Page 17 of Stone's Promise

I just stared at him, stunned. Even Max seemed unusually attentive, his dark eyes locked on me from the back seat.

Cody cleared his throat, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Excuse all the cussing. I meant everything else.”

A slow smile tugged at my lips. “Treyisa jelly-haired fuckshit.”

Cody huffed out a laugh, and I grinned.

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I said. “Sorry I needed it.”

He reached over and took my hand, his calloused fingers warm against mine. The simple touch sent a spark up my spine. “Stop apologizing,” he murmured. “You’ve got to be one of the strongest people I know, but you still deserve someone in your corner.”

I shook my head, demurring. “Come on. You’ve got guys around you who could probably bench press this truck.”

“You know I’m not talking about that kind of strength.” He squeezed my hand gently. “I’m talking about your mind and spirit. You think on your feet. You go after what you want, or you create it for yourself. Not many can do what you do.”

I swallowed hard, his words settling deep in a place I usually kept locked away. “That’s really thoughtful of you,” I admitted, my voice quieter now. “And sweet.” I let out a small, breathy laugh. “I don’t think anyone’s ever put it like that before.”

His grip on my hand didn’t waver, grounding me in the moment. I glanced down at our intertwined fingers, something warm and unfamiliar curling in my chest.

“But,” I continued, “it gets exhausting sometimes. Being the strong one. The one who always smiles, always figures it out and keeps everything running smoothly.” I looked back up at him,my throat tight. “I don’t mind doing it. I love my life. I love Oliver. Yet sometimes I just...” I trailed off, unsure how to say what I really meant.

Cody didn’t press. He just held my hand, his thumb brushing slow circles over my skin. “You’re tired of swinging and want someone to tag team with you.”

“Yes.” My voice rose in exclamation. “That’s exactly it.”

“I get it.”

“You really do.” My smile became shy as I gave it to him. “I wish I didn’t have to be the one to make things happen all the time.”

He made a frown as he thought. “Sounds like a lot of pressure. Who says you should do that?”

“Just the whole town.” I settled back in my seat, drumming the fingers of my other hand on my knee as I gave a more realistic admission. “I did some of this to myself. It was my way of proving I could handle business and didn’t need anyone, including my ex.”

“The people who got used to you carrying all the weight for them can adapt if you switch it up. You gotta decide if you want to.”

I soaked in what he said. “It’s amazing how easily your boxing analogies relate to my life.”

He gave me an earnest look. “I’d like to think your life and mine aren’t so different,” he admitted, almost like he was just realizing it himself. “We’re both fighters.”

Something about the way he said it made my breath stall. I studied him, the hard lines of his face, the quiet ferocity in his eyes. He wasn’t just throwing words around to humor me. He meant them.

Maybe it was why the air between us suddenly felt heavier.

Cody’s jaw tensed like he was debating whether to say more, but instead, he let out a quiet breath and turned toward me justenough that our shoulders brushed. He let go of my hand. His fingers flexed, like he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Before I could second-guess anything, he leaned in.

The kiss wasn’t planned. It wasn’t for the cameras. It was raw and real, and God help me, I melted into it. His lips were firm but unhurried, testing, almost like he was waiting for me to pull away. I didn’t. I couldn’t.

He pulled back. “Sorry,” he muttered, his voice heavy with an emotion I didn’t see in him before. “Just talking to you is a turn-on.”

I swallowed hard, my lips still tingling. “No,” I whispered. “Don’t apologize.”

A low noise from the back seat made us both glance at Max. The dog was staring at us, tongue lolling out in what could only be described as a doggy grin.

I chuckled, even though my body was still buzzing. “We should go inside. Max doesn’t want our reservation getting canceled.”

“He’s just hoping for another biscuit,” Cody said, glancing at the restaurant’s name. “Topped with parmesan.”

With one last breath to steady myself, I opened the door. As we walked inside and were led to our cozy table in the corner, my mind was nowhere near the food. I wanted to know everything about Cody that I could.

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