25
Willow
Large clumps of rain splattered down as thunder roared and lightning flashed. The horses had been settled, with Rhett and Florence staying in the stables. There were no guests at the B&B, so Willow just hung out at the front entrance, watching the storm from the safety of the large hallway window.
Ever since she was a little girl, she loved it when lightning branched out like electrical trees in the sky, waking the dead, as her grandfather used to say.
Her mum’s grey cat, Smokey, curled around her ankles, purring quietly, no doubt after some treats. He was never bothered by any weather, taking life in his stride.
‘You’ve already had your dinner, which is more than can be said for me. Gran will wonder where I am.’
Smokey meowed, then padded away to the kitchen.
Willow steamed up the glass pane with her breath as she shifted closer for a better view of the storm.
She hadn’t really been needed at her mum’s, as most of the horses were all right with loud noises, but she still went along anyway, knowing there was a bit of a full house for dinner. Sensing an interrogation, she opted for animals over relatives, knowing they wouldn’t judge her impulsiveness.
‘You all right there, Willow?’ asked Florence, poking her head out of the kitchen doorway.
‘Hmm, yes. Just watching the rain.’ Willow glanced over her shoulder. ‘Luther all right?’
‘Yes. Your mum’s in with him.’
‘He’s always been the most nervous.’
Florence nodded. ‘Unlike Woody. I swear that horse is part human. He’s snuggled up to Sunray at the moment. It’s like he knows she’s scared. Bless them. I’m heading back in a sec. Just needed the bathroom.’
‘I’m waiting for the rain to die down so I can make a run for it to Gran’s. My dinner will be cold by now.’
‘I can fix you a sandwich if you want. You shouldn’t go out during storms. Can’t lightning electrocute you if it hits the ground or something?’ Florence nibbled at one pink fingernail as she frowned.
Willow looked back out the window. ‘I wonder what that feels like.’
‘What a thought!’ Florence dashed to the downstairs toilet, leaving Willow alone in the hallway once more.
A sudden flash lit the sky, swiftly followed by a cracking and smashing sound. Willow didn’t need to wonder what had happened because she witnessed it first-hand.
‘My treehouse!’ she gasped, slapping a hand to her mouth.
Even from her angle, she could clearly see half the tree was missing, and so was the little wooden house that had lived within its branches for many years.
She narrowed her eyes, peering closer to the glass. ‘Is that…’ She recognised the figure approaching the tree.
Sully, what are you doing? You could get struck by lightning .
Without further thought, Willow sprinted outside, hurrying across the sodden grass as fast as she could manage with the rain pelting her body from what seemed like all directions.
‘Sully,’ she called. ‘Sully.’
He turned, looked a tad startled for a second, then ran at her so fast, she almost toppled as he made a grab for her.
Willow suddenly found her feet off the ground and her body spinning in circles as Cody swirled them both around.
‘Bloody hell, Wills,’ he yelled, placing her down.
‘Look at the tree.’
The bark had been peeled like a banana, leaving fresh wooden wounds on display, and splinters and branches were scattered everywhere.
‘Never mind that,’ said Cody, pointing up at what was left of the treehouse. ‘I thought you were up there.’
‘It’s a tree in the middle of a field, and there’s lightning. I know I look stupid but—’
‘We shouldn’t still be here. Hurry.’ Cody tugged her across the field, heading straight for the main house.
‘Oh, Sully, our treehouse,’ she spluttered, as soon as they entered the kitchen.
Cody closed the door on the storm as Willow made her way towards the crackling fireplace to dry off.
Fran came rushing in. ‘Willow. Thank goodness. We saw the lightning strike the tree, and Cody ran out before I could stop him. Do you both know how dangerous it is to be out in the middle of a field during an electrical storm?’
‘Yes, Gran. I was in the B&B. I only came out because I saw Sully by the tree. I didn’t know what he was playing at.’
‘Fran said you were picking up a laptop on your way here.’
She nodded at Cody. ‘I was, until I saw the lightning. Thought it best to skip that part of my to-do list.’
Fran shook her head. ‘Look at the state of you. You’re both soaked through. Go upstairs and get changed. Go on. Your dinner will keep.’
Willow didn’t need telling twice. She couldn’t stop shivering.
‘I’ll put the shower on,’ said Cody, tugging her into the bathroom. ‘We can warm up in there, get our PJs on, then sort you some dinner and me some hot chocolate.’
‘Ooh, I want some hot chocolate too.’
Cody whipped off his drenched clothing, and Willow encouraged him to do the same to her. Even though she was certain she looked like a drowned rat, she still tried for seductive, making him shake his head and smile.
‘Get in there.’ Cody took her hand, manoeuvring her into the cubicle first. ‘You nearly gave me a heart attack today.’
Willow sighed happily as the warm water sprayed down onto her long hair, rinsing away the raindrops and dead leaf. ‘You could have just called me.’
‘Your gran did. Your phone was in my room.’
Willow turned to face him, resting her hands on his bare chest. ‘We need to do something about that.’
‘Your phone not being with you?’
‘No. Joining rooms.’ She reached up to lightly kiss around his neck. ‘We’re going to be married soon. We need one room. So, mine or yours?’
‘Mine,’ he mumbled kissing her back. ‘It’s bigger. I can move my computer into yours. Get that out the way.’
Willow cupped his face, pushing closer into his body. ‘Good idea. We sleep in your bed most of the time anyway.’
Cody laughed on her lips. ‘More like you just crash on my bed. Nothing new there though, now that I think about it.’
‘You were always my favourite cuddly toy.’
‘Good to know.’
Willow turned back to the showerhead and started to wash her hair with some peach shampoo. ‘Hey, has anyone said anything to you about us yet?’
‘Like what?’
‘Like we’re rushing into marriage.’
‘Yeah, Finn, mostly, but I get it. We are rushing.’
Willow blinked away the suds and quickly rinsed her hair. She turned to face him, studying his eyes for signs of regret.
Cody quickly picked her up, pressing her back against the wall. ‘No, I’m not getting cold feet. I feel quite hot, in fact.’ He kissed her hard, and Willow was glad he was holding her, because she was sure her legs wobbled.
‘I love you, Sully,’ she whispered, her words mingling with the falling water.
His mouth travelled to her neck, peppering kisses along the way. ‘Even though I don’t look like your soulmate?’
Willow pulled back immediately and dropped her feet to the floor. ‘Well, that’s one way to kill the mood.’ She turned back to the spray and quickly conditioned her hair before leaving Cody alone in the shower.
Wrapping one towel around her body and using another to rub over her hair, she tried hard to lose the tension seizing up her joints.
Ooh, that blimmin’ picture. I wish I’d never laid eyes on the stupid thing. Why can’t he just let it go? It’s so annoying. Argh!
She stomped over to the closed toilet seat to flop down, drying herself along the way.
The shower was still steaming up the room, and Cody was making it known he was staying put. He might have fussed over his hair more than her, but even he didn’t take that long to wash his locks.
Willow’s shoulders slumped as she inhaled deeply. They were supposed to be husband and wife soon, but how could they move forward when Cody was so stuck in the past? He was haunted by a psychic reading that she now deemed fake.
Wiping away a tear, Willow stared at Cody’s silhouette. All she wanted was to be back in the shower with him, wrapped around his waist again.
This is so stupid, but what am I supposed to do? How can we get married with this hanging over us? Maybe I should email Mystic Maureen. She deserves a piece of my mind .
Willow marched off to Cody’s bedroom, flinging off her towels in a rage and grabbing one of his tee-shirts from the wardrobe to slip on. She clutched her phone and scrolled until she found what she was looking for.
‘You, lady, are getting it both barrels.’
With that, she slumped to the edge of the bed and typed away furiously, letting Mystic Maureen know exactly what kind of damage her scheming, manipulative ways had caused.
As soon as the email was sent, Willow’s shoulders slumped once more. She knew her rant would fall on deaf ears, but the fact it was off her chest was something at least. She tossed her phone to the navy beanbag over by the window and folded her arms in a huff.
Cody appeared in the doorway, looking completely adorable with his floppy wet hair and towel-wrapped waist.
Well, that’s just unfair!
Willow couldn’t help but stare as he closed the door and turned the key. The traitorous butterflies in her tummy fluttered to life as his eyes met hers with intensity.
‘Sorry, Wills,’ he said softly, not looking half as sorry as he did sexy.
Willpower was at play, showing her she definitely lacked in that area. She squeezed her hands together as Cody approached the bed. Now wasn’t the time to go soft and fall into his arms. Not those gorgeous forearms of his anyway. And certainly not those strong biceps that could hold her up with ease. No, sir. It wasn’t happening. Words were needed.
Willow swallowed hard as Cody prowled across the bed like a lioness. Her bottom lip trembled, so she bit it quickly to stop the laughter from bursting out. What was he playing at, acting daft at a time when they needed to talk things through?
‘We have some unfinished business,’ he mumbled on her neck as he closed in.
You can say that again!
Willow controlled her breathing, sitting her butterflies down on the naughty step. ‘Sully, we—’
He kissed away her words, causing her heart to melt and her mind to drift off to fluffy white clouds, where soft music played, soothing each part of her soul.
Willow relaxed further into the bed, closing her eyes and uncurling her body. The gentleness of his lips trailing her skin brought peace and balance, and all insecurities fizzled away to nothing.
Cody mumbled her name as he lost his towel and her top, bringing her legs back around him, which were swiftly followed by her arms.
There was nothing else for it, Willow no longer wanted to talk. Cody’s arms were her favourite place to be, and his mouth finding hers to kiss away their worries was welcomed wholeheartedly.
‘I’m sorry, Wills,’ he whispered, lowering his forehead to hers.
‘It’s not your fault. But this will go away. I’ll show you every day that you’re the only man for me. No matter what. I love you so much. You are my soul, Sully.’ She met the love in his gaze and brought him back to her mouth, praying he could feel the strength in her words, because she had to find some way to keep him with her.
Cody apologised again, and Willow couldn’t control the sniffles that followed.
‘Hey, hey,’ he said softly, bringing them both up to a sitting position.
She snuggled into his arms, grimacing inside at her overwhelming emotions. ‘I’m scared now,’ she admitted.
Cody swept back her damp hair and looked deeply into her glistening eyes. ‘What are you afraid of, eh?’ he asked quietly.
‘Losing you.’
‘No, no. That won’t happen. I promise you. Hey, you’re my Wills. You’re more me than I am. Always have been. Even when you’re not with me, you are. I don’t care what happens to us on our travels through life, I’m not going anywhere.’ He lightly kissed the tip of her nose, then cradled her onto his lap, wrapping the quilt over them both.
‘It’s that picture. I know it’s messing with you.’
‘I’m done with it. Just then, in the shower, I had a word with myself, and I’m so over that thing, I swear. Truth be told, I’ve never believed in any of that stuff anyway. I was just insecure because I know you do. I’m scared I’ll lose you if someone else comes along looking like Kippers, that’s what runs through me. I don’t think I could take it, Wills.’
Willow peeled herself from his chest so she could face him. ‘Oh, we sound so stupid. What a pair we are. Look, if neither of us are bothered about that drawing any longer, then can we please just get on with our life now? All I want is us. I wish I could make you feel what I feel about you. How I can’t wait to be your wife, have your children, spend every day with you. Sully, please, find a way to feel my emotions.’
‘I can feel them. I have them too. You’re my everything, and I’m ready for us. I really am. I can’t wait to get married, but even if we weren’t, I’d still be happy as long as we’re together. I swear, I have never felt so vulnerable in my life.’
‘I know, it sucks, right?’
They laughed on each other’s lips, then embraced, holding on tightly.
‘So,’ said Cody, kissing her temple. ‘We’re totally doing this, yes?’
‘Sex or marriage?’
‘Both.’
‘That would be a hell to the yeah. I’ve already got my new signature down.’
Cody breathed out a laugh. ‘Willow Sullivan. I like it.’
‘I love it, and I love you, so wriggle down in this bed with me and make love to me all night.’
‘You have my word that will happen, but first you need to eat. You haven’t had dinner yet.’
‘Maybe I’m only hungry for you.’
Cody grinned. ‘Smooth.’
‘I’ll eat. After.’
‘Oh, we’re just making all sorts of sensible decisions tonight.’
‘Part from when we stood under a tree during a storm.’
He kissed her mouth, shushing any more words about to form, and Willow melted into him, murmuring quietly as she made their souls one.