Free Happily Ever Afton by Kelly Curry Page B

emphasized tartly. ‘I asked Reed to come along with me instead although I didn’t realize the guest list allowed you to substitute just anyone off the street.’
    She spared Afton a quick, dismissive look. ‘Hello, Ashley.’
    ‘It’s Afton actually,’ Afton corrected.
    ‘What? ’ Katherine’s head snapped to her, the scarlet-painted mouth thinning ominously, two bright spots of color appearing on her cheeks when she spotted the spectacular large diamond glittering on Afton’s ring finger that was many carats bigger than the one she’d assessed and dismissed previously.
    ‘Er… never mind,’ Afton sighed and feeling uncharacteristically wicked; she lifted the champagne flute to her lips to better show off the fake diamond to Katherine’s eagle-sharp eyes. She decided though, that it was probably best to keep her mouth shut and just steer clear of the iceberg – much as the crew of the Titanic should have done to avoid catastrophe.
    ‘Cooper,’ the other man didn’t bother to extend his hand as though he knew it wouldn’t be shaken, ‘haven’t seen you at any club events lately. Getting a little too decrepit for physical activities are we, old man?’
    Cooper gave him a cold smile. ‘Really, I think you could just say that I’m getting a little too old for fun and games – aren’t you as well, Reed – or are you still avoiding real work by living off of daddy’s oil fortune?’
    Afton caught her breath a little unnerved at being caught in the middle of such open warfare, but her curiosity was definitely peaked – how exactly had Cooper become mixed up with such a high roller crowd anyway?
    Reed shot Cooper a frosty look from a pair of clear grey eyes. They wandered over in Afton’s direction and he was instantly diverted. ‘I’m sorry, how rude of me. I haven’t introduced myself to your lovely date,’ he took Afton’s hand in his and raised it to his lips, lingering over it just that moment too long, ‘I’m Reed Sinclair, and you are?’
    ‘ Afton Lanford,’ Afton stressed her first name for the benefit of a disinterested Katherine whose entire focus was now solely and exclusively back on Cooper.
    ‘Afton – that’s an unusually beautiful name for an unusually beautiful lady,’ Reed slid out smoothly, the playboy image he obviously attempted to maintain coming to the forefront.
    Cooper visibly bristled. He retrieved Afton’s hand from the other man, lifting it high so it was clearly in his line of vision. ‘And she’ll soon be using my last name, Sinclair – in case you’d failed to notice.’
    ‘Congratulations,’ Reed said with a sneer passing for a smile, ‘so the mighty have fallen, eh Coop? I never thought I would see you being led with a ring through your nose!’
    ‘When the right person comes along,’ Cooper’s gaze lingered lovingly on Afton and she had to give a hidden thumbs up to his acting skills, ‘you go along willingly. And now if you’ll both excuse us, Afton and I had planned to stroll through a few more of the exhibits before we head to our table.’
    ‘We’ll walk with you,’ Katherine shot out quickly ignoring the glower of displeasure appearing on Cooper’s face at her pronouncement. ‘I’m sure you could use someone who’s educated in art and culture to point out all the masterpieces in the exhibits to you, Cooper.’
    ‘Actually, Afton wants to see the original Jackson Pollock first,’ he sidestepped her offer with wily ease, ‘so we’re going to make one quick stop on the way in the modern art gallery in the east wing – but you two go on ahead, don’t let us divert you. I’m sure we’ll run into you again at dinner.’
    ‘If looks could kill,’ Afton whispered with a giggle as they walked away. ‘I wanted to crawl behind that suit of armor in the Armory Collection with all the poison arrows slinging every which way!’
    ‘No one ever said murder was easy, Afton,’ Cooper murmured with a dashing grin, his words serving also to