Unlikely Lovers (11 page)

“Anything you want, baby. I’m all yours,” he told her in a husky voice.

“I want it all with you, Cody, only with you.”

“Jessie…” he murmured as he continued to give her butterfly kisses.

“Cody, we are so good together.”

“Yes we are.” He continued to tantalize her until the familiar desire began
to make its presence known once again.

“Cody…if you don’t stop…You’ll have to have to finish what you’re starting.”

“You think I can’t?”

“Don’t
stop,” she begged.

“Tell me what you want
.”

“
I want you.”

“Baby, tell me what I want to hear.”

“Stop teasing…”

“I want to hear you say it…”

“Cody...I want you so bad I could die.”

“Well, I guess that
’ll have to do.”

They lay together afterward, dozing off and on, until she finally awoke and looked at the clock.

“Cody, wake up…I have to go.”

“You are going
nowhere; you’re staying right here with me.”

He scooped her up, carrying her to his bed, where he gently laid her on the cool sheets and covered her with the blanket.

She rolled over contentedly.
This is exactly where I am meant to be
.

They remained that way until the alarm blared the next morning. She lay in
bed as he dressed for work.

He interrupted her thoughts when he came out of the bathroom and said, “Are you going to work today?”

“Not until a little later, I have a meeting so I have a little time.”

“Baby
, you look delicious lying there in my bed like that. But I’ve got to go.” He kissed her goodbye.

“I’ll talk to you later?”

“I’ll call you.”

She heard his truck pulling out of the driveway as s
he rolled over, loving the fact she was in his bed. But it was time to go home and get ready for work, so she gathered her clothes, dressed and left, locking the door behind her.

As Jessica sat with Missy eating club sandwiches the next day around noon she told her friend what had happened the previous evening.

“Do you think he was just playing around or did he really want me to say something?” Jessica asked as she took a sip of iced tea.

“He probably wanted you to say those three little words.” Missy looked at her friend worriedly.

“You think?”

“Has he ever told you he loves you?”

“Only once
. After. And I thought it was just a heat of the moment thing.”

“Well then
?”

“Missy, what am I going to do? I think I do love him.”

“Tell him before it’s too late. And tell him everything!”

“That’s easier said than done. Cody
’s not your sweet teddy bear, like Andy. Not that he’s not sweet I just don’t think he’ll take too kindly to being lied to.”

Missy laughed
. “What a fitting description. Andy is my sweet teddy bear.”

“You are sickening
, Jessica teased.

“At least I’m honest
,” Missy reminded her.

“Ouch, point taken.” Jessica winced at the truth.
“Maybe he’s my Mr. Right. Who would have ever thought that night at the bowling alley I’d meet the man of my dreams, literally? I never told you I dreamt of being loved by a man like Cody just before I met him. The man in my dreams even had the same chocolate drop eyes. ”

“
Wow, maybe he is then. But honey, you’ll never know until you tell him how you feel.”

“Food for thought,”
Jessica answered then changed the subject abruptly. “Hey, Valentine’s Day is this weekend.”

“It is at that.”

“Do you want the four of us to get together this weekend or are you reserving it for Andy?”

“We could go to that club, Harlow’s, where we went before for
a while then call it an early night so I can spend time with Andy alone,” Missy offered.

“That sounds good
. I’ll tell Cody when I talk to him tonight.”

“Okay, I’m sure Andy won’t object as long as we leave early.” Missy blushed.

“You are such a baby…blushing,” Jessica teased.

“Honey, until you met Cody, you were every bit as shy
,” Missy reminded her.

“Yes, I was.
He’s really done a number on me, hasn’t he?” She knew her friend was right.

“That’s why I say this goes far deeper than just good sex. I think both of you are head over heels in love with each other. And you’re both too stubborn to be the first to say it. You need to just tell him everything and get it over with.”

“Mind blowing sex, not just good sex,” Jessica corrected.

“Whatever.” Missy laughed
and rolled her eyes. “Now who’s sickening?”

They finished their lunch and went back to the afternoon session of their
meeting. When it was over and Jessica had driven home, she sat in her living room thinking about the discussion she and Missy had at lunch. She got up and walked into the bedroom to hang up her uniform so it wouldn’t wrinkle and threw on her old, comfortable pink terry robe. As she walked into the kitchen to see what was in the fridge, she came to the ultimate decision. She picked up the watering can on the counter and walked over to her plant on the windowsill.

“I’ve been going back and forth on this long enough
. I do love Cody. I need to tell him that and everything else. He has to understand. I’ll beg his forgiveness and promise him forever. I’ll do anything to make it right,” she said to her forlorn little plant.

The next few days proved to be very busy for Jessica. With a new project at work and weekend plans to look forward to she barely had time to catch her breath. The two couples were to meet for dinner and dancing. Missy shopped for a new outfit with Jessica accompanying her. She found brown gauchos with a coral and brown filmy paisley top. A pair of brown leather boots completed the outfit.

“I like it. It’s really you” Jess
ica said as she picked out a green, satin, empire-style shirt that matched the green of her eyes. “Do you like this? I can wear black slacks with it.”

“Oh,
yeah, that really brings out the green in your eyes, Jess,” Missy agreed.

After making their purchases, they stopped at Starbucks for iced mochas
then Missy dropped Jessica off at home so they each could prepare for their special night.

Jessica took extra special care with her hair and makeup that night, matching her eye shadow to the new green shirt, carefully adding eyeliner and mascara
.
I want to look
sensational for Cody. I want him to be proud to be seen with me.
She styled her hair with combs at the sides and picked out silver jewelry and as always wore the tennis bracelet he’d given her for Christmas. When the picture was complete, she twirled in front of the mirror, pleased with the finished product. She slipped into a pair of black heels, filled a small black leather purse and waited for Missy to arrive.

When they arrived at the already crowded club, Andy and Cody were waiting for them. The sight of Cody in his khakis and navy oxford shirt literally took her breath away.
How can I have been with him so many times and still get this hot just looking at him? That has to mean something, right?

Missy whispered to her, “I’m a lucky girl, I’m so glad I talked you into going bowling that night all those months ago. Andy is the sweetest man alive. Not bad to look at either.”

“I’m lucky, too. I just wish I didn’t have this black cloud hanging over me.”

“You know what you can do about that
,” Missy gently reminded her.

“I know you’re trying to help and I know deep down you’re right. I just can’t do it yet.”

Missy sighed.

The
two men walked over to the car and as he helped her out, Cody leaned over and kissed Jessica. They walked into the club, found a table, and as they were looking at the menus Cody ordered champagne for everyone.

“You’re ordering champagne instead of beer?” Jessica asked. Beer was the drink of choice for both Andy and Cody.

“This is a special occasion,” Cody explained as he leaned over to kiss her. “It’s Valentine’s Day, after all.”

“I feel honored
,” Missy said with a smile. “You two giving up your beer for a night for little old us is special indeed.” They all laughed.

After ordering their dinner, they talked until the food arrived.

“You’re really thinking about looking for work in Kansas?” Cody asked, taking a sip of his champagne.

“Yep,” Andy replied, looking at Missy as he spoke. She blushed in usual Missy style.

“So you two are getting serious?” Jessica asked.

“You could say that.” Andy looked at Missy and smiled.

She smiled back then asked, “Should we tell them, honey?”

“I can see you’re bursting at the seams, so go ahead.”

“Andy and I are engaged.” She held up her left hand to display a beautiful marquise style diamond ring.

Jessica almost choked on her drink. “When did this happen?”

“Today, actually, after we went shopping and before I picked you up. I wanted to tell you while Andy was with me, so I waited.”

“And I’ll bet that’s the first time in your life you’ve ever kept such an important secret for that long, isn’t it, Missy?”
Cody teased.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that
,” Missy replied glancing at Jessica, who shook her head.

“Jessie, they beat us. Who would have thought?” Cody looked at her with an odd expression.

“Yes, who would have thought?” she replied, looking down.

Cody refilled the champagne flutes, making a toast to their friends,
“I wish you many years of wedded bliss. You may have been a little slow getting together, but once you did, you moved like wildfire.”

After dinner, Andy and Missy walked to the dance floor, unaware of anyone else around them.

“Jessie, is something bothering you?” Cody asked, as they remained at the table.

“I’m just sad because Missy
’s leaving in a few months. I’ll be all right,” she replied sadly.

“Are you sure that’s all?”

How can I tell him, no, it’s not all. I just can’t. Not yet.

“Let’s dance
,” She said, a little too brightly.

“Sure, pretty lady,” he said
, walking her onto the floor and pulling her close. He whispered as they moved to the music, “Jessie, you know how I feel about you, don’t you?

“Do I?”
She looked up at him.

“You’re the only woman in my life. Don’t be upset because Andy and Missy beat us to the alt
ar. We’ll have our day.” He smiled down at her as he pulled her closer.

“Cody, there are things you don’t know about m
e,” she began as she looked into his chocolate brown eyes.

“Let’s just enjoy our night.” He pulled her even closer.

She melted against him.
How can I tell him now and ruin this?

The evening ended early as planned with each couple going their own way.

“I’ll be talking to you real soon, Jess,” Missy told her as they said their goodbyes.

“Call me.”
Jessica hugged her friend

As Cody drove to his apartment, he spoke. “
Jessie, remember that talk we said we were going to have when you returned from your trip?”

“I remember
,” Jessica said quietly.

“We never got around to that. We always got sidetracked.”

“I don’t want to talk tonight, Cody...”

“Sure, baby, I understand. But soon, okay?”

“Soon,” she reluctantly agreed.

When they reached his apartment, he silently unlocked the door. Once inside, he lifted her into his arms and carried her
up the stairs to his four poster bed with the plaid comforter that she had grown to love.

“What are you doing?” She laughed as he deposited her on the bed.

“Being romantic,” he said, joining her in laughter.

“Cody…I do care about you.”

“I told you once I loved you. Do you remember that?”

“Yes.”

“But you’ve never said it to me.”

“I’ve been confused. Can you understand that?” Her green eyes begged him to understand.

“Yes, because I’m just as confused as you,” he admitted.

“Are you saying now you don’t love me?”

“Not exactly, what I’m saying is that yes, I love you. I love us together. But I’m not sure if I’m ready to take the next big step like Andy and Missy. Their whole relationship has been different than ours, from the start.”