Page 28 of Cody

“I have a few ideas,” she responded. “I don’t want to piss off the people who own the bakery, or anyone else, for that matter. I want to make sure the things I offer are unique and exclusive.”

That was considerate of her. I watched as she reached for a second chicken leg, noticing that the first one she’d set down still had some meat on it. Instantly a distant, unwelcome memory flashed through my head of another woman who had done the same thing. Maggie hadn’t liked eating the meat too close to the bone because of the veins running through it. She’d done the same thing with ribs.

I shook my head to myself. Why in the hell was I thinking about her at a time like this, when I was sitting across from a smoking hot woman with my cum leaking out of her?

“Are you okay?”

Alina’s soft question brought me back to the present. “Yeah, why?”

She lifted her shoulders. “You just looked as if you were lost in an unhappy memory.”

I didn’t know I was so transparent, but I didn’t explain myself, finishing my beer instead.

“So what do you do when you’re not overseeing construction projects?”

Dotty must have told her that I’d promised to handle the rebuilding of her porch. I planned to stop in once in a while to see how progress was going and question anything I had concerns about. None of my brothers had the time to take on a full rebuild, so she’d hired a small, three-man outfit from a neighboring town that had a good reputation.

“By the way, I’m glad you talked Mom into having a new porch put on.”

I shook my head and swallowed what was in my mouth. “I didn’t talk her into anything. Just pointed out all the repairs that needed to be done with the existing one, and the problems I could see coming up in the future.” I laughed. “Plus, I know Dotty well enough to know she wouldn’t have been happy with a patch job.”

“It would have been wasted money,” Alina agreed. She set her plate on the ground. “This is nice,” she began as she looked around the area. “I haven’t been on a picnic in forever.”

A grunt escaped me before I could stop it. “I didn’t bring you here for a picnic.” Done with my food, I set my plate aside and reached for the chicken Alina had left on her plate. “You’re not the first woman I’ve brought here.” I felt guilty as soon as the words left my mouth, not sure why I’d felt the need to say it. Maybe because I didn’t want her to think I’d singled her out, or that what was happening between us was more significant than it was.

I could tell immediately that I’d said the wrong thing. I didn’t need to see the look on her face to know that. Her mouth snapped open with what I was certain would be a snarky response, but then she looked away, trying to hide what I’d already seen. When next she directed those baby blues on me, I saw that the anger had turned to resignation.

“You don’t have to keep reminding me that you like to spend your time with more than one woman, Cody. Don’t worry. You haven’t made me feel special.”

I flinched involuntarily.

“I don’t want a relationship with you. In fact—” she got to her feet in a blur of speed, “—I don’t even want to spend any more time with you.” The hardness in her eyes could have cut glass. “I think I’d like to go back now.”

Damn.I’d fucked up. I hadn’t said what I’d said to get a rise out of her, or worse, to hurt her, but it was the truth. Still, I could understand her resentment. I’d been insensitive, throwing the thought of other women in her face. No woman liked that shit. And to be honest, until Evelyn had recently overstepped her bounds, Alina was the first woman I’d felt the need to hammer the point home to, as if I were afraid that she’d forget what this was. And with growing dread, I recognized why.

She wasn’t the problem.

I was.

Realizing I’d hurt Alina with my arrogant thoughtlessness, I got to my feet and grabbed up the empty beer cans and paper plates. She wouldn’t meet my eyes, and I hated that. I wanted to spend more time with her, but I doubted that was going to happen now. I stowed the items in my saddle bag and climbed on my bike. Words seemed unnecessary as Alina climbed on behind me.

I waited for her to put her arms around me before starting the engine. She tentatively slipped her arms around my waist. Somehow it seemed less intimate than the ride there had been. All the way back to King’s I thought about what I could say to try to mend things, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t want Alina mad at me. I wanted to be friends. Yeah, friends. With benefits, like all the other women in my life.

Somehow that seemed inadequate.

Jesus. Why was I overthinking it and making it so difficult? I made the rules, they followed them, and we would all be fucking happy. It was simple as that.

Well, didn’t that make me a selfish bastard. I deserved Alina’s anger.

I noticed Lincoln’s jeep was back when we pulled into King’s drive. There wasn’t any sign of smoke billowing up from behind the cabin, which was an indication that the cooking was done and King had shut down the grill. Wordlessly, Alina climbed off without my help and walked a few feet away before spinning back to me with a smile that I knew was fake.

“Oh, thank you for a good time.” Her sharp tone suggested that she’s had anything but.

I acknowledged her with a nod and then watched as she spun around and continued toward the back of the house. Before following her, I emptied my saddle bag, knowing there was a trash can out back. Conversation too muffled to make out reached me as I rounded the corner, where the first fucking thing my eyes landed on was Alina sitting down next to Max.

I tamped down the jealousy threatening to rise inside and made my way to where King, Cramer, and Lincoln were sitting away from everyone while they smoked cigars. None of us smoked cigarettes, but we did occasionally enjoy a Cuban. I dropped the trash into the can on my way by and ignored the knowing smirk on King’s face as he peered at me through a ribbon of smoke curling up in front of his face.

“Have a good time?” Lincoln asked.

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