Page 49 of Claws and Feathers

Cooper let his eyes linger for just a second longer before he headed down the dock and through his backyard. When he slipped through the patio door and entered the kitchen, he chugged a bottle of water from the fridge, then leaned forward against the counter. His hands gripped the edges with pent up tension.

He was rattled and out of sorts. Confused. Abby was vulnerable and clearly smitten – Cooper needed to rein in the strange, complicated feelings running rampant through his veins. It was a mistake to have taken her to the lake today. It only stirred up things that should have been quelled the moment they’d surfaced. All he was doing was giving her mixed signals and it wasn’t fair.

Stupid.

He needed to tell her this. He needed to be honest – explain why he would have to step away. Why he would always have her back, but he could never have her heart.

Cooper had every intention of telling her this… that is, until he felt her saunter up behind him. He didn’t even hear her come in through the patio doors; no, hefelther. Like a sixth sense. He felt her energy radiating right through him, so he turned around to face her. Abby had a distinct look in her eyes. It was a mix of longing, wonder, and utter uncertainty. Cooper could only assume his own eyes were reflecting something similar. He was going to speak up then, stick the dagger right through her exposed heart, but she stopped him once more. She moved towards him, her eyes wavering and unsure, and fixed on his. She moved slowly. Her movements matched her eyes.

Abby did not speak, so Cooper remained silent as well. He was leaning back against the counter waiting. Waiting for what, he wasn’t sure, but he had a vague idea. AndGod– he couldn’t let it happen.

Only, his body was making zero effort to escape her. His voice was non-functioning. His words of objection ran from his tongue like cowards and turned to dust. Abby was getting closer. Cooper tensed his jaw when he felt his body begin to react to her. It was the ultimate betrayal to all of his careful logic.

Abby pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, looking delightfully curious. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the sun. Her hair was wild and frizzy, and hanging over her shoulders like a radiant cloak. Cooper was painfully aware of her beauty, and her warmth, and the magnetic look in her eyes that was pulling him right to her.

No, really. He wasactuallymoving towards her, his feet having a mind of their own. They were traitorous feet, and if Cooper were able to think of anything else in that moment other than getting closer to her, he’d be angry at their disobedient steps. But anger was the furthest thing from his mind.

All he wanted was to know if her lips felt as soft as they looked.

As if on cue, their bodies crashed together at the same time, and Cooper pulled her mouth against his. Her body rose, melding to him, a moan escaping her when his tongue slipped inside. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck as his fingers threaded through her hair, tugging her head back gently, and kissing her deeper.Holy shit,she tasted good. Cooper groaned into her mouth and pushed her back against the refrigerator. He was relishing in the way her tongue danced with his. A heated, frenzied dance. He hadn’t felt anything like it before.

Cooper pulled away to breathe. “Fuck, Abby,” he whispered. But breathing didn’t seem important, so he kissed her again, pulling her leg up around his waist by the thigh, and pressing his erection against her groin. Abby sighed into his mouth, her hands running down along his shoulders and arms. She clung to him as her head fell back against the refrigerator door, and Cooper took the opportunity to kiss her neck and collarbone, then trailed his lips back up to her ear.

Abby squeaked out another moan when he nibbled on the lobe. Cooper realized he would love to spend his entire life eliciting that exact same sound from her lips. The thought scared the hell out of him. He shooed it away and found her mouth again, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, and pushing his tongue inside. Kissing Abigail Stone was literal fuckingmagic. Cooper was hypnotized, spellbound – in a goddamn trance. His heart was pounding, practically bursting through his chest as their tongues collided.

Abby pulled back to catch her breath. “Cooper, make love to me.” She pushed up the hem of his t-shirt, slipping her hands underneath and running her fingertips along his bare stomach.

Cooper froze at the request – as if what they were doingwasn’tgoing to lead to the bedroom. Well, at this rate, maybe they wouldn’t have made it past the kitchen island, but that was beside the point. The point was: what in the absolutehellwas he doing?

He dropped her leg, his breathing heavy and labored. Cooper lowered his head, pressing his forehead gently against hers, then closing his eyes. “I can’t do this, Abby. I’m so sorry.”

Her eyes fluttered open, glazing over with equal parts lust and sudden confusion. Abby took a moment to register his words, then she pressed her palms against his chest and pushed him away. Her body was heaving with her own arduous breaths. “What?”

Cooper felt like the world’s biggest asshole. Jesus, hewasthe world’s biggest asshole. There were no other contenders. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and braved her steely gaze. “It’s not right.”

Abby let out a laugh so contemptuous, sounfunny, it made his blood run cold. “Are you serious?”

He nodded, the shame finally overpowering the desire. “Abby, I’m sorry. I –”

“Please don’t.” She held her hand out, tears brimming in her eyes. “Do you do this to all the girls? Invite them over, seduce them, make them practicallybegfor it, then say ‘oh, just kidding’?”

Cooper instinctively stepped towards her. He couldn’t let her think that. It was so far from the truth. “No,” he said firmly. “That was never my intention. I never meant for it to go this far.”

Abby stepped away from him until her back bumped up against the refrigerator. “Well, it did.”

He reached for her, but she slipped away. Her tears began to fall. Cooper grit his teeth together, his heart shattering, knowing he’d done this to her.

Abby turned away and grabbed her purse off the kitchen table. She spared him a look – a painful, broken,awfullook. “Stay away from me, Cooper.”

Her words cut him like a knife, and her exit felt like shrapnel in his skin.

Cooper sunk to the floor, his legs no longer willing to hold his weight, nor the weight of what he’d done.

All he had ever wanted to do was protect her.How ironic, he thought. How terribly ironic it was – it washewho had put her heart in harm’s way.

Cooper McAllister was the bad guy.

Abby was driving home, hysterical tears streaming down her sun-kissed cheeks. Cooper’s rejection stung more than she could possibly put into words. Had she read him all wrong? Had she readthemall wrong? Abby didn’t understand; she couldn’t possibly understand.

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