Page 140 of Hold Me Until Morning

Became fierce and stark and so tender that I thought I would melt right there.

“Yeah, that’s right, Maddie, because you are really important. And we have to cherish the most important things in our lives.”

Strike that.

I did melt.

Nothing but a puddle on the floor.

“You’re looking a little peaked this morning, Hailey. Did you not get enough rest last night?” This from Lolly who sat there snickering like she could see Cody written all over me.

Discomfort had me shifting on my feet.

Was I that obvious? Did she know that Cody had spent the entire night behind my door?

Lifting my chin, I tried to play it off. “Oh, I’m completely fine. You know I need my coffee to get me going in the morning.”

“I’ll bet something got you going,” she mumbled into her own mug.

Cody chuckled, though his smile was soft. “You sit. I’ll pour you one.”

“You don’t need to—” I started to argue before he cocked his head and ordered, “Sit.”

My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip.

“You might as well listen to the man,” Lolly said as she gestured to the stool beside her. “It seems he’s set on spoiling us this morning. Not that I mind a bit.”

“That’s because he’s looking for all the important things, Mommy,” Maddie told me before she turned her adorable attention on him. “My mommy’s important, too, right, my Mr. Cody?”

Cody didn’t diverge or divert.

He just looked at me as he murmured, “Yeah, Maddie, your mommy is important, too. I hope she realizes just how much.”

I couldn’t speak because he was stealing words and clarity and sound mind, my knees weak, and I forced myself to round the island where I pulled out a stool and sat next to my grandmother.

Cody filled a cup full of coffee and passed it to me from over the top of the island, his big body reaching all the way across. He set the creamer and sugar beside it, that grin pulling at his mouth while he watched me shifting uneasily on the seat. “There you go, Shortcake.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Oh, darlin’, it’s my pleasure.”

A blush flamed at his tone, my cheeks heating with the flash of need that pummeled my body.

I dropped my head to shutter the reaction.

Lolly leaned in close to my ear and muttered under her breath, “Now don’t go tryin’ to hide it, Hailey. That reputation looks really good on you.”

THIRTY-ONE

CODY

I slipped into the booth opposite Ryder at Time & Tap Tavern.

It was just off the main drag in Time River, and the small bar was a place he and I had come to for years whenever we felt like catching up by ourselves.

The vibe was mellow, country music playing from the jukebox and patrons tucked up to the horseshoe bar that took up the entire middle of the place. The two side walls were lined with elevated booths, seven on each side, and a few tables sat on either side of the door up front.

The lights were dull, swinging from the ceiling over each table.

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