Page 40 of Cody

Chapter 19

Alina

We’d been driving for a few short minutes when Cody slowed and turned down a dark dirt road. I knew this road. It led to a dead end and an old hunting cabin in the woods. A family out of New Hampshire had owned it for years and had only used it during hunting season. When I’d been in high school it had been a popular hangout for kids who needed a place to hook up and party.

Before long I could see a light in the distance, and as we got closer the outline of a couple of buildings began to take shape. Cody pulled up in front of the cabin where a lamp glowed brightly in the center of a large window. He turned off the truck and looked over at me.

“You bought the old Fletcher cabin?”

I could see the flash of his teeth when he explained, “Yup. About four years ago. It was in pretty rough shape.”

I cringed, recalling what the inside had looked like the last time I’d been there. Teenagers didn’t care about cleanup after a wild party, especially in a place that was abandoned for most of the year. There had been plenty of years that the Fletcher’s hadn’t shown up at all. I could well imagine how much more damage had been done in the years leading up to when Cody purchased it.

“That building is new.” I indicated the structure off to the side.

“Built it to have a place to store my bike and use as a workshop while I renovate the inside of the cabin.”

“I’m really surprised it’s still standing after all these years.”

“Whoever built it chose the right wood. Northern white cedar holds up well. It’s durable and has a natural resistance to decay and bugs.” His husky laugh moved over me like a warm blanket, making the inside of the cab feel intimate. “The inside was another matter.”

There was so much he wasn’t revealing in his lighthearted comment because I could imagine what the inside of the cabin must have looked like. He was right about the structure though. Years of weather had given the cedar a beautiful rustic appearance.

Since I now knew that it hadn’t been converted into a restaurant, I asked, “So, um, why are we here?” I purposely injected a little suspicion in my tone.

“I cooked dinner.” He reached for the door handle.

I didn’t pretend to be surprised that Cody knew how to cook. The man had never been married. Of course, he knew how to cook. He exited the truck, and I opened my door to do the same thing.

“Wait for me!” Cody ordered, rushing around the front to my side. “I don’t want you to fall.”

I was thankful for his assistance because the truck was high off the ground, and it was dark outside. It would have been easy to lose my footing in the kitten heels I was wearing. I turned on the seat so he was able to put his hands on my waist, then used his shoulders for support when he lifted me off the seat and slowly lowered me down the front of his body. I caught my breath at his intentional move, awareness sharpening my senses when I felt his arousal and heard the catch in his breath.

“Thank you,” I breathed. Cody took my hand and led me to the door. I followed him inside, immediately overtaken by the pleasant aroma of whatever he was cooking. “Hmm, something smells delicious.” He released my hand and went to the small kitchen.

“Make yourself at home.”

I stood for a moment to take in my surroundings while Cody checked something in the oven. I marveled at the changes he’d made to the place. The cabin was small, but it had an open floor plan that made it appear bigger inside. A couple of large windows had been added, and a long, oblong island was the only thing that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room. At the far corner and bumped up against the wall was a large bed, and next to it was a wardrobe. It was the only concession made for a bedroom. He'd somehow made it work in the limited space that was available.

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