Page 7 of Cody (Maine Silver Foxes)

A lina

I was halfway home when the realtor called.

Laurie didn’t like texting, and I didn’t like talking to her on the phone because she tended to get long-winded.

She was a sweetheart, eager to please and friendly, but after a while her high-pitched tone grated on my nerves.

However, I was eager to hear what she had to say about the store that I was interested in.

I pulled over to the side of the road and put my car in park.

“Hi, Laurie.”

“Good afternoon!” she responded with excited energy. “I got your text. I’m sorry I didn’t get right back to you, but I was showing a house to a newly married couple in a hurry to buy their first house. They were so cute—”

I cut in before she could say another word. “I’m interested in the old lawyer’s office at the end of Main Street. What can you tell me about it?”

“That’s great! It’s a convenient location for your coffee shop, being that it’s right next to the parking lot.

If people are in a hurry for their morning Joe, they don’t have to look around for a spot.

As you could probably tell by looking inside, it’s one big, open space.

There is a restroom and small storage room, too. ”

That explained the two doors that I’d seen in the back wall.

“It’s clean and doesn’t even need a coat of paint, unless of course you want to change the color. The carpet was cleaned, but I’m thinking you’ll want to change the flooring. The carpet is indoor-outdoor and kind of ugly.”

Yes, it was, and so was the dark, coffee-colored paint that was on the walls. I had in mind something mellow and light. I opened my mouth several times to speak, but Laurie just kept right on going. After a minute, I sat back and smiled. I couldn’t interrupt her enthusiasm.

It took her a couple of minutes to wind down. “It’s been vacant for a while.”

“That’s what Mia from the bakery shop said. How eager are the owners to get it rented out?”

I sensed Laurie’s trepidation right away because she grew quiet.

“Um, ah, oh God, Alina. I didn’t mention to you that the businesses on Main Street aren’t for rent?

” Her voice was heavy with regret. “If I forgot, I am so sorry. The buildings were sold to the city a long time ago, and the board decided to sell the shops to individual owners. It was really a smart move on their part. They made a huge profit on their initial investment. There are strict rules...”

I frowned at this bit of unexpected information, because no, she hadn’t mentioned it. It’s something I would have remembered. As Laurie began to ramble again, I let out a disappointed breath. I hadn’t intended to buy anything, at least not until I’d been home for a while.

“...get them down.”

I realized that I missed something. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

She laughed softly and took a breath. “I’m sure we can negotiate a lower price from what they’re asking.”

“And what are they asking?” She gave me a price that pleasantly surprised me, but then, this was Coldwater.

I didn’t have time to go over the pros and cons of renting or buying right then, and suggested, “Can you meet me at the store sometime soon with all the pertinent information and the paperwork? I’d like to look everything over first.”

“Love to! What about the day after tomorrow. Say ten o’clock? I really want this to work out for you, Alina. My goal is to get all the vacancies on Main Street sold by the end of the year.”

“Thanks, Laurie. I’ll see you Thursday.”

I sat pondering the news for a minute until I noticed a familiar truck heading my way. It was Cody. Afraid he’d think I was having car problems again; I pulled away from the shoulder and continued home.

Hours later, the pleasant aroma of dinner roused me from an impromptu nap.

I hadn’t intended to take one, but after I’d gotten home I’d gone straight back to my room and had begun making list upon list of to-dos for the coffee shop.

Once the scope of what I was taking on hit me, I fell back against the pillows with a heavy sigh and let it all sink in.

My experience would make it easy, but I was still overwhelmed by the amount of time and money that went into opening a new business. Especially opening one from scratch.

But I was excited, and eager to begin.

A faint noise indicated that Mom was banging around in the kitchen.

I also heard the TV. She had the news on, and I couldn’t help noticing that it was turned up loud.

Realizing I needed to get up, I began to stretch, throwing my arms above my head and arching my body with a loud yawn that turned into an even louder moan because it felt so good.

“Damn, woman, I want to hear you moan like that when I’m inside you.”

My eyes popped open, and I froze for a second before pulling my shirt down where it had ridden up to expose my belly.

The words, and the person who was speaking them, registered slowly to my somewhat dulled brain.

I bolted upright at the sight of Cody, who was standing in my bedroom doorway, filling it to the brim like he had every right to be there.

He looked all kinds of sexy in a henley that looked poured over his muscles, and a pair of faded, tight jeans that hugged his powerful thighs.

The grin on his chiseled face drew a responding one on mine, but it was the smoldering look in his eyes that took my breath away and set my blood on fire. Damn! I was instantly turned on just by his commanding presence. I asked him what the hell he was doing here.

“Dotty invited me to dinner,” he explained, while his gaze moved over me. “She sent me in to get you.”

“She could have called me.”

“She did.”

Oh. I moved to get out of bed. Cody moved at the same time.

“Let me help you.”

I laughed, swinging my legs around and setting my feet on the floor. “Newsflash, soldier—”

“Marine,” he growled.

“Marine,” I corrected. “I’ve been getting out of bed all by myself for years, and don’t need any help.”

He ignored me, and I quickly learned that Cody’s version of help meant grabbing me by the hand while jerking me up against him.

I caught my breath at the impact of our bodies.

He grunted. I hissed. Our eyes met and clung.

And for a moment, everything between us intensified with a velocity that caused a mixture of strong emotions to run through me.

“Did you do this on purpose?” I asked in a low tone. He smelled so good. Like a man should.

He spoke in a deep, guttural rumble that vibrated in his throat, “Had your ass against me yesterday. I wanted to feel those tits against me this time.”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed at his outrageous comment even as heat filled my cheeks. “Do you always say what’s on your mind?”

“Always.” He lowered his face close to mine, and my heart jumped as I anticipated a kiss that didn’t happen. “I’m going to have you, woman.”

Why did I get the impression that he was warning me?

I ran my hands up his rock-hard torso to his chest to show him that I could play too.

His muscles rippled beneath my caress. “You want to go for it right here, right now, with my mom in the other room waiting for us, or do you have someone waiting at home to take care of your needs?” I’d been about to ask if he had someone waiting to give him a blowjob.

Cody threw his head back and barked out a deep, rich laugh that made me bite down on my bottom lip to keep from kissing him. He was so sure of himself, which was a turn-on. It suddenly occurred to me how badly I wanted his mouth on mine.

His hands roamed down my back to cup my ass. I gasped when he began to grind his dick against me. “Tempting,” he growled with mild humor. I could tell he was barely holding on. His expression was stamped with full-on arousal, his eyes half-closed and dazed. “Are you a screamer?”

It was my turn to laugh. I really liked everything about this man. So far. But were things moving too fast?

I answered my own question. No. Not fast enough, as far as I was concerned. One-night stands were quick, and I expected that hooking up with Cody be the same. But it seemed that whatever it was that was happening between us was more like a tantalizing, drawn-out dance.

“Maybe someday you’ll get lucky enough to find out for yourself.” I realized that I was thrusting back against him and slowly losing my mind. One of us needed to show common sense, because Mom was right there in the other room. She was bound to come see what was taking us so long.

Since my hands were still on Cody’s chest I gave him a mild shove. “Mom is waiting, and I’m hungry.” It took everything I had to step around him as the quickie I envisioned flashed through my mind as if I were a ravenous whore wanting to be ravished.

“Me too.”

I giggled, aware that Cody was right behind me as I entered the kitchen. Mom was bent over, reaching for something inside the oven. “Mom, I didn’t know you and Cody were friends.”

“Did you forget that everyone’s a friend in this small town?” She turned around with a pan of garlic bread in her hand, her face flushed from the heat. “Were you napping?”

I nodded.

“Well, you are getting older.”

Cody released a snort, but I ignored him.

“Need help with anything?” I watched as she cut the French bread and put it into the breadbasket.

“All done.” She handed me the basket and reached around to untie her apron before slipping it off.

We made our way to the table, which was already set for three. A big bowl of pasta and a second one with sauce was set on a huge, wooden Lazy Susan in the center of the table, along with freshly grated parmesan cheese, crushed red peppers, salt, and pepper.

“Looks good, Dotty.”

Cody looked like a meat and potato kind of man.

His compliment, and the relaxed manner he had with my mother suggested that this wasn’t the first meal they’d shared.

Knowing the people in Coldwater and their penchant for get-togethers, like the cookout I’d been invited to that weekend, I imagined they’d probably attended some of the same gatherings.

Mom beamed at his compliment and said, “Alina basically made the sauce, but I did the meatballs.”

Cody pinned his smiling eyes on me, and I couldn’t help saying with a shrug, “What can I say? I have many talents.”

The slightest curve on his lips revealed that my meaning wasn’t lost on him. I got the feeling that my time was running out. That Cody wasn’t a patient man when he wanted something. He’d made his intentions clear, and the slut in me couldn’t wait for him to make his move.