Page 38 of Claws and Feathers

Abby’s blood ran cold at the sight of Maya Lowry burning judgmental holes into her. Her presence even managed to overpower the alcohol swimming through her bloodstream.

Maya studied them with her usual pretentious sincerity as she tapped her pinky finger against the side of her glass. “It’s always a pleasure to see you, Abby. I hope you’ll come visit me again.”

The alcohol began to turn on Abby. It turned on herhard. Insecurities reared their ugly head, swiftly drowning her in self-doubt. “You’re not really his type.”Maya’s words echoed through her, weighing her down, sinking her right to the bottom of her own pool of unworthiness.

Cooper marriedMaya. She was the opposite of Abby in every way with her silky, ebony hair, bronzed skin, and glamorous features. The verdict was still out on her boobs, but they were probably fake. Maya was successful, cultured, and had adegree. She was confident. Undamaged.

Abby was none of those things.

Abby was about to make a quick escape to the ladies’ room when Cooper reached for her hand and pulled her from her seat. “Dance with me?”

Abby was taken off guard by the request. She was seconds away from crying alone in a bathroom stall, and now Cooper was asking her to dance?

She couldn’t say no. Only a fool would say no. “Sure.”

Cooper offered her a smile so raw it made her feel like she was the only woman in the room. Who was Maya Lowry? Did she even exist? Maya faded away as Cooper dragged her from the table and onto the dance floor.

“Fair warning,” he stated. “I don’t dance. Not even a little.”

Abby beamed up at him as the most recent shot of whiskey began to take hold. “I don’t judge.” Her feet felt clumsy and untrained when he brought her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. It was playful at first – awkward steps, fumbling hands, an exchange of giggles – but then something shifted. The song turned from upbeat to sensual. Their movements slowed and the silliness subsided. Their eyes darted to and from each other’s faces as neither quite knew how to process the moment. Abby was keenly aware of Cooper’s warmth and heartbeat, and the rousing scent of his skin. The Fireball was only enhancing her senses, making her crumble and crack, and collapse into whatever magnetic vortex was pulling her into its abyss. Her body was singing, crying out. Demanding him in every possible way.

Abby felt his arms tighten around her, which was welcomed, since she was just about to fall at his feet. His breath was tickling the hairs on her head. The music was making her blood pump harder and faster. There was so much potent energy swirling around them, Abby was curious if he felt it, too. Was she alone in this vortex? Was she wandering aimlessly, lost and unsure?

Well, she was definitely lost, and she was massively unsure.

But was she alone?

Cooper let out a sigh as she melted into him, and Abby wondered what it meant.

“I remember when I saw you for the first time,” he said.

Abby’s hands were interlocked around his neck as they swayed to the song. She clutched her wrist with her opposite hand. “Yeah. I didn’t like you very much,” she teased.

Another sigh, then a beat, and then, “Yes, you did.”

Abby lifted her eyes, her heart galloping beneath her ribs. She was expecting to see a playful expression on his face, but he was serious. A flame blazed between them, scorching through her thick and heavy layers. This was the alcohol talking. It had taken over his words, and her body, and both of their logical thinking.

Cooper continued. No, thealcoholcontinued. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

She swallowed. “After I left the bar that night?”

“No. After I saw your missing person’s report.” He ran one of his hands up and down her back, as if to remind himself she was alive and well. “I stayed focused, but I had to tell myself you were gone. Because if I held out hope, and it didn’t turn out okay, it would have destroyed me.”

Abby felt emotion prickle at her eyes. She realized in that moment that Cooper McAllister had truly, undoubtedly, saved her life. He wasn’t just the officer who carried her out of that van. He wasn’t just the man who happened to be on duty that day. No, Cooper had spent every day of those two weeks searching for her. He’d left no stone unturned. He’d found the van that day because he had relentlessly tracked it –him. Not anyone else. Abby knew that if any other officer had overseen her case, they might not have caredquiteas much. She may not have been found in time.

It would not have turned out okay.

Abby stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss along his jaw. He pulled back, surprised, his eyes alight with a thousand questions. She hadn’t meant it in a romantic way, despite everything inside her screaming to pull his mouth against hers and let the alcohol and pent up feelings take over.

No, this was simply a thank you. Athank God you cared that much.

Cooper looked like he was about to respond in some way – with words, or a gesture, or maybe even a kiss – but then the song changed, and a lively beat began to play, and the magic quelled. It was not gone, entirely; no, Abby was still very much under the spell of Cooper McAllister. It had only pacified.

And then Kate dashed towards them, over-animated and over-served. She draped her arms around them both, resting her head against Abby’s shoulder.“That wassoanti-climactic. Everyone was waiting for that kiss and you let us downhard.”

“What? No…” Abby stepped back from Cooper and untangled herself from Kate’s eager arm. “That was, like, a friend thing.” She felt suddenly mortified the entire bar had been tuned into their intimate moment.

“That’ll change after some more shots,” Kate grinned, nudging her with her elbow. She turned to Cooper and pinched his cheek. “Come on, big bro. Let’s get you white girl wasted. It’s been a million years since I’ve seen you trashed, and it was supremely memorable.”

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