Page 88 of Love Thy Neighbor

“Then why’d you invite him to drinks tonight?”

“So he could pay.”

I laugh. “In that case, I may have more than one.”

“That’s my girl.”

He clinks his glass to mine, and I take a hefty drink from my cocktail, the alcohol burning my throat on the way down.

Damn, Shayla must be making these things doubles because I instantly feel the booze go to my head.

We lean against the bar, looking out at the crowd.

We’re quiet, and it’s nice that we don’t have to fill the silence with meaningless chitchat. We’re comfortable, and comfortable is nice.

“All right, ladies and gents and all non-binary folks!” someone says from the stage. “This is your final warning. We’re starting our karaoke hour in ten minutes.” They hold their hand over their eyes, scanning the room. “Who’s going to be our first victim?”

“Right here!” Cooper shouts, pointing to me. A few heads turn our way, their stares burning holes through me. “This one! She wants to!”

“Cooper Bennett!” I try to hide behind him, but he’s too big to move. “Stop it!”

“Come on, Care. Don’t be shy. You have a great voice.”

“I have anawfulvoice. You’re always yelling at me when I sing in the shower.”

“Because it sounds like there are at least three cats in there dying.”

“And you want me to do that here?In public?”

“Yes. It’ll be hilarious. Live a little.”

“No, thanks.” I set my drink down, turning for the exit.

He winds his arm around my middle, tugging me back to him, laughing into my ear.

“Nice try,” he says as I wiggle out of his grasp. “You’re not getting away that fast.”

“I’m not singing either.”

“How about this…if you sing, I’ll sing.”

“No.”

“Fine. Will you sing if I sing?”

“That’s the exact same offer.”

He pushes his bottom lip out, batting his dark lashes at me for the second time tonight. “Please, Caroline.”

I shake my head. “Uh-uh. No. You arenotgoing to pull the batty lashes again.”

“Why not? It totally worked last time.”

“If you think your batty lashes are what got me here, you’re wrong.”

“Oh, right.” His lips fall to my ear again. “Do you want me to eat your pussy again? Is that what this is?”

I flush, and this time not from embarrassment.