Chapter 22

"You are enough. You are more than enough, Wildflower."

His words keep replaying in my head while I sniff. There's no doubt snot is pouring from my nose. I'm a hot mess in my underwear.

If only the vicious trolls could see me now. Imagine all the material I would be giving them.

Smooth, gentle touches glide down my back as Cody tries to calm my cries. I should be embarrassed to be pouring my literal feelings out, but I can't find it in myself to care.

This is the first time in a long time I've let myself feel.

"Wildflower. Look at me."

I shake my head because ew, snot.

"I don't care what you look like right now." It's like he can hear my thoughts. "I promise you don't need to be put together all the time. You are perfect just the way you are."

Wiping my face, I gather as much moisture as I can before wiping the wetness on my bare legs. Slowly, I bring my head up, and our gazes find each other.

His hands gather on either side of my face as his thumbs wipe the tears from under my eyes. "What happened two years ago was not your fault."

"It." He punctuates the word with a kiss on my left cheek.

"Was." Right cheek.

"Not." Forehead.

"Your." Nose.

"Fault." Lips.

I don't know where to go from here. Words fail me. I can write article after article, but right now my mind is going, what's a word? What's a sentence?

"I have a lot to make up to you and a lot to explain to you, but right now, you're my priority. You are the only thing that matters to me."

I scoff. "What about baseball?"

"Baseball can wait." My eyes widen at his admission. Cody Jacobs has never put anything over baseball, and this is something that everyone knows.

Shaking my head, I push out of his embrace. Pacing the small walkway in my room, I continue staring at him while moving my head back and forth. He starts coming toward me, but I raise my hand stopping him from coming closer. "Don't say that."

"Say what?"

"Say that I matter more than baseball. We're just getting started."

"Oh baby, we're just picking back up where we left off. You're already my Wildflower. And I've been yours since our mornings at Marnie's Diner."

"Cody, we've changed since then."

"Yeah, but that's something we'll learn as we go. But you're still the same Chloe. Some of our journey has changed, but I still know what makes you Chloe Mariano. You still love to go on runs and spend your free time in the kitchen." Slowly, he steps one foot in front of the other and starts erasing the gap.

"Your nose is always in a book, and if it ain't romance, you don't want it."

We both smile at that line. I had a sticker on the back of my Kindle the summer we were together that said something similar.

"Your favorite color is purple, but in a pastel or lilac shade. If you're not wearing a dress or skirt, it's a matching loungewear set. You prefer sneakers with your dresses. You love pineapple on pizza. Your favorite coffee is a honey lavender latte. Hmm, what else am I missing?"

"Wait?" I stop him, and he quirks an eyebrow at me. "You remembered honey lavender is my favorite latte?"

He flashes me his famous boyish smirk, and with a wink, says, "Who do you think was making sure you got a honey lavender latte every morning before a bus ride or at the hotel?"

My jaw drops because no way. There's no way Cody has been the one organizing my morning coffee delivery.

He kept my ribbon. My note. Remembered all the little details that make me, me. Had my favorite coffee delivered to me regularly. I wonder if he remembers…My thoughts trails off as I find the stuffed purple rabbit that has been sitting on my shelf since I moved to college.

"The purple rabbit," I whisper the words as Cody's lips twitch in a knowing smirk.

"I can't believe you kept it for all of these years." His voice has a hint of nostalgia. "That was the best money I've ever spent."

"That carny had no idea who you were." I chuckle at the memory.

"Best fifty bucks and stuffed animal I've ever won."

Bringing my bottom lip between my teeth, I run a million scenarios in my head.

Just go for it, Chloe.

In two quick strides, I eat up the space between us as I throw my arms around his neck. Grasping the nape of his neck, I pull his head down to meet his lips with mine. Cody's arms wrap around my back, and a shiver runs through me as I realize that I'm not wearing any clothes.

Sliding his hands down my bare back, his grip tightens on the back of my legs just below my butt. Before I know what's happening, he's hoisting me in the air. My legs wrap around his waist on instinct, and as I gasp at the sudden change of position, Cody takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

Tongues melting, my body has a mind of its own and starts sliding against his. My almost bare center grinds against his jean-clad cock. I moan as the friction hits my clit causing a tingling sensation to burn through my body. Desire pools in my gut as the anticipation of what's to come ignites. My back bows as my chest presses against his, and I'm hungry for more.

It's been so long since I've been touched by someone other than myself, and I've been craving Cody's touch for years. I might have told Cody I wasn't a virgin, but not by much. Halfway through my freshman year, I was tired of being reminded of Cody. Brynn and I were at a party, and I found a nice enough guy to get the job done. It was not a great experience, but I left with no virginity—also no orgasm.

Cody pulls away, and his eyes find mine. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere. I'm right here," I lean in and find his lips again. His hand finds the back of my head as he presses me to him. I moan against his lips as my body starts writhing on him.

He starts walking me backward, never breaking our kiss. Gently he lays me down onto the top of my bed before he's settling on top of me. His lips leave mine as he starts trailing open-mouth kisses along my jaw, down my neck where he pauses to suck the skin in between his teeth, before continuing down the front of my collarbone.

"Fuck, Wildflower." Cody groans as he sits up on his knees and peers down on my almost naked body.

Feeling self-conscious under his perusal, I start to bring my arms up to cover my exposed stomach. His hands encircle my wrist, stopping my movement. My eyes find him, but the shiny gold flecks that surround his hazel eyes are darkened with desire.

"Don't cover yourself from me. I love this body." His eyes trail over my body, and I feel my skin turn pink.

Leaning down he kisses my forehead. "I love this head of yours. Even though it likes to work overtime to tell you lies. I love how brilliant you are.

"I love these eyes of yours. They give me a glimpse into your soul. They also allow you to read your filthy smut. I've also been dying to know more about those highlighted words in your books. Since the ice storm when I read that book of yours, I need to know if you're into those kinks I read about." I gasp as he grazes his lips over my eyes. "But we'll come back to that later. I'm not done."

"Now this mouth." He groans as he plants a kiss that smacks across my lips. "This mouth gives you your voice that I love so much."

His hands cup my breasts as he squeezes them gently while I let out a moan. Releasing one of my boobs, he slides his hand up over my heart and rests it against my collarbone. "These tits are the perfect handful, and they drive me wild. Especially when you wear these lace-covered bras. But the thing I love most is your heart."

He nibbles little kisses over my flesh, and my nipples pebble into hard peaks. His eyes don't miss it as he pulls the hard bud into his mouth. "Your heart is pure. It loves hard, and it's so kind."

Writhing under his words, my panties are drenched. Clearly, Cody has unlocked a praise kink that I was unaware I had.

"Would you like me to continue? Or do you finally understand how I see you?"

"I-I-I understand. But for the love of god, fucking touch me, Cody."

His hands start kneading my breasts while our lips clash. My pussy seeks him out as I writhe beneath him craving the friction we had earlier while he held me in his arms. I run my hands up his chest gathering the fabric of his shirt as I bring my hands higher. We break the kiss while I tug the shirt over his head.

"You have entirely too many clothes on." I pant, running my hands back down his now bare chest.

It's my turn to explore. Kissing my way from his mouth, down his sharp jawline, to his neck. Sucking his skin into my mouth, I nibble on his neck. He groans as he runs a single finger from my chest, down my stomach, and dips below my panty line. Pausing, he looks up, searching my eyes for confirmation. I nod my head, and it's all he needs before he runs his finger down, taking my panties with him.

Tossing them behind us, he grabs my arms and lifts them above my head. Holding my wrist, I nip and kiss his bicep. My eyes catch on a small spot of black ink I've never noticed before.

It's tiny, and I guess I wouldn't have seen it if I wasn't this close.

"Wait." He pauses, releasing my arms immediately as his eyes drop to mine, laced with concern.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. Not at all. But what's this?" I use my finger and touch the tiny tattoo that's only about an inch long if that.

That boyish grin curls his lips, but it's the hesitancy in his gaze that has me even more curious. Sitting up on his knees, he straightens his arm and pulls the inside of his elbow toward me. Leaning up on my elbows, I move his arm until I have a better look.

My eyes snap to his. On the inside of his bicep toward the back of his arm is a tiny drawing I've never noticed before. It's a single-line flower tattoo.

"Cody?" I prompt.

Did he get this tattoo for me?

"I never forgot about you, Wildflower," his eyes sear into me, and I feel the words. "You've always been with me."

I wrap my arms around his neck as my lips crash against his. A moan escapes, and I have no idea which one of us makes the noise. Curling my fingers into the dark locks at his nape, I force our lips tighter together. Our tongues tangle and duel, which elicits a rush to my core.

His hands are back on my body as he uses enough force to lower my body back onto the soft mattress. I relish in his weight as it lands on top of me like a boulder grounding me to the earth. There's just something so sexy about having a guy's weight on you. He keeps one elbow bent to help support himself.

Cody's lips leave mine, and before I have a chance to object, I feel the soft nip of his teeth along my jawline. He continues down the column of my neck as he licks and sucks the soft flesh at the same time his fingers swirling around my already erect nipple. Cody sucks my skin into his mouth at the same time he pinches my pebbled peak.

The sensation floods my body, and I can feel the sticky, wetness between my thighs where I rub my legs together in hopes of some relief. I cry out the pleasure, and I realize that I'm so close to coming from this alone. I didn't think it was possible to come like this, but maybe I was wrong.

He trails open-mouthed kisses down the valley between my breasts and over the planes of my stomach.

As I watch his dark hair descend, I can't help the bout of anxiety that racks my body. I've never had a guy go down on me. Granted my sexual history is almost nonexistent, but the idea of him touching me there with his mouth is too much.

Reaching for his arm, I halt his movement as I try to pull him back up my body.

"Yo-you don't have to do that." Embarrassment floods my cheeks, and I try to avoid any eye contact between us.

Cody rests his weight on his elbows and tries to find my eyes. "I'll stop if you want me to, but I've been fantasizing about tasting this pretty pussy, and I'm starving for it."

My eyes widen at the words that come out of his mouth. He's fantasized about what I taste like?

He must sense my hesitancy because he sits up, and I watch as his fingers trail down my face. "Hey, we won't do anything you aren't ready for. Trust me?"

I nod, chewing on my lower lip. I decide that it's time to be vulnerable. Pushing my fears aside, I choose to be honest. "I've never had anyone do that before. So if you don't want to, I'm fine with that."

Shock flickers across his face, and I feel like this whole night keeps getting ruined.

"Oh, I want to Wildflower. Can I taste you?" Closing my eyes, I pop them open and see the dark desire in his eyes. I nod my head, and with one quick kiss, Cody dives back down my body.

Oh, god. I've lived this moment a hundred times through the lines of my romance novels, and now I'm about to find out if it's as euphoric as it's been described.

I watch as he positions his body between my legs, pushing my thighs to spread me wider before his mouth covers my mound. His tongue licks my slit, and I moan at the contact.

"Mmm." He pops his head up and smirks at me. "I knew you'd taste like my favorite dessert. So sweet. So perfect."

He's like a starved man as he sucks my clit into his mouth with a slight nibble as he plunges two fingers inside me. I writhe and wither at the contact.

"Oh oh oh. Yes!"

He curls his fingers up against my inner wall, and I feel the tight sensation in my lower body. It feels like a million tiny flowers blooming all at once between the peaks and valleys of the sun. His tongue melts over my center again, sending an ethereal shock wave through my system.

"I-I-I think I'm going to come."

"Come for me, Chlo. I want to feel you come apart on my lips." Cody licks and flicks my bundle of nerves as he quickens his pace. I clench against his fingers as he bites down on my clit as my orgasm rips through my body, the experience more blinding than the sun. I cry out and don't care if the entire complex hears me. I have never come so hard in my life. Not even with my plastic, vibrating friend.

Panting, my chest heaves as I come down from the toe-curling orgasm that ripped through my body. Cody kisses a trail up my body until his lips find mine. I taste myself on his lips. Trailing my hand across his hard stomach, I find his thick erection pressing against his pants. I let my fingers trail his waistband before I start to slide inside it to release him.

"Not tonight," Cody whispers against my lips. "Tonight was about you. You're special to me, Wildflower, and anyone who doesn't see how perfect you are can fuck right off. You're enough for me."

Moisture gathers in the corner of my eyes. For so long I've just wanted to be enough for someone.

And here I am, lying in bed after the best orgasm of my life with the boy who broke my heart but never forgot about me.