Page 47 of Claws and Feathers

He disappeared behind her, and she gasped when he pressed the chilly cream to her sun-scorched shoulder blades.

“Cold?”

His voice was low and deep, and so close to her ear, it made her shiver. She felt the little hairs on her arms stand to attention. Abby instinctively inched backwards, melting further into his touch. Cooper massaged the lotion into her back with slow, deliberate strokes, and Abby had to bite her tongue to prevent any embarrassing sounds from passing through her lips. “U – Um, thanks again for inviting me today.”Double lame.

Cooper chuckled. “You said that already.”

“Well, I’m grateful.”

“So am I.”

Abby was keenly aware of his proximity. She was aware of his hands running up and down her back and shoulders, turning this innocent exchange of sun protection into something utterly erotic. She gulped. “Whydidyou invite me?” It must have been the heat speaking for her. Or the alcohol. How many had she had? – oh, only one.Damn.Well, then, clearly it was Cooper and his magical hands forcing questions out of her mouth that did not warrant answers.

Cooper didn’t respond right away. Abby wanted to believe it was because he was equally under the thrall of the titillating Banana Boat, but it was probably because her question was more loaded than her father’s gun when she’d become old enough to date.

“I’m not really sure.”

Cooper’s reply made her flinch. She wanted him to be sure. She wanted him to besosure, as sure as she was, that this felt like a beginning. A starting point to something good. He’d invited her out on his boat, after all – just the two of them with a cooler full of drinks and snacks, a sunny sky, and endless possibilities. And he was wearing that cologne again. That had to meansomething.

It had all hit her as he’d helped her onto the pontoon. Everything had spiraled to a magnificent peak and she knew. In that moment,sheknew.

Maybe, possibly, if she weren’t careful – she could fall in love with Cooper McAllister.

Abby twisted in her seat, turning to face him, and he lowered his hands. “I don’t like your answer.”

Cooper ducked his head with a faint smile. “Yeah, me either.”

Seagulls swarmed above them, and Cooper raised his eyes back to her, inciting a new wave of heat to pass between them.

Abby looked up at the squawking birds. Hey, was that Scuttle? She wondered if he was going to serenade them and tell Cooper to kiss the damn girl.

He didn’t. Instead, a seagull flew down and plucked the straw hat right off Abby’s head. She jumped from her seat, startled, and Cooper rose to his feet as well. Abby couldn’t help but laugh at the spectacle as she placed her hands on top of her now-vacant head. “Well, that was rude.” She watched as the bird flew a few feet away and dropped her hat into the middle of the lake.

“I can bring the boat over and get it back for you,” Cooper offered. Then a smile curled at his mouth and he glanced at her. “Or I can just jump in.”

“What?” Abby barely got the word out before Cooper dove over the edge of the boat and landed in the lake with a resounding ‘splash’. The water shot back at her, drenching the front of her yellow sundress. She gasped and grinned as Cooper popped back above the water, shaking the droplets from his hair with a playful smirk.

“You coming?” he called out, his eyes dancing with amusement.

“What?” she repeated.

He shrugged, floating along the water, glistening beneath the blazing sun. “The water feels great.”

Abby was preparing to balk at him, but she hesitated.

Wing it.

She chugged the rest of her hard lemonade and climbed over the edge of the rail without nearly as much grace as Cooper had. Her legs wobbled and her heart thumped its erratic beats.Here goes nothing.Abby pinched her nose, held her breath, and said a prayer, then jumped feet first into the water.

Jesus Christ, it wasfreezing.

She bounced up, flailing her arms dramatically. “Cold, cold, cold!” she shouted. “You lied. Hypothermia set in five seconds ago. I kind of hate you.”

Cooper laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

“Will I get used to smelling like dead fish and seaweed?”

“Not really. That shit stays with you.”

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