Page 10 of Clinch'd

“Uh,” I say stupidly because damn but his undivided attention has me regressing to moronic levels.

“Strange, I’ve never heard of a cousin of his before,” he says with a teasing glint in his pretty caramel eyes.

“Well, um, we don’t hang out much,” I say, caught between throwing myself at him and turning away with total embarrassment.

He’s so everything that I feel gauche in comparison, and the thought stings.

“You need a drink? Vodka tonic, was it?” he asks, the intensity of his stare creating havoc in my chest.

“Vodka?” I stutter. Shit. Get it together. But it’s hard because I’m literally tongue tied. Unbelievable.

“Yes, isn’t that what you ordered last time?” he rumbles, and the tone raises goosebumps on my arms.

Holy shit he’s sexy, but crap am I caught out already? And he remembers me? Wow.

“Oh, um was that you?” I ask breathily and his eyes light with amusement before he leans over me.

“Oh,” I gasp when his chest brushes my shoulder, tempted to arch against him, only to deflate when he speaks to the bartender over my head.

I get the feeling this little display was for my benefit which is confirmed when he leans back and whispers in my ear, “I can smell your arousal from here.”

I shudder. I can’t help it, but his arrogance sends a zing of annoyance down my spine, and I lean away to glare at him. “You’re awfully confident.”

His mouth curls up in a devilish smirk and I pause, spellbound by the damn promise that small action conveys.

“Oh baby, I know exactly what you need,” he says, his eyes dropping to my heaving chest.

Oh boy. I’m painfully aroused and aching in places best left unmentioned, all of which is doused by icy reality when one of his female companions stalks up and rubs against him like a cat in heat.

He glances down at her absently, his brows furrowing but her presence reminds me that I’m here for my sister and this asshat is probably only interested in me because of my supposed affiliation with Beast. Shit.

Keep your eyes on the prize, dammit.

Since I have some pride and I sense Cooper is accustomed to getting whatever he wants, I spin back around in my chair and hold my breath, hoping I haven’t made a mistake. Because if he doesn’t take the bait, I’m screwed.

Petey is still sitting next to me and his frown fades when I turn to him but immediately, I face the front and damn him for approaching. Didn’t he hear Beast’s warning? Dick.

“So—“ Petey starts, and I exhale in a slow whoosh when Cooper sits down beside me with a charming smile.

Except I flounder under that grin before shoring myself up and smiling coolly.

“What’s your name, sweet?” he asks, cocking his head to the side.

“Hey!” Petey says and other than Cooper’s annoyed glance in his direction, we both ignore him.

“Minnie,” I mutter, dropping my gaze to his chin to keep my bearings. He’s like a fucking bright light, stare too long and you singe your eyes.

“Minnie,” he says, rolling the letters around in his mouth. I’ve always hated my name, gifted to me when apparently my mom who was pregnant with me right after her grandmother died thought it an appropriate honor. It’s actually short for Minerva. Obviously, I don’t advertise that too often, but right this second, I wish she had picked something more exotic like Natasha or Victoria.

“It’s a family name,” I mumble.

“I see and you’re Beast’s cousin?”

Giving him a sour smile, I mutter, “Let's not pretend, hm? You probably knew that before you came over here.”

Stupidly I’m annoyed he only wants me because of Beast, forgetting the ridiculousness of the whole fucking fiasco to begin with.

His eyes brighten with curiosity, and he leans into me, and says in a low rumble, “It would seem my reputation precedes me.”

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