Page 35 of Claws and Feathers

He opened the screen door to allow her inside, his smile never waning. “That’s fair. I’m glad you could come.”

“And pass up a rare sighting of younotdrowning in fifty-thousand overtime hours? Hardly.”

Cooper chuckled as he placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her into the family room. Abby gulped at the contact, then double gulped when his touch lingered even when they’d reached their destination. She tucked her hair behind her ear and waved to the small group gathered around a card table.

“Abby!” Kate shot up from her chair, almost tipping it backwards with her intense enthusiasm. “Shit, girl. I’m so happy you’re here. Kravitz brought his little brother, Marky, and he hasn’t stopped hitting on me since he got here. Plus, he smells like pickles. I need backup.” Kate paused, lurching back, and giving Abby a serious once-over. “Um, you lookhot. I’m literally crushing on you right now.”

Abby ducked her head with modesty, grateful she had put in the extra hour of mirror time. She’d added some beachy waves to her hair, painted on a little makeup, and found the cutest outfit she owned, which was, alas, only one. Abby had purchased it for Jordan’s surprise birthday party the prior year – it was a sexy, black camisole with sequins paired with dark denim skinny jeans and chunky sandals. “Oh, thanks. I take Scrabble very seriously.”

Kate linked arms with her, pulling her over to the table, but more importantly, away from Cooper and his electric touch. “You’re on my team. I’m already calling it.”

Abby smiled at the rest of the guests, consisting of James Walker, Lyle Kravitz, a man who she assumed was the charming “Marky”, and an unknown female pressed up against Lyle.

James tipped his beer to her. “You look lovely, Miss Stone.”

“Abby,” she corrected, nodding her head in greeting. She smiled warmly. “And thank you.”

Cooper slid up beside her unexpectedly and whispered against her ear, “You do look nice.”

Abby was overcome with a brief dizzy spell and a flourish of goosebumps. She was about to thank him, but he’d already disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Abby desperate for something that contained a dangerous amount of alcohol. And possibly something to hold onto to steady her wobbly legs.

“You need a drink,” Kate perked up, as if reading Abby’s mind. “I’ve been chugging peach sangria for the last hour. I’m about to get wild. Want some?”

“God, yes.”

Three large glasses of sangria later, and Abby was riding out a spectacular buzz in between dominating Cards Against Humanity and dodging heart-stopping glances from Cooper McAllister across the table. Whilealsododging the lecherous leers from Marky. Kate was right – he really did smell like pickles.Gag.

“Damn, Abby. I continue to underestimate you.” Cooper looked over at her growing pile of winning cards with an impressed grin.

Abby flipped her hair over her shoulder with a sigh of victory. “You underestimated my dark humor and captivating wit? I’m kind of disappointed.”

His eyes flashed with a playful reply, but Marky interrupted.

“No guy is focusing on your humor or wit when you’ve got a face and a body likethat.” Marky emphasized his appreciation with an eyebrow waggle.

Kate wasted no time in launching herself across the table and smacking him upside the head.

“Hey!” he protested.

“Why the hell did you bring this moron, Kravitz?” Kate demanded.

Lyle rolled his eyes and punched his little brother on the shoulder. “Turn it down a notch, will ya?”

Marky rubbed his head, then sent a wink and a kiss over in Kate’s direction.

She held her fist up in warning. “I’m full of rum and sass. You donotwant to mess with me.”

Abby couldn’t help but giggle at the display. Her eyes caught Cooper’s as he sipped on his beer. There was a distinct twinkle in his gaze, so she gulped down the rest of her sangria in response.

“Hey, let’s play Truth or Dare,” Marky suggested, pouring a shot of cheap whiskey into his glass. He swallowed it back and slammed it down on the table.

Kate threw her hands up in mock excitement. “Oh, my God. I totally didn’t realize this was a junior high slumber party. Shit! Let’s play Spin the Bottle next. Then we can watch‘She’s All That’twenty-seven times in a row.”

“Sweet,” Marky grinned. “I’ll go first. Kate, I dare you to take off your clothes.”

Cooper whipped a beer cap at him. “You’re an asshole.”

“That’s not how you play, Marky.” Shannon, Lyle’s quiet and slightly awkward girlfriend, spoke up with a shake of her frizzy, brown hair. “You’re supposed to ask her ‘Truth or Dare?’first.”

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