by Ciana Stone
“Can you blame her?” Cody asked.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Roxie said. “So what now?”
“We wait and see what happens with Hannah and Cooper,” Cody said. “And get ready to open this place.”
“On it.” Roxie got to her feet.
“I’ll help,” Dini offered.
“Only if you’re on the clock,” Cody said. “No working for free.”
“Works for me, but I don’t have a shirt.”
“I can take care of that,” Cade said. “We have a stack in the office.”
Roxie burst out laughing and everyone looked at her. “Sorry,” she said, stilling chucking. “I was just imagining the look on the faces of the dudes tonight when they get an eyeful of Dini in cut-off jeans and a Honky Tonk Angels shirt.”
“Oh girl, we’ve already christened that ship and let me just say…woo!” Cody said and grinned.
“Damn Skippy,” Roxie added and then pointed a finger at Cade. “And you. You watch where your eyes go mister. I know ways to turn a man from a rooster to a chicken in under ten seconds.”
Cade laughed, along with everyone else. “Yes, ma’am.”
Roxie smiled at him and he saw love shining in her eyes. It filled him with a warmth unlike anything he’d ever known, making him eager to get on with their own plans.
Namely getting her a divorce and making her his.
Chapter Twelve
Roxie rolled over, fumbling for the clock as the shrill, persistent beep shattered the silence. The past few days had been a whirlwind. She and Cade had returned last night and, despite the lateness of the hour, had spent most of the night making love.
“What time is it?” Cade asked as she rolled back over next to him.
“Five thirty,” she said with a yawn.
“Five thirty? God, who gets up that early?”
“Me.” She snuggled over closer to him. “I normally run, but this morning I think I’ll skip it. After an hour’s sleep I don’t think I have the energy for running.”
Cade yawned and ran his arm beneath her. “I don’t have the energy for anything.”
“Nothing?” She raised her head and looked at him with a suggestive smile as she ran her hand down his body.
“Well, maybe that,” he agreed and rolled over with her beneath him.
“Ummm,” she purred as his hands moved over her body. “That feels delicious.”
“You are delicious,” he murmured as he moved his lips down her neck.
Roxie sighed in pleasure, forgetting about the lack of sleep. All time slipped away as they explored each other with their hands.
Cade gently awakened her body with his touch. Roxie reveled in the sensations, riding the waves of pleasure his hands and mouth created. Her body was his to manipulate, his to explore. For the first time in her life, she had no fear of what surrendering control would bring. Love had changed all that. It changed the quality of a touch from mere physical pleasure to the pleasure that comes from an emotional connection.
His mouth moved from her nipple to the underside of her breast, causing her to arch toward him as she sighed. He ran his tongue up her cleavage to the base of her neck. There he feasted, fueling both their passions.
She grew wetter but he kept the movement of his hands slow and rhythmic. When his body moved up hers, she could feel his hardness against her hip. Her hand traveled down his hard chest and stomach. She stretched her fingers in the tight hair that surrounded the base of his shaft. She stroked his length with her fingertips, circling the pulsing head. Her rhythm matched his, touch for touch, stroke for stroke. As their mouths met and connected, they pleasured each other with their hands, lovingly fondling one another.
Soon it wasn’t enough. Roxie needed that ultimate connection. She needed him inside her.
“I need you…in me,” she whispered in his ear after her tongue traced his lobe. Her hand guided him into her as he positioned himself between her legs. Her body quivered as he entered her.
Hours later, the ring of the phone pulled her from a sound sleep. Untangling herself from Cade’s arms, she reached for the phone, seeing the lighted display of the clock on the nightstand announcing that it was after ten.
“Hello? Hey, Jasper. Yeah, it’s Roxie. You want to talk to Cade? Oh, okay. Yeah, tell her I’ll call her in a few minutes.” Hanging up the phone, she sat up and brushed her hair back over her shoulders. “Sorry. I didn’t even think before I answered. Anyway, that was Jasper. Dini was looking for me. I really need to talk to her and fill her in on everything.”
Cade pushed himself into a sitting position. “Are you nervous?
“Only that her feelings will be hurt that I didn’t tell them before now.”
“She’s your friend, honey. She’ll understand.”
“You’re right. I just don’t want her to be hurt. I’ll tell her—but not today. I need to make sure I do it at the right time.”
“It’ll be fine, baby. Oh hell, what time is it?”
“After ten.”
“God, I’m late,” he grumbled. “Got food and beer deliveries this morning. I need to call Cody and tell her I’m running late.”
Okay.” She stood and padded naked to the bathroom. “I’ve got to shower but there’s plenty of room if you want to join me.”
“As soon as I make this call.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Cade watched her firm ass as she crossed the room and blew out a breath. Damn if the woman wasn’t too tempting for his own good. And he couldn’t be happier.
*****
Hannah opened the front door and smiled at Cody. “Seriously? You brought coffee?”
“Well yeah.” Cody stepped inside the house. “What’s so weird about that?”
“Nothing except that I do have a coffee pot and know how to make coffee.”
“I didn’t know if the kitchen was completely set up yet.” Cody followed Hannah through the front room. “But this room looks great.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Hannah paused and turned around to look over the room. “I just love it.”
“Me too. You and Pressley did good. And you really seem happy about renting the place.”
“Oh god, I am. You hungry?”
“No, I ate. What else have you done to the place?”
“Well, take a look.” Hannah led the way. “We’ve gotten the kitchen all set up, except we need a little curtain for the window over the sink.”
Cody looked around and nodded. Leave it to Hannah to make a place look like something out of a magazine. It was cozy and country but with a definite touch of class. Kind of like Hannah.
“It’s really pretty.” She put the two take-off coffee cups on the counter.
“Isn’t it? Oh, look what we did to the little den.” She headed across the hall.
Cody admired the new framed prints on the wall, the new drapes, and noted the pair of men’s shoes under the coffee table in front of the couch. She turned to Hannah with a smile. “I can’t wait to see what you’ve done new in the bedroom.”
“No!” Hannah sprang in front of her as she started for the door. Cody laughed.
“I guess those size twelves belong to Coop?” She indicated the shoes under the coffee table.
Hannah blushed but smiled. “Don’t you dare tell Mama.”
“Tell her what? That Coop spends five nights out of seven here?” She laughed at the surprised look on Hannah’s face. “Girl, ever since Cade came up with that plan to get Devina to fess up, you completely forgot to be mad at him.”
“I did not. I just—”
“Don’t want Roxie and Dini all over him. Girl, I get it.”
Hannah smiled and headed back for the kitchen. “I do believe him, you know.”
“So do I.”
“You do?” Hannah picked up one of the to-go coffees and sampled it.
“I do.”
“So, you think Devina is in cahoots with his father?”
Cody shru
gged. “Could be. But it doesn’t matter. If she can’t cause Coop trouble, then she might as well leave.”
“I wish she would.”
“No reason for her to stay.”
“Unless she sets her sights on Cooper’s father.”
Cody shrugged. “Whatever. I saw him the other day.”
“You did? What does he look like?”
“Well, Coop favors him and honestly he’s not bad looking for his age. Has that air about him that rich folks have, that look down your nose at the common folks thing.”
“I wish he and Mr. Pursell hadn’t gone into business together. It really makes Cooper unhappy. Pressley and Wes, too.”
“But they did, so we deal. And you know they had to do it. Had to prove to Wes and Coop that they could do better.”
Hannah took a seat at the table. “Don’t you find that strange? I mean, Mama and Daddy always said they wanted us to do better than they did. Cooper and Wes’ fathers seem threatened by the idea that their sons could succeed on their own.”
“They probably are. I mean, if Wes and Cooper are just as successful, then what power do their dads have left over them?”
Hannah sighed. “I just don’t see why they need power.”
“Because it’s all they have. Me and you had it good. We have parents who love us and all they want in return is love. Wes and Coop—well, their family life was different. I don’t imagine their dads rolled around on the floor with them, or had water gun fights, or tea parties in the tree house, or any of the things we had.”
“That’s what I want.” Hannah sipped her coffee and smiled. “I want children I can give the same things we had as children.”
“You’d be a great mom.”
“You think?”
“I do.” Cody looked toward the door at the sound of feet in the hallway. A second later, Cooper walked in, sporting a pair of loose boxers and no shirt.
“Oh shit. Sorry.” He started to back out of the room.
“No worries. I was just leaving.” Cody stood and gave Hannah a smile. “Enjoy your day off.”
“I will. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes’um.” Cody gave Cooper a smile as she headed out. “See ya, Coop.”
Once outside, she got into her truck. For a moment she sat there, looking at the house. She was glad Hannah and Cooper had worked things out and they didn’t have to cook up some elaborate plan to try and get the truth from Devina.
She was glad Hannah was happy and hoped it continued.
Cody pushed back the niggle of envy. Okay, so she hadn’t found anyone. Well, she had, but the one she wanted didn’t appear to want her. That didn’t mean she’d always be alone.
At least she prayed it didn’t. And she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Cade and Roxie had taken some time off and left last night for parts unknown. Thankfully, Dini and Callie had both volunteered to pitch in, and Cody’s dad had offered to help as well.
Cody looked forward to the nights her dad worked the bar. He brought happiness and laughter to the place with his stories, easy laugh and ready smile. It made Cody smile just to think about it and that reminded her that she had a lot to be grateful for.
So rather than wallow in misery over what she didn’t have, she was going to swim in the water of gratitude for all she did have. Like a bar to run that was making her money hand-over-fist, so much that by year’s end, she could pay off the rest of the ranch and her folks’ place in town.
And that, she decided, was something worth being happy about.
Chapter Thirteen
Cody was walking down the sidewalk toward her truck when she saw Wes and Cooper haul ass out of their office.
“Hey!” she yelled as she broke into a run.
Wes slowed to allow her to catch up. “Where are ya’ll off to like scalded dogs?” she asked when she reached him.
“There’s been an accident.”
Cody felt a big ball of tightness form in her gut. An accident at an oil drilling site was no joking matter. One that had both Wes and Cooper pale faced and running for their cars had to be major.
“What happened?” She ran alongside him as he followed Cooper.
“A rig collapsed.”
They reached Cooper’s car. Cooper was already inside the car, waiting for Wes. “I have to go,” Wes said as he opened the passenger side door.
“I’m going with you,” Cody announced.
“No. It’s best—”
“I’m going with you.”
Wes shrugged and opened the back passenger side door for her. As soon as she was in the car, she started asking questions. “What happened to make the rig collapse? Was anyone hurt? Have you called for ambulances? What about the fire department? Has anyone—”
“Cody, we have it covered,” Wes answered, then looked back at her to add, “A couple of men were hurt, but not seriously. One is trapped under the rig. He saved two other men.”
“Oh god. Who?” As horrible as it was, she hoped it was not anyone she knew.
“Riggs.”
Shocked speechless, Cody sat back and stared out the window. This couldn’t be real. She didn’t want it to be real. “Is he…?” She couldn’t form the rest of the words, couldn’t ask the question because the answer scared her.
“He’s alive.” Cooper cut a look over his shoulder at her. “But we’ve got to get him out.
Cody nodded and remained silent the rest of the drive. She felt sick. Physically sick. Sure, she hadn’t known the man long, but what she’d told Riley was the truth. She believed Riggs was the man for her, the one she was supposed to meet.
Now he could die.
Angrily, she swiped at the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She would not cry. She wouldn’t give in to that possibility. They were going to rescue him. He was going to be okay. He had to be.
The moment Cooper stopped the car and they got out, it was bedlam. Cody could see the overturned rig. Men were clustered all around it. Wes and Cooper shouldered their way through the crowd and she followed.
When they reached the rig, she saw Bronson and Jasper Weathers. “What’ve we got?” Wes asked.
“Riggs is under there,” Bronson answered. “He’s answering but he’s trapped. We don’t know if or how bad he’s hurt. We’re moving cranes in to right the rig, but we need to get someone under there to set some bracing and to be prepared with a med kit once we start to raise the rig. Just in case—”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Cooper asked. “How long until the cranes are here?”
“Five minutes,” Jasper said.
“So let’s get someone under there with Riggs.”
“That’s the problem,” Jasper said. “We’ve got no one small enough to get through.”
“Damn,” Cooper looked around at the men milling about. “There has to be someone.”
“There is,” Cody spoke up.
Wes, Cooper, and both Weathers brothers looked at her and she continued, “Me. I’m small enough.”
“No.” Bronson was the first to argue against it. “We can’t let you—”
“You’re not letting me do anything. I’m volunteering.”
“Cody, no.” Jasper took hold of her by her upper arms and leaned so his face was even with hers. “Listen to me. It’s not safe. I mean we’re going to do everything we can to get him out, but we don’t know how much damage there is to the rig. When we start lifting, anything can happen.”
“I understand that. But you can’t leave him alone under there so I’m going.” Her voice grew in volume and she emphasized her words by slamming her hands on her hips.
Jasper looked at his brother, then Wes. “You talk some sense into her.”
Bronson shook his head and Wes blew out a loud breath. “Cody, what’s Jasper’s saying is that there’s no guarantee we can get Riggs out alive. If you go under there, you could be killed.”
“I know.” Her hands dropped from her hips and her voice lowered. She did understand and she w
as terrified, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She couldn’t just stand by and let Riggs die. “I’m going so tell me what to do.”
Everyone looked around at one another. Finally, Bronson stepped up in front of her. “Okay, here’s what you’re going to need to do…”
*****
Hannah was headed out the door when Cade and Roxie pulled up behind the bar. “Where’s the fire?” he asked as he got out of the car.
“The drill site.”
It was clear that Hannah was upset. Her face was wet as if she’d been crying and her skin was pale, like someone who’d just received bad news.
“What happened?” Roxie hurried over to take one of Hannah’s hands.
“Cooper called. A rig collapsed and Jaxon Riggs is trapped under it. They’ve got equipment coming to try and right the rig, but they need someone under there with Riggs in case—” Her voice broke and she put her hand to her mouth to stifle a little sob.
Roxie squeezed her hand and looked at Cade fearfully. He hurried to put his arm around Hannah’s shoulders. “I get it,” Cade said. “They don’t know what has him pinned and how hurt he might be.”
Hannah nodded and swiped at her eyes. “They don’t have any men small enough to get under the rig so Cody’s doing it.” She looked at Cade. “My sister’s going under that thing. Cooper said it’s not safe. They tried to talk her out of it.” She turned her eyes to Roxie. “She could be killed.”
No sooner was the last word out of her mouth than she broke down and sobbed. Roxie looked at Cade. “Call Stella and Billy and tell them to get to the site. We’ll take Hannah and meet them there.”
“What about the bar?”
“To hell with the bar. It can stay closed one night. Make the call, Beckett.”
Cade nodded. As Roxie got Hannah situated in Cade’s car, he called Billy Sweet and filled him in. Two minutes later, he, Roxie, and Hannah were on their way. Cade hoped when they got there, it was not to more bad news.
Jaxon was an old friend, someone he’d met nearly twenty years ago. They’d kept in touch over the years and while they didn’t see one another often, Cade had always known that if he’d ever needed to call on Jaxon, he’d be there. He would have done the same, and right now he was. He’d do whatever he could to help save Riggs.
