his mouth on them. He cups her breasts, enjoying the weight and heft of them in his palms, the way they spill out over his hands, and wraps his lips around one of her nipples, biting gently and hearing her answering gasp. Her cunt is clenching around his cock, slippery and tight; she's been on the pill for a while now and they've dispensed entirely with condoms for months, but Jonny can never get enough of the addictive, heady feel and sight of his bare cock disappearing into Pat's greedy wet pussy.

He focuses on her nipples, rolling them between her fingers, sucking and licking at them; she's so sensitive there that she can come just from Jonny playing with them, if he keeps at it long enough (and he has). She's groaning with every touch, and she's not quite fucking herself up and down on his cock anymore, just grinding against him, but it feels incredible like this, her cunt making obscene sopping sounds every time she moves and squeezes down on him inside.

Pat works a hand between their bodies so she can rub frantically at her clit, as Jonny buries his face between her generous breasts and sucks hickeys everywhere he can reach; in the centre of her breastbone, above her right nipple, the rounded underside of her left tit. There's already a string of fading hickeys around her nipples, and Jonny works them back into life, sucking biting kisses over them before soothing the skin with his tongue, and goes back to tonguing her nipples.

"Oh shit, you're just too good at this," Pat says, half-gasping, half-laughing. Her hips are rocking restlessly, grinding his cock as deep into her as it can go, and when Jonny looks down he can see her fingers gleaming from her own wetness, rubbing in circles over her clit. God, he loves looking at her like this, riding him with wild abandon, just using his cock to chase her own pleasure.

"Mm-hmm," he murmurs. "Gonna get you there, baby." He drags his mouth from her tits up over the long column of her neck, a tendon straining in it, and back down again. She's bucking hard against him, and she's so tight and wet that Jonny has to like, count backwards from fifty in his head to distract himself from wanting to shoot off right now.

"Yeah, I'm - fuck, I'm close," she pants. "Oh fuck, oh yeah, Jonny, god, your cock feels so good - "

She clamps down so tight on him when she comes that Jonny thinks he goes white-hot blind for a moment; his mouth is still on her nipples, and he sucks them through her orgasm, until she's shuddering and sobbing from oversensitivity, but she's still rolling her hips down on his cock like she can't stop, the little fluttering muscles inside her making Jonny go a little cross-eyed.

"Oh shit," he groans as the pleasure crests in him and he finally, finally explodes, shooting deep inside her, her cunt tight and perfect and milking every drop from him. This is never going to get old, he thinks hazily; he'd spend the rest of his life with Pat if he could, making her feel this good all the time, getting to fuck her and finger her and eat his come out of her.

They collapse in a messy, tangled heap on the bed together; Pat's giggling tiredly, like she's wont to do after a really solid orgasm, and Jonny kisses her, except they're both so wiped they're not really doing much, just kind of breathing into each other's mouths.

Jonny can't even lie, one of the best parts of sex with Pat, to him, is that he gets to cuddle her after, tuck her against his chest, and spoon together while she curls up against him warm and contented and pleased.

There's still something he needs to speak to her about, but - that can wait till tomorrow. For now all he wants to do is nuzzle his face into the luxuriant curls at the back of her neck and sleep for the next ten hours, so that's exactly what he does, Pat tucked securely into his arms.

---

He takes her to a cafe off campus the next morning for brunch; Pat loves the eggs and waffles here, and Jonny wants to give her whatever she wants and loves. They're halfway through their food when Pat says, "Okay, out with it."

Jonny stares at her, a piece of bacon dangling from his mouth mid-bite. He chokes it down with some difficulty and says, "What?"

"I know you want to tell me something," she says, her blue eyes sparkling. "You've had it on your mind since yesterday. Just say it."

"Oh shit," Jonny says; he's clearly underestimated how well Pat can read him now. He'd honestly thought he'd got his excitement under wraps and everything.

"What is it?"

Jonny takes a deep breath. "Okay, so," he begins, "I told you I got a call from Dale Tallon yesterday, right? And I told him to wait until we were done in the championships, before I made my decision on where to go next year. But - I was thinking about it all day - and I feel like I want to sign with the Blackhawks. I feel like I'm ready for the NHL."

Pat claps her hands over her mouth, like she's trying to keep from shouting. But her eyes are bright and delighted, and she's smiling so widely, her dimples popping. "Jonny, oh my god," she says through her fingers. "I've been trying to tell you this all year - you are good enough. You're going to be amazing. I know it."

"Yeah, well, I mean, we'll have to see, I might not even make it past prospect camp, they might want to send me down to Rockford for a season - "

"No," Pat says fiercely. She reaches out and takes his hand, holding it tight. "You're so good, and you're exactly what they need. They won't be able to afford to send you down. You can do it, babe. You'll be great in the NHL."

Jonny lifts her hand to his lips and kisses her knuckles; a wave of gratitude sweeps over him. Pat's been so supportive of him the entire year, going to his games and practices, helping him with his advanced stats and working out training plans and game plans with him, and now he's captained the team to the Frozen Four as a likely candidate for the Hobey Baker award this season.

He couldn't have done it without Pat's patience and support.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he says quietly.

She turns pink, and Jonny has to lean across the table to peck her on the mouth sweetly, because - fuck, he just loves her so much.

"And that's why I want to ask if - if you'd like to come to Chicago with me," he says.

Pat blinks at him, her lashes fluttering and her mouth falling open. Her blue eyes are wide and very round and shocked.

"I know - it's a big thing for me to ask," Jonny adds quickly. "You have your friends here, and you're doing well in your classes, and - it's kind of presumptuous of me, I know, but I went to check out Northwestern and U of Chicago, and you'd be able to transfer credits if you moved. And like - I'm not trying to brag, but after I sign that ELC, I could take care of you. You wouldn't need to worry about expenses or anything like that."

Pat's not saying anything, even though her throat's working. She still looks like she's in a state of shock.

"I don't want to be without you," Jonny says quietly. "It's your choice, obviously - if you want to stay here, we'll make it work. I'll fly you out to Chicago during holidays, maybe some weekends when you have the time. But whatever it is, whatever you choose - I don't want to be without you."

Pat wets her lips slowly. She stares at her hand in Jonny's before lifting her eyes to him, and Jonny steels himself for her saying no, for her to tell him that he's a selfish prick for expecting her to uproot her life here and move away from her friends -

"I - yeah," she says. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that, but yes. I could do that - I would, with you. I'll have to maybe like, talk to the schools first, see how a transfer would work out - but yes. I'll move to Chicago with you."

Jonny feels like all the breath he's been holding has whooshed out from his lungs in one go, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded. Fuck. He's really doing this. He's going to Chicago, signing with an Original Six franchise, and he's going to have Pat with him.

There's nothing in the world that can stop him from making his mark in the NHL.

"I love you so fucking much," he says fervently, pressing another kiss to her fingers. "Babe, thank you so much - "

"I love you too," she says quietly. "I'd go anywhere with you. You know that, right?"

And Jonny knows that he's a very, very lucky man.

---

Jonny makes his call the next day.

"Hi, Dale?" he says, when Dale answers the phone. "I've thought about it, and yeah. I'll sign with the Blackhawks this year. I'll get my agent to contact you and work it out with you guys."

"That's great news, Jon," Dale says, relief and happiness evident in his voice. "Welcome to Chicago, son."

"Thank you," Jonny says, and he means it.