30. Hailey

THIRTY

My eyes blinked open to the glittering light that streaked in through the window and to the sound of muted voices echoing from the other side of my bedroom wall.

A low, rumbly drone, another that was high-pitched and precious, and the hoarse rasp of my grandmother's. The quiet conversation was intermingled with the sporadic giggle that flooded through the air and nudged me from sleep.

I inhaled a deep breath and stretched out like a kitten in my bed, the covers still warm from the heat of his body.

My limbs were heavy, leaden with satisfied, satiated exhaustion, though my stomach and chest were light.

The quivering of wings that flapped and fluttered and flitted.

My senses awash in ripples of comfort.

With this rightness that could so easily sink all the way to my bones and become part of my marrow.

A shriek of laughter penetrated the atmosphere, and I forced myself to climb out of bed.

Redness skimmed my flesh as I pulled back on my underwear and pajamas that were tossed about my room on the floor. I could almost still feel his hands on me. My body marked where he'd gripped and touched.

There was no almost about it where I was sore between my thighs. The man was written there like a tattoo, a brand that I was forever going to carry.

Inhaling a steadying breath, I moved to the door, opened it, and shuffled out. I hadn't expected the way my breath would get snatched from my lungs when I saw what was playing out in my kitchen.

Lolly was at the island, drinking from a mug of coffee, and Maddie was on the other side of it, propped up on the counter with her legs swinging as she giggled and laughed and chatted incessantly with the man who was whipping some kind of concoction in a bowl.

He wore the same sweats and tee he'd had on last night, his hair slept in, sticking up from my pillow where he'd been snuggled against me.

Those big, sexy feet bare.

Affection.

It hit me like a rogue wave.

Slamming me from out of nowhere.

His head swung my way when he felt me standing there staring, and he let that smirk ride to his obscenely handsome face, though this morning the grin was slow and close to adoring.

It filled me up to overflowing, this welling of affection there was no chance to contain.

"Mornin', Shortcake."

The words roughed over me.

A tingling of seduction, though I was pretty sure what was being seduced right then was my stupid heart.

Because it beat out of time, to a rhythm that I never could have expected would be mine.

"Shortcake?" Maddie's little voice broke into the trance he had me under, and her nose scrunched up in confusion as she looked at Cody who stood right beside her to make sure she was safe where she sat on the counter.

He tapped her nose. "That's right, Button. I like to call your mom Shortcake."

"Because you like desserts that taste like strawberry?" she asked, so innocent.

Cody's attention was back on me. He didn't even try to hide the suggestion. "That's right, Maddie, I really like desserts that taste like strawberry."

I nearly choked.

Lolly guffawed.

"Me, too, but my favorite is punkin pie with a whole can of whipped cream," Maddie said, completely oblivious to the energy that thrummed in the space.

Thank God.

Cody looked back at her. "Is that right?"

"Yup," she said with an emphatic nod.

"Well, that is good to know. I'm storing that away under all the most important things to know about you." He tapped her nose again.

Giggling, she flashed that smile I was pretty sure could win her the keys to any kingdom. Swindling her way right into hearts because she was too freaking cute to be resisted. "Because I am really important?"

I thought he'd make a joke.

Keep teasing.

But everything about him intensified.

Became fierce and stark and so tender that I thought I would melt right there.

"Yeah, that's right, Maddie, because you are really important. And we have to cherish the most important things in our lives."

Strike that.

I did melt.

Nothing but a puddle on the floor.

"You're looking a little peaked this morning, Hailey. Did you not get enough rest last night?" This from Lolly who sat there snickering like she could see Cody written all over me.

Discomfort had me shifting on my feet.

Was I that obvious? Did she know that Cody had spent the entire night behind my door?

Lifting my chin, I tried to play it off. "Oh, I'm completely fine. You know I need my coffee to get me going in the morning."

"I'll bet something got you going," she mumbled into her own mug.

Cody chuckled, though his smile was soft. "You sit. I'll pour you one."

"You don't need to—" I started to argue before he cocked his head and ordered, "Sit."

My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip.

"You might as well listen to the man," Lolly said as she gestured to the stool beside her. "It seems he's set on spoiling us this morning. Not that I mind a bit."

"That's because he's looking for all the important things, Mommy," Maddie told me before she turned her adorable attention on him. "My mommy's important, too, right, my Mr. Cody?"

Cody didn't diverge or divert.

He just looked at me as he murmured, "Yeah, Maddie, your mommy is important, too. I hope she realizes just how much."

I couldn't speak because he was stealing words and clarity and sound mind, my knees weak, and I forced myself to round the island where I pulled out a stool and sat next to my grandmother.

Cody filled a cup full of coffee and passed it to me from over the top of the island, his big body reaching all the way across. He set the creamer and sugar beside it, that grin pulling at his mouth while he watched me shifting uneasily on the seat. "There you go, Shortcake."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Oh, darlin', it's my pleasure."

A blush flamed at his tone, my cheeks heating with the flash of need that pummeled my body.

I dropped my head to shutter the reaction.

Lolly leaned in close to my ear and muttered under her breath, "Now don't go tryin' to hide it, Hailey. That reputation looks really good on you."