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Imogene.”
    Out of sheer habit, my body language changes. One shoulder dips forward as I take a more poised stance with a hand on my hip and a slightly bent leg with one foot pointed out as if I’m about to pirouette in my platform sandals. I dangle the beer bottle in the other hand, giving maximum stretch across my generous scoop-neck top.
    “Oh, brother,” Lauren mumbles behind me.
    “I’m Anton.” His voice is deep as his eyes sweep over me from my red toenails up to my face. He didn’t pause at my cleavage before meeting my eyes again. It’s an unfair test since my bosom is on display, but I still like to play the little game, if only to humor myself. Some men can’t help blinking or staring too long at my chest; however, Anton, like Cooper, must be very experienced at this game.
    “This is Lauren.” When I point to her with the beer bottle, she reaches out to shake his hand.
    “Do you know Yadi and Kimberly?” Lauren asks Anton.
    “Yadi is my cousin.”
    “Really?” I’m surprised since I’ve never seen him in town. “We went to school with Yadi. You’re not from Hera, are you?”
    “No, I grew up in Westchester, but my construction firm relocated out here because of the boom in vacation homes. I built a place for myself between here and New Paltz.” He has the self-assured grin of a man who has no problem getting women. At least I know exactly what I’m dealing with here.
    “One of our best friends is also in the home building business. Have you heard of Blackard Designs? They have a furniture company, and they build these amazing houses.” I lay the coyness on a little too thick, but I have Anton’s rapt attention.
    “I know Carson Blackard. We bid on the same projects. His houses are more expensive because he uses all that high-end green material,” he says with a dismissive shake of his head.
    “Hello, ladies,” says a familiar voice from behind me. Then I feel Cooper’s strong arm around my neck as he pulls Lauren and me in for a semi-head lock, making me stumble and grab on to his waist, which makes him hold us more securely against him.
    This is not the smooth move I was going for in front of Anton. Lauren laughs as I give Cooper a sideways kick to the shin with my platform sandal.
    “Hey, Anton. I see you’ve met two of my favorite people.” While Cooper sounds defiant, Anton frowns.
    “We were just getting to know each other.” I push away from Cooper to stand up straight again, but he keeps his arms wrapped around the back of our necks, his hands dangling protectively next to our faces. I look sideways at him to see his gray eyes challenging mine.
    He smells fantastic, and I can’t complain about how good it feels holding onto his hard body, but I don’t like getting manhandled when I’m in the middle of my flirting schtick. He’s intentionally blowing this for me.
    “I’m loving this town already. Hera has some beautiful women,” Anton says, smiling at Lauren and then letting his gaze settle on me.
    “Yeah. This has been fun.” Lauren plucks Cooper’s hand off her shoulder. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m going outside to call Leo.”
    She whispers something in Cooper’s ear and then wades through the crowd. There’s obviously some bad blood between Cooper and Anton; they look like they are about to duel, and I doubt it’s because of me.
    “Anton, try my new creation!” Yadi suddenly interrupts with a pink cocktail in her hand, shoving it under his nose.
    “Excuse us,” Cooper says, moving his arm down to my waist. “Imogene and I need to have a little chat.”
    Anton scowls as Cooper turns me around forcefully and yanks me by the waist through the crowd until we have a private spot in a hallway.
    “Why the hell were you coming on to Anton Pierce?” The anger comes through clearly as he gets in my face.
    I look at his lips and back at his eyes as I flatten myself against a wall. “I wasn’t coming on to him. We were talking, kind of like what you