Page 31 of Mountain Dreams

“In that case, maybe you can stay with Cody for a while.”

“I hate to be a nuisance.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t see it that way.”

Avery gave her a knowing smile, but what, exactly, did she know?

“In the meantime, plans change, and if we get a vacancy, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you so much. I appreciate it.”

After she left, Maddie let out a big sigh. Now Avery was involved in her drama too. She seemed eager to help though, and it was comforting to have someone else on her side.

Suddenly she realized that Cody might return at any moment. If she didn’t hurry and get ready, he was apt to catch her in the shower. The nipple incident in the kitchen had been bad enough, and she couldn’t risk another chance encounter like that.

However, a few minutes later, when she was standing naked under the warm spray, she closed her eyes and recalled his reaction. Surely, the man had seen plenty of nipples, but he’d looked long and hard at hers as they’d poked against her robe. His eyes had glazed over, his cheeks had flushed, and he’d tripped over his words. It was very un-Cody-like, especially compared to the guy she’d known in high school.

Teenaged Cody would have probably made a suggestive comment about her being happy to see him. Instead, he’d seemed shy and uncertain, revealing a side of himself she’d never seen. As she ran the bar of soap over her breasts, she decided there was a lot more to him than met the eye.

Yes, he was “easy on the eyes,” as Avery had said, but he also possessed a genuine sweetness that he hid behind his flirtatiousness. Could it be that he was the total package: sweet, sexy, and…?

“Honey, I’m home!” Cody’s deep voice carried up the stairs and stopped her in her tracks.

“I’m in the shower!” she shouted.

He chuckled. “Need some company?”

Now there was the guy she knew from high school. “I’m good,” she said, stifling a laugh.

“I guess I’ll have to wait down here, then.”

“Be out soon,” she called.

She hurried through the rest of her shower, chastising herself for being so preoccupied with thinking about him that she wasn’t even ready yet. The sooner she found an apartment, the better; otherwise, who knew what might happen if she continued to stay there?

Eleven

Maddie came downstairs dressed in jeans and a striped sweater, her silky blonde hair shining in the mid-morning light. He still couldn’t believe that she was there, brightening up his cabin as only a woman can do—her in particular.

“Have a nice shower?” he asked.

“Um-hmm. I would have been ready earlier, but I had a visitor.”

His eyebrows raised and then furrowed. “Wyatt?”

She shook her head. “Avery.”

He could have kicked himself for bringing up Wyatt, but thankfully, she didn’t seem disturbed by it.

“What did my future sister-in-law want?”

Maddie smiled. “She was very sweet. We sat and drank coffee and talked.”

He was dying to know what they’d talked about, but he decided not to ask. “Avery is a sweetheart. God only knows what she sees in Jax!”

She gave him a faux scowl. “He’s your brother.”

“He’s also a grumpy know-it-all who still tries to boss me around. But other than that, I guess he’s okay.”