Page 181 of Vegas Heat

He shrugs. “Wherever you want them is fine with me.”

Heat fills my cheeks as I think about those words. He wants me to put his kitchen utensils wherever I want them since we’ll both be using them. He’s making me feel a part of this move-in day even though I’m not moving in here…yet. We both know that I’ll be spending plenty of time here, but since we’re not telling my dad yet, I guess we can’t really make the move official.

Someday, we will. We’ll get there. But on the heels of my father’s engagement to Joanie is definitely not the right time.

Cooper is unpacking some boxes upstairs, and there are several service workers here setting up his internet and connecting his televisions in all the different rooms. We didn’t have much time this morning to inspect the place since the pod was already here when we arrived, so I’m glad we had that morning quickie before we took showers and headed over.

And man, was that a good morning quickie.

The way he kissed me after our words to each other about building our future together made me confident that he’s the last man I’ll ever kiss. He’s it for me, and he’s made it clear I’m it for him.

We have some obstacles to overcome, but what couple doesn’t? We’ll take them as they come, and we’ll emerge stronger for battling through them together.

My dad’s words about not wanting me with a baseball player ring through my mind.

But if he knew it was Cooper, certainly he’d approve…right?

It’s his best friend. It’s a man he trusts with his daughter since he’s been pushing us together.

Maybe that’s the point—maybe it’s exactly why he would be even more against what’s really happening between us. He’d never even see it coming since it’s his best friend and hisdaughter.

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask once Cooper reappears in the kitchen and the workers are out of earshot.

“Always.” He grabs some plates out of another box and chooses a cabinet at random to stack them in. He glances at me before he places them on the shelf, and I shake my head a little, nodding at the cabinet where I already started putting plates and bowls. He chuckles and moves to that one, and I love how we can already have silent conversations with one another.

“Why’d you tell your friends about us?”

He sets the plates into the cabinet with a rather loud bang, and then he turns toward me. “Uh…”

“You just seem to want to keep it a secret from certain people, yet the more people who know, especially people who are close to my dad, the more likely he is to find out before we figure out how to tell him,” I point out.

He draws in a deep breath. “Danny asked if I’d gotten back together with you at poker the other night. He was there when I, uh…helped you home when you were drunk at the bar, and I’d confessed what was going on between us to him. Rush and Nick heard the question and I couldn’t exactly back out of it, so I went the honest route. They’ll be discreet about it.”

“Yeah, Rush was real discreet when he asked if it wasbusiness or pleasurewhen I was looking for you in the weight room the other day.” I set my hand on my hip, and he takes a few steps toward me to close the gap between us. “They know, Mackenzie knows, Justin knows, and I swear I think Joanie knows. How long until he finds out before we’re the ones to tell him?”

“Hey,” he says softly, and he loops one of his arms through mine where I’m still holding onto my hip. He pulls me into him. “Chill, babe. We’re fine.”

I’m sure he’s right. I’m overreacting. I’m trying to be careful since the last thing I want is for my dad to find out about us from someone other than, well,us. But it just seems like every time we’re ready to tell him, something stands in our way.

Is that a sign?

“Maybe we should just tell him,” I say.

“Or maybe we should break in my new place since the internet guys just left and we’re all alone.”

“You want it again?” I ask.

“Ialwayswant it with you.”

I can’t help a little giggle at that.

“Before we do all that, though, I have something for you.” He opens the drawer closest to the fridge and pulls out a key. Looped onto it is a keyring that saysCaptain’s House.

I giggle as he presses the key into my palm, but his eyes are serious.

“This doesn’t have to be a big deal, but it sort of feels like one to me. I want you to feel free to come over any time you want. I want this to feel like home for you, too.”

My eyes fill with tears as I close my fingers around the key, and then he leans forward and nibbles on my neck a little. It has the effect of completely clearing my mind of pretty much anything and everything except more of Cooper on top of me, and he grabs me suddenly and perches me on the edge of his countertop. He pushes his way in between my legs so they’re spread open for him. “Mm,” he murmurs, his face level with my breasts. He looks up at me, and I set the key on the counter beside me. I loop my arms around his neck, our eyes sharing some mutual understanding before I drop my lips to his.

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