Page 37 of Playing With The Mountain Man

“Maybe in a minute,” I told her, lifting her off me and lying her down beside me.

Pressing one last kiss to her forehead, I climbed from the bed on shaky legs. After cleaning up, I grabbed a couple of glasses of water and a warm washcloth and returned to find Tillie snuggled down amongst the blankets. Damn, she was stunning. Lying there, completely naked, her hair fanned across the pillow with her eyes closed and her lips parted, it took all the restraint I had not to jump on top of her and take her for another round.

Chapter fourteen

Tillie

Waking up in Cody’s arms was something I could get used to. I shouldn’t, but fuck me, did I want to. I was warm, safe, and more than anything, he wanted me there. Even in his sleep he didn’t let go.

I yawned.

Three nights of some of the best sex I’d ever had were wearing me out. Not that I was complaining. Hell no. I didn’t complain about my jelly-like legs or the constant butterflies in my stomach when he shot me that let’s get into trouble grin. I didn’t complain about my overused vagina or the tiny marks he’d left on my boobs. I wasn’t complaining about any of it. But I was exhausted.

After spending my nights tangled in Cody’s sheets, we’d wake with the sun and sneak in a quickie before I showered and he made coffee.

Then, cradling a travel cup of the much-needed pick-me-up, Cody would hold my hand as he drove me back down the mountain to the diner so I could start my day. Even though I’d told him repeatedly I could drive myself, he wouldn’t hear of it. Instead, he’d appear half an hour before I was done for the day, help with whatever needed doing before practically dragging me out the door and back to his lair like he was a caveman.

I was just coming down the stairs when I heard him on the phone, obviously pissed.

“Fine, I’ll be there.” He grunted miserably.

I couldn’t hear what the person on the other end was saying, but it didn’t take a genius to work out that Cody didn’t like it.

“I said I’d be there and I will.” More silence, then he barked another response. “Fine. Tell them I’ll be there.”

He ended the call and set his phone down on the counter before scrubbing his hands over his face, the frustration unmistakable.

“Everything okay?” I asked as I stepped out of the shadows, doing my best not to startle him.

“It’s fine,” he gritted out, turning back to his fancy coffee machine that required a degree to figure out.

“Fine? I know fine never actually means fine, Cody,” I called him out.

He sighed and his shoulders slumped.

“Just my boss. I have to run into Fort Marshall this morning,” he conceded.

“Oh. Okay,” I replied, not really sure what else to say.

“I’ll be back this afternoon, but I might not be in time to pick you up,” he admitted, and I strode purposefully toward him.

I stepped into his space, my hands finding his hips. “No worries,” I told him. “I can go back to my place. It’s not like I’ve spent much time there in the last few days. I can catch up on my laundry,” I added, trying to lighten the mood.

“I hate that I’m not going to be there,” he grumbled.

“It’s all good. Seriously. Don’t worry about me. I’m happy to spend the night curled up on the couch with my book, or I can take a bath,” I offered, already mentally writing a list of all the things I could do with a night to myself.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t loved spending time with Cody, it was just that River was home in three days, and I hadn’t had a second to myself to do the things I wanted to do. I hadn’t caught up on my reading or cleaned out the pantry. I hadn’t watched any of the movies I’d wanted to. I hadn’t even eaten any of the snacks I’d stashed in the back of the cupboard out of River’s reach.

“You’re not coming here tonight?” Cody asked as he broke free of my grip and stepped back.

The neediness in his tone caught me off-guard.

“I just thought …” I started, only for him to start pacing.

“I want you here. I always want you here,” he blurted out. “I won’t be there when you finish, but I can pick you up from your place on my way through.”

“Cody?” Either he didn’t hear me, or he was so caught up in his head he’d completely blanked out.