Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Maddie jumped to her feet, jostling me all over and tugging at my hand. “Hurry it up, lazy pants.”
I cleared the roughness from my throat and pasted a smile on my face. “You know we’re not supposed to be at my friend’s ranch until three o’clock, right?”
“Um, yeah, Mommy, which means we gotta get ready!”
It wasn’t even quite seven, but I relented and let her haul me out of bed.
She had ahold of my left hand, dragging me across the room. With my right, I did my best to try to sort out the bedhead I was sure to be sporting considering the way Cody had been fisting it last night.
She led me out into the main room. Rays of sunlight streamed in through the windows, ribbons of gold threaded with hope looping through the space, the warmth so distinct it hit me like an embrace.
Like I was walking straight into a mesmerizing dream.
And that’s what it felt like—a dream with the man standing in the kitchen, wearing sweats and a fitted tee, his feet bare, his rugged face so handsome with his short beard and his harsh brow.
He tilted me that smirk he always met me with. The one that tied my stomach in a thousand jittery knots.
Maddie beamed as she presented me like a gift. “Look it! I got her for you, Mr. Cody, because you said you needed her real bad.”
“You want me, huh?” I wheezed it, barely able to speak.
I was hanging onto Maddie’s hand like she was the lifeline when I was so close to getting swept away.
“That’s right, I do.” He said it low and smooth, and his head was cocked to the side as he crossed the three steps it took to bring him to me. There was no hesitation in the action, just a glint in those golden eyes as he reached out and grabbed me by the cheek and dipped down to kiss me.
Close mouthed, though it sent shockwaves trembling through my body.
My heart battered at my ribs and my spirit was dislodged from the place where I’d tried to keep it protected.
From where she swayed beside me, Maddie giggled, both embarrassed and joyed in her precious, innocent way. “Are you kissin’ my mommy, Mr. Cody?”
And I realized it was the first time he’d kissed me in front of her. The first time he’d touched me in front of her.
Well, other than the secreted, covert brushes when he was sure she wasn’t paying attention.
His hand slid down to curl around the side of my neck, his big fingers splaying wide as if he was holding the whole of me.
He turned his gaze down to my little girl. “Do you mind if I give your mommy kisses?”
Maddie shrugged. “I guess you probably should if you love her.”
The air was suddenly thick. So damned thick that there was no chance of getting it into my lungs, my chest squeezing and my pulse going erratic at the thought.
Cody looked back at me, and he brushed his thumb across my flesh, his regard both tender and acute.
Uncertain and sure.
I shivered beneath it.
His teeth raked his bottom lip before he seemed to come to a conclusion, and he pulled away to pick Maddie up from under the arms and tossed her into the air. She squealed in delight, screeching as she flew before she frantically curled her little arms around his neck when he caught her.
“You caught me,” she gasped as if there was a chance he wouldn’t have.
“Of course, I caught you, Button. That’s what these arms are for. Holding you and your mother up. Taking care of you. Because you and your mom are important to me.”
Cody glanced back at me when he said it, repeating a semblance of the words he’d spoken earlier that week. Words that tried to hook into the most brittle places hidden inside.
“Really important?” Maddie peeped.
Cody set her on the island, his hand on her leg to make sure she was safe. His attention swept between the two of us, and his voice lowered when he said, “The most important, Maddie. You and your mom are the most important to me.”
“Good, ’cause I think you’re really important, too.”
“Is that so?”
“Mmhmm.” She beamed that smile, blonde, wild ringlets bouncing around her chubby cheeks. “And it’s a really important thing to know that I’m really very hungry right now.”
A rough chuckle scraped from Cody’s throat. “What am I goin’ to do with you, Button?”
“Keep me?”
Affection bound the room. So intense I was nearly shredded by it.
Mixed in it was the unknown. That dark thing that would crowd in at the edges of Cody’s aura and clot out the easiness in his spirit. The part of him I wanted to seep into, too.
Cody poked Maddie’s belly, trying for light, to break out of whatever demons that held him trapped.