Prologue
october 25 2020 - cobras team jet
Cooper’s heartraced faster with each step he took toward the back of the plane. He just had to get past the first-class and business sections. Once he got to coach, he’d be in the clear as the only thing back there was dead air. There were more than enough business and first-class seats on the customized team plane that there was no reason for anyone to have to endure the horrors of coach.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, sending a chill down his spine. He pulled the phone from his pocket and turned the brightness down.
NICO
I swear to God, I’m going to come grab you.
Cooper stuffed his phone back into his pocket and chewed into his bottom lip. The rookie was on his last damn nerve. He took one last glance behind him, prayingall the players and staff were still asleep because there was no way he could explain this one.
Cooper rushed into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
The irritating Nico Fallon stood shirtless in front of the sink, wearing nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants and his shoes. The rest of his clothing was pooled on the dirty floor. Cooper took a quick glimpse at the other man’s hardness poking against his sweats and then they locked eyes.
Nico had a bad habit of smiling at Cooper when Cooper himself was not in the mood to be smiled at. When Cooper was flustered, irritated, pissed off, or all of the above. But those fucking puppy-dog eyes… they did something to Cooper.
Cooper leaned against the door and crossed his arms. “How are you this awake at three in the morning after a game?”
Nico reached down and pawed at his erection. “The adrenaline has me hyped.”
“I’m having you tested for crack cocaine when we land.”
“Don’t you get it?” Nico reached out and pulled Cooper by the waist, pulling him closer and further away from the door. “I take bets very seriously.”
Cooper looked away to the side and swallowed a rough gulp. Then his eyes were fixated right back on Nico. “I have spent twenty-seven years on this earth keeping a secret that I’m not going to risk you carelessly outing to the world.”
Nico nodded, seemingly getting the hint for the first time in his life. But then he paced forward, pinning Cooper against the door. He reached over Cooper’s shoulder andbolted the latch as he nuzzled his mouth against Cooper’s ear, whispering, “Did I do good today, Coach?”
“You did okay.” Cooper ducked back and brushed a hand on Nico’s cheek. It was bad enough Nico had won their little wager. Bad enough Nico was hell-bent on not letting Cooper forget it. “Do you want to chitchat or do you want me?—?”
“To do that thing I’ve been wanting you to do?” Nico hopped backward, taking a seat on the edge of the sink. “Yeah, that part. Get to work.”
Cooper closed the distance between them with a shake of his head. He cupped Nico’s chin with one hand and held him still. “You are not in control here. Don’t ever think you’re in control.”
Nico rolled his eyes flippantly.
Cooper dropped his head and scratched at the top of his hood, desperately trying to hide a quiet snort of amusement.
Cooper swept his head against the side of Nico’s and then immediately got to work, blowing hot air against the side of his throat. Nico leaned into Cooper’s touch, a soft moan rolling from his lips. Cooper painted a trail of kisses down the side of Nico’s neck, dragging his tongue over the collarbone.
There was something about the way Nico responded to touch. Something about the way touching him was the only way to get him to shut up. Cooper stood between Nico’s legs, holding a firm hand on each of his thighs as he trailed his tongue down Nico’s bare stomach.
The closer Cooper got to the waistband of Nico’s sweats, the more he lost himself in the thing they weredoing that they absolutely should not have been doing. Cooper reached into each side of Nico’s sweats and tore them down his muscular thighs, exposing Nico’s rock-hard erection.
And when Cooper raised his gaze to meet Nico’s, he choked on a gasp.
Something about Nico like this…
Something about all the walls Cooper had put up…
Something about the way Nico threatened to tear all those walls down.
Cooper took Nico’s cock in his hand and whispered, “You did good today.”
Part One: The Rookie and The Coach
