Page 104 of Fallen Flame

Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Choose your next words carefully.”

Pipe folded the rag and shoved it into his back pocket. “I was asking so I knew which one to eat first.”

“Good answer.”

Pipe crossed the room and grabbed a piece of cheese from the tray. Penny watched him do it, then pointed triumphantly at Alice.

“He did it too.”

“He waited until I had the damn tray ready, Penny. There is a difference,” Alice replied.

Oliver walked toward the kitchen sink to wash his hands. He passed behind my chair, his fingers brushing lightly across the back of my neck.

It was barely a touch.

Quick enough that no one else seemed to notice.

My skin tingled beneath his fingertips.

He didn’t stop or look down at me. He continued into the kitchen as if he hadn’t done anything at all.

I stared at the cards in my hand and tried not to smile.

Demi leaned close. “I saw that.”

I looked at her. “What?”

“The little secret touching.”

I cleared my throat and tucked my hair behind my ear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You look like someone handed you a winning lottery ticket.”

“I have excellent cards.”

She looked down at the white card I’d accidentally turned sideways. “Your card says ‘a sad hand job.’”

“I stand by my statement.”

Demi snorted.

The next black card went to Ever.

She read it aloud. “‘Coming to Broadway this season: blank, the Musical.’”

Cards flew into the middle.

Jude wandered in from the garage just as Ever started reading the answers. He grabbed her abandoned lemonade from the table and took a drink.

Ever paused and stared at him.

“What?” he asked.

“That’s mine.”

“You weren’t using it.”

“I was actively using it before you picked it up.”