Itry to tell myself that I’m not in the wrong. I try to tell myself that Cody is pretentious, rude, immature, and downright stupid. He’s not my bodyguard. I don’t need him to protect me. I don’t want him to protect me. I don’t wantanyman to protect me. But that wouldn’t really be the truth.
I spend the evening pacing the floor of my room. Maya, naturally, is nowhere to be found. I’m angry at her. I’m angry at Cody. Hell, I’m angry at myself for being so affected by everything. I’m a grown adult. I’m above temper tantrums. And yet, I sure threw one out there with Cody like a damn fool. And over what? A disgusting old man.
Randall is not the first disgusting old man I’ve had to deal with in my life. I can’t fathom why I got so worked up. I’m supposed to be better than that. I have to be better than that.
My rhythmic pacing halts when I hear a knock at the door. It’s nearly midnight. Maya has a key.
That could only leave one possible guest, and I really don’t want to see him. Not after I made such an idiot of myself.
I move toward the door.Please don’t be Cody, please don’t be Cody, please don’t be?—
I pull the door open.
“Cody.” There he is, with those sickeningly blue eyes.
He pushes past me into the room and picks up where I left off, pacing across the carpet.
“You were right, Darcy. Completely right. I was abrasive and violent, and it didn’t help anything. You don’t need me to defend you, and I’m?—”
“Cody.” I put my hand on his shoulder to stop his repetitive turning and walking. His eyes meet mine, and I can’t help but smile at the worried indentation between his brows. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who should be sorry.Iwas abrasive. If I wanted you to stop, I should’ve just said that instead of getting mad and storming off. That wasn’t very mature of me. Of course, I didn’t need you to speak for me, but I do appreciate the thought. It’s been a long time since anyone besides Maya has cared enough to threaten a little old man for me.” I smile and hope it isn’t too soon for such a joke to land, and apparently, it’s not, because Cody breaks out into a grin.
“Oh, well, anytime. It’s my pleasure, really.”
I snort a laugh. “I’m sure it is. You know, I’m sort of getting the impression, Cody, that you like a bit of conflict.”
I see a hint of pink on Cody’s cheeks at the implication. He gives a little shrug.
“I’ve been known to enjoy a fight or two in my time, but I wouldn’t say that I’m exactly proud of it. I call it ‘self-preservation.’”
I scoff. “What youshouldcall it is ‘thrill junkie.’ Because that’s exactly what you are. An adrenaline addict.”
Cody waves me off and wanders further into the room. I have half a mind to tease him for making himself so comfortable, but I figure it isn’t the time.
I watch him sit down on the couch with a heavy sigh. “Oh, no, no. Maybe when I was younger, but not anymore. I’ve learnedmy lesson on all of that stuff. I live a quiet life, thank you very much.”
I sit next to him and raise an eyebrow. “You teach skiing for a living. You live on a mountain. You threaten helpless old men.”
“Pervertedold men,” Cody corrects. “And yeah, so what? Quiet life doesn’t have to mean boring life. There’s a distinct difference.”
“And what might that distinct difference entail?” I enquire.
Cody hums. “Well, for starters, I’m not living in a concrete jungle. I’m connected with nature, and I’m doing something that I love. But I’m not jumping off of cliffs or living in a tent in the middle of the woods. I’m living an exciting life, but not a dangerous one. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Putting someone like me in a big city is a recipe for disaster. I’d probably be arrested for reckless endangerment within a week.”
I laugh at the thought. “And we both know your parents aren’t bailing you out.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” Cody is quick to agree. “I’d rot in there.”
We both laugh, and when I turn, I catch him staring. I don’t know why it’s so jarring when our eyes meet, but it is. I feel like a schoolgirl, unable to look at him without smiling. I have to tell myself that that’s just Cody. Cody is the kind of guy who can make anyone smile. Even the most pessimistic person on the planet would find Cody intoxicatingly pleasant. It’s just who he is. He’s a charmer. I’m not special. Not in the slightest.
“Thank you for coming to apologize,” I tell him in a desperate attempt to change the subject. “You didn’t have to, but it means a lot that you did. Most guys wouldn’t get why I was so upset. They’d think I’m dramatic or overreacting, which, granted, I was, but for a good reason.”
Cody doesn’t hesitate to shake his head. His gaze fixes on me so intensely that I feel like I might be the only person in the whole world. Or at least, that’s how he’s looking at me.
“You weren’t overreacting,” he says. “I mean, I didn’t get it at first. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I would feel completely incompetent if someone did to me what I did to you. I never intended to make you feel that way. It’s just… big brother instincts, I guess. I wanted to protect you.”
Big brother instincts.
What the hell does that mean?
