“I had a great time tonight, Gage. You’re not exactly what I was expecting,” she offered kindly, her eyes searching his. Coop grinned at her curiously.
“What were you expecting?”
“Truthfully? I’m not sure. I grew up around plenty of hockey jocks, and most of them were... hmm, how can I put this diplomatically... players… douche bag players,” she grinned cheekily. “Something told me you might be different, so I’m glad we did this,” she assured. He chuckled, appreciating her honesty.
“You’re right about that. Unfortunately, that seems to be our reputation, and for good reason. I’ve never been like that, even when I was younger,” he assured her, picking her hand up gently in his own. “My mom raised me well, I guess.”
“Remind me to thank her.” Nora quipped, then shook her head gently and chuckled, as though regretting her presumptuousness. He kind of liked it though, and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Ready to go?” he asked, reaching for the take home bag. Nora nodded and stood up, waiting for Coop to slip in beside her. He gently placed his hand on the small of her back, escorting her toward the door. She rewarded him with a soft moan, which he took for approval.
There were no uncomfortable silences on the way back to her office. They chatted like they had known one another all their lives, completely at ease together. Nora was like a breath of fresh air, playful, inquisitive, and honest. He couldn’t help but feel hopeful that there might be something good between them that they could build on and he hoped she felt the same way.
“Can we do this again when I get back in town?” Coop asked, as he walked Nora to her car, hand in hand. Nora nodded her head softly, a warm smile playing on her lips.
“Of course,” she agreed, offering his hand a gentle squeeze. They stopped in front of her car. Nora shrugged her shoulders, as if to say ‘this is me’.
“So, we get back to L.A. on Wednesday and then we have a game Thursday night. I’m off next Friday. Dinner?” he asked, holding both of her hands in his. He hoped she wasn’t already busy. He didn’t have a lot of time off, so coordinating his schedule with people had always been a challenge. Nora took a breath and hesitated. She looked like she wanted to tell him something but changed her mind.
“I would like that. Call me when you get a chance and we can confirm the details,” she agreed. She smiled and tipped her chin up in a gesture he understood all too well.
He wanted to kiss her, too. He had been wanting to all night. He tucked his hand behind her head and pulled her into his kiss, touching her lips gently with his own. Her mouth was soft and inviting, and he wanted nothing more than to turn that kiss into something more passionate, but he also didn’t want to rush things like he had in the past. He wanted to take care of her, to do things right this time. He offered her another tender kiss and then pulled himself away. She had a peaceful look on her face, her eyes softly focusing on his, expressing her approval. She let out just a whisper of a moan.
“That was nice,” she offered quietly. “Thank you for everything. It was perfect.”
“Of course. I really enjoyed it, too,” Coop agreed, opening her car door for her. She caressed his arm before tucking herself into the driver’s seat and then accepted the take home bag from him.
“Have a safe trip. And kick ass against Vancouver and Edmonton. I’ll try and catch the games,” she encouraged, starting the engine.
“Piece of cake,” he teased, closing the door behind her. He tapped the top of her car as she easily backed out of the space. She offered him a little wave before pulling away.
Coop shook his head and let out his breath slowly, releasing a happy whistle. If he could have he would have jumped up and clicked his heels together, but the fear of looking foolish held him back. Instead he strolled back to his car, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He was already crushing on Nora, hard.
Chapter 10
Nora
“So tell me everything about Thor,” Dana said, flopping herself into Nora’s sofa, a plate of pancakes in her hand. It was a lazy Sunday morning and Nora hadn’t even gotten dressed yet. Nora sat down, carefully balancing her own plate and tea cup to avoid spilling.
“Okay, but can we stop calling him Thor now? It’s unsettling,” Nora chuckled, rolling her eyes at her twin. She set her tea cup down and settled back into the sofa.
“Okay, okay, but you have to admit, he does look like Chris Hemsworth!” Dana gushed, stuffing a giant bite of pancakes in her mouth.
“That’s it! Chris Hemsworth! I can see it a little bit, but can we just refer to him as Gage from now on?” Nora smirked.
“Fine, but it’s not nearly as much fun. So, how did it go?” Dana pushed, waving her fork impatiently.
“It was so good,” Nora blushed, recalling how much she enjoyed being with Gage. “He seems like a really nice guy. You know, thoughtful, sweet, and super easy to be around. And he seems loyal.”
“Sounds like you went out with a golden retriever.” her twin teased, raising her eyebrows. Nora chuckled and shook her head impatiently.
“Well, what do you want me to say? It was a good date. I liked him. A lot,” she admitted, feeling annoyed by the way her sister always seemed to push her out of her comfort zone, but appreciating her bluntness at the same time.
“Were there sparks? Did you have chemistry? Did he kiss you? Does he make you hot? Is he fuckable?” Dana asked, listing off all the pertinent questions on her ‘need to know list.’ Nora laughed and gave her sister a playful shove.
“Stop it,” Nora squealed, “it was just our first date.”
“So? Your first date with the fireman was pretty hot. When you know, you know, right?” Dana blurted, proving that she almost always saw the world in black and white. Nora was just the opposite, and knew the world had many, many shades of grey. That if you were patient enough, and explored deep enough, you would see the things that so many other people missed. This mindset made her exceptional at her job, and it also allowed her to be open minded and inquisitive on so many levels.
“He was different from Leo, self-assured but not as outwardly confident, and definitely not as assertive, but I enjoyed being with him just as much. I felt really comfortable with him,” Nora explained carefully, hoping Dana would understand. “He seemed genuine Dana, like he really wanted to get to know me.”
“Hmmmm,” her sister replied thoughtfully, as though processing Nora’s words, “that does sound nice.”
“He was a gentleman through and through, which you might not expect from a hockey player, but everything about him was respectful. He intrigued me,” she admitted, “and ya, he left me wanting to know more.”
“And the kiss?” Dana pressed, unwilling to let her off the hook. Nora grinned and set her plate down on the table in front of her, playfully stalling in the hopes of annoying her twin just a little.
Dana raised her eyebrows assertively. “Well?”
“It was... alluring. The kind of kiss that promises something exceptional is waiting right around the corner if you are willing to be patient. The kind of kiss that warms your lips and heats you up just enough to pique your curiosity, but not enough to completely liquefy you, you know what I mean?” Nora looked at her sister thoughtfully.
Always the diplomat, Dana blurted, “Cut the flowery shit! Did you want to bang him or not?”
Nora laughed wholeheartedly and pulled her sister closer offering her a quick squeeze and a kiss to the forehead.
“You goofball! Of course I’m curious. I want to see him again and see what develops. He’s adorable!”
“There, was that so hard?” Dana scolded playfully, straightening herself up and putting her own plate on top of Nora’s.
“I guess I’m just struggling a little,” Nora mumbled quietly. Something had been bothering her ever since her date with Gage, and she hoped that Dana could help her work through it, or at least validate her feelings.
“What is it?” Dana asked, suddenly very intrigued. Sh
e always seemed interested in Nora’s dilemmas, especially if she could offer advice. Nora picked up her tea, holding the warm mug in her hands, allowing it to comfort her while she grappled with her feelings.
Dana sighed impatiently, prompting Nora to share her thoughts.
“I really like Gage,” she began. Dana shrugged softly and smiled, encouraging her to go on. “But, I’m also into Leo. I mean, really into him. Our second date was off the charts hot.”
Dana opened her eyes widely, curiously looking at her sister as if to say ‘do tell!’
“I took your advice and decided to just let go and have some fun,” Nora admitted, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks.
“No shit! Good for you! How was it?” Dana asked, shifting herself back into the sofa so she could face her sister straight on. Nora smiled softly, allowing the memory to float up, flushing her cheeks even more.
“You have no idea. He’s so confident, Dana, and he makes me feel so fucking sexy. It was the hottest date I’ve ever had. The man has a way of looking at me that makes me want to drop my panties.”
“Nora!” Dana laughed, amused by the confession. Nora grinned naughtily, and shrugged.
“I know! I even surprised myself,” she continued, happy to finally share the experience with her twin. “He took me dancing at this really cool little club on 1st Street.”
“The Grenada Night Club? Yeah, I’ve been there,” Dana interrupted. “Latin dancing, a fun place, loaded with hot people. Of course that was B.M.”
‘B.M.’ was Dana’s way of saying ‘before marriage,’ like it somehow represented a time in her life when she was a completely different person. Although she usually referred to B.M. with a wistful tone, Nora knew that her sister wouldn’t give up A.M. (after marriage) for anything. She was crazy about her man Sam. Nora wanted to have what they shared more than anything. Sam doted on her sister and loved her deeply, and as far as Nora could tell, they had a wonderful partnership. They balanced their work and home life perfectly, each allowing the other to have space to grow and enjoy things independently, while still spending quality time with each other. Of course that would probably change once they had children, but the foundation of their marriage was solid. Nora respected them both so much.
“It was amazing. I haven’t danced in a long time,” Nora continued, pulling her feet up on the sofa and making herself comfortable. “And Leo can dance. We had so much fun. Once we got thoroughly worked up, we went back to my place.”
“Uh-huh?” Dana gushed, hoping to hear more. Nora sighed, chuckling softly to herself, the naughty memories still fresh in her mind. She shook her head slowly and grinned at her sister.
“Let’s just say he has skills. No man has ever made me cum that hard in my entire life. And that was just the foreplay. Fuck, Dana, I was such a slut. You would have been so proud,” Nora teased, taking a sip of her tea.
Dana clapped softly and laughed, as if congratulating her twin. “I am proud of you, you’re right. Did you fuck him?”
“Actually, we didn’t get that far. He got called into work, can you believe it? Horrible timing,” Nora mused.
“Ugh, that sucks,” Dana groaned, “Has he been in touch since?”
“Ya, it was a bit of a letdown, but in another way it was probably for the best. We’re going out again on Monday night,” Nora assured her sister. “He’s sent me a few text messages since our date, and even some this morning. They were pretty spicy.”
“Ooh, let me see,” Dana purred, reaching for Nora’s phone. Nora laughed, snatching her phone off the table before her sister could.
“Oh hell no! You’re not snooping in my messages,” she squealed, hiding the phone behind her back. Only a sister could make you feel fifteen forever, Nora thought affectionately.
“Okay, okay,” Dana giggled, “at least give me the gist. Or read just one. How spicy are they?”
“They make me blush, but it’s so much fun flirting with him. He’s very naughty and seems to be coaxing out my racy side,” she confessed.
“That’s a good thing, Nora! So what’s the problem?” Dana asked eagerly.
Nora bit at her thumbnail nervously and softly sighed, “Like I said, I like both of them and I’m not sure what to do.”
“What do you mean ‘what to do’?” Dana asked. Nora sipped her tea again, trying to figure out how to explain her feelings. She took a moment to formulate her thoughts while Dana smiled at her curiously, waiting for her to speak.
“I haven’t dated anyone for a long time, and never had two men interested in me at the same time before. I have no clue what to do here. Is it ok for me to date them both?” Nora asked, cautiously.
Dana laughed softly, quickly setting Nora at ease. “Of course you can. Both of these relationships are in the early stages. You haven’t committed to either one of them, have you?” she asked gently.
“No, of course not. It’s far too soon for that,” Nora replied, following her sister’s train of thought.
“Right. So there’s nothing wrong with playing the field for a little while, to see how things develop. Just be up front with both of them and let them know that you are keeping things casual for now, and that you’re open to dating other people. As long as you are honest about it I don’t see a problem.” Dana grinned at her confidently, clearly pleased with her advice.
“Well, I do think honesty is the best policy. You don’t think it’s improper, though?” she asked, still hedging over her feelings.
“Fuck no!” Dana snapped, shaking her head emphatically. “Men do this all the time, and most of the time they don’t even tell the women involved. They don’t feel the need to justify themselves, do they? As long as they are not in a committed relationship, they do exactly what they want. I know you are a decent person, Nora, and so do you. You will know when it is time to make a choice, but until then, you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. This is your time, girl! Have some fun!”
“You’re right,” Nora said, nodding her head in agreement, “I’ll just be up front with both of them. I’m an intuitive woman, right? I can be sensitive to both men.”
“For sure! Just relax, everything will be okay,” Dana assured, “Now, let’s talk about me. I have some news.”
Nora chuckled softly, relieved to have sorted her feelings out and to have all of her doubt put to rest, at least temporarily. She inhaled deeply, and felt the stress leave her body.
“Okay, what is this news of yours?”
“Sam has the opportunity to take a job back east. New York City, no less. The firm is expanding and they are merging with an existing law firm. They want him to be Managing Partner,” Dana offered solemnly. Nora could tell that her sister was feeling ambiguous about the news. She wasn’t crazy about it herself. She couldn’t imagine not having her sibling by her side, and suddenly felt her own tears dangerously close. Thankfully, she was trained to listen without judgement and to be impartial, and she allowed her counseling instincts to kick in.
“It’s a great opportunity for him and I don’t think I would have the heart to refuse him, but it’s going to be awfully hard to leave. I’ve got a life here, my career, friendships, YOU,” Dana protested, her eyes wide with concern. “How will you live without me, Sis?”
Nora smiled at her sister, understanding that it was Dana who needed Nora, more than the other way around. It was Dana who had followed Nora to L.A., and in spite of her tough exterior, it was Dana who had the more sensitive heart, who got hurt the easiest, and who loved more deeply. Dana was the yin to her yang.
“When is this all supposed to be happening?” Nora asked casually, hoping to keep her sister from melting down.
Dana shrugged her shoulders before answering. “I’m not sure. He just told me about it on Friday night. It will take a few months for them to sort out all the legalities for the merger, so I am guessing it will be mid-June or so maybe?”
“And what about Dance With Me?” Nora asked, “Will you be able to break your contract?�
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“It’s a year to year agreement, and between you and me I’m heartbroken because I’m pretty sure they were going to promote me from the troupe to Pro, and dancing with a celebrity. That’s huge!” she pouted, her eyes expressing her sadness.
“Wow, this is going to be a challenging time for you and Sam,” Nora offered, reaching out to take her sisters hand. Dana nodded her head solemnly and allowed her sister to comfort her.
“You can say that again. How exactly does it work? How does someone give up everything so their partner can be happy, but not be resentful towards them in the long run?” Dana asked, her eyes pleading for answers. Nora hesitated for a moment before responding.
“That’s a good question, and the only thing I can recommend is to question your own beliefs or thoughts about it. Can you be sure you are giving up everything? Can you know you will be resentful? What if the move opens up new opportunities for you? Better opportunities? What if you choose to look at this as an adventure instead of a loss?” Nora encouraged cautiously, understanding how precarious it was to coach loved ones. Psychology 101. Never counsel family. No matter how many initials she had beside her name, she would always just be Nora- Nora-bo-bora-Banana-fanna-fo-fora. It was damn tough to convince them that you just might know a thing or two, regardless of your degree. If they knew you when you had pigtails and skinned knees, you had zero credibility. Period. They used to joke about it in school. Set your rates, then double them for friends and family.
As if proving Nora’s point, Dana rolled her eyes at her twin, “Easy for you to say, you’re not the one being asked to sacrifice your life. It sucks.”
Nora offered her twin a soothing smile, making a mental note to just be a supportive sister, even if that meant being vulnerable herself. That’s what Dana was looking for.
“That’s true, Sam is asking a lot from you. It’s going to be hard, but I know you can do it. You are a strong woman Dana, and the truth is, with your resume, you can easily get a job in New York, maybe even a better one.” Nora squeezed her sister’s hand, hoping to reassure her, to reassure both of them.
Fire & Ice: A Ménage Fantasy Page 9
