Fighting by Cat Phoenix Page B

pushed aside my revelation, waved my knife at him in a vaguely threatening
manner at him and continued cutting the onion. 
    He
chuckled and moved around the counter to take Gwen's hands in his, dancing with
her.  Her entire face lit up and she let him swing her around the kitchen
gracefully.  Damn, was there anything that man couldn't do well?
    I
finished with all the food I was in charge of and as soon as I wiped my hands
on a dish towel, Murphy was around the counter and dragging me toward him.  I
immediately went on the defensive. 
    "No,
no, no!  I don't dance!" I cried out in a panic.
    This
only served to make him laugh.  I thought he was kind, but I was so wrong.  He
laughed in the face of desperate panic! 
    I
felt small hands push against my back and craned my neck around to find August
pushing me toward Murphy.  That little traitor!  Oh, she could be sure that I'd
turn the tables on her first chance I got.  How ironic that the queen of
shyness was pushing me into something I didn't want to do!
    He
successfully twirled me away from him against my will and my long hair flew out
and twirled around my face, creating a breeze that I felt around my face and
neck.  He paused and then twirled me back into him.  Secretly, it felt kind of
awesome but, forever stubborn, I didn't share this.  I scowled at him
mutinously and he chuckled again.  I looked at Ollie and Spencer and they were
both watching me, egging me on.
    Wasn't
I just wishing I could be more like Gwen and let go? 
    "Fine,"
I snapped, disgruntled.
    I
let him lead me around the room.  He seemed to pick up on the fact that I liked
the twirly bits, so he kept doing that to me until I was openly laughing,
albeit against my will.  Thankfully, the song only lasted a minute longer, so
when the song was over, I hastily returned to the counter and busied my hands
with flipping the burgers for an ecstatic Gwen before he could talk me into
another song. 
    I
directed a secret smile at the burgers and looked up to find Ethan watching me
with alert eyes from across the room.  He had his back against the wall, and I
had a sneaking suspicion that he saw the whole dancing thing.  My jaw locked
and my smile deflated a little.  His face grew annoyed and I became annoyed
that he was annoyed. 
    Ah,
fuck it.  I wasn't going to let his bad mood ruin mine.  I shook my head to
relax my furrowed eyebrows and returned my attention to the burgers.  Ollie
appeared at my side with an empty plate with a paper towel in it to soak up the
oil from the burgers.  I placed them all on the plate and we walked over to the
table to lay everything out.  I made a second trip to grab my drink that I left
behind and turned down the music to a lower volume. 
    "Alex,
sweetheart, that was so much fun!" Gwen crowed at me.  "I don't know
what got into you, girl, but you made my night.  We'll have to do that
again!"
    "Absolutely,"
I agreed. 
    Ross
and Ben trickled in just in time to eat and Gwen and I drifted to the tables
and ate the meal that we prepared together.  It was freaking delicious.  The
kids were extra rambunctious, and I felt Ethan's eyes on me more than normal.
    I
was still sore from when Ross beat the crap out of me earlier that morning, so
I skipped yoga that night.  I opted, instead, to help clean up our dinner mess
(which had the fortunate chain reaction of having Spence, Ollie and August
throw in helping hands, too) and then retreat to the living room area.  I
usually just went to my room after supper and jumped right into a story I was
reading and then went to practice yoga in the studio, but I was still in such a
good mood, I hung around. 
    I
put my hips against the back of a couch and fell backward, so that my back was
against the seat cushions and my legs were curling over the back of the couch. 
    Ollie
collapsed beside of me and asked, "Did you know that your foot fits
perfectly between your wrist and the crook of your elbow?"
    I
turned my head against