But instead, I watched his wet shirt stretch across his back as he took two long inhales before he asked, “How soon do you need to be at the restaurant?”
“Soon,” I whispered to his back. “Really soon.”
Cody’s fist clenched at his side, and he forced his shoulders down before turning to me and unwrapping my notebook, which was perfectly dry, and holding it out to me. Our fingers grazed when I reached for it, and for a long moment, we both held it between us. Then he swallowed roughly before dropping his hand and asking, “Mind if I shower before we go? I’ll be quick.”
The notebook transferred fully to my grip and fell heavily to my side. Cody’s gaze tracked the movement, and he stared at my hand for one heartbeat, then turned on his heel and went straight to the bathroom without waiting for an answer.
Not that he needed one—or permission.
The sound of the shower turning on broke the trance, and I trudged into my room, depositing the notebook on its shelf before quickly drying off, then changing into a dry, deep-red sleeveless shirt and black pants.
I sat on the edge of my bed, facing the living room as I braided my damp hair back and willed my breaths to even.
My efforts were utterly sabotaged when Cody eased out of the bathroom, steam billowing around him and a towel fighting for its life around his hips. He scanned the living room as if he’d find clothes there.
Mustering my strength, because like the towel, I was also fighting for my life, I got up and pulled a shirt for him from my chest of drawers but paused over the pants. Cody Desmond squeezing himself into a pair of my bottoms would end with my having a heart attack.
Instead, I stepped into the living room and tossed Cody the shirt. He reached for it, and I snapped my gaze away just in time as the towel abandoned ship and hit the floor. I kept my eyes averted like a gentleman as I calmly let myself into Vinh and Bree’s room.
That outcome of throwing the shirt had not been intentional. Just a happy accident that I wasn’t meant to be happy about.
Yet.
Mildly violating Vinh’s privacy, I rooted around in his drawers and pulled out a pair of boxers, socks, and track pants, taking more time than was necessary in the hope—please, God!—that Cody would be sufficiently covered when I came back out.
When I did hesitantly reenter the living room, it was to find him smirking at me, his muscles bulging under one of my custom heather gray Ari’s shirts. My gaze flicked down, and I internally sighed in both relief and despair to see the towel resecured around his hips.
“Ti Bet,” he murmured in amusement as I arced past him and set the offered clothes on the bathroom vanity.
When I turned back to him, he was already walking toward me, swerving just a bit at the last second and brushing by me as he whispered, “Little Beast.”
The bathroom door shut, and I once again found myself frozen. I wasn’t just breathless but washoldingmy breath, only letting it go when the door swung back open and Cody emerged fully clothed.
“I’m gonna have to wear my wet shoes, aren’t I?” he asked with a frown.
I glanced down at his feet and frowned in sympathy. “Yes. Unless you wanna try a pair of Vinh’s shoes.”
He wrinkled his nose. “No, thanks.”
The simple interaction set me somewhat back to normal, and when we got to the front door, Cody opened it for me andgestured for me to go ahead. I did, and he used his own key to the cottage to lock up. I engaged the alarm on my phone, and we were soon loaded up into his truck and on the way to Ari’s with only a few raindrops on our heads and shoulders.
“Does it smell a touch smoky to you?” I inquired as I sniffed faintly, hoping he wasn’t having an electrical issue.
Cody’s gaze flickered to me as he pulled out of the driveway, his fingers thrumming against the steering wheel.
I frowned at the movement. “You can tell me.”
He let out a breath. “I know, Ti Bet. I just don’t think I have enough time to get into it right now.”
Nodding, I thought it over and took a small step forward. “Do you want to pick me up when Ari’s closes and go to the pier?”
I let the implication that we could talk about it then linger, unspoken.
“No,” he answered immediately, but when he glanced at me and saw whatever my face was doing, he quickly added, “Because I’m not leaving. I’m staying to help.”
I straightened in my seat and didn’t hide my smile. “That will make today even better. Bree will be happy too.”
His answering smile wasn’t quite as bright as I’d hoped, but it was still beautiful.
