Archive of Our Own

Alison Jean Cooper walked into the Montecito Hotel and Casino like she owned the place—and she very well might. She was almost sure her husband, the reserved A. J. Cooper, had married her just because her first initials were the same as his. She had come to solve that problem. Tucked in the briefcase in her hand was the unsigned divorce decree. Alison was here to finally get the papers signed.

The Montecito was colorful, large and most of all, loud. Alison was partial to the quiet found on the beach in Malibu. One reason she had married Cooper was the quiet of his Wyoming ranch had been a refuge.

She stepped up to the registration desk and asked for a suite for three nights.

“Name?”

“A. J. Cooper,” Alison said and the woman looked up at her sharply.

“I’m sorry?”

“A as in Alison, J as in Jean followed by Cooper,” she explained. “A. J. Cooper.”

As the woman typed, she asked the question Alison was expecting, “Any relation to the Montecito’s new owner A. J. Cooper?”

“Only by marriage,” she replied as she took the paper the woman handed her to sign. “He’s my husband.”

All activity around her stopped and she could feel their eyes on her. She handed the paper back to the woman and looked around with surprise. “Something wrong?” she asked as she pulled out her credit card and offered it to her.

“I don’t think we’ll need that,” the woman, whose name tag read Nina, said as she waved away the card. “Your room is being comped.”

“That will not be necessary,” Alison said as she offered her card once again. “I pay my own way.” Nina took the card and reluctantly ran it before returning it to her. “Why did everyone stop like that?” Alison asked

“Are you really Cooper’s wife?”

“Yes,” she answered. “You want to see the marriage license?”

“You carry it with you?”

“Not usually,” she replied. “But today, I’ve come for a divorce.”

Nina nodded and left it at that. “Will you be needing anything else?” she asked as she handed the card key to Alison.

“You can tell me where I can find my husband,” she replied.

“He’s probably in his office,” Nina said. “Or on the balcony overlooking the casino.”

Alison nodded. “If you could have my bags taken to my room,” she said. “And point me to the nearest restaurant I would be grateful. It was a long drive and I’m starving.”

“Of course,” she said and called the concierge desk for assistance.

Alison stepped away from the desk and looked around the lobby, wondering why her husband had bought the place. She’d heard that he had been, as of late, trying to diversify his holdings, but she was not sure about what he could be thinking in buying a casino in Las Vegas.

As she looked around, a young woman appeared at her side. “Hello,” she said. “I’m Piper. I’m the concierge.” Alison shook the woman’s hand. “You’re luggage has been taken care of, Mrs. Cooper.”

“Thank you, Piper,” Alison said. “Call me Alison. Where can I get something to eat?”

“Depends on what you’re hungry for,” Piper replied. “The Montecito has many wonderful places to eat.”

“Whatever is fastest,” Alison replied. “I have not had American food in a very long time.”

Piper began leading her towards the place where most of the staff ate. “Are you really Cooper’s wife?”

Alison stopped to look at the young woman. “Let me guess. He’s never said a word about being married.”

“We knew he had… has a wife,” Piper said. “We just didn’t expect you to show up out of the blue like this.”

Alison looked around at the people going past. The number of people with Montecito name tags had gone up in response to the gossip concerning her arrival. Everyone wanted to get a look at her. “Maybe I should go to my room and order in.”

“But we’re there,” Piper said as she waved her hand ahead.

The café was intimate and relatively quiet so Alison took a breath. “OK,” she said and let Piper urge her forward.

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Piper pointed at the woman as she passed Mike and Delinda where they were talking outside of the eatery. That’s her, Piper mouthed. They looked at each other and followed to watch them choose one of the tall tables inside. They watched her for a few minutes as she crossed her long legs beneath the table and picked up a menu. Her hair was a golden brown and was twisted on top of her head in a messy bun. She looked at the menu as her graceful hands drummed fingers on the table top. They also noticed a tasteful wedding set decorating her left hand. She was toned and curvy, but neither fat nor thin and well endowed in the boob department without being too top heavy. Her skin was sun kissed and flawless save a small scar along her left eyebrow. She fiddled with the button on her white button-up shirt as the dark skirt she wore hugged her bottom smoothly. Delinda stepped forward and sat down next to her, introducing herself.

“Are you really Cooper’s wife?” Delinda asked.

“That’s what it says on the license,” she replied. “And hopefully the divorce papers.”

Delinda waved over a server who took her order as Mike and Piper sat down in the other two seats. The three studied her, making it seem as if she were being interrogated—and perhaps she was.

She sighed. “What do you want to know?”

The three could think of a million questions, but Delinda voiced hers first. “Cooper told me he used to be married,” she said. “Seemed even melancholy about it. Why would he say that?”

“He did?” Delinda nodded. “Melancholy?” Delinda nodded again. Alison looked surprised then seemed to shake it off. “I moved out seven years ago,” she said. “And filed for divorce at that time. But it takes two signatures to make a divorce. Or a lawsuit.”

“Who didn’t sign?” Delinda asked. “Did you change your mind?”

“I signed,” she said. “He wouldn’t.” She thanked the waitress as she put a plate of food in front of her. “I got tired of nagging him about it and gave up after a few years. My lawyer took up the cause after that. I haven’t seen Cooper in about five years. Give or take.” She took a big bite of her burger. “God that’s good,’ she said with her mouth full.

“Why now?” Mike asked. “All of a sudden, are you coming to see him? And why did you leave him?”

Alison chewed and swallowed. “I’ve been out of the country and mostly incommunicado for most of the past five years,” she said. “When I got back, my lawyer informed me that Cooper would give me my divorce if I would bring the papers to him… personally. He probably wants to discuss the terms.” She bit off the end of a fry. “As for why I left him, he was gone a lot conducting business. Missed a lot of our life together. When he was home we were either making love or fighting. Then there was that bimbo Hudson. Blonde, beautiful.” She shrugged. “Closer to his age.”

“Erin Hudson?” Delinda asked.

“That would be her,” Alison replied. “He insisted it was a hate-hate business relationship. And considering some of the shit she pulled on him…” she took a drink of her wine and shrugged. “Next question.”

“I want to know if he married you because of your name,” Piper said.

Mike and Delinda looked at her. “My full name is Alison Jean Cooper,” she said. “And no. But it did get his attention.” Piper looked disappointed.

“My turn,” Mike said and sat up to think. “How much older than you is he?”

“Twenty years,” she replied.

Piper looked at Mike. “Big age difference.”

Delinda was up next. “Where did you meet and how long were you married before you left?”

“Denver,” she said. “At a horse auction. We both bid on the same quarter horse and he graciously bowed out when he realized I wanted it. We were married for a couple of years before I left.”

“When was the last time you had marital relations?” Piper asked.

Alison shook her head. “I can’t remember the last time I had sex period,” she said. “Much less with my husband.”

“Where were you for the last five years?” was Mike’s next question.

“In various third-world countries,” she said. “I have a philanthropic organization that helps people all over the world.”

“Wow,” Delinda said. “When did you get back?”

“Two days ago,” she said then yawned. “I heard from my lawyer about Cooper’s request… You know, he insisted that I bring the papers personally… I drove all night. I want this divorce finalized.”

“Where’d you get the scar?” Mike asked with a gesture to her left eyebrow.

“I was riding the horse I got at that auction,” Alison said. “It saw a rattlesnake and threw me. I landed on my face. Sixteen stitches.”

“Where are you from?” Piper asked

Alison smiled. “I’ve got a house on the beach in Malibu, a condo in New York and a small ranch near Denver. The answer to that would be all over.” She finished the last of her fries and gulped down the last drops of the wine she had ordered to go with her meal. “Now if you will excuse me,” she said. “I’m going to go to my room and get some sleep before Cooper realizes I’m here.”

“If you need anything,” Piper piped up. “Let me know. I’m sure Cooper will insist that your entire stay be comped.”

Alison stood. “As I’ve already told them at the front desk,” she began. “That won’t be necessary. I have more than enough money to pay my own way. But I will call you if I need anything.”

Mike whispered something to Piper and she passed it on to Delinda.

“That’s a great idea,” Delinda said.

“What’s a great idea?” Alison asked.

“We are getting married on Saturday,” Mike said. “That is me and Piper and Delinda and Danny, her baby’s daddy. You should come.”

“Will Cooper be there?”

“Of course,” Piper said. “He’s giving me away.”

Delinda and Mike looked at her. “He is?”

“What, I didn’t tell you?” They shook their heads. “I could have sworn I told you.”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Mike told her and she shrugged.

“I don’t think it would be such a good idea for me to come to your wedding,” Alison said.

“Why not?” Delinda asked.

“Your marriages are just starting. Mine will be ending,” she replied. “Kind of a downer at a wedding, don’t you think?”

“Good point,” Piper said. “But what about the bachelorette party?”

“Really?” She said.

Delinda smiled. “Yeah,” she said. “The more the merrier.”

Alison laughed. “If I wake up in time,” she began. “I’ll be there.”

“Room 3505,” Delinda told her. Alison nodded.

“We’d still like you to come to the wedding,” Mike stood next to her. “But if you’ll allow me, I’ll escort you to your suite. I should have just enough time before my family gets here.”

Alison nodded. “That would be nice, thank you.” She stopped and turned to look at each of them. “Please,” she said. “Don’t say anything to Cooper about me being here.”

Piper held up a pinky. “Pinky swear.”

Alison wrinkled her nose and nodded. “Pinky swear,” she did with each of them.

On the ride up, Mike gave Alison an idea of what the Montecito had for amenities. Along with the gambling there was shopping, a gym, a pool, a spa, and several restaurants where she could have room service brought from. “We even have a one lane bowling alley in one of the suites.”

“Bowling, huh?” Alison responded as they rode the elevator to the 37th floor.

“Yeah,” Mike said. “Not open to the public just yet. Cooper is staying in that suite.”

“Should have known,” she said as she looked down. Her eyes met Mike’s and she explained. “He took me bowling on our first date. I’m not very good at bowling.”

“Really?” Mike said. “How did that date end?”

Alison peered sideways at him. “Let’s just say, he found something that I’m better at.”

Mike cleared his throat, getting the innuendo. “Let me guess. He rocked your world,” he said and she laughed as the elevator doors opened. He turned right and led her to the end of a long hall, pointing Cooper’s bowling alley suite out as they passed.

At the end of the hall, Danny was waiting at her door and introduced himself with a shake of her hand as Mike took her key card and slid it in the slot to open the door. He held it open so she could walk past him and into the room. She breathed in awe at the view before her. “It’s been too long since I have slept in a decent bed,” she said.

I’ll tell you later, Mike mouthed to Danny behind her back.

“I’m sure Mr. Cannon will tell you everything he’s learned about me as soon as you leave,” She turned to see their surprised faces. “I grew up in a hotel,” she went on. “I know the gossip mill.” She smiled. “I’m going to go lay down now. If you’d be so kind as to hang the ‘do not disturb’ sign. If I’m disturbed before the party tonight, they’ll be hell to pay.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Mike said.

“Of course,” Danny acknowledged. “Sleep well.”

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Cooper drove his truck into the driveway of the Malibu beach house and parked before getting out to meet the detective he had hired the year before to find his wife. She had left him almost six years before and he had not heard a word from her in at least five years. Once a month or so, her lawyer would call him to ask that he sign the papers, insisting that the highly contested divorce be finalized as soon as possible. Every month, Cooper told the lawyer the same thing. “Until she brings them to me herself, I’m blocking it.”

Tired of the negative response from the attorney and the insistence that Alison was incommunicado and out of the country, Cooper had hired a detective to watch her beach house. When he got the call that she was there two days before, he hopped in his truck and drove to Malibu.

“Mr. Cooper,” the detective said and held out a hand to the older man. Cooper shook it and he went on. “Mrs. Cooper arrived here yesterday morning, but packed her car in the afternoon and left.” He paused as Cooper rubbed his eyes in frustration. “Perhaps she’s on her way to do as you requested.”

“Did she have anyone with her?”

“No sir,” the detective told him. “But I have word that she may have headed in the direction of Las Vegas.”

“You never can tell about her,” Cooper said. “I’d better head back. I’ll be late for the wedding as it is. If she’s there, she there. If she’s not, well, we’ll find her soon enough. In the meantime, I have another matter for you to take a look at…” he described the problem with Victor Manning and his brother’s will.

The other man nodded. “I’ll get some people right on it,” he said.

Cooper opened the door to his truck and got in. “I’m sending the Montecito jet to New York to get my lawyers there to help with the case. They should be taking off right about now. Send copies of anything you find to my Vegas lawyer when you send it to me.”

Little did Cooper know that all hell was about to break loose in Las Vegas.

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Alison was watching the TV news report about the crash of the Montecito’s plane as Delinda sat crying behind her and being comforted by her mother, Jillian.

“Have they found his body yet?” she asked Danny as he stood next to his desk.

Danny shook his head. “No they haven’t,” he replied. “But the debris is scattered in a mountainous area. The pilot is lucky he lived to make it to the hospital even though he’s still comatose.”

“Until I see a body,” she began. “I’m not going to say either way.”

“No one in the cabin of the plane could have survived,” Danny pointed out as she stared at the screen.

She turned to look at him. “Did he specifically say he would be on that plane?”

“Well,” Danny said. “No.”

“Did he even tell you he was going to New York?” she went on as she looked back at the screen.

Danny glanced at Delinda. She shook her head. “No,” Danny answered.

“He might have been on that plane,” she said. “He might have gone somewhere else. We have no idea.” She paused to turn to Danny. “Until I see a body, he’s not dead.”

Her stubbornness was annoying to Danny. “Where could he have gone then?”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea,” she replied. “He was still a mystery to me, even though we were married.”

“We’ve cancelled the weddings,” Danny told her. “We’re going to have a memorial service for Cooper.”

“I think that would be premature,” she told him. “But if that will make you feel better, I’m not going to stop you.”

“You will be there,” won’t you?” Delinda asked earnestly.

Alison looked at Delinda and shrugged. “I’ll come to support you,” she said. “You’ve all been so nice to me that I don’t think I could stay away if I wanted.”

“That’s very nice of you,” Jillian said.

“As for my dead husband,” Alison began as she looked back to the news footage. “That remains to be seen.”

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The only person in the room who didn’t look surprised to see him alive was Alison. His eyes met hers only briefly as he moved forward when Delinda screamed in pain, calling Danny’s name. After that, he saw her in the corner of his eye, dialing her cell phone to bring an ambulance to the hotel. Somewhere in the chaos, he completely lost her.

It was almost 2 a.m. when Cooper slid his key card into the lock and opened the door to his suite. With all that had happened today, he had completely forgotten to ask when his wife had arrived and no one had offered the information.

He walked in and headed straight to the stairs leading to the suite’s second floor bedroom, unbuttoning and untucking the tuxedo shirt he wore as he went. He made it about three stairs up before he heard a strike being bowled. He blinked and turned back, going around the corner to find himself face to face with his formerly absent wife.

“Why hello, darling,” she said sarcastically as she lined up another shot. Her short skirt showed off her legs as she swung back and rolled the ball down the lane. With a crash, it knocked down all of the pins and she whispered an ecstatic, “Yes!”

“You always did have bad timing,” Cooper said as he strode forward. His lips were crushing hers before she could say another word.

Alison pushed at him, but his strong arms were wrapped around her, stopping her struggle. His tongue forced her lips apart and she breathed him in, kissing him deeply and losing all the determination that she’d had. Her hands found his chest and she explored the expanse with her fingertips.

Feeling that she was sufficiently aroused, he pulled away and threw her over his shoulder to carry her up the stairs. She immediately came to her senses and started pounding on his back and kicking. She demanded that he put her down all the way up the stairs and into the room. He dropped her on the unmade bed where she bounced once. He pulled off his shirt. When he moved forward to kiss her again, Alison put her foot against his chest and held him away.

“I just came to get the divorce papers signed,” she told him. “I’m not about to sleep with you.”

“All hell has broken loose the last couple of days and I’m exhausted,” Cooper growled. “But I have no intention of doing any sleeping just yet.”

He pulled the bowling shoe and sock from her foot and dropped them on the floor before grabbing her other leg and doing the same to her other foot. She tried to stand but he pushed her back onto the bed. She gripped the blanket beneath her as he got down on his knees and pushed the skirt she wore up to her hips. He kissed the inside of one leg eliciting a surprised gasp from Alison and slid his hands up to remove her lacy underwear.

She grunted when he pushed her back on the bed to kiss her lips again. Somewhere in her muddled mind, she thought about saying no, but another part of her remembered how long it had been and how good he had been.

His hand made its way up her leg until it found her clit. He massaged it until she cried out. “Ok,” she said as he kissed her neck. She breathed as he smiled against her neck, his facial hair tickling the sensitive flesh. “Just this once.”

He pulled away to unbutton her shirt. Underneath, the bra matched her panties and he unhooked it, releasing her ample breasts then set her up to slide the shirt and bra down her shoulders as he kissed her. He paused to stand long enough to pull off the rest of his clothing while she caught her breath. Before she could voice a change of mind, his lips were once again on hers, making her forget her protestations.

He pulled away one more time to remove her skirt completely, then kissed her breasts as she threw her head back and thrust them out with a moan.

He slid her up the bed, pushing the blankets aside, until they were both laying in the middle of it. The gruff desire from earlier made way for the gentle ministrations that she remembered from the happy early days of their relationship and marriage. She let her hands explore his body as he cupped her breasts, teasing the nipples until they went hard and she cried out at the pleasure. He let one hand slide down her belly until it found her aroused pocket and slid two fingers in.

“Oh yes!” she cried at his ministrations and his lips, which had been carefully kissing and nibbling her neck found their way to her lips once again.

He pulled his fingers from the folds of moist flesh to slide his damp fingers up her flushed body and positioned himself between her legs. Quickly, he slid into her, resting deep and waiting for her to remember how he felt there.

When he began to move in smooth thrusts, she wrapped her legs around his hips. Moaning in pleasure, she ran her hands through his short, dark hair. She pulled him close and their eyes met. They fell into a rhythm their bodies remembered, an end to a long drought for the both of them. They lost track of time, and when he finally exploded inside her, she could swear the earth moved and fireworks went off in her head making her remember the reason she had married him.

Satiated and bathed in sweat, Cooper cradled her in his arms. She buried her face in his neck and breathed. When she finally began to breathe normally, she spoke.

“I just came to get the papers signed,” she said, protest in her tone.

“I know,” he replied. He held her close and when Alison finally looked up at him, she found that he had fallen into an exhausted slumber.

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Cooper woke the next morning to find her gone and the divorce papers with a sticky note pointing out the line he should sign on were in the place she had occupied earlier. A pen was clipped on it. He let his head fall back on the pillow in frustration. Her stubbornness was like a dog with a bone; unwilling to let it go. He pinched the bridge of his nose before throwing the blanket aside, ignoring the paperwork, and rolled himself out of bed. He rubbed his face with his hands then looked up as he heard the water go on in the bathroom.

He stood and looked around the room, finding that she had gathered their discarded clothing. His tux shirt and pants had been piled in a chair while her skirt and shirt were folded neatly on the dresser. Neither his robe nor her undergarments were anywhere to be seen.

He moved to the doorway of the bathroom where he found her in the huge shower stall, obscured by steaming fog in the glass enclosure. He pulled the door open and let the steam clear before speaking.

“I thought you left,” he said.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder as he stood naked, the beginning of a new arousal forming at his crotch.

“I was not about the leave this suite smelling like you for the rumor mill to have their way with,” she said and ran her hands through her wet hair, smoothing it as it fell to the middle of her back.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “They probably got you on camera coming in but not leaving after I got here.”

She groaned in frustration and turned to face him. “Did you sign the papers?”

“No.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because I don’t want a divorce. I haven’t wanted a divorce,” he said. “And I won’t give you a divorce.”

“Fuck you,” Alison cursed. “You can be such an asshole!”

“You already did,” Cooper replied. “And I know.”

She moved to push him away but he caught her arms and let her struggle. Finally, she stopped and looked at him with daggers in her eyes.

“Let me go,” she demanded.

“Make love to me again,” he said.

“No,” she said. “Let me go.”

He pushed her through the rain shower spray and up against the wall. “Make love to me again,” he said as he pressed his naked body to hers.

“Please let me go,” she begged and he released her hands. She placed them on his chest and closed her eyes.

“Please… make love to me again,” he said quietly in her ear.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him and he knew she wouldn’t be able to say no. She nodded quickly and he took a minute to make sure before pressing her against the wall, lifting her to his waist and plunging in.

Alison wrapped her legs around him as he moved inside her. Her fingers gripped his shoulders, leaving welts in the smooth flesh. The water poured down, around, and between them as they moved together in the erotic dance.

“Please, please, please,” she chanted as he moved inside her.

“Please what?”

“Please make me come,” she breathed.

“My pleasure,” he replied as he moved deeper and faster.

She cried out, her voice echoing off the tile around them. “Mine too,” she gasped.

Thrust after thrust, he moved inside her until she tightened around him and he cried out as his body responded to it.

He stood with her pressed against the wall, her legs around him, and still buried in her for several minutes. Finally, he released her and she unwrapped her legs from his body to place her feet on the floor. She stood pressed against the tile, breathing and watching him.

He grabbed a washcloth and soaped it up generously as she watched, curiosity in her face. He put the soap down and moved back to arm’s reach. He started at her shoulders and rubbed the soapy cloth over her body, eliciting moans of pleasure when he ran the cloth over a particularly sensitive spot. When he had passed the cloth over every inch of her, he pulled her into the water spray and ran his hand down her body as he rinsed her off.

“My turn,” she said as she pulled the washcloth from his grasp and kissed him before following the procedure on him that he had just finished with her.

By the time she got done, he was sufficiently aroused once again so he turned the water off and led her back to the bed. Pushing the divorce papers off the bed, he lay down, pulling her on top of him.

She straddled his hips, moving against his manhood and giggling when he moaned with pleasure. He grasped her hips to stop her movement and reached down to the hardened appendage to guide it into her. Once he was buried deep in the folds between her legs, he moved her hips to control the pace. She placed her hands on either side of his head and leaned forward as he moved her. As they moved, he gripped her breasts to stroke her nipples into hard beads. She cried out, peaking in his hands. He felt himself moving to his own breaking point and he lifted his hips to move deeper inside her causing her to throw her head back and grip at his hands where he had moved them around her waist. They moved, colliding against one another until for the first time, they came together and Alison collapsed beside him.

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“How long has she been in there?” Mike asked his wheelchair bound co-worker in security watching video of Alison entering Cooper’s suite with a keycard requested from one of the front desk people.

“Late last night,” Mitch replied. “Around midnight. Before Cooper came back from the hospital.” He paused to look up at Mike. “How’s the baby doing?”

Mike slapped his shoulder. “Holding her own, man,” he said. “Holding her own. When did Cooper get there?”

Mitch sped up the video until he showed Cooper entering the suite. “2:07 a.m.,” he said. “What do you suppose she did in that two hours while she was waiting for him?”

“There is a bowling lane,” Mike replied. “She mentioned bowling with Cooper when they started seeing each other so…”

Mitch cleared his throat. “What do you think they’ve been doing since?”

Mike looked thoughtful. “As long as they’ve been in there,” he began. “Probably a lot of shouting, a lot of sleep, a lot of bowling or…”

“Or…?”

“Use your imagination,” Mike said.

“Not sure I want to do that,” Mitch said. “I have a fertile imagination.”

Mike laughed and slapped Mitch on the shoulder again. “I’ll be down on the floor.”

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“Maybe they up there doing wild monkey dance,” Polly was saying as he reached Piper’s desk. “Making wild hot sex like two wild animal in jungle.”

“What you too?” Mike said as he stopped. “Not really our business.”

The two women looked at him as if he were crazy.

“If he not see wife in more den five year,” Polly went on in her broken English. “He be very sex frustrate.”

“You don’t know that’s what they’re doing,” Mike said. “She came here to get the papers for their divorce signed. They could have been arguing all this time… or sleeping. That room’s soundproofed because of the bowling lane so any yelling would be muffled.”

Polly smiled conspiratively. “Or they be making hot, sweaty bang-bang all over suite.”

Mike rubbed his face as Piper laughed.

“Oh, boss man,” Polly said suddenly and Mike looked up to see Danny approach. “How baby?”

“Baby’s stable,” Danny replied. “What’s been going on around here?”

“Big boss man come back vedy, vedy late after baby born,” Polly told him. “Wife already dere. What you tink they do? Fight like growling dog or make love like wild monkey?”

“What, Alison’s in Cooper’s suite?” Danny asked.

“Since late last night,” Piper confirmed.

“She had the front desk give her a key card and since she’s his wife, they didn’t want to refuse,” Mike told him. “She went in around midnight and he got there around 2 am. Neither one of them has come out yet.”

Danny looked at his watch. “It’s nearly noon,” he pointed out.

“Exactly,” Mike replied.

“They’re probably negotiating the terms of their divorce,” Danny said.

“Or white hot monkey sex love,” Polly said with a smile as she moved her hips in a humping motion.

“None of our business either way,” Danny said and pointed at Polly. “And I did not need to see that.”

“What are you doing here anyway?” Mike asked his friend.

“Just checking in,” Danny said. “Delinda’s asleep and the baby’s stable. Thought I’d come get a bite to eat. See what’s going on.”

“White hot monkey sex,” Polly insisted with a smile and she pointed to the ceiling. “On thirty-seven floor.”

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When Cooper woke this time, she was still laying beside him, back to him and curled up in his arms under the blanket. He let out a breath, hoping that he had convinced her that he did not want a divorce. Although he wanted nothing more than to stay here with her, making love again and again, he knew it was way past time for him to be getting up.

He breathed in her scent and gently planted a kiss on her shoulder before sliding out of the bed, trying not to wake her. He didn’t succeed. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a deep breath and yawned as she stretched.

“Good morning,” she said.

“It’s almost afternoon,” Cooper said and went into the closet.

“Where are my clothes?” Alison asked.

“On the dresser,” Copper called. “Your undergarments are in the bathroom next to my robe.”

She drew in a slow breath. “That’s right,” she said softly, remembering. Slowly, she moved to the edge of the bed and stood with another stretch. She disappeared into the bathroom as he came out of the closet in his boxers, one of his suits on a hanger in his hand. He laid it on a chair and opened a drawer in the dresser to grab a clean pair of socks.

“You want me to order something?” he called out.

She came back into the room in his robe, underwear in hand, finger-combing her hair. “No,” she said and looked around. “What did you do with the papers?”

“I think they’re on the floor on the other side of the bed,” he replied with a gesture in that direction as she put her underwear with the rest of her clothes.

She went around the bed and retrieved the file. She put it on the dresser and found the page she needed him to sign then tossed the pen down. “Sign,” she ordered. “I can drive back to LA and file it this afternoon.”

Cooper sighed, disappointed. “No.”

“No?” she leaned against the dresser.

“No,” he replied as he pulled the pair of socks out of the drawer.

“Why the hell not?”

“I never wanted you to leave,” Cooper said. “When I came back…”

“From another one of your damn business trips,” she put in.

“And you were gone,” he continued. “I was beside myself. Then I got the papers and I got pissed. Then I got drunk and tore up the papers and swore I would not give you a divorce. We’ve lost enough. I don’t want to lose you too.” He picked up the papers and handed them to her. “You want a divorce? I’ll see you in court.” He started to turn back to his dressing. “Now take off my robe.”

Alison’s anger flared and she put the papers on top of her pile of clothing. She stepped back where she would be out of his reach. “No.”

He turned back to her and tried to reach out to grab her arm, but when he moved forward, she jumped back again. “Damn it, Alison,” he growled. “I’ve got work to do.”

“You’ve had control since you got here this morning,” she said. “Now it’s my turn.”

“What do you mean, your turn?” he said as he moved towards her and she backed off.

“You keep leaving me for business,” she said. “Well today, the business is just going to have to wait.”

“Alison,” Cooper warned as he cornered her on the other side of the bed.

She untied the belt of the robe and jumped up on the bed. As she expected, he grabbed the back of the robe and she let it slide off. Naked, she turned to face him.

“You’ve always had more control in our marriage,” she said. “When I left, I took control of my life!” She stopped to step across the bed as he tried to come around the foot of it to pull her down. “Now, I’m taking control of this.” He gave up going around and stepped up on the bed.

She grabbed his boxers and pulled them down to his knees, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward on the bed. He rolled over and grabbed at her, just missing her as she hopped off the bed. Before he could sit up or otherwise move, she had grabbed his ankles and pinned them to the mattress.

“Here’s the deal,” she growled. “I get to have control. I get to touch anything I want with whatever I want.” She gave him a hungry look that made him stop his wriggling. “You have to lay there and take it.” The smile she gave him then scared him a little. “You can’t touch me unless I make you. And when I’m done.” She stopped to pull the shorts off the rest of the way and straddle him, holding his wrists pinned to the mattress. “I’ll have my divorce.”

Cooper wanted to agree with stipulations, but the suddenness with which she grasped his growing erection surprised him, making him gasp. He started to reach for her, only to have her slap his hands away with her free hand before tossing his shorts across the room.

He threw his head back, staring at the ceiling and let her have her way, knowing she was right. He moaned as her hand moved slowly along the erection, fondling his balls and running her fingertips over the length of it. She laughed when she saw him grab the blankets beneath them and grip ferociously.

He moaned again as she took the tip in her mouth, sucking and tickling until he thought he could tolerate no more. He cursed softly as her mouth released him and she backed away, as if to admire her handiwork. His breathing had sped up and he tried to calm it and looked down at her as she admired the fact that it was defying gravity like it never had before.

“You just going to leave it like that?” he asked breathlessly as he released the blankets.

“I’m not done yet,” she said then crawled into the bed beside him.

She kissed him as she ran her hands across his chest, grabbing his arms and moving them over his head. She straddled him again, his protruding erection against her backside. She smiled again as she watched him flex his fingers in frustration. She leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his chest to kiss him again.

She pulled away, leaving him breathless. “I never told you how much I like the beard,” she purred as she raked her fingers through the hair on his chin. She kissed him again, gently this time before pulling back.

She lifted up and wriggled, moving backward until the tip of his still hard erection was lined up with her. She grasped it and guided it, letting the tip slide barely into her wet core before plunging down on it.

He cried out and cursed, the pleasure of it reaching every inch of his body. He lifted his knees to support her as she moved, driving him insane with every movement. He fisted his hands, determined to follow her mandate, until she grasped his wrists and led his hands to her chest.

“I’m done torturing you,” she said gently as he unfolded the fists and held her at the chest, restricting the motion of her bosom as she moved around him.

He cried out as he felt her tighten around him, knowing that she had peaked more than once already this session. Seconds later, he exploded into her but she kept moving until she peaked again, her body wringing every last drop from him.

She slid him from her body with a contented sigh and leaned forward to kiss him again before collapsing next to him laying on her back with her head on his chest.

Cooper found himself breathless and unable to move for several minutes. “Damn,” was all he could muster to say.

She began to laugh. “That’s all you can say?” she said. “Damn?”

He looked down at her. “If you always make love to me like that,” he said. “I’ll let you have control of everything.”

She sat up and retrieved his robe from the floor. Instead of putting it on, she walked around the bed and hung it on the hook by the bathroom door. “That was not making love,” she said. “That was sex. Mind-blowing but sex none the less.”

He pushed himself off the bed and stood for a minute. “No one’s ever done that to me before,” he said.

“And you’ll probably never get it like that again,” she said as she slid into her panties. “Especially not from me.” She pulled on her skirt before she put on the bra and adjusted it. “Now are you going to sign the damn divorce papers? It’s just a general divorce, uncomplicated because we never combined our finances. Other matters can be decided later.”

Cooper had found the boxers she had discarded and pulled them back on. “No.”

She looked at him incredulously as he pulled on his suit pants and did them up. “I drove all the way here from Malibu to get your signature on that damn thing,” she said as he put on his shirt and buttoned it up. “Because of your request. I’m not leaving without getting it signed.” She looked at him as he put his hands in his pockets. “Why won’t you just sign it?”

“I… don’t... want… a… divorce,” he said slowly, trying to get her to understand. “I never did.”

She scooped the decree from the dresser and turned away from him to put it in order before setting it back down so she could put on her shirt. “Why?” she asked as she started buttoning it. “It’s been five years.”

“I still love you.”

She stopped after doing only three buttons, took a breath and turned around. “Don’t say that,” she said as she poked a finger his way.

“It’s true,” he said.

Furious, she picked up the papers and turned to stalk across the room. She spied the bowling shoes on the floor and picked one up. “You son of a bitch!” She threw one shoe at him but he deflected it easily and it bounced off his arm. She picked up the other and used it to gesture as she shouted. “We’ve been apart longer than we’ve been together… I took her away from you… How the hell can you still love me?”

“I just do! The question is, do you love me?” Cooper asked, raising his voice a bit.

She hesitated just long enough for him to know that she was lying when she said, “NO!” She threw the other shoe at him and he raised an arm to deflect it too.

She stormed out of the room and down the stairs. She searched for her high heels, then finding them, put them on. She pulled the wedding set from her finger and dropped the rings in the ashtray on the table nearby and headed for the door only to find it blocked by Cooper.

“Talk to me,” he said. “I want to know why, after what you and I just did, do you still want a divorce.”

She raised her hands, grabbing at the air, crumpling the document with frustration. “Talk to you?!” she said. “We should have been talking instead of having sex! Seven years since I left and asked you for a divorce…”

“Why? I still want to know why.”

“Why?!” she spat at him. “When we weren’t making love we were fighting or you…” she punctuated her point by thrusting a finger in his direction. “…were conducting business. Then there was that bitch you like to flirt with… I’m still not sure whether or not you had an affair with her.” She paused to take a frustrated breath. “Then there was losing…” she stopped, unable to go on.

When he didn’t say anything she pushed past him and opened the door.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I would make you think that. I’m sorry we lost him.”

She went through the door and turned back to him. “To little too late.”

“Come back in and let’s talk.”

The anger bubbled up again. “No, I’m done,” she said. “I’m leaving.”

“Then give me the damn papers,” he ordered and she handed them over with the pen. He quickly signed his name and handed them back. “All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. If this makes you happy…”

“It does. Thank you,” she said and stalked off to her suite.

Cooper sighed. “You’re welcome,” he said quietly as she stormed away.

Behind the safety of her suite door, Alison walked in and slammed the door closed, leaning against it. She let the once-precious divorce papers fall, scattering like leaves in the fall. She pounded her fist against the door before sliding to the floor, crying.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

Mike, Mitch and Danny had been watching the exchange outside of Cooper’s door from the security office. Alison’s hair was a mess and her shirt only partially buttoned, giving them a peek at her lacy purple bra. They could tell she was furious.

When Cooper came out, dressed in a shirt and slacks from one of his suits and bare feet, and took the papers from her before signing them, Mike spoke. “That doesn’t look good.”

“Looks like she convinced him to sign the papers,” Danny said.

“Yeah,” Mike said as they watched Cooper go back into his room. “But is Polly right? Were they…you know, before they were fighting?”

Mitch stared at the screen. “It sure looks that way.”

“We’ll find out for sure if he decides to tell us,” Danny said. “I’ve got to get back to Delinda.”

“Give her a kiss for me,” Mike said. “And tell her Piper and I’ll be around to see them as soon as we get off work.”

“Got it,” Danny said and headed out. He was halfway through the lobby when Sam caught up to him.

“What’s this about Cooper’s wife showing up?” she asked him.

Danny kept walking as he explained it to her. “She showed up the day before yesterday,” he told her.

“Polly said that she was the brunette at the bachelorette party the other night.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Danny replied. “Although she is a brunette.”

“Is it true that she’s been in his room since before he got back last night?” she asked. “And that they were having sex all this time?”

“We don’t know what happened behind closed doors,” Danny replied. “But they looked like they were fighting when she left his suite.”

“She get her divorce?”

“He signed some papers,” he said. “That’s all I know.”

“Hm,” Sam said and stalked off.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

Alison opened the door to find a waiter with a room service cart. “I didn’t order this,” she told him.

“Cooper ordered us to bring it up,” he said as she stepped aside to let him in. “It’s comped so, no charge.”

She swiped the hair out of her puffy eyes and dug in her purse. She handed him a hundred. “Tips aren’t comped.”

He smiled. “Thanks Mrs. Cooper. Most people forget that but this sure makes up for it. Enjoy.” He left the room.

At the base of the bucket with a bottle of fine French Champagne on ice, there was a note from him. One last toast on me, Love Cooper.

She lifted the cover from the dish and found her favorite foods, a corned-beef sandwich with sweet potato fries and a bowl of fresh strawberries. A gasp escaped her lips and she started crying again. She opened the beverage with a pop and poured some in the flute next to the bucket. Picking it up in one hand, she grabbed a strawberry in the other and nibbled at it. She walked to the window where she could watch the view and raised the glass to the scene in a silent toast to the city before she drank it.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

“If I didn’t know better,” Delinda said after the nurse handed the tiny baby to Cooper as he sat in a chair next to her. “I’d say you’ve held a baby before.”

He took a breath and looked from the tiny baby to Delinda. “Never,” he lied and she could see that.

“When did you hold a baby before?”

“It’s been awhile,” he admitted and watched as the baby in his arms sucked on her fist. “About seven years.”

“Whose baby was it?”

Cooper smiled but didn’t answer the question. “When are they going to let you go?”

“The doctor says I can go home tomorrow,” she said with a smile. “Baby girl McCoy is stable, but she has to wait until she’s over five pounds.”

Cooper smiled back at her and handed the four pound baby to the nurse who put her back into the incubator.

“You OK?” Delinda asked. “You’re quieter than usual.”

“Fine,” he replied.

“I met your wife,” she informed him. “She’s nice. Let Mike, Piper and I ask questions while she ate lunch.”

“She answered them?”

Delinda nodded. “She got here a couple of days ago. Came to the bachelorette party.” She stopped to study him for a minute, watching him as she went on. “Did you sign the divorce papers?”

He blinked. “I did,” he replied. “Her business here is concluded.”

“That’s too bad.”

“How so?”

“I mean, you had to have loved her once,” Delinda said. “And she you. Or you wouldn’t have gotten married.”

“True,” Cooper agreed.

“Do you still love her?” Delinda asked.

Danny walked in at that moment and the discussion ended. “Cooper,” Danny greeted his boss. “I take it she let you hold her?”

Cooper pushed himself out of the chair. “She’s doing much better than last night,” he said. “Thankfully.”

“Yeah, thankfully,” Danny agreed.

“I’ve got to get going,” Cooper said. “With you here, someone has to run the Montecito. I’ll bring you some dinner around six.”

“I was going to ask,” Delinda said with relief. “The food here sucks.”

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

When the phone began to ring, Alison calmed herself and wiped her eyes with a tissue before answering it. “Hello?”

“Alison,” Delinda said. “Danny told me you’re leaving.”

Alison tried to sound cheery. “Yeah,” she said. “I got what I came for. How are you? And the baby?”

“I’m fine. The baby was having trouble, but she’s doing better,” she said. “I’m sorry to hear that you’re leaving. I was hoping you’d come and visit. See the baby.”

“I’m not leaving until morning,” she replied. “I suppose I could come this evening.”

“Around seven?”

Alison shook her head. “Yeah sure,” she replied.

“Good,” Delinda said. “I’ll see you then. Bye bye.”

When the time came, Alison made sure she was packed and ready to go, dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top with a sparkly crocheted poncho over it. She grabbed her purse and took a deep breath before walking out into the hall where she knew she would be watched. She waved to Piper as she passed without stopping until she could hand her claim ticket for her car to the parking valet.

“So far, so good,” she breathed after she got in her car and started to the hospital where Delinda and her baby were patients.

She got the room number and walked up without incident. As she reached for the door handle, it opened suddenly and Cooper was there standing over her. Her breath caught but he only nodded and went past her and down the hall. She took a cleansing breath and went into the room.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

In his office the next day, Cooper watched every minute of her stay that they had on the security database, from beginning to end and in fast forward. He watched her arrive, eat lunch with Delinda, Piper and Mike before being escorted to her room. He saw her go for a swim then watched as a tearful Delinda spoke to her. She disappeared into Danny’s office and was there quite some time. He saw her escort Delinda and Jillian to the venue only to see him, alive and well, walk into a room full of surprised people, then return to her room where she stayed until later that night. At that time, she came out and spoke with the woman at the front desk who gave her a key card. Back up on the 37th floor, she disappeared behind his suite door.

Skipping forward, he viewed their argument outside his suite door when he finally gave in to her and signed the divorce papers. She went on a quick shopping trip with Piper and had a meal with Jillian Deline. After watching her leave and return, probably the visit to the hospital to see Delinda and the baby and Mike and Piper’s wedding, he watched her leave one last time, luggage in hand, and shut off the playback. He took a deep breath before going back to work.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

Alison cried her way back to Malibu as she listened to every breakup song she could find on the radio. When she got home, she dropped the divorce documents on the coffee table and took her luggage to her room. She unpacked her suitcases and went back into the main room, flopping down on the couch and putting her feet up on the table next to the document. She sat looking at it for several minutes then hopped up and grabbed the phone to call her lawyer and friend, Cassondra Kraft, Esq.

A woman answered. “Did you get it Al?”

“I got it,” she replied.

“Finally,” the woman said. “After five long years. Bring it over and we’ll file it. Then we can go out and celebrate.”

“I’ve already taken care of filing it,” Alison lied as she looked at it sitting on her table.

“Good for you. How was Vegas?”

“Crazy, Cassie,” Alison replied. “About the best thing about it was the great suite overlooking the strip.”

“Did you have trouble getting him to sign?”

“I thought I might not need to for about a day,” she said then told Cassie about the plane crash.

“Oh, wow,” Cassie said. “How long did it take to convince him once he finally showed up?”

“I spent the night with him,” she said.

“Please don’t tell me you had sex with him,” Cassie said.

“I was there for a divorce,” Alison evaded. “Not a reconciliation.” She rubbed her eyes. “And we had mind blowing sex most of the morning.”

“Good grief,” her friend said. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me, too,” Alison replied. “How’s Amelia?”

“Liking the beach,” Cassie replied. “When do you want me to pick you up?”

“I don’t really want to do anything tonight,” Alison replied. “It has been a roller coaster weekend. I just want to take a nice hot bath, drink a bottle of wine and pull the covers over my head.”

“You’ve got to get back on the horse,” Cassie told her.

“I will,” she replied. “Just not tonight.”

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

Four months later

Mike stood in the middle of security following a pick pocket on the video screens. As the officers apprehended him, he caught something from the corner of his eye. She’d cut her hair and the style was different, but it was her. He ran the video back until she came in then played it forward. She came in holding the hand of a dark-haired girl of about six and walked past the front desk, stopping at Piper’s desk, getting a hug and introducing the child. She laughed with her for a few minutes before she and the child started through the casino, past where the security officers were grabbing the pickpocket.

She was wearing slacks and a crochet poncho over her shirt and smiled at the many employees who recognized her from her visit four months before. Every so often she would stop and talk to someone before going back to her journey. She looked like she’d gained weight, but Mike couldn’t be sure because of the poncho.

“Who’s the kid?” he asked no one in particular.

Mitch heard him. “Friend maybe?”

Mike picked up the phone and dialed Cooper’s extension.

“Cooper,” the man answered.

“I’m transferring a feed to your office,” Mike said as he pressed some buttons on his computer. He switched the feed to the real-time one where she was talking to Delinda outside of the bank of elevators. The little girl at her side was making faces at Delinda’s baby.

In Cooper’s office, he turned to the screen on the wall near his desk as it flashed to the video Mike was sending. He sat forward and his jaw dropped. Alison was talking to Delinda and admiring the baby she had strapped to her chest while next to her, their daughter, Amelia Janel, was making faces at her.

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

“Is this your daughter?” Delinda asked Alison.

“This is my daughter,” Alison affirmed. “Amelia Janel.”

“How have you been doing?” Delinda asked as Amelia started making faces at Eddie, strapped to her front in a baby carrier. The baby giggled.

“Healthy,” Alison replied and patted her baby bump.

Delinda smiled. “Pregnant?”

Alison nodded. “Sixteen weeks.”

“You know who?”

Alison nodded again.

“And he’s…” she gestured to Amelia. Alison nodded. “He knows?”

“He was there during the pregnancy,” Alison explained. “He just missed her birth.”

“Why did you take her away?”

“I feel bad about that and regret it,” Alison answered. “Especially since we lost our son. I was doing charity work and took her along for the ride. I wanted a divorce, but he wouldn’t give it to me.”

“And so now you are,” Delinda said.

“Not,” Alison went on. “I never filed the paperwork so we are still legally married.”

“That’s great!” Delinda stated. “Cooper’s going to like that.”

“Yes, he will,” she bent to look at Delinda’s little one. “Last time I saw you, you were so tiny.”

Amelia made another face and the baby giggled. “Babies are so easy,” she said.

“Why don’t you hang out with me and Eddie here?” Delinda said to Amelia. “That way your mom can go talk to your dad. Are you hungry?”

“I don’t suppose we could get a cheeseburger?” she asked.

Delinda nodded. “We’ve got the best in town.”

Alison smiled at Delinda. “Thank you.”

LVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLVLV

Cooper was waiting at the door when Alison arrived at his office.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” she returned. “I see you’re still here.”

“Turned out the will Manning brought was forged,” he said. “I’ve got big plans for the Montecito.” He waved her into the office and to a seat. “What are you doing here? Where’s Amelia?”

She walked into the office but didn’t sit in the offered chair. “I left her with Delinda. We’re just passing through,” she said then shook her head and looked at the office around her. “No that’s not true.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said. “I’m pregnant.”

Cooper stopped sharply and turned to face her. “Say again?”

“I… am… pregnant,” she repeated slowly.

“How the hell did that happen?” Cooper asked.

“Well,” Alison began. “The daddy plants a seed in the mommy…”

“Don’t patronize me,” he said.

Alison cocked her head to look at him. “We had sex, daddy,” she said. “Unprotected sex. More than once if you remember. This sometimes happens with unprotected sex. Lightening strikes twice.”

Unable to think of anything to say, he just looked at her. “How far along?”

“Sixteen weeks,” she replied. “That’s four months. About the time we were together.”

“How long have you known?”

“A couple of months,” Alison told him. “I wasn’t going to tell you but then I started to feel it move.”

“It moving now?”

She placed her hands on her abdomen which, until now, he hadn’t noticed was starting to bulge. “Quite a bit actually,” she said. She waved him over and placed his hand where it could be felt the strongest. “I feel it strongest here,” she told him then moved his hand to the other side. “But I can also feel it here.”

He smiled as he felt the little movements. Alison was so close he could inhale her scent, but a knock at the door broke the spell and she stepped away to set the large bag she carried in the chair.

“Come in,” Cooper called as he turned to sit back down behind his desk.

Danny entered and immediately noticed Alison. “Delinda said you were here,” he said with a smile as he hugged her. It was then that he noticed her baby bump. “Alison are you…?”

Alison nodded with a smile. Danny gestured where Cooper sat at his desk fidgeting with the paperwork on it. She nodded again. “You’re kidding! This is great!”

“Maybe not,” Cooper said. “We’re divorced. Remember?”

“Did you get the finalized divorce decree?” Alison asked.

“Not yet,” he replied.

“Maybe it got lost in the mail,” she said.

“I thought they sent them by courier,” Danny commented.

“They do,” Cooper said as he looked at Alison. “What did you do?”

Alison pulled the divorce papers out of her bag and dropped it on his desk. “Absolutely nothing,” she said.

“You never filed it,” Cooper stated as Danny took a couple of steps back with a smile. “Why not?”

“I don’t know,” she replied with a shake of her head. “Maybe subconsciously I knew I was pregnant. Maybe I was scared. Maybe I changed my mind because of Amelia. I don’t know.”

He moved so fast she didn’t even see him come out from behind the desk to take her in his arms. Neither saw Danny leave, a smile on his face, but both knew that by the time they left the room, the whole hotel would know. It was then that Alison decided to tell him the final piece of her little secret.

Gently, she pushed him away and got into her bag once again. “There’s one more thing,” she told him. “I had a sonogram before I left LA.”

She handed him the printout. It clearly showed two bird-like creatures huddled together and was labeled with baby 1 and baby 2. She bit her lip as he stumbled back to lean against his desk. He looked back up at her in surprise. “You want to lay odds on how long we can keep this a secret?” she said with a smile. “Because I haven’t even told Amelia yet.”

Cooper could only smile back.