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)
Still, I pushed out the jagged words. “It was just some jerk who had too much to drink. He barely caught my chin. I’m completely fine. It’s you he attacked, though I doubt very much he anticipated the retaliation you inflicted.”
Sighing, Cody scrubbed one of those big palms over his face. “I lost it, and I’m sorry for that. I just…”
He trailed off like he didn’t know what to say. Or maybe he was scared to admit it.
“I ruined the night,” he settled on.
“You didn’t ruin it. It’s one of the best nights I’ve had in a long, long time.”
“Until the end.”
“It’s not over yet.” I attempted to play it a tease, but it came out all wrong, and I knew immediately where his mind had gone. That unflinching gaze flamed, and my stomach twisted, and God, this was getting complicated.
“I think I’m ready to go home, if you are?” I managed.
A rough chuckle skated up his throat. “I doubt much I’m welcome in Mack’s right about now. I’m lucky Ezra was here.”
“He knows you were protecting me.”
“He also knows I can be a bit of a hothead.” He looked away for a beat before he returned his attention to me. “But I won’t regret standing up for you. It’s just the way I am, Hailey. I protect those I care about. I take care of them. Whatever the cost.”
A warning was woven in the words, and I knew this man went much deeper than the careless smiles and smirks. I thought if I looked close enough, I might be able to see the ghosts that gathered around him, phantoms that played in the night.
I was worried every single one of them might be a partner to mine.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I murmured.
“It is if you knew the lengths I’d go.”
That warning had gone dark.
I wanted to press him. Push him to open up. But the door clattered open behind me, and I shifted to look at a group of people who came stumbling out, laughing and breaking the moment.
When I turned back, Cody had stretched out his hand. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
Tentatively, I walked toward him, taking one step, then two.
The power of his presence grew the closer I came.
A shiver rushed through me when he pressed the hand he had extended to the small of my back and began to lead me toward the parking lot.
Heat blazed at the bare connection.
A fire that leapt.
I tried to keep my breathing even, but I was pretty sure there was no way he’d miss the way my pulse was speeding.
The bar grew quieter and quieter the farther we traipsed down the row of vehicles, and the darkness gathered thick. He led me to where his truck was parked about halfway down, his boots crunching in the loose gravel as he guided me to the passenger’s side.
The lights blinked when he clicked the locks, and he opened the door. “In you go.”
A short gasp left me when he reached down and curled a hand around my side to help me into the high seat.
A low growl echoed from behind me. “That dress should be illegal, darlin’.”
I settled onto the seat, trying to ignore the path of his attention. The tingles that rushed and raced as his gaze traveled over me where I was propped in the seat of his truck, hungry eyes riding down over the glittering fabric and fluttering like fingertips down my bare legs.
“I think it’s pretty.” Why I answered, I didn’t know.
“Oh, it’s pretty, all right. Now get yourself buckled because I’m going to shut this door and pretend like I don’t want to set you back on your feet, turn you around, and push that skirt up around your waist so I can get to the deliciousness hiding underneath.”
Before I could say anything, he slammed the door in my face.
My mouth dropped open because this man truly had no filter.
He rounded the front of the truck, and I couldn’t look away as he went. He was right back to oozing all that cool as he strode to his side, tossed open the door, and hopped in like he hadn’t left the ground shaking under my feet.
I was swept in it, his aura as he buckled himself and pushed the button for the ignition.
Spice and cedar and earth.
He put the truck in reverse and pulled out, then stopped as he shifted into drive, right before his attention swung to me. A deep frown carved into his brow when he saw the way I was just sitting there staring at him, my hands under my thighs to keep myself from doing something stupid like reaching out to touch him.
This man would destroy me. Chew me up and spit me out.
What Lolly had said was undoubtedly true.