After their split, Nora found a place to live near UCLA and spent the next six years with her head deep in her text books. Her parents agreed to help her out financially, and she was determined to make them proud of her after the pain she caused them. She practically doubled the work load of most post-grads and achieved her Doctorate in record time. People gave her tons of praise and accolades, but the truth was, education was her life. Giving up a social life was penance for her, atoning for the mistakes she had made in the past.
But that was then, this was now. With all of that behind her, she was finally ready to step out of her comfort zone, and Leo seemed like the perfect guy to have some fun with.
Nora’s phone chirped, still inside her purse. She retrieved it quickly, assuming it was her sister checking in.
There were two texts from Leo.
You are probably getting ready for bed with no one to tuck you in. Can’t say I didn’t offer ;)
I keep thinking about you. Let me take you out again?
Nora was grateful that he had reached out so quickly, proof that he’d had a good time too, in spite of the fact that she didn’t go back to his place. She had second guessed her decision all the way home, but something told her that she needed to do something different, something to stand out. It was clear that he was used to women falling at his feet and Nora didn’t want to be just another notch on his headboard. She wanted to get to know him, and for him to know her. Despite the fact that she had been aroused as hell at dinner, she wanted more time to build intimacy with him. That was just her way.
Besides, it wouldn’t hurt him to court her a little. She was worth the effort, wasn’t she?
She sat on her bed with her legs crossed, and quickly replied, feeling much more at ease with him.
I could be persuaded. Take me out where?
She grinned when she read his response.
Dancing. I haven’t been in a while but it could be fun. Thursday night, if you don’t mind stepping out on a school night?
It had been many years since Nora had been out dancing. She had taken lessons off and on, mostly in the off season when she wasn’t playing hockey. Her sister Dana was the dancer in the family, and had pursued it passionately. Nora had nowhere near her talent, and was far more comfortable in a pair of skates, but she wasn’t terrible on the dance floor either. It could be fun, she thought, and told him so.
Fun! Where should I meet you?
Leo answered promptly.
I’ll pick you up at your place… at 8. Sleep tight. xo
Nora put her phone down on the bedside table and set her glasses beside it. She inhaled deeply, just taking in the moment. This was really happening, ready or not.
CHAPTER 6
NORA
Dana sat across the desk from Nora, containers of take out between them. They tried to have lunch together once or twice a week, but it was proving more challenging as Nora’s practice grew. It was now only possible if Dana showed up at her office with food.
“So the firefighter... a good date?” Dana pried gently, catching Nora’s eye.
They were still more like best friends than sisters, so Dana’s curiosity wasn’t unexpected.
Nora grinned and took a bite of her Pad Thai, slurping the noodles loudly, taking her time and teasing her sister.
“Come on, stop stalling and spill. I want all the juicy details,” Dana demanded, clapping her hands together.
Nora deliberately chewed her food slowly, watching in amusement, until Dana tossed a chopstick at her, missing Nora by inches.
“Come on, Bitch, I am wearing white,” Nora sneered good-naturedly, only partially annoyed. Had it actually hit her, it would have been all out war.
“Poor baby, now tell me about your damn date, and don’t leave anything out. I mean it,” Dana insisted, rolling her eyes for good measure.
“It was good, really good actually,” Nora shrugged, unaccustomed to talking to her sister about men.
Usually it was the other way around. In fact, up until Dana got married last year, her stories had been spicy. Very spicy.
Dana rarely kept anything to herself, discretion was not her strong suit. People had always assumed that as twins they should be similar, but they were polar opposites. Dana was a free spirit and always had been. She didn’t go to college, she followed her heart instead and pursued dance training. Her parents tried to encourage her to get an education too, but Dana had other ideas. As soon as she found out that Nora and Devon had split up, she moved out to California so they could room together. Within a few months, she was hired as a back-up dancer on a very popular television show and her career catapulted. She was the yin to Nora’s yang, but that was a good thing. Dana encouraged Nora to cut loose, while Nora kept her sister grounded. It all worked out.
“Good. What’s he like? Is he hot?” Dana continued, plugging her for more information.
Nora knew she wouldn’t get away with vague answers when it came to her sister. She might as well lay it all out on the table or she would never get any peace, she thought, mildly amused.
“He’s good looking, Italian through and through. Very passionate, confident and talkative. I enjoyed him,” Nora explained quietly, a smile playing on her lips as the memory of their date floated through her mind.
“What does he look like? Is he on Facebook?” Dana asked, reaching for her phone.
“I don’t know, Dana, you know I don’t do Facebook,” Nora shrugged, taking another bite of noodles.
“Leo... M-o-r-e-t-t-i,” Dana said out loud, typing his name into her browser. “Yup, here he is. He has a lot of friends. Whoa... he is hot. He looks like Jake Gyllenhaal, only buff. I like the beard.”
“Let me see,” Nora urged, holding her hand out. Dana held up the phone so her twin could see his picture, but refused to hand it over.
“Yeah, I guess he does a little, but he doesn’t have that beard anymore,” Nora agreed, smiling at his picture.
“So did you guys flirt? Were there sparks?” Dana prodded, flipping through his images. “You could say that, yes,” Nora answered, now curious about the other pictures.
“Did you want to fuck him?” Dana blurted casually. “Did you fuck him?”
Dana looked up from her cell to see her sister shaking her head with an incredulous look on her face.
“What?” she said impishly, knowing she had pushed Nora’s buttons.
“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, smacking 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.
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