Page 27 of Cody

He finally grinned. “Let’s eat.”

He turned and walked away.

Deciding I wouldn’t be able to clean up until later, I slipped into my overalls to follow him.

Chapter 14

Cody

Fear had me distancing myself from Alina as soon as I realized how badly I wanted her.

And only her.

For myself.

Exclusively.

And that just wouldn’t do because I liked my life exactly as it was.

I grabbed the two beers and the food we’d brought out of my saddlebag, and returned to the tree I’d been resting against. By the time I turned around and sank to the ground, Alina had dressed and was making her way back to me. Our eyes met and clung, and I was the first one to look away with a feeling of regret that I rarely felt, busying myself with the plates in my hand. I checked them to make sure that I handed her the right one.

“Work up an appetite, Marine?”

The amusement in her eyes put a grin on my lips. “Didn’t you?”

She shrugged before sinking to the ground across from me and sitting cross-legged. “You did most of the work,” she joked. “I just enjoyed the ride.”

I chuckled and handed her a plate. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I picked up a piece of chicken and took a bite, meeting her eyes again. “So now that you’re home again, what are your plans?”It’s best if we keep things simple and casual between us,I thought to myself.

She chewed slowly, but there was no disguising the light of excitement suddenly filling her eyes. “I owned a coffee shop in San Diego, so I’ve decided to open one up here, on Main Street.”

I nodded. I didn’t make it to Main Street very often unless it was to eat at one of the restaurants, but I knew that there were three empty stores available. “Which store?”

“The one at the end of the street. The owners came down on the price, and with the parking lot right next to it I can’t go wrong.”

Considering that parking spaces were limited on Main Street, she was right about that. “That’s a good location,” I acknowledged. “And that doesn’t surprise me about the owners coming down on the price, it’s been vacant a long time.” I popped the top to one of the beers and handed it to her. “So is coffee all you’re gonna offer?” I opened the second beer and had a drink.

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