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We walk into the Vegas Aces stadium, and I can’t help when a thrill of excitement races through me. I follow Cooper up to the owner’s suite, which is apparently where a lot of the family members of players sit, and while we’re not family, Kaylee is and she’s the one who invited Cooper.

It’s strange walking through the concourse not holding his hand, but we agreed we’re attending as friends—if that, even.

It’s strange pretending to be friends with someone who made love to me this morning the way Cooper did to me. I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt when he slid into me with nothing between us.

I’m still not on birth control—I didn’t see much point when he ended things and I wasn’t jumping in the sack with someone new—but I’m far enough away from my period that I’m not worried. Besides, he pulled out.

But I do need to get on something as soon as possible. Sex with Cooper is incredible, but sex with Cooper without a condom is about ten levels above incredible. It’s the kind of sex I didn’t know actually existed outside of romance novels and porn where you’re not sure if they’re acting or legitimately that enthralled with what’s happening.

I shake sex with Cooper Noah, Captain Orgasm, out of my head as we walk into the owner’s suite. Buffets are set up on either side of the room with large televisions hanging on the walls showing pregame coverage, and there are rows of seats for anyone who wants to watch the game live on the far side of the suite. Kaylee spots us when we walk in, and she beelines for Cooper in her Olson jersey. She tackle-hugs him, and he laughs as an oof spills out of him.

She glances at me over his shoulder and narrows her eyes as she smiles. “I see your shadow is here,” she says loud enough for me to hear, and I get the sense Cooper already filled her in on what happened last night. And again this morning. “Happy birthday, Coopster,” she says, and she presses a kiss to his cheek.

“Thanks, Kayster,” he says, and he mock-punches her in the shoulder.

She giggles, and then she pushes him aside to give me a hug, too. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she says warmly. “He’s smiling again, so that’s something.”

“He wasn’t smiling?” I ask.

She pulls back and shakes her head as she wraps her hands around my biceps for a beat, studying me. “He was lost without his shadow.”

I twist my lips as the burn of tears threatens behind my eyes, and she offers a smile before she drops her hands and takes a step back to include both Cooper and me in the conversation.

“Is this your first Aces game?” she asks.

We both nod.

“Help yourself to food and drinks. It’s all on the house…or, rather, it’s all on the owner, and he’s got plenty of cash to throw around.” She lowers her voice for the last part as she glances around to make sure nobody’s in hearing distance, and both Cooper and I laugh.

She skips down toward the seats, where she’s sitting with a few other women. One wears a Dalton jersey with the number five on it, and I’m pretty sure that’s the quarterback. The other wears a black Aces t-shirt, and by the end of our time, I learn that the woman in the t-shirt is Ellie Dalton, wife of former Aces Wide Receiver Luke Dalton, who has recently taken on an assisting role with the coaching staff, and the Dalton jersey woman is Kate, wife of Jack Dalton, the legendary Aces’ quarterback.

So basically…I’m in a suite with the wives and girlfriends of football players I’ve watched play on television for years, and it’s all a little surreal.

I suppose this could’ve happened courtesy of my father, who’s fairly well-known in the sports world, but instead, it happened because of Cooper. Either way, three years ago—before I knew who my father was—this would’ve been nothing more than a dream.

Yet it’s my reality.

The Aces jump to an early lead against the Rams in the home opener, and by halftime, it’s a clear blowout. We eat, and we drink, and we cheer. We laugh and we high-five and we fist-bump as we get to know the other people in our suite. Kaylee is a sweetheart, but she’s also got a tough side to her that I already love. She’d have to considering she’s married to the former party king of the NFL.

And the best part? Everyone in this suite makes me feel like I belong. I never feel like I’m just Cooper’s shadow, and I don’t know if Kaylee told them we’re something more or not, but either way, it’s a fun group and a great atmosphere.

It’s just after halftime when Cooper asks if I want to take a quick walk. We’re on the suite level, and we pass by a bunch of doors that appear to be other suites or possibly offices.

He tries the handle on one, and it’s locked. He tries the next one, and it opens.

He pulls me into a dark office, and he locks the door.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

His mouth collides with mine, and he kisses me like he needs my mouth for his very survival…and I’m starting to think I need his for mine, too.

“Jesus, I can’t stay away. I can’t keep my hands off you.” He tugs at my shirt, and suddenly he tears it over my head and tosses it to the ground. He works my bra next, pulling it off, and then he buries his face between my breasts before he moves his lips over to suck a nipple into his mouth.

“Ah!” I cry out, my entire body arching toward him. He reaches down into my jeans and skips the foreplay, bypassing my panties and shoving his fingers right into me. I cry out again as I grab onto his shoulders, digging my nails into the cotton of his t-shirt and wishing I’d been coherent enough to pull his shirt off, too.

He works my nipple with his mouth, and he works my clit with his fingers, and before I know it, I’m falling apart in some stranger’s office as my body pulses and throbs its way through a fierce orgasm.

I sigh as I sag back against the door, and his lips immediately find my neck.

“I love when you fall apart like that,” he murmurs close to my ear. “I’ve never seen anything sexier.”

“I love it when you make me fall apart like that,” I whisper. “Nobody’s ever done it as easily as you.”

He crushes my body against his as he pulls me in close. “That’s a damn shame. Good thing you ran into me.”

I giggle, and he lets me go. He bends down to collect my clothes and he hands them to me.

I pull my bra back on first. “What about you?” I ask.

“What about me?”

“Um, don’t you want me to get you off, too?” I rush through the words, embarrassed as I pull my shirt over my head.

He gets close, his fingertips touching my chin. “It’s not some eye for an eye thing, babe. I wanted to hear your moans as I made you come, and I found a place to do that.” He shrugs.

“But what if I want to hear you come, too?” I protest.

He grabs the door handle when he’s sure I’m decent again. “You will.” He tosses a wink over his shoulder, and I guess I’m just supposed to follow him back out into the hallway and act like everything is normal after that brutal orgasm he just gave me.

I have to admit, finding a place to do that in secret was sort of fun.

I can’t wait to see what sorts of places we can find around the House for more secret fun.