I gave you a bonus Cooper scene last week. So here's a bonus Katie scene for this week...enjoy!
This takes place after Katie throws back her last shot in Chapter 2...
(May contain minor spoilers if you haven't read past chapter 2...you've been warned!)
The song had ended, and as I struggled to put the microphone back on the stand, I realized the crowd was giving me a standing ovation. Of course, almost everyone was already standing by the bar. No matter…I felt popular.
With a quick peek at my table, I tucked my hair behind my ears. Cooper was still there, wedged between June and Vicky. He had his head thrown back, laughing at something Vicky said, no doubt. My eyebrows pulled together in a tight furrow and my bottom lip pushed out on its own. She was flirting with him…the bitch.
With a sudden determination, fueled by what could only be jealousy, I pushed my way through the thick crowd of people surrounding the bar, desperate to reach Cooper before Vicky dragged him into the night to have her wicked way with him. I teetered on my heels as the champagne and those four—or was it five shots I drank—finally caught up to me. The closer I got, the more my head spun, and I couldn’t feel the tip of my nose anymore.
Focus, Katie!
I gave my head a little shake, which in hindsight was probably not the best idea. It did the opposite of my intention, making the room spin faster as I attempted to weave through the sea of people without much luck.
A crowd had formed around a pair of tattooed guys in black tees as they locked their elbows and joined hands to arm wrestle at their high top table. Someone brushed by me and touched my butt—more like grabbed it and squeezed with both hands—making me spin around with a squeal. When I turned back, I bumped into a large sweaty body planted between me and the only open path to my table.
“You were great!” he slurred, gulping a mouth full of margarita straight from the pitcher. “How about you come home with me tonight and sing into my microphone?”
Gross! “Um…I really need to get through so I can rejoin my friends.” I pointed to my friends across the room, using the pathetic girl face I’d mastered, strictly for emergencies.
This guy was apparently immune to it. “Can’t I be your friend?” He leaned in way too far and put a grubby hand on my back.
I decided then and there I didn’t need any new friends. What was so great about friends anyway? Six was plenty. I stepped backwards just a little too quickly and wobbled for a second before falling into the lap of a man sitting at the bar.
Did I say lap? Well, not really into his lap, per se. The guy was sitting on a bar stool so it was more like falling between his legs and against his crotch. I counted the seconds as I worked to extract myself from this excruciatingly awkward position. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t seem to right myself. Some romance heroine I would be. I couldn’t even manage to stay upright walking across a room.
The stranger seemed to enjoy every second I spent with the back of my head pressed against his chest and my hips caught between his muscled thighs.
“Um, could you help me?” I tried to laugh at my predicament, but I could feel something thick and hard rubbing against my backside and I was pretty sure it wasn’t a flashlight.
“I’m perfectly happy with the way things are.” He laughed, giving a little wiggle of his hips to punctuate the sentiment, shifting the air until a heavy waft of his cologne burned my nose.
A flash of fear sent chills up my spine. He had no intention of letting me go just yet. This was it. I knew it. I was about to be raped and murdered by a man who wore Old Spice.
Just then, a large hand slid across my shoulder hauling me upright.
“Fun’s over buddy,” Cooper growled. He gripped each of my arms, turning me to face him. “Are you ok, Kate?”
I nodded, too close to tears to say anything.
“Ok, come on. Let’s get back to the table.” His voice softened and his arm tucked around my waist as he steered me through the throng.
“You were so brave,” I finally choked out.
“Brave, huh?” He chuckled as we slid into the booth.
“Did you see Cooper rescue me from the drunk at the bar?” I blurted.
“Honey, I think you’re the drunken one.” Silvia flashed her smug grin again and winked at Cooper.
“I am not drunk.” I rolled my eyes and tried to laugh it off. I may not have a lot of experience with alcohol, but I figured it was safe to say I was pretty drunk. I couldn’t feel my nose or my fingertips anymore. I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes. Everything went a little fuzzy before fading completely to black.