THE CRAZY GOOD SERIES - Rachel Robinson Page 0,275

texts. My hands shake as I take off the quilted cross-body bag and hang it on the coat rack by his door. I see his old leather jacket. The one he wore when he rode his motorcycle. How did he get this? I remember slamming my arms into the sleeves of this jacket a million times. The familiar smell that made me melt and feel completely safe at the same time.

“Horse saved it,” Cody whispers from behind me. I startle, my hand holding the buttery soft leather falling to my side. “Who knows why. It’s not like the beast can wear it.” He chuckles softly.

“Why would anyone save anything?” I ask, a little irritated. Of course I would have saved everything if I knew he was still alive. I. Buried. Him.

Cody gestures to the couch and holds up the tube of ointment and a package of anti-bacterial wipes. “You’ll have to ask him,” he says. “I wouldn’t have saved any of your things either. Don’t beat yourself up. Rising from the dead is apparently one of my better talents. Most people don’t have that one.” He winks. I grin uneasily.

Sitting on the edge of the couch, I hold my hand out for the supplies. There is no way he can touch me. After merely holding his hand, I can barely stand the thought of his hands on my body. A shiver runs down my spine and there’s no controlling the response. I shake. Cody takes a seat on the ottoman in front of me, a good three feet away. A safe distance. A safe distance would be Antarctica, I think.

Cleaning my cut with a wipe and smearing ointment on, I realize it’s just a surface scrape. Thank God. I won’t die of flesh eating bacteria today. While I’m pondering, Cody doesn’t take his eyes off me. I feel his piercing gaze urging me to talk.

Sighing, I look from my gross wound to his beautiful, searching eyes and swallow the thick lump in my throat. Cody’s gaze trails down to my neck. “This is a pretty large place for just you,” I say, feigning nonchalance to take the edge off. “It’s beautiful.” It really is. I can tell he decorated it himself, though. If I had my way, it would be much warmer. Cool is a bachelor’s pad, which he is.

His blue gaze stays steely, but a corner of his mouth turns up. “I like it. It’s more comfortable than my other places.” More than one place? I know business is booming for him, but I don’t know particulars. A year or so has passed since he was rescued. He’s accomplished a lot in that time frame. I’ve tried to steer clear of anything that reminded me of Cody Ridge. Until now.

I look at the large window. It spans from floor to ceiling and has the most beautiful view. “I guess it would be,” I remark.

“Lainey.” My name is a question. A praise. It packs so much in two syllables. Only he is capable of making me feel so much with a single word.

I shake my head. “I don’t know what I thought would happen. I figured you would be different, Cody. That I would finally be able to look you in the eye and say it’s over, but how is that possible? Tell me how is that possible, damn it! He’s a good man. A good man,” I say, turning my face down to the teak hardwood. Dax. It’s the first time I’ve thought about him since seeing Cody. Just thinking his name makes me ill with guilt. “I waited for so long. You were dead and still I waited. And now it’s obvious why I was giving myself ulcers about moving on. Call it woman’s intuition, but maybe subconsciously I knew you were alive.” I gesture to him and his very alive body. “Dax is a good man,” I repeat.

Cody lets out a long breath. “Of course he is. I wouldn’t expect anything less if you’re in love with him.” His statement is so casual, but a quick glance up and I know it’s anything but. “I am different. I am changed. Time passed and I lost you because of that. Change is the one thing you can’t predict nor control. I can respect change. I think it’s obvious you want closure with me before you marry him. It’s yours. Take it.” He leans over, taking both of my hands in his. Mine are shaking and his are solid