Page 95 of All for Love

He chuckled in response. “Yeah, babe. I’m alive. Didn’t you get my text? Anyway. I’m here. Could you open the door?”

“Here? As in, at my place?”

“Yep. I’m right outside. I’ve been knocking. Come to the door, but, uh, don’t freak out when you see me, okay? I can explain.”

My brows mashed together. I practically flew off the sofa and raced to the door, still holding my phone to ear. I jerked it open, and only when I found myself really looking into those warm blue eyes did I slowly let my hand slide back to my side.

Kody’s eyes were warm, but they were also black. He was roughed up beyond belief where he stood on my welcome mat, smiling sheepishly despite the fact that it looked like it was causing him pain. He held up a pastry bag and a tray of coffees with the hand that wasn’t in a cast.

Once again, worry raced through me. I stepped back and waved him in, needing to see if he could actually walk or if he was more injured than he was letting on. “Where have you been? I was worried sick. What happened to you? Are you okay?”

He strode into my house and set the sustenance he’d brought with him down. I shut the door behind us and marched into the kitchen after him. When I got there, he lifted one of the coffees out of the tray and handed it over, then slid his uninjured arm around my waist and pulled me to him where he was leaning against the counter.

The fresh, masculine scent of him was so comforting it brought more tears to my eyes. He was here, he was real, and he was banged up but okay. If I wasn’t afraid of hurting him further, I’d have freaking punched him.

“What happened?” I whispered as I tilted my head back to look up at him. “I knew you were in trouble. I flipping knew it.”

“I got in an accident. It wasn’t because I went flying off the handle because of my brother. Good old black ice, is all.”

“Shit, Kody.” I searched every inch of his face, then lowered my gaze like I was hoping to develop x-ray vision to be able to determine whether he had any more injuries hiding beneath his black leather jacket and high-collared shirt. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” he said easily, like it was nothing at all. “Are you? Please tell me you didn’t cry all night because of me.” Concern shone clear as day in his eyes, and a crease appeared between his eyebrows. His expression softened. “You did, didn’t you?”

“Well, no. I mean, yes. I mean I…” I blew out a heavy breath, trying to get my thoughts in some kind of semblance of logical order. “My mom came over last night. We got into it. How did you know I was crying all night?”

He stroked his knuckles gently across my cheek. “Have you looked in a mirror yet? It was either that, or a severe allergic reaction to a bee or something. Since you’re here and not in a hospital, I’m assuming it was tears.”

“Are you really okay?” I checked before I stepped back and let my anger show once he’d nodded. “Well, that’s great, Kody. I’m really glad you’re okay, but I’m also unbelievably pissed at you. Why the hell did you tell our parents we were together?”

“Oh. That.” He grimaced, dragging in a deep breath through his nostrils before he reached for me again, but I took another big step back. “Well, uh, I can explain. Is that why your mom came over last night?”

“Why else would she have been here? Her whole world is falling apart because of this, so I’ll repeat the question just one last time. Why the fuck did you tell them about this?”