Page 76 of Hold Me Until Morning

“Shortcake,” he warned, his stomach jolting as I stroked him over the fabric.

“You got to touch me…it’s only fair.”

A growl got free of him, and harsh rasps panted from his mouth as I jacked him over his jeans. He burrowed his face in my neck, groaning before he forced himself back, his hand hot as he curled it around my wrist to stop me.

Only he lifted it between us, hesitation brimming from him before he brought the inside of my wrist to his lips.

A buzz burned at the connection.

So damned sweet that I thought my chest would cave.

And God, I had the urge to beg him to kiss me again. To push this farther. For him to take me right there.

But I think we both somehow knew where that would lead. This already felt far more significant than it was supposed to. Like merging spirits and twining hearts.

He affirmed it when he said, “You touch me like that, and I promise, we aren’t going to be friends tomorrow.”

That was all it took for the guilt I’d tried to suppress to spring up from the recesses of my mind, from the dark corners where grief lived. For a beat, I squeezed my eyes closed like I could protect myself from it, and I silently whispered, Oh, God, please forgive me, to that ghost that lingered in my head.

It was wrong, doing this. Letting him touch me this way. Leave it to Karma that it would feel so damned good.

Punishment.

A tease.

Everything that I couldn’t have.

Sitting back on his knees, Cody readjusted my dress and pulled it down to cover my thighs.

I still felt wholly exposed.

He canted me one of those easygoing grins like he might be immune to the energy that crackled in the cab. “Let’s get you inside, Shortcake. It’s late, and I’m betting that sweet little Button is going to have you up at the crack of dawn.”

Then he pushed away, popping open his door and sliding out. He strode all kinds of casual around the front of the truck, while I was barely able to get my body to cooperate enough to sit upright by the time he swung open my door.

Confounded.

Body weak and sluggish while my mind started to spin.

He held out the same hand that he’d just touched me with, and the man had the audacity to wink.

“This didn’t happen,” I finally said, voice still haggard.

I needed to erect a wall. Guard myself from the feelings that were threatening to sprout. Hell, they’d been there all along, and I’d just drenched them in life-giving water.

The edge of Cody’s mouth ticked all the way up, that smirk back in full force. “Whatever you say, darlin’.”

Reluctantly, I took his hand and let him help me out, and he reached out to steady me when I swayed the second my feet hit the ground. “Whoa, there. I’ve got you.”

He shut my door and guided me onto the curb, and he rested his hand lightly at the small of my back as he guided me up my driveway and around the sidewalk that led to the porch. He followed me all the way to the door.

I didn’t realize how badly my hands were shaking until I fumbled with the zipper of my little purse, how I couldn’t stop the quaking of my insides when I retrieved my key and tried to get it into the lock.

Cody reached out and set his hand on mine, his movements controlled as he helped me slide the key into the lock and turn it. The latch gave, the knob twisted, and the door creaked open to the darkness of my house.

I went to step inside, only Cody’s mouth went to my ear as I passed. “You might want to pretend that didn’t just happen, but believe me, Shortcake, the sight of you coming is going to be imprinted in my mind for the rest of my life.”

Then he backed away, stuffing his hands into his pockets and wearing one of those flirty grins, and said, “See you tomorrow…friend.”

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