Page 29 of Cody (Maine Silver Foxes)

A lina

Six months later...

I’d just finished ordering supplies for the coming month and sat back in my chair with a sigh of contentment.

On the third Saturday of every month, I went in before the café was open to do the necessary inventory and paperwork.

Otherwise, I took the weekend off. Sarah, who’d come to work for me full-time, worked Saturday and Sunday with Layla.

Layla still worked for the Italian restaurant down the street but had wanted a part-time weekend job to pay off the credit card debt she had accrued from Christmas shopping.

I reached for my coffee and took a sip of the lukewarm brew.

I was in a good place right now, and I was thankful that I had decided to return home.

I opened Special Perks Café in July, and it was doing better than I’d expected, thanks to the homemade goodies we offered, the friendly atmosphere, and the two other new businesses that had recently opened nearby, one a gym and the other a dance studio.

Now all the stores on Main Street were occupied.

Customers also liked the rewards program we offered, allowing them a free cup of coffee and piece of pie for every twenty-fifth visit.

The holidays had been hectic, but in a good way.

There had been lots of families visiting from out of town, which brought in a lot of business.

Dan and Robin had visited for two weeks.

Dan hadn’t been home since Dad’s funeral, and it had been nice seeing him and Robin again.

Mom had been overjoyed. Even though they had stayed in Dan’s old room, I’d taken the opportunity, at Cody’s insistence, to stay with him so that Mom could have some time alone with her son.

Every time I thought about those two weeks of playing house with Cody, it brought a smile to my face and my heart swelled with emotion.

I’d fallen in love with the man.

And I was fairly certain that he felt the same way about me.

We were taking things slowly—well, except for the sex. The sex had only gotten better, if that were possible. The intensity of our attraction to each other hadn’t begun to fizzle out. We spent a lot of time together, but we also knew when to give the other person space.

I hadn’t seen Cody for the last five days because he’d gone on a fishing trip to Florida with his brothers.

God, I missed him. Missed his gravelly voice and his grizzly bear ways.

Missed how he looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

He had a way of making me feel, and not just through touch. And I missed his cooking.

I laughed softly and took another sip of coffee, and then I heard a noise that indicated that someone had come inside the café. I glanced at my computer to see the time, surprised that Sarah had come in so early, guessing that she had something to take care of before the café opened.

“I’m back here!” I called out so that I wouldn’t scare her. She knew I was coming in this morning to take care of business, but I was usually gone before she arrived and opened up to the public because I often came in wearing my pajamas.

This morning I was wearing a blue flannel onesie with the built-in feet that Robin and Dan had gotten me for Christmas.

It zipped up the front and had cute little kittens all over it and was super warm.

I hadn’t taken the time to brush my hair before I’d left the house, and I realized that the unruly mass and the style of my sleepwear made me look like a big five-year-old.

I leaned back in my chair and stretched my arms above my head, letting out an unladylike groan.

I closed my eyes and thought about going home and going back to bed.

In this cold, wintery weather it would be so easy to burrow beneath the warm covers and fall back to sleep.

It would be nicer if my man were with me. The thought made me giggle.

“What put that smile on your face, baby?”

I jolted, my eyes snapping open as I dropped my arms. My man was standing on the other side of my desk with a gleam in his eyes that suggested that he was thinking impure thoughts. Especially with the way those dark, smoldering orbs slid lazily down my body.

“I was actually thinking about a man,” I teased, looking him over. He looked tired. “When did you get back?”

“Got back early this morning.” He came around to where I was sitting.

“Stopped at home to get cleaned up. Knew you’d be here this morning.

” He pulled me from my chair, his eyes once again scanning over my appearance.

His wolfy grin sent blistering heat through my body.

“Didn’t think I’d be coming home to a beautiful little sex kitten.

” The back of his hand ran gently over my cheek. “Missed you, woman.”

I knew it was coming. His kiss. Because Cody liked kissing me, and when he did it rocked my world and threw me into an instant arousal that had no bounds.

It was the match that always lit the short fuse between us, and the second his mouth slammed against mine I melted against him eagerly.

He crushed me against his unyielding frame and took what he wanted.

His hands glided slowly down my sides and around the small of my back, then lower still until he cupped my bottom.

My heart began to pound as we devoured one another like there was no tomorrow.

I moaned beneath the onslaught of his rough possession, aware that one of his hands had roamed up to tangle in my hair.

The other kneaded my butt. He yanked my head back and began to kiss my neck.

His breathing, and the way he was handling me, told me that he was already ready to fuck me.

“I missed you, too,” I panted, twisting my head so he had better access to the side of my neck. His kisses took him all over, most of them between a lick and a nick. I closed my eyes, moaning when his tongue pushed its way into my mouth.

He couldn’t seem to make up his mind where he wanted his mouth on me.

I willingly went with the flow, marveling at how alive Cody made me feel, how cherished. I’d learned early on in our relationship that when Cody gave himself, he didn’t hold back. He took, he demanded, and he was generous.

I was just growing used to the minty taste of his toothpaste when he pulled away enough to mumble, I’ve been wanting to fuck you on your desk since you opened up. Does this thing have a trap door?”

I couldn’t help it—I laughed, knowing that he was referring to my onesie, and I pushed him a step back. “No.” Under his watchful eyes, I reached for the zipper and slowly began to lower it. Cody’s smoldering gaze followed along as the material began to part away from my body.

His eyes burned me where they went. When I’d reached my breasts, he leaned forward and kissed where I was exposed, moving down as the zipper went.

“I don’t know if we have time to go all the way,” I cautioned, checking the clock and knowing that Sarah would be here soon.

My clit was already throbbing; I was so turned on.

“How soon?” he asked as his hands pulled my pajamas down my shoulders and arms, baring my body to the waist. His mouth latched onto a nipple.

“Maybe fifteen minutes,” I murmured. “God that feels good, Cody.” His hand slipped beneath the material between my legs. His finger raked over my slit, causing me to arch wildly and cry out.

“Fuck, you’re soaked for me,” he growled. “I want to taste you so badly, baby. I want your slick on my tongue.”

Oh, God! I could almost climax at his words.

“There’s so much I want to do to you.” His finger entered me, sliding in easily, I was so wet. “But I don’t want to start something I can’t finish.” He began to piston his finger in and out. Our faces were touching, forehead to forehead, nose to nose, mouth to mouth.

“I think you’re too late,” I said hoarsely in a weak breath. I began to move my hips, and when Cody added another finger, I knew it wouldn’t take long to fall over the edge. “God, Cody, that feels so good! Don’t stop! Please!”

I moved my hips faster, seeking the relief his fingers promised. His fingers thrust deeper, his thumb riding against my clit in a dance that would destroy me in the most pleasurable way. Our heavy breathing escalated and meshed, and I thought to myself that if he stopped now, I’d die.

“Don’t leave me!” I begged in a whisper-shout. I didn’t care that I sounded desperate.

“Never!” he snarled, thrusting harder. “I wish this was my dick inside you!”

God, me too! Had I said that aloud?

Grunting, and with blinding speed, Cody yanked the rest of my bodysuit down my legs.

His next move was just as hasty as he undid his pants and pushed them down to his knees.

In the next instant he picked me up and thrust his cock inside me to the hilt.

I released a cry of bliss and locked my legs around him as he began to pound fast, hard, and furious.

We reached our orgasms at a breath-stealing speed.

I screamed, convulsing wildly and helplessly as Cody roared against the side of my throat and shuddered violently as his warm seed filled me.

While his cock pulsed inside of me, I heard the distinct sound of someone coming in the front door.

Thank God for the bell above the door that alerted us when someone came in.

My eyes rounded with fear. “Did you forget to lock the door when you came in?”

He’d collapsed against me, but I could feel his head shake. “I...locked...it,” he rasped out of breath.

It had to be Sarah! I sucked in a breath and managed to call out, “Sarah, don’t come back here!”

“Okay!” she acknowledged back, her tone revealing that she thought my request was odd.

I relaxed, running my hand over Cody’s hair and down his sweaty back. “That was massively intense,” I murmured, trying to calm my racing heart.

We took a few minutes to come down. I would have been content to stay like that with Cody for much longer, but I knew that Sarah would remain quiet for only so long before she’d start in with curious questions.

I whimpered when Cody slipped out of me and stepped back.

He reached down, gripped my onesie, and brought it up my body in one smooth move as if he’d done it thousands of times before.

“Jesus, woman, I’m not as young as I used to be. If we keep this up, you’re going to end up killing me.” He kissed my forehead. “But what a way to go.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t go so long in between sex,” I sassed back, smiling.

“I like this thing,” he smirked, zipping me up. “You look sexy as fuck in it.” He rubbed his hand up and down my back, giving my bottom a squeeze every now and then. “I have a surprise for you.” He quickly drew his pants and zipper up.

“Oh, yeah? Did you bring me back a fish?” I joked playfully. I suspected he and his brothers had brought home lots of fish, as they usually did.

“I did,” he responded. “But that’s not your surprise.” I waited, holding my breath, his sudden seriousness telling me that what he was about to say was important.

“I love you, Alina.” He’d never said those words to me before.

My heart stuttered with a happiness I could barely contain.

“Never thought I’d say those words to anyone again, much less feel them.

But you’re it for me, baby. I want forever with you.

” He hesitated. “I wasn’t planning on asking you this here, but the timing seems right.

” He cupped my chin and ran his thumb over my bottom lip.

“Will you do me the honor of becoming the first Mrs. Gray?”

Cody reached for something in his pants pocket and pulled out a velvet box, opening to show me the beautiful ring inside.

It was a sparkling sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

Not the traditional engagement ring, but I knew why he’d chosen a sapphire.

He was always telling me how the color of my eyes darkened like them when I was aroused.

I swallowed, digesting his words and knowing how meaningful they were. Tears swelled in my eyes as emotion overwhelmed me. I couldn’t speak, I was so choked up, but I did nod enthusiastically and offered him my hand. I watched as he slipped the ring on.

“It’s beautiful, Cody,” I whispered against his mouth. Then, thinking about how he worded his proposal I added with a sauciness I knew he found cute, “And I’ll be your last Mrs. Gray.”

The End

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T hank you for reading my small-town, later-in-life romance novella. I hope you enjoyed it and will leave a review. Book #3, Lincoln, will be out in 2026.