Wow, it's been a while. When I began writing this in 2008 Blackberries, flip phones and emailing was all still a thing. Portman would not be emailing Julie in 2024, Lol. Also in 2016 bandage dresses were in. Not so much right now. Instead of going back and editing this entire story, I am just going to continue to plug away.

Julie slowly stirred awake, moving her right arm up to hug her pillow closer to her face. She immediately realized how cool the pillowcase was, nothing like her normal flannel sheets she preferred. With her brows furrowed, she squinted awake and was met with cream on beige wallpaper staring back at her. Eyes widening a bit, she pushed herself up and looked at the large bed that was not hers. A room that wasn't hers. A large bed and a room she was naked in. Licking her lips, she glanced over next to her and saw sheets that had been pushed down and abandoned. Her memories from the night before, or a few hours ago, she wasn't entirely sure, came flooding back. She felt the chill on her upper body and grabbed the sheet and comforter and pulled them back up over herself and she laid back down in the hotel bed. Was she in shock? Not entirely, but Julie felt herself starting to process everything. The feelings, not emotional but she could swear in that moment she could feel the ghost of his touch everywhere it had been on her body. His breathing, his smell, his voice.

Julie knew Dean hadn't left. Wait, had he? She shot up at the thought and looked at the chair and desk, noticing her things, the beer bottles from the night before… glancing at the floor she saw his dress shoes near her heals. Looking into the corner she spotted his suitcase flapped open and riffled through. No, he hadn't just left her like some random one-night stand. Easing back down into the bed Julie stared at the swirling pattern in the ceiling plaster.

"What the fuck." She whispered to herself and quietly giggled.

Just then Julie heard some rustling outside the door, a beep and the loud lock on the door gave away. Sitting back up with the cover over her chest Julie sat wide-eyed, anticipation coursing through her.

Dean Portman let the door shut behind him as he pulled the bag with him and set the cup carrier on the desk. Having heard the bed sheets move, he immediately looked to the right and saw her sitting there, blond hair still lightly curled from the night before but tousled, messy, slept on and sexy. Julies eye-make up was running just ever so slightly and her lips gave away to a small, nervous smirk as they made eye contact.

"Hey."

"Morning."

"Uh… I grabbed a couple coffees downstairs. I wasn't sure how you took yours, so I grabbed a handful of everything." Dean motioned to the carrier on the desk as a couple sugar packs spilled off onto the wood top.

"Thanks. That sounds good." Julie glanced down behind him and realized he had her bag. "Is that my suitcase?" she wrinkled her nose ever so slightly as she looked at him in question.

"Yeah." Portman started as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Your phone woke me this morning. Seems Connie is still annoying as fuck first thing in the morning." He chuckled and she smiled back mumbling "Understatement", prompting him to continue.

"I hope you don't mind but I answered it. She was making sure you were alive and then wanted to know if you'd be back over to the hotel, guess you guys were leaving at 8:00am?"

Julie nodded "Yeah, that was the plan… Tammy had to be home for a family thing…are they outside? What time is it?" Julie started to push herself up more with the sheet still to her chest.

"It's like 9:40 Jules…" Dean started taking a step forward knowing she was about to panic.

"Oh shit! Tammy's gonna kill me…"

"Listen, I talked to Connie, I had them bring you bag over… Julie, I can take you back."

"What?"

Dean very rarely showed any slip in confidence or came off nervous around any person in any situation, but for a moment he took a breath to compose himself.

"I asked them to drop your things. I'd… I thought. Uh…" he felt himself stumble as she stared at him blankly.

"It's a nine-hour drive to Minneapolis Portman." She looked at him like he was still drunk.

"Listen, I was renting a car to head over and see my family for a few days anyway."

"That's five hours PAST Chicago…"

"I know how far it is… I drove it at few times a year with my parents in high school, remember?" he raised an eyebrow, feeling a little agitated.

"So they just dropped my things off and left?" Julie felt her annoyance growing the longer they continued as well.

"Julie will you just read between the lines! Damn." Dean put his arms out sounding annoyed but quickly hid it with a smile that was supposed to be confident and joking but his nerves simmered just under the surface.

Julie Gaffney sat stunned to silence. She couldn't remember the last time someone snapped at her, let alone implied that she was thick-headed. She studied him for a moment, his dark eyes softening as they held onto hers a bit longer before he turned and pulled her bag forward.

Julie cleared her throat. "I can drive myself back, that's pretty far…"

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to." He said as he picked up his coffee.

"Well that's one thing that hasn't changed then." She smiled up at him, finding it hard to keep the flirty tone out of her voice. "This is insane. Honestly. You do not need to drive me almost twelve hours round trip past your hometown."

"Come on Cat, you don't wanna catch up on a good'ol fashioned road trip with an old boyfriend?"

She laughed at his smile, his boyish charm that was still intact. "I have no choice!" she countered, laughing "I've practically been kidnapped. I mean…." She looked down at herself then, implying her current state of dress in a hotel room.

He laughed then "This was not a kidnapping. You were a willing partner last night."

Julie sighed, pulling her hands up to her face and covering it. "I was, wasn't I?" she spoke through her hands. "I'd like to get dressed."

Dean calmed himself and put his coffee back down, grabbing the bag. "Ah, yea, sure… you want the bathroom, or..?"

Julie looked at the man in front of her and felt her chest swell. Not a single smart-ass comment, nothing derogatory or sexist, no comment about her lack of clothing. Nothing. Just genuine thoughtfulness. It didn't surprise her though, he had a hidden soft spot many didn't get to witness.

"Uh, sure…" she felt herself smile as she watched him push her bag into the bathroom. She stood and pulled at the sheet until she felt it come away from the bed. The mass of light material covered her just fine as she crept around the corner, waiting for him to exit. As he did, he smiled down at her and his eyes looked away quickly as he went around her. Entering the bathroom, Julie closed the door just enough that she could pull the sheet away and toss it back into the room before she rummaged into her bag. Looking up at herself in the mirror she immediately felt embarrassed at the state of her makeup and the tussled hair she had. Washing her face and brushing her teeth, Julie laid more of her things onto the bathroom counter. Moisturizer and a little reapplication of some mascara would be sufficient. She didn't want to look like she was trying too hard. He would notice that right away. Especially on her.

Julie looked at herself in the mirror for a moment as she began pulling on leggings over the undergarments she had put on already. The flashback to the moments after their first hookup in high school came flying into her head…

Pushing open the girls bathroom, Julie quietly called out, "Hello?" even though she knew there wouldn't be anyone in there at the moment. It was the dormitory at 3:30am on a Sunday morning after all. She tiptoed to the stalls and looked for the cleanest one to use. After, she was washing her hands and looked herself over in the mirror. Her lips were swollen, and she had a slight hickey forming on her neck.

"Shit." She rolled her eyes at herself as she whispered her cuss to only her own reflection. What the hell had she done? She had gone and slept with Portman. Portman! She shut her eyes tight and turned the water off, breathing slowly. She had to get out of there. She could just ditch. She told him she was running to the bathroom, but she didn't need to go back for anything, did she? She could just go crash in Tammy's room. Julie dried her hands and reached for the handle. She peaked into the desolate hallway and made for the stairwell but felt herself slowing and she got to the door. Why was she just leaving? That certainly wouldn't make anything easier or less awkward for her or Portman at practice later that day. Then again, Portman flirted with everything on campus, what would he care? He probably already fell asleep anyways. She desperately tried to reason with herself, to justify why just running was a reasonable choice.

He had waited for her though, walked her back. She didn't think his initial intention was to get in her pants, was it? They had gotten to know each other and started hanging out more the last few years. It had caused Connie to question early on in their budding friendship if Julie and Portman were just friends with benefits which in turn, made Julie roll her eyes, denying it immediately but inwardly blush. She was at the tail-end of her relationship with Scooter after all when she started hanging around with Portman more. He had helped keep her mind off all the troubles with her current varsity boyfriend. Dean Portman was certainly attractive, she couldn't deny that. His tall frame with his dark complexion and handsome smile. The leather coat and his bandanas never hurt either when he had them paired with a hockey hoodie and jeans. He made her smile and laugh harder than any of the other ducks. They both had a dark sense of humor, a way of playfully flirting with each other but never crossing that invisible line. Until tonight.

Julie sighed, about to reach for the door again, but stopped. She couldn't just leave, what the hell was she thinking. Portman was her friend. He had become a good friend at that if not her best friend aside from Connie and if she was really being honest with herself, she had begun forming a small crush on him as of late. Chewing her lip, she turned back down the hall and made it to her door. Opening it slowly, she crept back in.

"Cat lady, that you?"

"NOT Connie…" she whispered as she slowly shut the door behind her.

He chuckled at her retort "Started thinking you had left…"

"Uh… no. Just ah… bathroom." She grimaced at her lameness at that moment.

"Cool, hey I uh, hope you don't mind if I just crash here… its so late I don't want get caught by the RD or night security."

"No, yeah. Of course."

Putting her back to the side of the room where Portman lay on her bed, Julie began to peel her sweater back off she had tossed on for the chilly walk to the bathroom. Feeling his eyes on her and knowing they were, she felt a little exposed. She never really considered herself a very sexy person. Her movements were too clumsy, too unsure. The opposite of when she was on the ice. Swallowing, she quickly pulled a shirt out of a drawer.

"Did I just miss the best part?" she heard him ask with a fake bummed out tone and a boyish teasing.

Julie smiled over her shoulder at him as she held the t-shirt to her chest.

Just then Dean breathed out, his eyes on hers. "That's hot."

Was it? She wasn't trying to 'be hot'. Was she? Suddenly she felt her courage sweep back in like it had a few hours ago when she has slid her hand into the back pocket of his jeans as they walked. As it had when she boldly unbuttoned his jeans only an hour ago. Keeping eye contact with him, she turned to him, holding the fabric loosely over her modest chest. Her lounge pants laying low on her hips.

"Never been more happy about a brighter screen saver in my life…" Dean stated with not an ounce of laughter in his voice.

She smirked already knowing why but she asked him anyways. "Why's that?"

His eyes lit up then looking from her body to her face.

"Come'er." As if reading her mind, Portman lifted her blanket, inviting her to sleep with him. She didn't hesitate like she had at the door to the stair well minutes ago. She realized she didn't want to hesitate; she was glad she didn't leave. She wanted his attention, the touch, the contact. She had built up sexual experience with Scooter during that year they had dated but she had never spent the entire night with him. There was something very intimate about spending the night in a bed with a boy. Something intimidating but here with this boy, the thought of having him spend the night was warm and wonderful. His attention and interest made her feel pretty and bold. Portman had helped her grow her confidence as a player, as a friend and as a person. At times when he spoke to her it was very much like an equal, someone he respected. Not 'one of the boys' but also not just things he thought she wanted to hear either. He showed real interest. An unspoken knowingness, a trust that had built the last few years on the ice and more so, off it. Her stomach swirled with excited nervousness while crawling into bed with her hottest male teammate. She noticed he had appeared to have put his boxer briefs back on while she was in the bathroom. Sliding into her bed with him, he pulled the covers over them both, while she gripped the shirt she held against her.

This was the raciest night she had had to date.

"This can go…" he whispered to her as he pulled the shirt from her and pulled her bare chest against him. She put her hands on his chest also and her leg very naturally slid up so his could fit in between hers. Like two puzzle pieces.

"Yeah…" she answered as she began to feel him pulling her tighter.

"Good." He murmured as he brought his lips to hers again for the thousandth time within the last hour.

She felt his full lips connect with her still swollen mouth. The confidence and pressure he applied, the urgency in his kiss. She could feel him then, his hardness pressed against her. She had already helped him no more than sixty minutes ago with his last hard-on. She had been glad in that moment that she knew where Connie and Guy had kept their condoms in her desk across the room from Julies own desk. She felt his free arm travel down her back as she rested on his other one; the trapped arm's hand playing with her hair. She gasped as she felt him grab onto her bottom and pull her tight to him as he ground into her center. He pulled his mouth away and panted as he repeated the motion again, and then again and again. She ran her one arm under his and onto his back, pulling his chest closer to her, crushing her breasts against his firm chest. He continued rocking his hips into hers, rubbing himself into her center over and over while they both panted in each other's ear.

"I need you again…" he breathed.

Julie continued to stare in the mirror for a moment more and squeezed her eyes shut. The brief memory of the first night together left as rapidly as it had entered her mind. She swallowed as she looked down at the thin, loose lounge sweater in her hand and pulled it on. Three times that first night. They had slept together three times. Twice in that first hour and once more a few hours later in the morning after he had woke her before he left to sneak back to the boys dorm.

There were a hundred warring thoughts and feelings all impaling themselves over and over onto her rational side. None of them were sticking. As crazy as this entire scenario was, Julie was all in. She would deny it to just about anyone but there wasn't a single day since high school that she didn't think of Dean Portman at least one time. He was her first real love, he knew it, she knew it. She just never quite had that same spark or connection with anyone else since him; and it made her crazy. Today was the day she dared to dream. A time to perhaps get some answers to a few of her heart's oldest scars.

She felt herself let out a breath and looked herself back over. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun, packed her things back up and opened the door.

Portman had clearly been doing the same as he was now standing dressed in joggers, Jordans and a thin hooded sweatshirt. His bag was packed as well.

"So. I'm going to take you up on this offer."

"Good." He picked up a backpack and slung it onto his back. Smiling he looked up at her "I was hoping you would babe."

"Don't call me Babe." She smirked picking up her coffee. Making him chuckle louder.

"My rental should be here in a few if its not already. We should head down to the lobby and wait."

Following him, she watched him slip some cash onto the room desk as a tip for housekeeping before he opened the door and held it for her. Julie pulled her small carryon suitcase behind her and turned to wait for him as he pulled the door shut. They started walking towards the elevator in silence and Julie glanced over at Portman as he walked along next to her. He didn't seem to have a shred of apprehension. Like seeing her for only the third or fourth time since high school wasn't fazing him at all. As if bringing her back to his room and sleeping with her wasn't a complete surprise. Julie didn't know what to think about it all. On one hand, she felt a slight amount of annoyance with herself for her lack of complete control. On the other hand, she at least knew he still found her alluring and attractive. She wondered if his mind was racing like her own.

"I'm gonna toss this out." He said as they stopped by the elevator bank, pushing the button with one finger from the hand holding his coffee and then taking a breath. "I've wanted to fuckin talk to you for a while and just never known how to do it or if you'd even wanna hear what I gotta say." He looked over at her, gaging her expression.

She glanced up at him, waiting to see if he was going to say anything else for a moment.

"Like…can we agree to be fucking adults and say exactly what we think on this drive?"

"I'm pretty sure we were always able to do that with one another. Unless you think I've changed?" she prodded.

His one eyebrow raised "You don't seem to have. Is there a contract or legal clause I have to sign before I can talk about anything else?"

She smirked at him and bumped his arm with hers as the door to the lift dinged and opened.

Getting onto the elevator, Julie reached over and pushed the lobby button. As the doors closed, she glanced up and looked at him in the mirrored glass that lined the lift and caught him looking at her as well.

"Saying what's on our minds then?" she asked?

"Yup."

"I miss you Dean." feeling brave and in control.

"That's a really good start." He smiled back.

"I mean it."

He turned his head then to look at her instead of her reflection. "I miss you too Julie."

"Like miss you miss you." She whispered as her throat started to catch. His eyes jumped back and forth between hers. She breathed out a steady, strong breath. "Ok, we've got all day!" she looked back up at him laughing at herself.

He picked his one hand up off his suitcase handle and gripped the back of her neck, pulling her over gently as his lips met hers briefly in a soft, lingering peck. Julie felt her entire body heat up. Dean Portman never did express himself much affectionately with words. He wasn't a 'card' guy. He was physical. He was touch. He was blunt when he did talk. Raw. She knew with that chaste kiss, he was relaying the same message. He miss missed her as well.

She looked up at him then as the elevator slowed to a stop. The brief ride ended as they got to reality once more.

"Come'on." He said as he lead the way out into the lobby as an attendance approached him.

"Mr. Portman, your rental is out front. If you would please join me at the counter for check out and rental agreement with their representative."

Julie stopped and waited, watching him make his way to the counter. She glanced out front and saw a black BMW not unlike the many she would see in the parking garage under her building at work. Not a single fiber of hers believed for a moment that he was showing off with this rental. It was just a luxury he had clearly become accustomed to. She slowly started making her way out of the lobby and outside to wait. The morning air felt comfortable. Her grey sweater kept her warm in the cool spring breeze that ran around her, rustling a few budding bushes by her. She got a quick whiff of cigarette smoke and looked around, noticing an older woman sitting on a bench with her bag, smoking. Looking down at her converse tennis shoes she glanced to her purse and pulled out her phone.

A message from Connie and tammy needing read. Opening the conversation she had to shake her head.

Connie needed to know all the details and Tammy asked her if they had slept together. Julie looked over and saw Portman walking towards the doors to meet her. She looked down and quickly responded with 'We will have a lot to catch up on and more coming, I'm sure. Waiting for car.' SEND.

She smirked and 'liked' Tammy's text. Knowing the lack of details would drive her friends wild and give them something to gossip even more about on their drive home. Looking at the time on her phone, Julie realized that the girls were probably 3hrs ahead of them. If she and Dean didn't stop at all, they would be back to her place by 8:00pm but Julie mentally tacked on 2 hours for food and bathroom stops.

"It's nice out here!"

Julie turned to look at Portman as he pulled a pair of aviators out of his backpack and slid them on his face.

"It is." she walked towards him. "This it?" she asked implying the black sedan.

"Yup. This ok with you?" he asked and he was serious.

"Portman, I drive a Wrangler. This is a little boogie for me." She laughed.

He looked at her with his eyebrows rising above his glasses. "Oh yeah?" she nodded at him as she opened the back door and tossed her bag on the seat. "So if a beamer and a wrangler had a baby, that's what I drive."

Julie just gave him a quizzical look.

"I drive a Range Rover."

"I can see that…." She commented as she climbed in and clicked the seatbelt.

"Ready for an adventure Gaffney?" He leaned towards her a bit from the driver's seat.