by Ciana Stone
“What would make you say a terrible thing like that?” Cody was too scared to be teased.
“Because there’s an angel with me.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Been called that a time or two. Same must be true for you. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Saving your ass.”
“And why would you want to do that?”
Cody got what he was doing. Taking her mind off their predicament to ease her fear. It was working. At least a little. She tried to smile. “Well, maybe I have plans for you, Riggs.”
“Does it involve being naked? I like being naked. And I know I’d like to get you naked. So if it—”
“Would you please shut up?” She activated her headset. “I need to talk to the EMT.”
Riggs fell silent and she called out. “Matt? Bronson? Is anyone there? I found him.”
She could hear the cheers as Bronson’s voice came over the earpiece. “Thank god. He’s alive?”
“Yes. Bronson, is Matt still there?”
“Yes. He’s right here.”
“Matt?” she asked.
“Cody?” he answered. “It’s Matt Gates. What do you see?”
“There’s a big piece of metal on his chest that has him pinned, but it doesn’t look like it’s crushing him. And there’s a piece of metal that’s coming down vertically from the rig and it’s piercing into his left leg.”
“Is there a lot of blood?”
“His pants are wet, but it’s not gushing.”
“Good, that means it didn’t hit an artery.”
“Cody?” Bronson’s voice cut in. “Can you tell me anything more about the metal that’s through his leg?”
“Well, it’s about as big around as two of my thumbs and it goes up above us, but I can’t tell to where.”
“Can you feel beneath his leg and see if it’s going all the way through?” The EMT Matt asked.
“Hold on.” She scooted on her belly and eased her hand under his leg. “I don’t feel anything.”
“That’s good,” Matt said. “Real good.”
“So what do I do?” she asked.
There was a long silence, so long it scared her. “Hello? Bronson? Matt?”
“We’re here, Cody,” Bronson said. “I need to talk to Riggs. Can you hold your comm unit where he can hear me?”
“Yeah, hold on.” She scooted back up close to Riggs’ head. “Bronson wants to talk to you.”
“Put him on.”
“Bronson? Can you hear us?” she asked as she held the unit between her and Riggs.
“Yeah. I hear you. Riggs? You hanging in there?”
“I am.”
“What can you tell me?”
Cody noticed the way Riggs’ gaze locked with hers as he told Bronson the status of things from where they were. It hadn’t occurred to her that she would be in much danger. Now she was fully aware of just how dangerous the situation was. Without thinking, she felt for Riggs’ hand.
His grip was strong. He finished speaking; Bronson told Cody to do as Riggs directed and to radio in when it was done.
“Okay.” She put the earpiece back on and looked at Riggs. “What do I do?”
His hand tightened on hers. “First you make me a promise.”
“What?”
“That as soon as we’re out of this, I get a kiss.”
“You…are you crazy?”
“Been called that a time or two.”
“Riggs—”
“A kiss.”
“Okay a kiss. Now what do I do?”
He gave her a smile, then started instructing her on where to place the jacks. The goal was to provide as much stability around them as possible. It took longer than she’d imagined and when it was done, she was sweaty and breathing hard.
She got on the radio. “Bronson?”
“Right here.”
“All of the jacks are set up.”
“Okay, now, Matt has instructions for you.”
“I’m listening.”
Matt came on the radio. “Cody? Listen, when they start to lift the rig, it’s probably going to pull on that rod that’s in Riggs’ leg. We’re going to depend on you to watch it. If it looks like it’s pulling clean out we’re good, but if it starts to lift his leg like the rod is hooked or bent, you have to let us know right away so we can stop.”
“I will.”
“Okay, so are you ready?”
She looked at Riggs. “Are we ready?”
“Born that way, sugar.”
She couldn’t believe him. Either he was trying to make her feel better or he really was crazy. Regardless it was time.
“We’re ready,” she said into the microphone.
“Okay, here we go.”
Cody heard the roar of engines as the operators started the cranes and bulldozers. She listened to Bronson yelling orders. It sounded like he was on a bullhorn. There were clanks and bangs, men yelling as everyone set about trying to get firm locks on the rig.
“It won’t be long.” Riggs’ voice had her cutting him a look. “Just keep thinking about that kiss, sugar.”
“You think we’ll make it?” She didn’t want to ask, but she had to. She needed someone to tell her they would.
“Yep. Give me your hand, Cody. Just hold on.”
She gripped his hand and waited, tensing and jumping at the shrieks and groans of metal all around them. Her heart was beating so loud and so fast, she wondered if Riggs could hear it. It seemed awfully loud in her ears.
His hand tightened on hers a split second before a loud grinding metallic groan sounded directly above them. The tangle of metal over their heads lifted about six inches.
Cody’s eyes shot to the rod in Riggs’ leg. It hadn’t budged. She followed it up, trying to see its origination point but the light from her helmet didn’t have enough range. The rig groaned again. This time when it lifted, the rod did as well.
Riggs’ yell had her nearly jumping out of her skin. The rod pulled all the way out of his leg. She fumbled for the med kit and spilled its contents all over the ground. With shaking hands, she snatched up gauze and put it over the hole in his leg, pressing her hand on top of it.
Another groan and the metal bar across Riggs’ chest lifted. “Move! Move!” She kept one hand on his leg and tugged on his arm with the other. “Get out from beneath it!”
Riggs wiggled until he was free from beneath the bar and then lay back, his chest heaving and his face pale and sweaty. Cody screamed into the radio. “Bronson? Can’t you go any faster?”
“We’re going as fast as—” His voice cut off, but she could hear others. They were screaming about losing something.
No sooner had she heard that, the rig jerked and she saw it coming down. She heard Riggs say, “Oh hell,” and suddenly time seemed to go into slow motion. Riggs nodded as he looked beside her and her eyes followed the direction of his gaze.
There was Joe. He was on his knees, his hands braced up against the rig as if he were holding it to keep it from falling. Riggs dove on top of Cody, shielding her with his body.
“We’re going to die,” she said.
“No, we’re going to make it.”
“If we do I’ll owe you more than a kiss.”
“Yeah?” She could hear the humor in his voice and marveled that he could find any at a time like this. “Does it involve being naked?”
Something happened in that instant. Cody realized that she might die in the next few seconds. There was nothing she could do to stop whatever was going to happen next. Everything was out of her control.
Everything but her own attitude. A million things went through her head and most of them focused on the same thing. How lucky she was. She might not have found happily ever after, but she’d been loved her entire life.
And in this moment, if it was in fact her final one, she’d seen a man throw himself over her to try and protect her, sacrifice his own safety for hers.
“It damn sur
e involves being naked. Repeatedly,” she answered.
“That’s my girl,” Riggs whispered in her ear. “Hang on sugar. Here we go.”
Cody squeezed her eyes shut tight and clung to him as the metal around them shrieked and groaned like a giant beast in its death throes. It seemed to go on forever—them trapped in this hell of darkness, noise and fear.
And then there was light. She opened her eyes. She could see light. The rig was lifting away on one side. Shouts from the people bolstered her hopes. Maybe they had a chance after all.
Then someone yelled, “Oh shit!” and before she knew it, the light disappeared and she fell into darkness.
Chapter Fourteen
Cody sat straight up with a scream, fighting at the blanket that covered her. For a few moments she had no clue where she was. In her mind, she was trapped with Riggs.
When a nurse, a woman she’d gone to high school with, ran into the room, Cody realized where she was.
“Hey, hold on!” The nurse, Sandy, ran over to Cody’s bed. “You’re okay, honey. You’re in the county hospital.”
“Riggs?” Cody grabbed Sandy’s hand. “Where’s Riggs?”
“Riggs?”
“Jaxon Riggs? He was in the accident with me. Where is he?”
“Oh. He’s in room two-ten just down the—”
Cody didn’t give her time to finish her sentence before she was yanking out her IV, climbing off the bed and heading for the door. She yanked it open and collided with Hannah.
“Whoa!” Hannah grabbed Cody by the arm. “Where’re you going?”
“I have to see Riggs!”
“He’s going to be fine. And you’re supposed to be in bed.”
“I don’t need to be in bed. I’m okay.”
“I know you are, but—well you gave us a scare, Cody.”
Cody let Hannah steer her back into the room. The nurse, Sandy, smiled at Hannah. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“My clothes!” Cody yelled. “And someone to sign me out.”
“Cody, get back in the bed.” Hannah gave her a gentle shove. “Please.”
“Fine.” Cody wouldn’t have admitted it, but she did feel a little wobbly. “You’re sure Riggs is okay?”
“I am.”
“So what’s happening out there at the site?”
“Well, it’s been a pretty interesting two days.”
“Two days? I’ve been here two days?”
“Yes.”
“That can’t be right.”
“Well, it is. And you were sedated. In fact, knocked out. It was the only way they could keep you in the bed without restraining you.”
“Why would they do that? Is something wrong with me?”
“No, thank god. It’s a miracle. I mean, that’s what people are saying and not just the family. Even people at the site. No one understands how you and Riggs survived. When the line broke on one of the cranes, it caused another to snap from the strain and the rig basically collapsed again. It took them three hours to get you and Riggs out.”
Suddenly, it all came back to Cody. “It was Joe.”
“Joe?” Hannah’s eyes grew round. “As in—”
“Yeah, Joe—the angel. He was there.”
“Cody, you probably just imagined— “
“No, I didn’t. I saw him before I went under the rig and then he was there, kneeling on the ground and holding the rig up long enough for Riggs to dive on top of me.”
Hannah shook her head. “Look, I’m not calling you a liar but—”
“I know what I know, Hannah Jean.”
“And I know that tone. Fine. The point is, while you were out, a lot happened.”
“So tell me.”
“Well first off, Cade and Roxie took off out of town together. He said they’d be back in a week or so.”
“Where’d they go?”
“No one knows. Not even Dini.”
“Strange.”
“Yeah, no kidding. And Lucas Quinlan and Herbert Pursell came to the rescue with the rig by bringing in men and equipment. They sat down with Cooper and Wes yesterday and made them an offer to combine companies.”
“You think Coop and Wes would ever go for that?”
“I don’t know, but their fathers did say Cooper and Wes would be in charge.”
“You think they’re serious?”
“I don’t know, but they’re talking, and Wes’ mom, Mary, is really happy about it. She seems to think that Herbert is sincere. Cooper isn’t convinced. Devina finally confessed that Lucas is the one who sent her here. He paid her an insane amount of money and she’s already hightailed it back to wherever she came from.”
“Well, I’m not sure Cooper and Wes should buy into what their dads are selling but that’s their business. Everything okay with you?”
Hannah’s face flushed, alerting Cody that something was up. “Is something wrong?” Cody asked.
“Actually, something’s right,” Hannah said and smiled. “Cooper is moving in with me?”
“Say what?”
“We decided last night. That rig thing, it made me think, Cody. I mean you and Riggs could have been killed. Life is fragile and precious. Too precious to waste. I’m crazy about Cooper and I think he feels the same way.”
“Crazy as in walk down the aisle and have lots of babies?”
Hannah shrugged. “Maybe. I guess I’ll find that out soon enough, but right now I know I want to be with him, so I talked with Pressley and she agreed. He’s moving in today.”
“Have you told Mama and Dad?”
This time, it was a grimace that came onto Hannah’s face. “Not yet.”
“Want me to be with you when you tell them? For backup?”
“Would you?”
“You know I will.”
“Thanks. Now, what can I do for you?”
“Cover for me so I can go see Riggs.”
Hannah grinned. “Oh yeah, make me an accomplice.”
“Always.” Cody climbed off the bed. “Now look out and make sure the coast is clear.”
Hannah complied. She opened the door and looked out. “It’s clear.”
“Love you, little sister!” Cody gave Hannah a quick kiss on the cheek and took off down the hall.
Riggs’ room was three doors down. She pushed it open a crack and looked in. He was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, covered to his chest with a sheet. There was no one else in the room.
Cody hurried inside, eased the door closed and walked over to stand beside the bed.
Riggs’ face was bruised on the left side pretty badly, as was his left arm, and what she could see of his neck and chest. His right arm looked better but bore three different bandages.
She placed her hand on his chest and leaned down to kiss him on the forehead.
“Nice, but I thought the deal was for naked.”
When he spoke she squeaked and jumped. “You’re in no shape for naked, Jaxon Riggs.”
“A man can dream.”
“You saved me. You risked your life for me.”
“Just did what any man would do.”
“That’s not true and you know it, Riggs. You saved me and I owe you.”
His face might have been bruised all to hell, but his smile still packed a hell of a sexual punch. “Well, now that you remind me, that does bring us back to the fact that we did make it, which circles us back to that little something about getting naked.”
“You have a hang up on naked.”
“So you’re welching on the deal?”
“Hell no, I’m not welching, but I am delaying.”
“Cause you’re afraid of getting caught?”
Cody laughed. “No. I’m looking out for you. If I got naked with you right now I’d probably kill you. Seeing as how you’re all laid up and knowing that it takes old people a lot longer to heal.”
Riggs laughed and after a moment so did she. “You’re gonna be trouble, aren’t you, Cody Sweet?”
“Hmm
, maybe. I thought that’s what you were looking for?”
“Funny, but I thought that was my line.”
“Oh?”
“Well, yeah sugar. I’m the stranger who rides into town on a bike and walks into a bar. The jukebox is playing my song just as I spot the hottest brunette I’ve ever laid eyes on. So I have to ask—you looking for trouble?”
“I most definitely am.”
Riggs grinned. “So how long until they cut us loose?”
“Not nearly soon enough.”
They both laughed and Riggs took her hand. “I’m thinking Cotton Creek is gonna be a whole lot more exciting than I anticipated.”
Cody leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. “You have no idea.”
***
Roxie waited until they were seated at the table in Cade’s kitchen with plates of sandwiches and chips before she said anything about her mysterious trip. He had offered to stay with her, but she wanted to do this alone. She and Dini were best friends. She deserved to hear this from Roxie.
Roxie had also invited some of her new friends. She hadn’t known them long but they had become important to her and deserved to know. So along with Dini were Cody and Hannah.
Cade had promised he’d be back in a couple of hours. Roxie was pretty sure that in two hours’, life as they knew it would change dramatically.
It took more than half an hour for her to tell her friends the whole story. It took two hours of questions before Dini was ready to move on from the tale of Roxie’s marriage to Danny.
“Cade’s some guy,” Dini commented. “So did you tell Danny you were going to divorce him?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you think he understood?” Cody asked.
Roxie shook her head. “He didn’t even know who I was.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“Yes. I am. I never thought I’d hear myself say it, but I’m at peace with it now.”
“Damn, honey, I wish you’d told us all this before. You didn’t have to bear this by yourself.” Dini reached out to cover Roxie’s hand with hers.
“Yes, I did,” Roxie said softly. “But I appreciate it. You guys are the greatest. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you before now, but this is something I had to deal with alone.”
“Until Cade.”
