Brooks Laich, a Washington Capitals hockey player, is gushing about his new girlfriend Julianne Hough.

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"She's a cool, cool gal. She's just a sweetheart, very loving, very giving. She puts so much great out into the world. I'm a pretty lucky guy," Laich said during a Wednesday interview with Washington D.C.'s 106.7 The Fan sports radio station.

Laich was not remotely familiar with Hough's work, her movies or Dancing with the Stars seasons, prior to meeting her through his friend Teddy Sears, who was filming an upcoming movie with Hough.

"No, to be honest, I had never seen an episode of Dancing With The Stars," Laich admitted. "But in my defense, she had never seen a Caps game either until she met Teddy. But other than that, I don't want to get into a whole lot of it; I'm kind of shy on my personal life."

Laich told the radio station he's not used to the type of publicity Hough regularly receives although he's okay with it.

"[Paparazzi] was a new experience for me. I mean, [I've] been around camera crews and whatever, pictures, or autograph seekers and stuff before, but those guys are relentless," he explained.

"We're just driving through town and they're swerving in and out of traffic trying to follow you. We just went for a hike one day and they're running through the leaves and the bushes, and it's like, 'Oh, these guys are working hard.' But you got to look at it positively, like, 'Oh they're just going to photograph our little trip here.'"

Sears, an actor also from Washington, D.C. and a good friend of Laich's, shot the movie Curve with Hough, 25.

"On set, apparently, [Teddy] was talking with Julianne, and said he had recently just got married -- just got back from his honeymoon -- and then asked her if she'd been seeing anyone, and she said no or whatever, and I guess he was watching our hockey game at the time," Laich told the Junkies.

"He always watches the game on Game Center on his iPad. I guess he just showed her the iPad and said, 'Well I've got a guy for you,' or something. That's how it started."

But Laich was apparently hesitant to make a move on the actress and pro dancer.

"Nothing happened for awhile," he said. "Teddy's been a friend of mine for four or five years and I would never put him in a situation where I make him feel like I'm using him to get to somebody. So nothing happened for awhile and then he kept mentioning her name and then eventually we connected."

Laich and Hough officially first met in December at Sears' wedding reception in Washington, D.C.

"'Jules' came out with them and I got to meet her at that point," the NHL player noted.

As for their future together, Laich explained Hough has a "flexible schedule" right now while he's very busy. However, his routine will calm down come the summer.

"We'll make it work; We'll figure it out," Laich insisted.

Whether he'll get jealous at the sight of Hough kissing other guys in her movies and such, Laich shyly replied, "You can't ask me these questions, man!"

Laich and Hough were spotted kissing at Los Angeles International airport on Tuesday and holding hands at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, on Saturday, according to eyewitnesses. The couple also hiked with her two dogs on Sunday in Studio City, CA, Us Weekly reported.

Laich joked with the radio station he had some "fun in the sun" this past weekend.

"It works out well," a source told Us. "They're having fun."

Added another source of Hough, "She's happier than ever."

Hough recently revealed to Self magazine she planned to stay single for one year following her March 2013 split from American Idol host Ryan Seacrest. Laich's response to her breaking that rule for him several months early was, "I'm a charming guy, I guess."
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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