Page 39 of Cody

“I know, Mom.”

She exhaled a loud breath. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.” She chuckled briefly. “And I don’t want you messing up a friendship for me. If Cody hurts you by leading you on, I’m going to have to hurt him.”

That caused us both to laugh. I wasn’t about to admit that if he hurt me, it wouldn’t be because he was leading me on. It would be because, in spite of knowing what I did about him, I’d let myself fall for him. “I’ll be careful.”

A sudden realization lit up Mom’s face. “Oh, I almost forgot—the porch will be completed in a couple of days, right in time for Fourth of July. Why don’t we have a garden party like we used to when you and Dan were kids?”

I stared at Mom in surprise and disbelief. Disbelief, because the last garden party we’d held had been right before Dan had married and moved to California. They basically amounted to backyard parties and I remembered how much fun they’d been. We hadn’t sent out invites, word of mouth was all you needed in a small town. And we never knew who was going to show up.

With my mom’s age, my first worry was that she would be taking on more than she could handle. She wasn’t as healthy as she’d once been, and the community had grown a lot over the years. If we were going to move forward I knew that it would be best to limit it to the people we already knew, or friends of friends who came together.

“Mom—” I needed to word my next comment carefully, because if there was one thing I’d noticed since I’d come back home, it was that Mom was sensitive about not being able to do all of the things she’d once done. “You’ve got me for help, but we’re missing two men,” I reminded her, referencing the absence of my dad, who had passed away three years before, and my brother. I watched her expression warily. “I remember how much work...”

She smiled at the worry in my tone. “I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not a fool, honey. I know I can’t handle something like this on my own, even with your help.” Her excitement overshadowed the mild bitterness I detected in her tone. “I’ve already spoken to Margie Wilkins. You remember her?”

I nodded. The family owned a local catering business.

“We’ll keep the menu simple—hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, and drinks, like we used to do. Margie’s son Rob is going to do the cooking, and Margie is willing to work the price out at the end once they’ve figured out how much food they end up providing.”

Well, it was obvious that Mom had already thought it over and was prepared to shoot down any concerns I had. I was proud of her for asking for help. My parents had loved having their neighbors and friends drop by for a brief visit and a bite to eat. It was an effective way of staying current with what was going on in the community, and some folks had even followed my parents’ lead and held their own garden parties.

The Fourth of July was only a week away, but it seemed as if Mom had already thought of everything. “Okay, let’s do it.” My concession wasn’t really needed, but I could see how pleased Mom was that I was on board. “But let’s just spread the news to people we know, okay?”

I could hear the sound of a vehicle pulling into the drive, and then a light flashed through the window sheers, alerting us of Cody’s arrival.

“Looks like your date is here,” Mom said as she picked up the remote. “What time will you be home?”

I rose to my feet to answer the door. “I have no idea. Don’t wait up.”

“Have a good time, honey. Say hi to Cody for me.”

The fact that she’d flicked on the TV told me that she didn’t expect him to come in. There was a knock as I headed to the front door. I opened it and then stood in place, Cody’s body blocking my way. Our eyes clashed briefly before he let his gaze drop down my body in a lazy sweep that stripped me naked. The look in his eyes when they rose to mine again revealed that he liked what he saw.

His comment backed up his silent appreciation. “Damn, woman, you’re gorgeous.”

He didn’t look so bad himself. While he’d been appraising me, I’d looked him over and found nothing lacking in his jeans and a red, buttoned-down shirt that he’d left untucked. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing the solid strength of his forearms. An evening breeze inundated my senses with the pleasant scent of his aftershave.

I decided he deserved a compliment. “You look pretty good yourself, Marine,” I smiled, taking his hand when he offered it to me. “So where are we going for dinner?”

With our hands linked together, Cody pulled me to his truck. “You’ll see,” he answered mysteriously.

He led me to the passenger side door and opened it for me, but before helping me climb in, he turned me around to face him. With the moon behind him, his face was in the shadows, but I could see the glitter of his eyes.

“But first, I need a taste.”

He pulled me sharply against him as his mouth swooped down to cover mine. Cody was a good kisser, and just like the times before, this one quickly spiraled into a hot, consuming kiss that overwhelmed my senses. I whimpered, my core clenching with need. The quiet, other than the crickets and frogs surrounding us, was suddenly filled with the heavy growl of a hungry animal.

Cody was that animal.

My heart was pounding erratically by the time he tore his mouth from mine, and we were both breathing a little heavily. “Damn, you’re potent, baby.” He rested his forehead against mine. “We better get on the road before I lose control and take you right up against my truck.”

His words didn’t shock me. I knew how our evening was going to end, although there was a small part of me that wanted to scold him for assuming we’d be having sex. Wasn’t that why I’d chosen a dress? So he could have easy access if we got carried away?

Cody didn’t mince words while I played the silent, seductress game. He lifted me up on the seat and closed the door.

I watched him walk around to the other side of the truck and willed my pounding heart to calm down.

---