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Neither of us has checked our cells since leaving the arena; for all we know, the news has already broken.

Or maybe it hasn’t, and maybe it really was just a bird.

“Whatever happens, I’m here, Cooper. I’m not going to run. If you want me there, I’ll stand by your side through everything.”

“How are you so strong?” he asks sleepily.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I say softly. I might not know all the details of what he’s been through, but I do know he’s survived it all and is still an incredible person. “Your past doesn’t define you, Cooper. Neither does having an off day on the ice or your sexuality. The person in here is what matters,” I say, reaching out and pressing my palm against his chest right above where his heart lies. “And I think he’s pretty awesome.”

A soft smile plays on his lips, and a few seconds later, his eyes finally shut and his breathing evens out.

But despite being asleep, the moment I snuggle closer, his arm wraps around my waist, and he holds me tightly against him. It’s almost as if he thinks I’m going to sneak out in the middle of the night.

It takes me a while to drift off, but when I do, I fall into a deep sleep with my man’s arms locked around me.

44

COOPER

Just like the last time Garrett slept over, I have an incredible night's sleep, and I wake up refreshed and surprisingly light considering what I might be facing today.

Garrett is still sleeping soundly, and as much as I want to stay with him, I desperately need to pee.

As gently as I can, I untangle my body from his and roll out of bed.

He groans as I leave and falls onto his back.

The sheet covers one of his legs, sadly hiding his dick from me before wrapping around his hip, leaving his torso exposed.

He really is a work of art.

Before I can stop myself, I’ve grabbed my cell and snapped a few photos of him to make use of later. It’s becoming obvious that I have a slight obsession with this man and his body. I have a secure app full of his images, and my studio is also being overtaken by him. He just has no idea.

Silently, I slip into the bathroom, and once I’ve freshened up, I quickly grab a pair of boxers and then leave Garrett sleeping.

With a coffee in hand, I make my way to the den. Memories from last night have been rolling in since opening my eyes, and as much as I want to put off the inevitable, I need to look at my notifications to see if whoever was in the arena after hours last night has told the world what they saw.

My hands tremble as I hold my cell in front of me, trying to summon the strength to look.

If there’s a photo of me standing on center ice kissing a man, my life is about to be thrown into chaos.

I squeeze my eyes closed and pray silently, for the sake of my brothers, that it hasn’t happened.

No matter what, I’ll be okay. I’ve grown a thick skin over the years; I’ve had no choice in the matter. But them?

I drop my head into my hands. They’d be okay with it. They’re from a different generation. They accept relationships of all kinds, but our father and the rest of society won’t be as understanding.

Anxiety knots my stomach, making it hard to breathe.

“It’s going to be okay."

“I’m here, Cooper. I’m not going to run. If you want me there, I’ll stand by your side through everything.”

I let Garrett’s words from last night soothe me, and finally, I lift my cell once more.

I wake it up, and just a beat before it unlocks via face recognition, the damn thing starts ringing in my hand, and I almost launch it across the room.

“Fucking hell,” I breathe.