Pretty Face

by Hunter, Sable

  * * *

  When it was time for Hunter to leave, he came to her office to let her know. “I’ll be back in the morning.”

  “Okay, have a good night.” She had the door open about six inches. The scarred part of her face was hidden.

  Hunter pivoted to walk away, then paused. “Look, you’ve got a big project here. It’s going to take some time. Would you be averse to my working past five a few days a week?”

  Cody shook her head. “No, whatever would be easier for you.”

  “Great.” He smiled a beautiful smile that made Cody go weak in the knees, then he was gone.

  “Whew!” She leaned against the wall. This was nuts. “I ought to write a book about this, it would be a best seller,” she mumbled, then sadly laughed. “I’d have to make up the happy ending, but the rest could be real-life.”

  When she entered the kitchen to get a snack, it occurred to Cody that she would need to make other arrangements for her meals. Oh well, she always had her grill and the slow-cooker. Opening the refrigerator, she was disturbed to find a brown bag with Hunter’s name on it inside. “You didn’t eat,” she groaned. “What am I going to do with you, Hunter Reed?”

  When her cell phone rang, she stood up so abruptly, Cody cracked her head on the bottom of the overhead freezer door. “Ouch!” Holding the soon-to-be bump, she went to grab it. “Hello-ow-ow-ow,” she moaned.

  “What’s wrong, Sage?”

  Hunter’s voice was filled with so much concern, Cody almost melted. “I hit my head on the refrigerator door.”

  He chuckled. “You must be hungry.”

  “Starving,” she admitted. “I didn’t eat much today.” She’d been too busy mooning over him from a distance.

  “Invite me over and I’ll sate your appetite.” His seductive teasing tone sent shivers over Cody’s skin.

  “I wish,” she said with a sigh.

  “This is one wish I could fulfill—now—tonight. Tell me where you are, baby. I need you so much.”

  Suddenly the whole thing was just too much for her. Cody began to cry. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Hey, hey…” Hunter’s heart swelled with love. “Don’t be sad. I’m right here. So close. Just say the word and I’ll kiss those tears away.”

  Cody’s mind whirled, desperately seeking a way—any way. If only she could meet with him in the dark, where he couldn’t see her. But that was just stupid. “Tell me about your day.” She tried to change the subject. There was silence for a moment.

  “Okay, we’ll play it your way for a while, baby. I’m committed to be here for a few weeks. I took a job renovating this woman’s kitchen, but you’ve got to give me something…some hope that I haven’t come on a fool’s journey.”

  Her heart ached, but she couldn’t blame him. Offering hope might be cruel, but she could always pray for a miracle. “I’ll do my best. Just give me a little time.”

  Hunter let out a long, hard breath. “I love you and I trust you. Your best is more than good enough for me.”

  Cody hung her head. How was she going to survive this?

  * * *

  The next day, Hunter arrived in a jubilant mood, and Cody couldn’t help but react positively to it. He laughed, he joked, and he even petted the animals. “Something smells good,” he declared as he came in from the back where he’d carried another load of old wood for the dumpster. Today was a work-from-home day for Cody. She’d forced herself to remain scarce but the coffee pot had drawn her like a siren. Being around Hunter was a heady temptation also. Just being able to study him face to face was amazing. Cody memorized his expressions, the way he moved his hands and the inflections in his voice.

  “I have a pot of gumbo in the slow cooker.” She’d prepared it early and moved the appliance to the dining room so it wouldn’t be in his way. “You’re welcome to have some. I noticed you didn’t eat your lunch yesterday.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate that. I love gumbo.” He nodded with a grin. “I got busy yesterday, talking to my girl.”

  His girl. Her heart palpitated.

  Cody wanted to ask him questions but it seemed wrong, like she was spying on him or something. Still, she couldn’t be rude. “May I pour you a cup of coffee?”

  “Sure, I’d like that.” When he began to whistle, Cody’s heart swelled. She knew it was Sage’s promise to see him that had put Hunter in such a good mood. The same couldn’t be said for her, she was wracking her brain to come up with an answer to their problem. An answer they could both live with.

  As he worked, she poured his coffee, added cream and sugar, and walked it over to him. “Here you go.”

  Hunter stopped and took the mug from Cody’s hands. He took a sip. “Perfect. How did you guess?”

  Uh-oh. From their many exchanges, she’d automatically put in one cream and two sugars. “Lucky, I just fixed it like mine.”

  Hunter thought it a little strange, but he let it go. “Since we’re relocating the sink, I need to turn off the water for a while and pull out the pipe.”

  “Of course, let me go to the little girl’s room and fill up the animals’ water bowl before you do. It won’t take but a second.”

  When she’d yelled to tell him to go ahead, he went outside and found the cut-off valve. Upon returning, he took a hack saw and began to cut the pipe.

  “I’m just going to get my coffee,” Cody said as she came back into the kitchen. “I left it on the counter.”

  No sooner had she walked right behind him that a whoosh of water began to spray out of the pipe toward her, hitting her with such volume that it almost knocked her down. “Yikes!” She squealed.

  “Damn, I guess I didn’t find the right cut-off valve. Shit.” He ran back outside while Cody vainly grabbed some dishtowels to hold over the pipe to stem the gush of water. It was a good thing all the wood would be torn out of the kitchen, she thought wryly with a smile. Hunter’s face when the water sprayed out had been priceless.

  Abruptly, the spray stopped. He’d found it.

  “I’m so sorry,” Hunter said. He had a mop in his hand that he’d found near the back door. “I’ll…” What he saw before him left him speechless. Cody had been dressed in a simple thin white dress, something she wore when at home, he supposed. It was perfectly presentable and modest.

  Unless it was soaking wet…and then it was see-through.

  Hunter’s eyes almost bugged out of his sockets. His unassuming little client had been hiding one spectacular body.

  “Don’t worry about it.” She laughed. “It was quite refreshing.” Cody dabbed at her face, realizing her hair was wet and the scar would be more prevalent.

  “I don’t know how I made such a mistake,” he croaked, unable to take his eyes off of her. She wasn’t wearing a bra and the damp material perfectly molded two full round breasts crowned with dark red suckable nipples. Her waist was narrow and the way the dress was clinging to her thighs, he could see the outline of her mound clearly. Shit, he’d been too long without sex! His cock filled and Hunter was hard and throbbing in a matter of seconds.

  Wheeling around, he looked away from her before he embarrassed them both. He pointed to the side, toward her. “You probably need to change, I’ll mop up.”

  It was a moment or two before it dawned on Cody what Hunter was talking about. She’d been about to help him clean the water from the floor. When he pointed at her, she glanced down and nearly died. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.” Wrapping her arms around her body, she fled like the devil himself was after her.

  Hunter watched her go with a great deal of regret—because what he could see of her backside looked just as delectable as the front.

  When Cody reached her room, she was mortified. Well, she didn’t have to wonder what Hunter thought of her looks. His reaction wasn’t one of a typical male who saw a pretty girl with all her best parts showing, it was of one who’d seen something he’d rather not have to look at twice. Feeling heartsick and humiliated, she changed clothes.

 
Hunter dried up the floor, removed the pipe and got another one hooked into the water line. All the while, he couldn’t get the way Cody Napier had looked out of his mind. Who would have thought she was hiding such a delectable little body beneath those professional type outfits she favored. And she’d been such a good sport about it. Truthfully, he knew that Sage had his typical focus shot-to-hell or he would have paid more attention to what he was doing. Oh well, he needed to take care of business.

  Cody hid in her office until nearly noon, then she walked quietly to the dining room and plugged in the rice cooker. In about twenty minutes, lunch was ready. Easing to the door, she saw that Hunter was capping the pipe so he could turn the water back on. She couldn’t help it, she bit her lips to keep from laughing. Even if she’d shocked his sensibilities with her wet T-shirt type display, the whole incident was sorta funny. “The gumbo is ready, if you’d like some lunch,” she offered.

  At her invitation, Hunter’s stomach growled. “Thanks, I’d love some. The canned chili I ate last night didn’t go very far.”

  Cody felt guilty. He was here in a strange city, staying at a motel, eating canned food because of her selfishness. “Come eat, I’ve been told I make good gumbo.”

  “Let me turn the water back on and rinse off my hands.” He headed outside and was back by the time she had it dished up and iced tea poured.

  “Here you go. Would you like to sit with me or would you rather I take mine to the back?” She wasn’t about to force her company on him if he’d rather be alone.

  “I’d rather have someone to talk to, if that’s okay.” He sat down at the long cherry dining table, taking a moment to look around at his surroundings. When he went on a job, he was always so intent on what needed to be done, sometimes he really didn’t notice a lot of detail. “This is a nice place.”

  “It belonged to my nana,” Cody answered without thinking.

  “Nana?” Hunter perked up at the familiar word. “Sage calls her grandmother Nana.”

  Quickly, Cody added, “Actually, this is my great-grandmother. Many people use the word nana in this part of the world.”

  He took another spoonful. “This is ambrosia. I’m not sure what they were making in Colorado, but it wasn’t this.”

  A bit of pride filled Cody’s heart. “I enjoy cooking Cajun, Creole, and Tex-Mex. It relaxes me.”

  “Sage has told me all about the cuisine here. Louisiana cooking was one of the things I was looking forward to about the visit.” He took another bite, wondering if his trip was in vain. “She used to drive me insane telling me what she was cooking for dinner.”

  Cody decided she would cook for him while he was here. “Well, I have to eat every day. Why don’t you just plan on joining me or taking a plate home every night? I’d enjoy having someone to cook for.”

  “You’re very generous.” Hunter sipped some tea she’d prepared, the way she’d looked in that wet dress never far from his thoughts.

  “Do you mind if I put on some music?” She thought it might take the pressure off them having to think of something to say.

  “Sure, what kind of music do you like?”

  Cody opened up. “I love jazz.”

  So had Sage, he remembered.

  “Of course, everyone does down here. Louisiana is famous for their soulful blues and spicy zydeco.” Immediately the air was full of a catchy tune with an engaging rhythm. “Do you dance?”

  Hunter shook his head, that sexy mane of hair sliding over his shoulders. It was longer than the last picture she’d seen of him. “No, I stick pretty close to home.”

  “I enjoy it, I don’t do it often but occasionally my girlfriends and I go to this club where they feature local bands.”

  The idea of Cody and her perfect little body gyrating to the beat made Hunter hot with desire. Damn, he had to get a handle on this feeling. He was here for Sage. “I bet you have a good time.”

  “Yea, I do.” She’d even been known to dance with a man or two if the club was dark enough to hide the details of her face. “Want to try?” Cody had no idea what came over her, but this seemed like the best excuse she’d ever have to get to touch him. Couldn’t blame a girl for trying.

  Hunter almost said no, but her hopeful expression did something to him. “You’ll have to show me how.”

  “No problem, I’m an expert,” she joked. Pushing the chairs and table to one side, they made room. She held out her hand and he took it. Standing next to him made her heart pound. So many times they’d fantasized about the first moment they’d meet. How they would act. The thrill of their first touch, the first kiss. Hunter would tell her how he planned to take her in his arms, push her against the door and run his hands up her thighs, aiming for the soft place between her legs that got wet every time she thought about him. Now, here she was. It wasn’t the same—there’d be no first kiss, no erotic play. But she could touch him.

  “I don’t know the steps,” Hunter said as he pulled her close, her small hand in his. His palm settled just below her waist.

  “They’re easy.” She took it slow. “Follow me. Slow, quick, quick. Eight beats, two mirrored beats of four. Shift your weight and turn.” It wasn’t hard, Hunter had natural rhythm, and soon he started leading. “That’s right, you’ve got it, you’re a natural.”

  “This is fun. Thanks, I needed it.” He even twirled her around, and she gasped when Hunter held her even closer.

  Instead of looking him in the face, she kept her head down on the pretense of watching their feet. Truth was, she just couldn’t handle his direct gaze into her face.

  “Look up at me,” he spoke out of nowhere.

  Was he a mind reader? Shyly, she did, but only about halfway.

  “Don’t be so shy, I won’t bite.”

  “It would be easier if it were dark,” she confessed.

  “Dark, you dance better in the dark?” His tone was light.

  “My partner has a better view in the dark.” Since honesty wasn’t necessarily her policy, Cody was surprised at her own candor.

  Hunter didn’t immediately understand her self-deprecation. When he did, he didn’t like it. “Nonsense.” Her scar was noticeable and it bothered him because it appeared to be deep. The corner of her eye was pulled down just the slightest bit. At first, it was all he could see when he looked at her face but now he was more apt to notice how big and pretty her eyes were or how soft her lips looked. “Any man would enjoy dancing with you.”

  That was all Cody could handle. “Would you like dessert? I have pralines.” She pulled out of his arms, turning away to pick up a dish off the table, holding it out to Hunter.

  “Sure, thanks.” He took one of the delicacies and placed it in his mouth. He could see she was uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Waving her hand, she dismissed the idea. “Oh, you didn’t.”

  Trying to gain back her favor, he changed the subject. “Tell me about your teaching job.”

  Taking a deep breath, Cody settled back in her chair, pouring them both some more tea. “I was one of those kids who buried themselves in a book. I graduated early and lived in the lab. I’ve had a few articles published and made a few minor discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics.” Giving him a slight smile, she finished, “I’m head of the department.”

  Hunter was floored. “My God, I took you for a teacher’s assistant. You’re a PhD!”

  Cody laughed. “You say that like it’s a communicable disease.”

  “Sorry, you just shocked me.” He stood up. “You don’t look like a doctor, you look like a…” He was at a loss for words.

  “You don’t have to finish that thought,” she told him quickly, picking up their dishes and placing them in a basket to take care of later.

  Hunter could tell he had offended her. “I was going to say you looked like a regular girl.”

  “Oh.” She glanced at him. “Well, I suppose that’s understandable.”

  “Thanks for the dance.” Hu
nter took her hand. “I was wrong, Cody. You’re not regular, you’re extraordinary.”

  Her heart racing so fast, she felt dizzy. Cody accepted his caress. “You’re very kind.” She looked up into his face and his eyes met hers. He looked down at her mouth, then back up into her eyes. Slowly, he lowered his head…

  Hunter was about to kiss her! Her! Of their own volition, her lips parted and she felt her body being drawn toward his. The anticipation was almost more than she could bear.

  Lips would touch lips.

  Breaths would mingle.

  Her nipples would be pressed to his chest.

  “Hunter.” She sighed, going up on tiptoe, offering him her kiss.

  Hunter wanted the kiss so much. It had been two years since he’d felt a woman’s body next to his. Two years since he'd felt a woman’s lips. Two years since his cock had had any relief other than by his own hand. Sage. Sage. God! What the hell did he think he was doing?

  “Sorry,” he blurted, backing up so fast he almost tripped. “I’ve got to work.” With that, he almost bolted to the kitchen.

  “Well, foot,” Cody whispered, tears fast welling in her eyes. “That was close.”

  Hunter stood in the kitchen trying to compose himself. He was shaken, hard, and horny. And not for the woman he’d come to claim for his own, but for someone else entirely. Feeling guilty, he picked up his crowbar and took his frustrations out on innocent wood and tile.

  When it was time to go, he didn’t go tell Cody. There was nothing for her to approve. He’d only succeeded in clearing out the old to make way for the new. During the drive home, he tried to call Sage but there was no answer.

  He tried again that night, more of the same.

  She wasn’t on Facebook either.

  Disgusted with himself and with her, Hunter went to bed and tried not to dream.

  Chapter Four

  Hunter came early and worked hard. He began by framing the cabinets and cutting out the doors. Her preference was for clean lines and since there wasn’t a lot of router work, things would go fairly fast.