Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
COOPER
Apillow was chucked at my face, and I shot up with a start. “What the hell?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Daphne stood before me with one hand on her hip, the other hand clutching her weapon.
“You just hit me in the face with a pillow?”
“Um, yeah. There’s an intruder in my house, and I’m defending myself.” She quirked an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, as if to say, obviously.
“I’m a goddamn police officer, Daphne. I’m watching out for your friend,” I grumbled, rubbing away the sting on my cheek.
She barked a laugh that told me she was anything but amused. “I have a perfectly nice driveway you can sit in. It’s served you well so far.”
“I wanted to keep a closer eye on her.”
“Then why don’t you go into the bedroom and have sex with her like a normal guy?”
“Jesus Christ.” I dug through my pockets for my keys and secured the gun holster around my waist, reaching for my vest. I made sure to toss Daphne a death glare as I did so.
“What if I’d brought a guy home? How would I explain you on my couch?” she persisted.
“Exactly what I just told you.”
“Yeah, right. Like he would believe that. You really need to get back into the dating scene, McAllister.”
“Bye, Daphne. Always a pleasure.”
Sparing a final glance down the hallway, I stormed over to the foyer. Abby was sound asleep with her back to me, her cornsilk hair splayed out across the pillow.
It gave me pause. It made me smile.
I continued my trek to the front door, noticing that the sun was barely peeking out over the horizon. As I made my way out, I couldn’t help but laugh when Daphne’s high-pitched voice echoed throughout the house.
“Why is there a cat on top of my refrigerator?!”
Abby
Game night.
I could do game night. I was basically a pro at Monopoly, and hey, Pictionary might as well have been my calling in life. And Yahtzee? My dice-throwing skills could not be beat.
It was that other thing that had me nervously gnawing on my freshly painted nails and longing for a strong cocktail to chug the butterflies away.
That other thing, obviously, being Cooper McAllister.
Specifically, spending time with Cooper in a social setting. With adult beverages. And the smoldering buzz of a Saturday night in the summertime.
Oy.
Not to mention, the gray-green button-down shirt he was wearing that made his eyes sparkle even more. And holy hell, what cologne was he wearing?
I matched his smile as I stood on Kate’s doorstep that evening, the raucous laughter from inside trickling out through the screen.
Two days had passed since our late-night rendezvous.
I’d introduced Cooper to “The Office,” which he’d enjoyed immensely, endearing him to me even more.
We had chatted about mundane topics, such as Cooper’s typical day as a police officer, my less-than-inspiring college years, and what I should name my new cat.
We hadn’t decided on a name.
I’d wandered off to bed sometime after midnight, encouraging Cooper to crash on the couch. I was secretly encouraging him to join me in the bedroom, but Hell might freeze over before I had the guts to request something so bold. My cheeks burned at the mere thought.
“You made it.”
Cooper looked happy to see me, prompting the flush to spread from my face to my collarbone. I feigned nonchalance, but not very well, and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t usually say no to anything competitive, and I never say no to cupcakes.”
“That tracks.” He opened the screen door to allow me inside, his smile never waning. “I’m glad you could come.”
“And pass up a rare sighting of you not drowning in fifty-thousand overtime hours? Hardly.”
Chuckling, he placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me into the family room. I gulped at the contact, then double-gulped when his touch lingered, even when we’d reached our destination. Tucking my hair behind my ear, I waved to the small group gathered around a card table.
“Abby!” Kate shot up from her chair, almost tipping it backward with her 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 mayonnaise. I need backup.
” Pausing, she lurched back and gave me a serious once-over.
“Um, you look hot. I’m literally crushing on you right now. ”
I ducked my head with modesty, grateful I’d put in the extra hour of mirror time.
I had added some beachy waves to my hair, painted on a little makeup, and found the cutest outfit I owned—which, alas, was only one.
It was a splurge for Jordan’s surprise birthday party the prior year: a sexy black camisole with sequins, paired with dark-denim skinny jeans and chunky sandals.
“Oh, thanks.” Smiling, I added, “I take Scrabble very seriously.”
Kate linked an arm with mine, pulling me over to the table and away from Cooper and his electric touch. “You’re on my team. I’m already calling it.”
I waved hello to the rest of the guests, consisting of James Walker, Lyle Kravitz, a man who I assumed was the ever-charming Marky, and an unknown female pressed up against Lyle.
James tipped his beer to me. “You look lovely, Miss Stone.”
“Abby,” I corrected, grinning warmly. “And thank you.”
Cooper slid up beside me and murmured against my ear. “You do look nice.”
A dizzy spell threatened to knock me over, and a flurry of goosebumps scattered across my skin.
I was about to thank him, but he’d already disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me desperate for something that contained dangerous levels of alcohol.
And possibly something to hold on to, to steady my wobbly legs.
“You need a drink,” Kate decided, reading my mind. “I’ve been chugging peach sangria for the last hour. I’m about to get wild. Want some?”
“God, yes.”
Three healthy glasses of sangria later, I was enjoying a spectacular buzz in between dominating Cards Against Humanity and dodging heart-stopping glances from Cooper across the table.
While also dodging lecherous leers from Marky.
Kate was right; he really did smell like mayonnaise.
Gag.
“Jeez, Abby. I continue to underestimate you.” Cooper looked over at my growing pile of winning cards with an impressed grin.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder with a sigh of victory. “You underestimated my dark humor and captivating wit? I’m kind of disappointed.”
His eyes flashed with something playful, but Marky interrupted.
“Nobody is focusing on your humor or wit when you’ve got a face and a body like that.”
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 combo in Kate’s direction.
She held her fist up in warning. “I’m full of rum and sass. You do not want to mess with me.”
A giggle fell out, and my eyes caught with Cooper’s as he sipped his beer. There was a distinct heat ignited in his gaze, so I gulped down the rest of my sangria for a much-needed cooldown.
“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. Yay. Let’s play Spin the Bottle next. Then we can watch She’s All That twenty-seven times in a row.”
“Sweet.” Marky smirked. “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.”
“Fine,” Marky obliged. “I can do that. Kate, truth or dare?”
It looked as if Kate was going to spit out a snarky comeback, but she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms, instead. “Okay. Truth.”
“Is it true you’re willing to take off your clothes?”
“Marky!” Lyle slapped him. “I’m taking your ass home.”
I watched with equal parts amusement and disgust. Cooper was shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose across from me, and Kate was flipping Marky the bird with both hands.
It was time for more sangria.
I stood from the chair, making my way into the kitchen. Kate had made multiple pitchers of the homemade cocktail, and it was delicious.
It was also sneaking up on me in a big way.
Teetering, I poured the beverage into a plastic cup and parked my hip against the counter. That’s when I felt a hand curl around my waist.
I glanced up to see Cooper standing impossibly close as I leaned back against the countertop to steady my balance, gripping the edges with white-knuckled fingers.
Cooper dropped his hand, but his proximity remained.
His eyes roamed over me, taking me in and inciting a surge of heat to shoot down to my toes. I squirmed. “Hey.”
Cooper swayed a bit on both feet as he brought the beer bottle to his lips. “Hey, yourself.”
He was tipsy.
I liked Tipsy Cooper.
Clutching the plastic cup of liquid courage, I took a slow sip, my eyes peering up at him over the rim.
“Sorry about that idiot,” he said, ruffling his hair. “He’s always trying to get attention. I arrested him for a DUI last year and it gave me an unhealthy amount of pleasure.”
I snickered, regarding him. He was staring at me with heated interest, still standing so close I could feel his rough pantleg brush against my own. I wasn’t sure if I was drunk on sangria at this point, or the intoxicating scent of his cedarwood cologne and musky aftershave.
Somehow, Cooper leaned in even closer. “I have another question for you.”