Page 25 of Vegas Heat

“Wait a second. You met herlast night?” Ben asks. He lets out a low whistle. “Was it a one-night thing?”

I shake my head. “We didn’t go into it with any expectations. We spent the night together, and then we spent the day together.”

“And you let her go to come meet us for dinner?” Kaylee screeches.

“What can I say? I’m a good friend.” I offer an arrogant shrug. “Besides, the Captain down low needed a recharge and she’s meeting me back at my room after dinner for another round.”

Ben bursts out a laugh as he shakes his head. “Man, are you fucked or what?”

I twist my lips then let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I am. Totally fucked.”

Kaylee giggles. “And yougotfucked, which, good for you, Coop. We all know how bad you needed that after your recent dry spell.” I shoot her a glare, and she laughs. “Tell us about her.”

I don’t even know where to start. “She’s fucking hilarious for one. We laughed all night together. She’s honest and tells itlike it is. Plus she’s so hot it’s unreal, and she’s smart, too. She doesn’t know who I am, which is an obvious bonus.”

“You best believe that girl is Googling the fuck out of you right now, sir,” Ben says.

I purse my lips with an easy shrug. “Probably. And it’s fine. She got plowed by the Captain first, so she knows what she’s getting into.” I wink at Kaylee, who giggles as Ben offers a hearty laugh.

“Good for you, man,” Ben says.

“What does she do?” Kaylee asks.

I run a hand through my hair and along my jawline, and then I clear my throat before I give it to them straight even though Iknowthey’re going to tease the shit out of me for it. “She’s, uh…studying marketing at UNLV. Last night was her twenty-first birthday.”

“Fuck yeah,” Ben says, fist pumping. “Wreck that shit, man.” He tosses an arm around Kaylee. “You gotta get ‘em young these days. Chicks our age just aren’t as fun.”

Kaylee’s lips tighten into a flat line as she gives her husband a look. “I guess I’ll let thechickscomment slide since you’re somehow complementing me. I think?”

Ben laughs, and Kaylee looks at me.

“So that puts, what…about twelve years between the two of you?” she asks.

I nod.

“Ben and I are a decade apart and it works for us. People talk, but we ignore it. With that said, though, she’s still in college. Twenty-one isyoung.”

“Weren’t you twenty-three when you and Ben got together?” I point out.

“Right, but Ben and I had known each other for years and years, and I was out of school,” she argues. “We both knew whatwe were getting into. He was getting a mature, capable woman, and I was getting a big old oaf.”

“Hey!” Ben grumbles, and I laugh at the two of them.

The waitress comes by for our order, and I scramble to find something since I haven’t bothered with the menu yet.

I change the subject once our orders have been placed.

“How’s Tight Fit doing?” I ask Ben, referring to his fitness club. He started with one in Montana, and between Kaylee and him plus the StrongFitKids program, they have six incredibly successful locations with more in the works.

“Doing great,” Ben says. He nods toward his wife. “She’s more well-versed in what’s going on in particular with SFK since I’m in pre-season now.”

Kaylee’s eyes light up at the chance to talk about StrongFitKids. “SFK’s exponential growth has been totally overwhelming. I have all these ideas about running Jumpathons or other types of -athons and charity events in the different Tight Fit locations, probably starting here at one of the locations in Vegas, but I don’t have time to put any of it together and all our employees are already overworked. Between the Montana location, the three Vegas locations, and the two in San Diego plus the one we’re building in Los Angeles on top of taking care of the twins...” She glances over at Ben as she trails off, and his eyes meet hers tenderly.

It's beautiful to witness the love between these two. They have the whole package—the love, a marriage, jobs they love, a couple of kids. It’s what I want, too. It’s what I’ve always wanted, but it’s the thing that’s always escaped me, the thing that’s always been just out of my reach.

“She’s doing great,” Ben says. “Amazing. She’s the best mom in the world. She’s the bestpartnerin the world, and I don’t know how she does all she does.”

“I need help,” she admits.

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