Chapter 49
Her little pink tank was pastel and soft. Her hair smelled like vanilla. His lips tasted like limes and pineapple, a unique combination I hadn't expected to like. Her body was made of curves, and her eyes were as blue as the summer sky.
The moment Cody pressed her mouth to mine, every one of those details was seared into my mind - along with one other thing. She wasn't just a little tipsy. Cody Jennings was staggering because she was so drunk.
When I eased her back, I swore she deflated.
After that, she ordered another whiskey - and not a shot this time.
That, she downed like a champ, but I had a feeling she had no intention of stopping.
Fuck, but I'd embarrassed her. And while I really wanted to tell her I was flattered, I also knew everyone in here had seen that.
"Everything ok?" Jorge asked a moment later.
"She's had a few," I tried to explain.
He grinned at me. "Yep. That's obvious. Don't worry, you're safe."
"Right."
"We're handling it," he promised. "But you get to take her home. We don't have a ride."
"Ty'd let you use - "
"And have been drinking," Jorge reminded me. "Jake, you're fine. Trust me, man."
I nodded, because of all the people who'd know, I had a feeling Jorge and Isaac had a little better intel than Ty on this one. Still, pissing off Tanner was a bad fucking idea, and those men had made it clear how bad one second could hurt.
But when I looked back to check on Cody, she was gone. I was just about to panic when I saw Ty twirling her around the dance floor. He made Cody spin every chance the music gave him, and she was starting to giggle again.
And she really could not dance.
But it was cute. Of all the things I'd expected to endear her to me, that hadn't been on the list. Yesterday, I would've said it was her logic in front of the media, her ability to ride any bull she was given, and her tenacity.
Now? Well, I hadn't realized that under all her serious was a giggle that sounded so sweet.
But when Ty was done with her, Cody was doing a bit more than staggering. She had one hand planted on his chest for balance as he led her back, and her eyes were visibly tracking.
"The world needs to stop spinning," she whined.
"And that," Ty told me, "is your cue to take her home, Jake."
Cody just nodded. "Can I have some water first?"
"How about we get that on our way out," I told her, stepping in so she could shift from Ty's side to mine.
"You have the guys' numbers?" Ty asked.
"Yep."
"Call them if you need them," he said. "Or me if you can't get them, but she'd rather have them."
Which made Cody do that motorboat noise again. "They need to have fun. I need some water." And she rocked her head over to look at me. "Don't call them?"
"Not unless I have to," I promised.
"Have fun!" Ty teased. "I'd be threatening you, but you already proved you don't need it."
"No, sir," I assured him. "And I'm more scared of her than you."
"And J.D.," Ty reminded me.
"She still wins," I said, turning her toward the bar we'd pass on our way out. "Hey, can I get a bottle of water on my tab and close out?"
"Name?" the bar tender asked.
"Jake Cunningham. Pretty sure she has a tab going too. Cody Jennings."
I got our credit cards back first. Cody managed to sign for hers, but it was more of a line than anything resembling a signature. The water came last, and the moment I cracked the top open, she was sucking at it. Yeah, hopefully that'd help, not make her puke in my truck.
But when I got her outside, she leaned in a little more.
Clearly, she'd been trying to do her best "sober" impression, and unaware how bad she'd been failing.
So the moment we reached my truck, I opened the door for her and helped her in.
I went so far as to make sure she got the seatbelt on, then headed around to my side.
"I'm sorry," she said, the moment I closed my door. "I was so stupid."
"You were having fun," I reminded her.
She giggled a little at that. "I was. Jake, they don't hate me."
Ok, at least she knew who I was. Well, who she was with. But when she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, I expected her to pass out. The whole way back to the hotel, she was quiet, and her head was turned to the window, so I could only assume her eyes were closed.
But when I parked, she turned back to me, proving she hadn't passed out. "Jake? The world is turning."
"I'm sure." I released my seatbelt, then hers. "So, do you want me to carry you back to your room or are you walking? Think about that while I get to your door."
Hopping out, I hurried around the nose of my truck. But the moment I opened her door, she said, "Walking," and tried to slide out of the seat on her own.
"None of that," I chided, catching her around the waist to help her down.
Damn, but she was a little thing. Not light, just tiny. Cody had to be around five foot five or so, and while she was made out of muscles, her waist was a lot smaller than I was used to grabbing. Cody probably had a six-pack of abs, though. Most riders did.
"Ok, arm around my waist," I ordered. "If you're doing this on your own feet, then at least let me help with balance?"
"I didn't mean to kiss you," she said.
Which made me chuckle. "Oh, I'm pretty sure you did."
"I didn't mean to mean to kiss you," she tried next, which only barely made sense. "It just, um, kinda happened."
"And we're good," I promised.
But she ducked her head, keeping it down as I guided her through the lobby. One of the women at the front desk looked up, watching us as we passed, but she didn't try to stop me. At the elevator, I pressed the button for the next to top floor, then shifted us both over to lean against the side.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Stupid," she mumbled.
"Why?"
That made her look up. "Because I kissed you! The one time I try, and I fucked it up."
So I caught her chin, watching her eyes shift from the alcohol. "No, Cody. You definitely did not fuck it up. The liquor did."
"Huh?"
The car dinged, announcing our floor. Taking the break from a talk that was a little more intense than I wanted, I led her out and toward her room. At the door, she had to fumble for her key, but my mind was spinning, so I didn't really mind the delay.
What the fuck was I supposed to do with this?
Did I tell her I'd almost kissed her back?
Did I admit how I'd started to think of her as more than a friend and shit all over both Tanner and J.D.
like that? How the fuck was I supposed to handle this without destroying the amazing friendship she and I had going?
When her door opened, she staggered in without letting go of my side.
That pulled me along with her, but I hadn't planned on leaving her alone, so it worked.
Hopefully, she would head to bed and pass out before the guys got home.
Then, I'd be able to explain everything to them, keeping it all on the up-and-up.
And then I saw her entire room. "Whoa," I breathed.
"I know," she said. "Deviant got it for Tanner, I think."
"Where's the bed, Cody?"
She pointed to the left, then the right. "But they're in here, and I'm over..." Her hand moved again. "There."
"Then let's get you someplace soft," I said, leading her that way.
Shit, they had a kitchen in here? Ok, it was a small one, but still! Beside it was a real table, and across from that was an actual living room. I was taking notes because I might need to get her something, but I didn't slow down.
She kicked open the bedroom door with her foot, showing clothes scattered across the bed. Not caring about that at all, she flopped forward, crashing onto the mattress on her side.
"It's still spinning," she groaned.
"Oh, I'm sure," I teased. "Cody, you are so drunk. You also drank a lot more than you realize, little miss lightweight."
But I was moving around her to gather up the clothes. Men's clothes. I couldn't be sure which one's, but it did make me wonder about how they handled their relationship. Did two of them crash together one night, then another two on a different one?
Nope, it was none of my business. I simply collected everything and moved it to the dresser across from the bed. Setting it all on the top, I turned back to make sure she was ok - just in time for Cody to pull off her shirt.
"Um..." Her bra was the same pink as her shirt, and lacy. God, I was dying. "Cody?"
"I need a shower," she said.
"Nope," I told her, making my way to her side. "You can have one of those in the morning. Trust me, it'll make the hangover easier to deal with. Now, let's put this back on you..."
"I'm not sleeping in my bra!" she huffed.
"Ok," I mumbled. "Then hand me your shirt. I'll get that the right way around, you can take off your bra, and I'll give this back."
"Ok!"
She sounded so cheery about it, but the moment she gave me her shirt, I turned my back. I heard the bra clasp let go. Yeah, and I could imagine her sitting there topless a little too easily, but I focused on her shirt. I'd just gotten it the right way around when she shoved that pink bra at me.
"Trade!"
"Here." I accepted the bra - and waited. "Tell me when you're covered?"
"I'm good," she said a moment later.
Setting her bra on the foot of the bed, I checked to make sure she wasn't lying. Nope, covered, but that shirt was tight enough it wasn't hiding much. Still, this was the part she'd need my help with.
"Ok," I said, grabbing her foot. "Boots off. Lie back and let me help, ok?"
"Ok!"
I pulled off one, then the other. Those went on the floor, then I made my way a little higher. "Ok, Cody. I'm taking your belt now."
But she just reached down, popped open the buckle, yanked at the denim so her zipper slid down, and pushed. Thin strips of satin hugged her hips, but she got her jeans down to her thighs in one shove.
"And I'm grabbing the ankles here to help," I told her. "Lift?"
She bucked her hips up in a way that was going to give me even more dirty thoughts, but I yanked her jeans off and added them to the pile I was collecting.
"Now get under the blankets, Cody," I ordered.
She did, asking, "Jake? Can I have more water?"
"From the sink or a bottle?" I asked.
"Sink."
"Yes, ma'am."
I carried her things over to go beside the man's, then slipped into the attached bathroom. Like in all hotels, there was a glass on the counter. Filling that, I returned to Cody's side one more time and passed her the glass.
"Sit up," I said, easing myself down beside her hip. "It's full."
She took the glass and sucked most of it back. When that was empty, she offered it up, but those blue eyes of hers were watching me almost timidly.
"Ty said you like me." She dropped that out there like an explanation. It also demanded a response.
So I nodded a few times. "I do, Cody. You're amazing. You're also my friend. So are J.D. and Tanner."
"Yeah, but it's ok. J.D. said so."
"And they didn't tell me that," I pointed out. "But more than all of that? Cody, you are drunk."
"I know."
"And," I went on, "it doesn't feel good to think the only reason a woman would want to kiss me is because she's too intoxicated to think straight. Never mind the consent issues. You are drunk, Cody. Very, very drunk."
"But Ty..."
I groaned, cutting her off. "I am not Ty. I'm me, and I promise I'm not offended, ok?"
"I wanna ask if we're still friends, but I know you'll say yes because you have to."
Yeah, she had a point. She was wrong, but this? It was what made her so amazing. Somehow, she saw right through all the bullshit - even this drunk!
"Look," I said, resting a hand on her leg. "We're good enough friends that I'm not going to judge you for doing something drunk that's just like something I'd do."
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "Because I'd need a little liquid courage to kiss someone like you. Knowing she has two boyfriends? That makes it even more terrifying, and I'm not a brave man."
"I think you are," she said, turning her face toward me even though her eyes were closed. "You stood up to Donald Merrill for me. You helped me when you shouldn't have. You also have really nice dimples, Jake."
"And I had fun with you tonight," I said softly. "Now sleep."
"Mm.." she murmured. "I like the shirt too." But her words were already drifting off.
And still I couldn't help myself. I smoothed a hand over the fabric on my chest. "I picked it to impress someone." Then I leaned in and turned off the light, listening as her breathing evened out.