Page 25 of How Jenna Became My Dilemma

“How?” More wrenching and tugging that seems to lead nowhere.

“Because I’m half naked, and you’re a jack—”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to name-call right now.” I glance down just in time to see his playful expression. “Your pants are stuck to a bike.”

“You’re right.” I lift my chin in an attempt at confidence. “Just tear the fabric so we can go home.”

“I would if I could.” He stands, once again placing his hands on his hips. “I’m a pretty strong guy”—yes, we can all see your ridiculously huge biceps—“but it’s going to take more than strength to get your pants out.”

“Don’t you have, like, a pocketknife or something?”

He pats his six-pack and bare chest. “Does it look like I’m carrying a pocketknife?”

“Well, there has to be some way to extricate me from this nightmare.”

“Can you just untie the pants?” His eyes dip to my torso, and I shift my hand, trying to cover myself. That action draws out another one of his amused smiles as his gaze flips back to my eyes. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“Still”—my expression is hard—“I’d prefer you not see it.”

“Okay.” He smothers his smirk. “I’ll turn around while you untie your pants from your waist.”

“Thank you.”

I wait until Cody’s back is to me before I drape his shirt over the bike and attempt to loosen the knot. But everything is so freaking tight and twisted there’s no way to simply untie the pants.

“It’s not working.”

“Do you want me to try?”

“No!” The last thing I need is Cody’s fingers brushing against my stomach.

“So you’re stuck?”

“Yes, I’m stuck,” I snap.

He flips around, and the huge smile on his face is too much. He’s fighting laughter, but I can see his lips and shoulders twitching.

“It’s not funny!”

A chuckle puffs out, and he covers his mouth with his hand.

“Stop! It’s not funny.” But against my will, I laugh too. “Fine. It’s a little funny.”

We spend the next ten seconds laughing because this is by far the weirdest thing that has ever happened to me.

So much for not ever letting Cody Banner see my vulnerability.

“Okay.” He pulls it together. “Let’s find someone to help us.”

“No! No more people.”

“It’s fine. This sort of thing always happened to me when I was a kid.”

I give him a pointed stare. “Your pants always got stuck in the tire spokes?”

“No, it was my shoelaces, but same thing.”

“Shoelaces and pants are not the same thing.”

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