Let the games begin...
***
Looking at myself in the mirror, I notice my cheeks are all red. I’m also not sure if I’m going to be speaking to Meghan after tonight.
When I showed up at her house for a nice evening of BBQ, I was under the impression it would be just the regular gang we hang with. I was not ready for the blue eyes that met me when I walked into the yard.
As soon as I walked in, Meghan was there with a martini and the famous ‘I’m sorry’ eyes. Seems that Tom does know Cooper. He also thought it was a great idea to invite him over to hang out with us. Great. It was just fan-fucking-tastic, to say the very least.
I hurriedly drank my first martini, which then fell into a second, third, followed by my fourth. I sat at the table with everyone, conversation flowing, talking to the girls with not a care in the world, but I knew, I felt that his eyes were on me the entire time. Making me tingle in places that have been out of commission for a while.
The seating arrangements were almost already done with all the couples sitting together, leaving two seats open. Adam quickly took a seat, leaving one spot right next to Cooper. I almost kicked myself in the ass for taking so long to grab a chair. Sitting down right next to Cooper, he turned his head my way, giving me a sly smile. “You clean up good.” He leaned in, then tipped his beer back.
“I guess this is another cheat day, Stone?” I tried to get under his skin the same way he was getting under mine. My martini was quickly replaced and replenished by Meghan with the ‘I’m so sorry’ look again.
The chatter around the table had me sitting back and just listening to everything, the tension in my body slowly releasing itself. I’m sure it was the alcohol that was now flowing in my veins. The meal, however, made the tension start again. The way Cooper’s fingers grazed mine softly when reaching for his fork, almost like he did it on purpose, shot goose bumps all through my body. When we finished eating and were just lounging around still sitting, his hand made its way to the back of my chair. The heat from his hand straightened up my spine, making me aware of his every move. His hand hooked on the back of my chair, his thumb rubbing up and down my arm. My side looks found him chatting with Tom, like he didn’t have a care in the world. It was too much. His touch, my alcohol induced senses on overload. I just needed to get away from him. I pushed myself off the table, throwing my chair back. “I have to use the ladies’ room.” I tried to focus on the task of not swaying on my feet. Word to the wise. Never get up after drinking about ten martinis and expect to not sway. It took one second for me to feel his hands on my hips, making me right myself. “No more booze for me!”
“Do you want me to help you inside to the bathroom?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” I smoothed down my skirt, trying to keep a little bit of independence.
“I can do this.” Looking at myself in the bathroom mirror, I gave myself approval. It took some concentration to make it from the table all the way inside to the bathroom. I stood up, spine straight. “I’ve got this shit.” I smiled at my reflection. Okay, no more vodka cranberry martinis for me.
Turning to head out of the bathroom, I almost had one step out of the door before I was shoved back inside, pushed up against the door.
It was pitch-black because there weren’t any windows in the room. I blinked my eyes a couple of times, trying to adjust to the blackness, but I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t need my eyes to see who was in front of me, though. I was surrounded by his smell, a woodsy spice, and I knew it was Cooper. He leaned down and put his mouth near my ear and growled.
“You’re dating Adam?”
I was a bunch of things—shocked, aggravated, and turned on. Yes, I arrived with Adam, but that was only so I could drink and enjoy myself. I know it might have seemed we were together when we walked in holding hands, but the driveway is cobblestone. With the type of footwear I was wearing it was like a death trap, so I held his hand to make sure I didn’t sprain anything.
“No,” I whispered. “He just drove me here so I don’t have to worry about driving home.” I felt his breath on my ear, on my neck. I felt it everywhere. My body was one big fat nerve, and I just wanted to turn my head and make my lips meet his.
“I’m your ride home,” he said, and in that moment, he pressed his erection into my core. With him scooping down and me on wedges it was the perfect height, and if I just rubbed a little up and down, I was pretty sure I could have my happy ending.
“You drive me crazy,” he said, and I could swear he was softly kissing my neck, so of course, being the semi drunk hussy that I was, I gave him more access, which then made him really go in for it where he lightly bit and then sucked.
“You don’t even like me.” I panted, my hands grabbing onto his shirt. It was too much. The dark, his smell, my senses on overload.
“I like you plenty.” And just when I went to open my mouth to talk back, his lips met mine. He used the exact moment to slowly sneak his tongue in like he was testing the water, and in the exact moment I kissed him back. Our tongues fought in a soft tango, trying to best the other. His hands sneaked down to my ass where he squeezed tightly, pulling me more into his erection, and it was my turn to moan.
“Cooper?” I’m not sure what I was asking.
“Parker, are you okay in there?” Meghan asked while knocking on the door, bringing us both out of our trances.
“Um, yeah, I’m fine. I’ll be right out,” I said, trying to disengage myself from his hold, only making him hold on tighter.
“Okay, I think the coast is clear. Douche MCoop has left the building.” She giggled, and I was pretty sure I would kill her.
Cooper started to say something, and I quickly brought my hand up to block his mouth, but since we were in the dark, my thumb ended up in his eye socket, causing him to moan.
“Parker, are you all right? Did sitting in front of Douche MCoop leave you all hot and bothered you went to check to make sure your vaggggggina will still work?” She thought she was a fucking comedian. “Better tell him when he gets down there to blow first to get all that dust out. Oh, and by the way, Adam took off for a booty call.”
“Meghan,” I yelled. “I’m fine. I’ll be right out. Why don’t you go mix up some more martinis? I guess I’m crashing in the guest room.”
“Okie dokie, smokie!!!” She stumbled away, and I was wondering if someone could actually die from embarrassment. Either that or I was hoping the earth swallowed me up before I had to look in his eyes again.
When I couldn’t hear her anymore, I whispered, “You need to leave right now. She or anyone for that matter cannot know you were in here with me.”
“I’m not leaving. I’m driving you home. I thought that was already decided.”
“Nothing was decided, and I already told Meghan I would be sleeping here, so I don’t need you to drive me anywhere,” I said a little bit louder and more forceful than I wanted to, but I was freaking out.
“Baby, you can send me away, but this thing, you and me, it’s happening.” He rubbed my cheek with his thumb, and all I wanted to do was lean into him.
“This can’t happen again. You are my client. You are here for two months. I can’t do this.” I really wished the lights were on so I could look into his blue eyes.
He leaned down and slowly, like a wisp, kissed my lips. He let me go, unlocking the door, and turned around right before walking out. The lights from the hallway shadowed him.
“Babe, we just started.” He turned and walked away, leaving me speechless and horny as hell.
Chapter Five
I spend my Sunday nursing a hangover. I am never drinking again. Luckily James’s plans fell through, and he was able to bring Matthew to his game.
It’s been two years since the divorce, and yet it’s still weird being there but not being together.
I’m on my way home, where I see a bubble bath and an early night in my future, when my phone starts ringing. I look down, seeing it’s Cooper.
“Hello.”
“Babe, supper?”
“Um, hi, what do you mean?”
“I mean we are having supper.”
“Um, together at the same time?”
“Yeah, you me food. Pick you up in thirty?”
“I’m sorry. I must be confused. Did you just ask me to supper or tell me I’m having supper with you?”
“Same thing. What’s your address? I’ll swing by.”
“I’m sorry to bust your bubble, but I already have a date. If y—”
“You said you weren’t dating Adam,” he growls.
Growling. Why is this so hot?
“If you let me finish, I was going to say I have a date with my bathtub and couch.”
“You have to eat. I’ll pick you up. We’ll go to Overtime.”
“Ugh, fine. I’ll meet you there. I’m already in the car. I was on my way home. I guess I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”
“Yeah, babe, you will.” And with that, he ends his call. Someone really needs to tell him about phone etiquette.
I pull up at the same time as Cooper does, watching him get out of his truck. He’s wearing blue cargo shorts, a white T-shirt that I just want to rip off him, and his baseball cap covering the hair I want to run my fingers through.
When he spots me, he walks over to my truck, opens my door, leans in, and kisses me.
Right. On. The. Lips. In. Broad. Daylight.
“Babe.”
“Okay, so a couple of things we should go over. Number one, and this is a big one, no kissing in public, like ever. When you leave after two months I still have to live here, and it’s bad enough people might have seen us and will probably talk, but I can’t have my reputation ruined. Number two. No babe...ever.”
He has to understand that this thing, whatever you want to call it, has a deadline.
“We can talk about it inside. I’m starving.” He grabs my hand, practically dragging me inside.
As per their usual stance, Larry, Curly, and Moe are at the exact same spot. They turn around and smile while I give them a wave with the one hand I have free.
“Let’s grab a booth in the back,” I say, hoping to get this dragging me around thing finished.
He slides in front of me, and the waitress, who is new, comes over with the menus.
“Can I get you guys something to drink first?” she asks but just bats her eyelashes at Cooper, making me want to pluck them out one by one.
“I’ll have a beer on tap. Babe, you want one, too?” He looks at the menu while ordering, leaving me with my mouth hanging open. Did we not just have this discussion five seconds ago? What is wrong with him?
“Um, I’ll have water with some lemon, please.”
The waitress doesn’t even address me. She just turns, walking away.
“Did we not discuss you calling me babe?”
“No, we didn’t. You told me. I’m not agreeing, so there was no discussion.”
I’m so frustrated with him I’m at a loss for words, and, trust me, that practically never happens.
“So, let me get this straight. You will continue to call me babe, regardless of if I want you to or not?”
“Pretty much. You want to split nachos?”
“You’re training. You can’t have nachos. It’s enough I let you ordering a beer slide. You can have grilled chicken and some steamed vegetables.” I mean, surely he knows he can’t eat this shit.
“It’s Sunday. It’s my cheat day. I eat what I want. You gotta live, babe!” he says, throwing his eyebrow up.
I, on the other hand, throw my hands up in frustration. I give up.
“Fine, have the nachos and beer. I’ll just make sure we do more skating drills tomorrow, you know, so you can work all those calories off.”
He laughs at me. “In order for me to do more drills you’ve got to show up earlier, and we both know that isn’t going to happen.” He smirks, waiting, baiting. He knows he is pushing my buttons, but I’m on to him.
“True, it’s not going to be earlier, we just won’t have water breaks.” I smirk back, as if I would give him the last word.
The waitress comes back with our drinks and takes our orders. He wasn’t lying about Sunday being his cheat day. He ordered whatever he shouldn’t eat on the menu.
“So tell me about yourself, Parker.”
“Well, Cooper, I’m thirty-four, almost thirty-five. Woot woot.” I throw my hands up like I’m celebrating. “I’ve lived here my whole life. Married my high school sweetheart. Married almost fourteen years till I walked in on him banging his assistant. Isn’t that hilarious? I wish I were kidding. But sadly I’m not. What about you, Stone, how many puck bunnies you got across the globe?” I say, snatching up a nacho when the waitress places it in the middle of the table.
“You caught him banging his assistant?”
“Yes, but now she isn’t just his assistant, she’s his fiancée. So it must be true love, right?”
“He cheated on you?” He shakes his head like he’s clearing something out.
I look into his blue eyes and want to get lost in them. I want to climb over the table and swallow him. All of him.
“Puck bunnies, how many of them are there?”
“I’ve had a girlfriend for the last five years, but we didn’t live in the same city, so I never got how shallow she was till she decided that we needed to live with each other. It lasted a week after that. As for puck bunnies, I don’t have them. Did I have them? Fuck yeah. In my early twenties, I had so many pussies I didn’t know what to do with them. Then I grew up. It’s not me anymore. Have you always trained or is this a new thing?”
“Really, that much pussy, huh? It makes sense how you think people just fall all over Cooper Stone.” I smile because he flat out gave me what I asked for. He didn’t even try to deny the puck bunnies. Point one for Cooper. “I trained when I was younger, learned everything from my dad, went to school, but I really learned everything just by being on the ice. I stopped a bit, with being married and all.” I snatch another nacho, chewing. “But then I was stuck divorced with nothing to do, so I sank all my time into the rink. Have you always played hockey?”
He nods, swallowing the bite of food in his mouth. “I’ve been skating before I could walk. At least that is what my parents say. I’m an only child. My parents were older when they had me. I’m not really close to them.” He shrugs his shoulders. “It’s just the way it is.” He takes a sip of beer. “So the rink is like your baby?”
“No, it isn’t like my baby, it is my baby. When I took over from my dad, there was only one rink. I’ve worked hard to make it what it is. Taking the NHL players’ rehabbing contracts really helps me achieve my goals. You, my friend, are going to be paying for a special powerskater and skating treadmill. It’s the next thing to help kids with speed.”
We continue the meal, talking about the game and all the challenges he faces now that he isn’t a kid anymore. I can’t tell you when the last time I enjoyed myself so much was. When it’s time to leave, I try walking out before him but that only gets my arm yanked back so I can walk with him.
The sun has now set, making the stars light up the sky.
When we get to my car, I don’t know what I’m expecting, but what I’m hoping is that he kisses me. Again. I know I shouldn’t even go there, but my head isn’t in sync with my body these days. I try to dislodge from him and open my door when he turns me around and gazes down at me. I’m sucked in, his blue eyes lock with mine, and I want to get lost. I want to get lost with him. I want whatever he has to give, for however long he wants to give it.
He leans down and smiles right before he places a gentle kiss on my lips. The funny thing is our eyes are still open, he’s still looking straight at me, through me, and it scares the shit out of me. I blink and try to look away, but he palms my cheek and turns slightly and licks my bottom lip, making me open my mouth and meet his tongue halfway. I drag my hand up his back and finally sink my hand into his hair. And. It’s. Heaven. I slide my tongue back into his mouth and push myself on my tippy toes in order to get closer to him. He slowly eases himself away while I’m standing here with my eyes closed.
“I think it’s best you go now before I fuck you in public.”
I’m blinking my eyes, trying to focus and hear his words.
“Get in and text me when you get home.”
I still haven’t said anything because frankly I have no words to say. He has just given me the best kiss of my life in the parking lot of Overtime, in public.
don’t know how I make it home, but I do. I sit here in my car, thinking that I’m not sure what is going on, but I’m really hoping that I’m going to survive when he’s gone.
Chapter Six
When I show up for Monday’s session, Cooper is waiting for me as usual. He’s in his pregame jeans, T-shirt, and that fucking baseball cap, leaning against his truck with a to-go coffee cup in his hand.
“I come in peace,” he says, handing me the hot cup of java. I inhale the aroma and think to myself, damn does coffee ever smell good.
“Thank you.” I’m pretty sure I’m beaming a big ass smile that you could see even from Mars.
He leans down, sticking his face in my neck, inhaling me.
“Did you just smell me?”
“Yeah, babe, I did.”
“Dude, that is fucking weird, stop smelling me.” I’m giggling and can’t even stand myself right now. “So,” I say, drinking a nice long sip of coffee. “I know you think we have something working here, and I’m not saying we don’t. But I want to say that while we are here or in there”—I point to the rink—“you are just another person I’m training. There will be no special treatment, and if you so much as try to stick your tongue down my throat in front of people who work with me in my rink, I’ll slice your throat.” I look at him, daring him to challenge me.
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