“No, I did not fuck him,” Nora responded calmly, refusing to give her sister the reaction she was hoping for, “but yes, of course I wanted to... you know… mess around.”
Dana laughed at her sister kindly and placed her phone back on the desk.
“No one says ‘mess around’ anymore, Nor. Hook up, hit that, Netflix and chill... all appropriate terms for sex, unless you’re over 80,” she mused, poking fun at her sister.
“Ha ha. Aren’t you just the Slut Whisperer?” Nora retorted playfully, giving her sister the finger.
Dana giggled and popped a shrimp in her mouth.
“When was the last time you got laid, anyway? Like five years ago?” Dana asked, still chewing her food.
Nora cocked her head, considering the question and mentally did the math.
“Hmmmm, not quite 5 years. Remember that brief thing with George Preston? The guy with the pony tail?” Nora offered, not certain she had mentioned that to Dana before.
“Yeah, I do remember him. So boring. You fucked him?” Dana sneered, a look of mock disgust on her face.
“Shut up. It was just a few times and he wasn’t that bad, but he was into some weird stuff,” Nora started to clarify, until Dana interrupted.
“Ooh, what weird stuff? Tell me!”
“I’m not telling you anyth—,” Nora offered flatly.
“Was it kinky? Did he want to be spanked? Wait... wait... golden showers?” Dana blurted, her voice raising with animation.
“Shhh! God, Dana, lower your voice. My coworkers will hear you,” Nora cried, gesturing for her to calm down. “It wasn’t any of those things. He had a few fetishes, that was all. Nothing crazy.”
“Ewwww, did he call you, Mommy?”
“Dana! Stop!” Nora giggled, placing her take out container on the desk and wiping her mouth with her napkin. “You’re grossing me out.”
Dana laughed hysterically, happy to have finally gotten the response she was looking for. She loved unnerving her sister, and Nora knew it. Most of the time she pretended to be shocked just to appease her.
“So, you wanted to fuck him, but you didn’t,” Dana said, calmly, quiet now that she had stopped laughing. She took a sip from her straw, looking at Nora innocently.
“No. We had a great dinner and flirted up a storm. Then, when we left the restaurant he asked me to go home with him and I declined,” Nora explained casually, as if it made perfect sense.
“Why would you do that? He’s sexy as fuck!”
“Because, I didn’t want to ‘hook up’ on the first date. I’m just not comfortable with that. Besides, he asked me out again. And we had a hot goodnight kiss. It was perfect actually,” she said quietly, remembering how soft his mouth was, and the gentle way his tongue teased her lips.
Dana shrugged, setting her plastic cup down in front of her.
“Well then, that’s fine. I am happy you are going out again, but if you want to bang him just go ahead and do it! There is nothing wrong with women being assertive when it comes to sex. In fact, lots of guys prefer it. Just have a good time, woman! You need to blow off some steam and live a little, you’re always wound up a little tight,” Dana scolded lovingly, in the way only a sister could.
“I appreciate what you’re saying, sis, but that just isn’t my way. You are right about one thing, though I do need to blow off some steam,” Nora admitted. “I want to have some fun!”
“Speaking of fun, it’s not the same as fucking a hot man, but Sam’s law office booked the VIP ICE BOX at the Staples Center for the King’s game tonight. They have a spare ticket and he said I could invite you,” Dana explained casually, knowing damn well that Nora would love it.
Surprised by the offer, Nora chirped, “What! Are you serious?”
“Sam knows you’re a hockey nut. To be honest, I think he held the ticket back just for you.”
“He’s such a sweetheart. I’d love to come! What time do I need to be there?” Nora asked, opening her calendar on the computer. “I only have clients until 4:00.”
“Good, there’s a pre-game reception. Starts at 5:30. Bar food, beer and boys, does it get any better?” Dana grinned.
“Not that I can think of,” Nora agreed. “I can probably get there by 5:30. Will that work?”
“Should be fine, that’s exactly when Sam told me to meet him. We’ll meet you at Gate 3,” Dana explained, as she set to work gathering the empty containers and trash. She placed it all a plastic bag, then tied it up and dropped it neatly in a wastebasket. “I do have to run though. I have rehearsal in 20 minutes. See you later?”
Nora nodded and stood up, giving her sister a hug and kissing her on the forehead. Dana made her way to the door and blew her a kiss.
“Thanks for lunch, I’ll buy the next time,” Nora assured, as Dana closed the door behind her.
* * *
Dana’s husband, Sam, worked for a prestigious law firm in downtown L.A. Typically they represented folks in the entertainment industry, but many of their clients were also sports figures. The L.A. Kings was one such organization and had officials, coaches, and even players retaining their services. Several times a year they would book the VIP ICE BOX so the Partners and Junior Partners could take in a game and network with the team. The BOX was made up of 15 seats between the players’ benches. You honestly couldn’t get any closer to the ice unless you had on skates and a jersey. There was no better way to take in a game and Nora was grateful to be invited. She was a huge hockey fan, and although her heart belonged to the Detroit Red Wings, the Kings came in a close second.
Despite the brutal downtown traffic, Nora managed to meet Dana and Sam on time and they made their way through the Staple Center to the reception room, right across from the players’ dressing room. Nora tried to play it cool but excitement oozed from every pore. She knew she had perma-grin, but she just couldn’t wipe it off her face.
After introductions were made, Dana took her arm and escorted Nora to the bar, rescuing her from the boring work chatter between lawyers. There was a table set up nearby filled with catered dishes that smelled incredible. Nora had been expecting hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza and wings, but to her delight, the offerings were far more upscale. There were things like Lobster Thermidor, Filet Mignon, Beef Wellington, Tuna Tartare, Sea Bass in wine sauce, plus a variety of fresh salads and side dishes; a menu to satisfy every palate. The firm had spared no expense and Nora and Dana indulged in a little bit of everything. It was heavenly.
It wasn’t long after they’d finished eating when the sisters noticed a bit of a commotion at the front of the room. The King’s mascot Bailey, the ‘King of the Beasts,’ came in for a photo op. Nora thought it odd that a room full of men seemed excited by a guy in a lion suit—until she realized that he was being escorted by two NHL players!
“Holy shit, Nor, did you see who came in?” Dana squealed, grabbing her arm, as though Nora hadn’t seen them herself.
“Yes. That’s Gage Cooper and Dylan Thomson,” Nora clucked back, barely able to spit out the words. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She knew that ‘fangirling’ was beneath her and did her best to calm down. For Nora, being introduced to NHL players was equivalent to meeting George Clooney or Sting. Maybe even better.
“Defensemen?” Dana asked, knowing nothing about the players on the team.
“Thomson is, Cooper is the goalie,” Nora corrected, looking back towards the men. “He’s the number one goalie in the NHL right now, I think.”
The players were busy signing autographs and shaking hands, bonding with the men. Nora was concerned that being the only two women in the room, they might get over looked. She wished that Sam would call them over, but he seemed quite preoccupied himself. She took a sip of her ice water and looked up, hoping to make eye contact with her brother-in-law, when suddenly she noticed Gage Cooper looking right at her. For some reason it took her by surprise and she gasped, choking on a small piece of ice. Always one to over-react, Dana came to her rescue, smack
ing her hard between her shoulder blades, causing a dramatic scene. Feeling somewhat humiliated, Nora turned her back to compose herself. She hated that kind of attention, especially in a room full of men.
“Christ, Dana, you just about knocked me over,” Nora gasped, setting her glass on the bar.
“Sorry, I thought you were choking,” Dana snickered, trying to suppress her giggles.
“It’s not funny,” Nora grinned, wiping the tears from her eyes, and hoping her mascara hadn’t smudged. “Do I look okay?”
Dana smirked at her and shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter now, he’s coming over,” she whispered through a forced smile.
“Who?” Nora asked, staring at her sister wide-eyed.
“The blonde one that looks like Thor. Turn around and smile,” Dana prompted, giving her a nudge.
Nora turned around to find Gage standing behind her, a warm smile on his face. She grinned back at him as he shook her hand firmly. She liked a man that did that. Nothing irritated her more than a man offering her a weak handshake.
“Hi. Gage Cooper. Goaltender,” he announced. He said it in a way that suggested he had introduced himself that way hundreds of times.
“Nora Dupree. Fan,” she teased, hoping he would appreciate the humor.
He chuckled softly, grinning at her. “Nice to meet you. Will you be staying for the game?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. Are you starting in net tonight?” she asked, suddenly trying to remember the name of the actor who played Thor in the Avengers movie. Dana was right… he really did look like Thor.
“No, I’m back-up tonight,” he replied, nodding his head toward Dana. “And you are?” “Dana. We’re sisters,” she said, gesturing toward Nora.
“Nice. Do you guys work for Epstein, Berman and Klein?” he asked, looking back and forth between them.
“Hell no. Nora is a doctor and I’m married to the Berman in that Jewish trio. I’m a dancer, actually,” Dana boasted, with all the confidence in the world.
Nora was always impressed by how self-assured her sister was. She could be herself in any scenario, whether she was talking to a C.E.O., a waiter or a celebrity, she was always perfectly at ease.
“That’s cool. Are you a G.P.?” he asked Nora, a note of curiosity in his voice.
“Actually, no. I got my doctorate in Psychology. I have a practice downtown,” Nora explained, hoping to sound as confident as her twin.
“She’s brilliant,” Dana bragged, patting her sister on the shoulder, “as well as beautiful.”
Gage smiled warmly at Nora, his eyes searching hers. She could feel herself blushing, but forced herself to maintain the eye contact, wishing she could borrow some of her sister’s bravado. She shrugged and returned his smile, as if to say ‘she’s my sister, she has to say that.’
“Well, I won’t disagree with that,” he offered shyly, looking down at her. Nora chuckled inwardly, flustered by his compliment. She wished she had more time to chat with him. He seemed like a really nice guy.
As if on cue, his teammate shouted out to him, “Dude, we have to go.” Gage nodded, then turned back to the women in front of him.
“It was great meeting you. Enjoy the game,” he said, offering his hand again. Dana shook it first, then Nora. She smiled to herself when she realized that he held her hand for just a few seconds longer than he needed to.
“Good luck tonight, Gage,” Nora blurted, a little louder than she should have. “Call me Coop,” he insisted, chuckling as he walked away.
Dana pulled up beside her sister and clutched her arm. “Holy hottie,” she chirped.
“I’d say, and sweet too,” Nora agreed curiously. She watched him say his goodbyes to the others, unable to tear her eyes away until he walked out of the room.
* * *
The Kings played an exciting match with the Calgary Flames and won in overtime. She sat on the edge of her seat the entire time. Their seats were fantastic for catching every play, and the best part was that they were right beside the players. In fact, Coop sat at the end of the bench, only a matter of feet from Nora. She couldn’t help but sneak a peek at him on occasion, he looked so hot in his gear. She tried to make it look as casual as possible, but every now and then he caught her eye and smiled. She had to laugh when a couple of young puck bunnies sitting a few rows back shouted out, ‘Marry me, Coop!’ It was loud enough to turn heads, including poor Gage’s. She could see his teammates ripping on him, but he took it in stride and gave them a little wave.
That was one of the moments when he caught her grinning at him. He just smirked back at her and shrugged his shoulders, a blush rising in his cheeks. She could have sworn her heart skipped a beat. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away, feeling like a star struck teenager instead of the professional woman she pretended to be. Her sister gave her a sharp poke in the ribs as if to say, ‘check him out!’ She playfully shoved her back with a look that said, ‘cut it out, he might see you.’ Dana just laughed at her, unfazed. Sisters—they always kept you humble.
As soon as the players finished congratulating each other, they made their way off the ice. Coop took a short detour and skated right past Nora’s seat, nodding gallantly at her. Her legs instantly turned to liquid, apparently forgetting she was nearly thirty and not fifteen.
All in all, it had been a great night. She got to hang out with her sister, watched an exciting hockey game from awesome seats with VIP treatment, and got to meet an NHL player. One who happened to be a stud.
Suddenly, Leo popped into her mind. In just a few short days she would be seeing him again. She wondered if life could get any better.
CHAPTER 7
LEO
“Come on in, I just need a couple more minutes to get ready,” Nora sputtered as she gestured for Leo to step inside. She seemed flustered as she offered him a quick hug, wearing only the bathrobe she had on the first night they met.
“There was an accident on the 110, so my commute took almost two hours. I already showered, I just need to get dressed. Do you want to pour yourself a glass of wine?” she asked, making her way back to her bedroom.
“I’m not drinking tonight. I just found out I’m on call, covering a buddy who called in sick. Don’t worry about me, just go do what you need to do,” Leo assured, wandering curiously around the apartment. “There’s no hurry, anyway. The DJ doesn’t spin until 9:00.”
Her home seemed cozy and well loved. It was the kind of place that looked lived in and welcoming. It was inviting and made him feel comfortable, and he liked that. The layout was open concept, and obviously designed to look shabby chic, with big comfortable furniture and kitschy artwork. The retro end tables were painted off-white and had a distressed finish, each one adorned with matching Tiffany lamps. The walls were colored a pleasing eggshell blue, and one entire wall was a built in book shelf, stuffed to the brim with different types of literature, textbooks, family photographs in mismatched frames, and funky trinkets that appeared to come from various countries around the world. Her dining room table was an old country door, painted white to match the end tables, with benches on either side in place of chairs. The chairs were turquoise, with a shiny lacquer polish. Her place definitely matched her personality, Leo mused.
He made himself comfortable on the couch and picked up a Time magazine from the coffee table. He had only read through the first few pages when Nora walked back into the room. Leo stood up immediately, hoping she would appreciate the gesture. She rewarded him with a brilliant smile.
“Wow, you look great!” Leo said, quick with the compliment and walking right over to greet her. She wore a sexy black cross-over dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, along with a pair of strappy sandals that buckled around her ankles. He wondered just what was under that dress and hoped he would find out sooner rather than later.
“Well worth the wait, although you looked pretty good in that bathrobe, too,” he teased, flashing her a cheeky grin, happy that he was able to coax a laugh ou
t of her.
“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself,” she flattered, inching herself toward him. “That’s a really great suit. Armani?”
Leo nodded and held his arms open, inviting her into his embrace. She allowed him to give her a proper hug. He inhaled deeply, her scent intoxicated him, imprinting itself in his memory. He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him, raising her chin in a welcoming gesture. He didn’t waste the moment and swiftly brought his mouth down on hers, sharing a kiss even more passionate than the one they had shared when parting after their first date. She tentatively parted her lips, inviting his tongue into her mouth, a soft moan announcing her approval.
His arousal was no surprise, but if they continued kissing like this much longer, Leo doubted they would make it to the club. He was ready to fuck her right then and there, and his swollen cock was in full agreement. She must have sensed his need because she placed her hands on his chest, gently gesturing for him to stop. She looked up at him, her eyelids heavy with need. He was glad to see that she was as turned on as he was.
“We need to either leave this apartment right now, or you will need to slip back into that bathrobe,” Leo teased, using his fingertips to brush her hair away from her eyes, a gesture that he knew women found hard to resist.
“Mmmmm, tempting,” Nora purred, kissing his chin softly, “but you promised me a dance.”
“That’s true, and have I got some moves to show you,” he grinned, playfully spinning her around.
“On the dance floor or in the bedroom?” Nora baited, tempting his libido.
“Which would you prefer?” Leo flirted slyly, and without skipping a beat, pulled her in for another quick kiss.
“Mmmmm, I haven’t decided yet,” she teased, easing herself out of his embrace. “Let’s see how you do on the dance floor first.”
She winked at him and headed for the door, inviting him to follow with a nod of the head. “Sounds like a challenge, Nora,” Leo chuckled, following her to the door.
“Well, it wouldn’t be as much fun if I just laid down and lifted my skirt, now would it?” she chirped back playfully, her sassiness enticing him.
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