Page 107 of Playmaker

I indicated a seat at the other side of the table from my computer, but he chose the chair beside me. I hesitated, and then sat down, much too close and much too aware of him. I told my nerves to calm down. The walls on the side of the room facing the hallway were glass. Nothing untoward was going to happen.

Once we were seated, and I glared at the unnecessary passersby who wanted to look at the famous hockey player, I turned my attention to Cooper. “Why are you here?”

“I wanted your advice on some tax issues. I didn’t use my full name when I booked the appointment.”

So I wouldn’t turn it down.

“Because I didn’t want to distract any of the hockey fans here.”

With anyone else, I’d have considered his ego was inflated, but another person slowed down to stare as they passed by the glass wall. “You have lawyers. And accountants.” Good ones too.

He nodded. “But they’re fighting me on this.”

What the hell was he planning to do?

He pulled some papers out of the envelope he’d brought with him and set them on the table. “This is what I want.” He slid the documents over to me.

I wasn’t stupid—he had a plan here that didn’t involve his finances. But I couldn’t resist looking at whatever was on those papers. This was my thing, and I was curious.

First was a list of assets. His condo, his cars, his investments. I wanted to show his asshole brother and father this, let them know just how smart their stupid jock was with his money. But I shouldn’t be reading this. “This is very personal data.”

He shrugged. “Client privilege, right? And I trust you.”

He could, because I was honest and wouldn’t do anything with this information. But he should be more cautious. I shot him a look. He hadn’t amassed this much wealth by being stupid. There was something else…

And the next page revealed it. He wanted to transfer everything to a trust…that I would be a trustee and beneficiary of. I closed my eyes and rubbed my lids. If I was hallucinating things now, I definitely had to get more sleep. I opened them and reread the document.

“What the fuck—” I had to lower my voice. Telling a client, even someone who wasn’t really a client,what the fuckwouldn’t fly with the partners. “What are you doing here? This is…it’s a conflict of interest and it’s stupid and the tax consequences— What is this really about?”

No smirk on his face. He took a long breath, moving his shoulders to release tension. “I heard what you said at the restaurant. You’re afraid of relationships. In your experience no one stays. I want to show you I will.”

I looked down at his papers. “By…buying me?”

His head jerked sideways. “No, that’s not it.”

I honestly had no idea what it was. “Explain.”

“You want to earn things so they can’t be taken away.”

I nodded. How had I earned this? If he said sex…

“You need security, financial security, because you trust that.”

I drew in a breath, almost flinching at the accuracy of that statement.

“I want you to trust me. So first, I’m trusting you. I want you to have access to anything I have, at any time, so you can make decisions without worrying about money. Whether it’s becoming partner here, or going out on your own, or doing nothing, this should be enough for you to be secure.”

I nodded, my lips pressed tightly together.

“I trust that if you commit to us, to a relationship, that you’ll stay. I trust you enough that I can share anything I have with you. Right now, all this money, the perfect condo, my cars—I’m miserable. I want you more than any of this. It’s not doing me any good. So, have it.”

I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t. I tried to find words.

Cooper, meanwhile, continued his speech. “I want to promise I’ll never leave you—get a notary to stamp it—but no one can guarantee they’ll live forever.”

I jerked. “Wait, what are you talking about? Who said anything about forever?”

“Me. That’s what this is for.” He nudged his paperwork. “It’s trust. With a trust. If you can have everything I’ve valued, then maybe you will trust that I’ll stay, as long as I’m able.” He paused, scanning my face.

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