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He set the tray on the table by the fireplace, then turned back to Summer, who hadn’t moved an inch. She was between him and the door, looking like she didn’t know which way to go.
He took one option away and closed the door before he turned to her again. “Say something. Please. Anything.”
“I...” She stared at the bed.
He stepped into her line of sight. “How was your day? Mine sucked. I missed you so damn bad, I couldn’t get anything done. All I did was think about you, wondering what you were doing.”
She met his gaze, hers accusing. “And if I’d ever come back?”
“No. But did I want you here with me? Yes. Desperately.”
She sighed. “Because all the times Natalie reminded you I was leaving haunted you.”
Damnit, he hated that she read him so well. But he also loved that she knew him so well, too. “Yes. But then I talked to my sister and she said something that made a hell of a lot of sense. She said sometimes things will pull us in opposite directions, but what we share will always bring us back together. So instead of continuing to think you were too busy to talk to me, I left you that message letting you know I wanted to talk to you. Even though you didn’t pick up, I knew you’d contact me as soon as you could. You did me one better and you came home early because you wanted to be back with me.”
“I shudder to think what might have happened if I hadn’t.”
His anger returned. “I can tell you exactly what would have happened. I’d have dragged her out of our bed and tossed her out on her ass, and she and I would not have been friends anymore. I’m not sure we are right now, but you managed to stay calm and keep me from tearing my relationship with her to pieces.”
“You’d have been well within your rights.”
“And I’d have regretted it. You knew that, so you took control of the situation when I felt anything but in control.”
She raised a brow. “Are you okay now?”
“No. Not even close. I won’t be okay until you are, because I know that shook you.”
Tears welled in her eyes again. “I don’t want to be here right now.”
“Then let’s go.” Cody went to his dresser, pulled out a T-shirt, and put it on. “Where do you want to go? A hotel? Texas? Paris? Your place in Wyoming? Belize? You tell me where and I’ll make it happen.”
Summer’s shoulders went lax. “How about we just go to the guest room?”
“You are not a guest here. This is your home. And I’m sorry you don’t feel like it is right now.”
“She came into our room.” Her voice cracked. The words shook with her disbelief, anger, and sadness.
He picked up the tray his sister made for Summer and headed for the door. He looked over his shoulder and found Summer still standing in the same spot. “We have another bedroom just a short walk away. No one will bother us there.” Not that he thought anyone would dare come up here again tonight.
Summer shook her head. “I’m not letting her run me out of here.”
Cody wanted to fix this. “We’ve made a lot of good memories here in this room. Let’s make some more.” He took the tray back to the table by the fireplace, set it down, and grabbed the matches. He lit the paper and kindling between the logs he’d already laid and blew to get the flames burning hotter.
Summer’s purse thunked on the floor behind him, the lights went out, then she joined him by the fireplace, taking a seat in one of the chairs. He sighed out his relief, turned from the flames, and knelt in front of her.
They needed this, the two of them tucked away in a room, in the quiet, together.
He met her sorrowful blue eyes. “Are you mad at me?” He hoped not. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
She shook her head. “No. Of course not. I’m just...”
He put his hands on her knees, hoping the contact eased her the way it did him.
She put her hands over his. “I just wanted to come home and surprise you and have it be this nice thing, and you and I would be so happy to see each other and fall into bed and...”
“It was nice. And I am incredibly happy you’re back. And I am going to take you to bed because I always want you desperately.”
She leaned in, holding his gaze, showing him everything in her eyes that she was feeling inside. Her pain wrecked him. “I’ve tried really hard to make a place for myself here.”
