Page 57 of Vegas Heat

Cooper:How was the first one?

Me:Boring. Syllabus and icebreakers, just like every other first day of every other college class.

Cooper:I’ve got syllabus and an icebreaker for you.

Me:Why does it sound sexual when you say it?

Cooper:Because it IS sexual when I say it. [wink emoji]

The professor starts talking, so I reluctantly put my phone away.

But I want to hear more about that icebreaker Cooper has in mind.

I’m having a hard time focusing on much of anything this week as Cooper’s move-in date looms closer and closer. I run home from classes, eat, and immediately get my work done so my weekend will be clear.

We talk every night, but his daytime texts have been limited as he finishes training his replacement and starts working on the new role he’ll take on with his company once he’s in Vegas.

It’s on our Tuesday night call after my second day of classes when he says, “I talked to Kaylee, and she said she’d love to have you come help out. But I think she’s more interested in actually meeting you than in having you work for her.”

I wrinkle my nose even though he can’t see me. “I’m nervous to meet your friends.”

“Don’t be. They’re pretty awesome.”

I let out a nervous giggle. “I’m sure they are if you chose them to be friends with, but they’re going to judge the years between us.”

“So? We’ve already determined it doesn’t matter to us. Besides, Kaylee’s only like twenty-four, and she’s already married with two kids. Her husband is a decade older. If anyone will understand, it’s the two of them.”

“Okay, okay,” I grumble. “Still, it’s scary to meet the friends, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. I lucked out that I met yours the night we met.”

“Truth,” I say with a giggle. “So when can I meet her?”

“My boss invited me to his place Thursday night, but maybe we can plan a dinner Friday if they’re not busy.”

“I’d love to,” I say. “What time is your thing with your boss?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll talk to him, and I’ll be staying at his place, too, but let me get there and make a good impression before I start inviting you to stay the night.”

I laugh. “Deal. But make your good impression fast because it’s either your boss’s place or my dad’s house, and neither really sound like a good option.”

“Maybe I’ll rent a room for the month at Caesars so we can stop by whenever we need some private time,” he suggests, and there’s a sexy, desperate edge to his tone.

“I think that’s a great idea for the month of September. Or we can just, you know, put that camping mattress to good use in the bed of my truck,” I suggest, and I hear the desperation in my own voice, too.

He chuckles, and it’s a raspy sound that sends an ache pulsing between my thighs. “I better go or this is going to turn into another night of phone sex and I need to finish packing up my kitchen since my storage pod is arriving tomorrow, and you need to finish writing your paper due tomorrow.”

“All right, buddy. But be warned. I’ll be ready to put that camping pad to good use once you’re back in Vegas.”

“So will I,” he promises, and we say our goodbyes.

Only a few more days until he moves here. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to concentrate on which global consumer behavior I want to change about myself when all I can think about is Cooper.

CHAPTER 26: COOPER

The drive from San Diego to Vegas is a little over five hours, and I pull up to the address Troy gave me a little after six at night. I took a half day for my final day at StrongFitKids’ San Diego location, and we spent most of it eating celebratory cake and talking about what I’ll be doing with Kaylee in Vegas. I’m excited to work closely with her again, excited to be close to Ben, too, excited to get back into the game, and most of all, I’m excited to live in the same town as Gabby.

So when I passed over a hill and the famed Las Vegas Strip came into my view, my heart started beating faster. That view is home now—especially given that it’s a similar view to what I’ll see when I sit on my balcony at my new house in another month.

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