Page 164 of Hold Me Until Morning

“She is something, Hailey.” His voice went low.

My ribs clenched around my hammering heart. “She’s everything.”

His hand tightened on mine. “You both are.”

Everything pulsed.

Squeezed and sped and made me weak in the knees.

I tried to clear it away when Paisley suddenly stood from one of the chairs that surrounded a patio table beneath a couple of big blue umbrellas.

“Hails Bells, get your cute butt over here.”

“I’m already on my way,” I called back.

She was all grins, though I watched her attention dip to where Cody had his hand wound in mine.

How much had changed since I’d met him.

There was no question left that we were together.

Dakota and Savannah shifted around.

Shock widened their eyes, and an uncertainty rippled through the hot air.

Cody didn’t cringe or shirk.

He just pulled me closer and leaned in to kiss the top of my head, muttering, “Prepare yourself for the inquisition.”

All the women scrambled to their feet.

Dakota, Cody’s sister, made it to me first.

Nerves swallowed me whole.

She pulled me in for a tight hug. “Hailey, it’s so good to see you again.”

Her voice was kind, and there was no missing the sincerity of her welcome, though I could feel her peeking at her brother from over my shoulder.

I pulled away in time to see Cody lift his hands out to the sides, feigned offense written in his countenance. “What, you didn’t miss me?”

“Now why would I miss you?” she taunted.

Cody scoffed, his temperament back to teasing. “Only because I’m the best damned brother you could ever have.”

“The only brother I have.” Dakota was laughing under her breath when she stepped up to hug him.

Lifting her off her feet, he swung her around. “It’s good to see you, little sister.”

Her tone softened. “It’s good to see you, too. Are you coming to family breakfast at Mom’s in the morning? We didn’t see you last weekend.”

Cody’s attention slanted my way. His expression was searching, tender and sure and somehow fierce.

The ground trembled beneath my feet.

“Yeah, but I’m going to have a couple extras with me.”

Apprehension flew, and I shifted uneasily, twining my fingers together at what didn’t seem quite an invitation but more like a statement.

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