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“Uh, I plead the fifth!”
“No way! I didn’t think I was.” She frowns.
“You’re just not as neat as we are, I think it’s leftover from you know who.” I sigh, Riley’s ex was in a way just as terrible as mine.
“Well, you say neat and I say neurotic.” She chuckles.
“Ha ha.” I roll my eyes. I am glad we have the kind of friendship we can be utterly and completely honest with each other and not worry about losing the other.
Chapter Two
“We’re getting all wet!” I complain, my blonde hair sticking to my face.
The rain comes down instantly soaking my clothes. Even my panties are soaked to my skin. Of course on the rare occasion I’m actually wearing underwear and this happens. But I look up at him, his smiling causing my heart to beat in my stomach. He takes me by the hand and I laugh with him. Only he would find a situation like this amusing.
“Don’t think about that!” Cody shouts back smiling.
I am about to protest, how the hell could I think about anything but the rain soaking us to the literal bone, when he leans in to kiss me. His lips are on mine and I can’t think about anything else. The rain stops, the sounds of the city stop, everything is background to this kiss. When he finally pulls away, he pushes the hair out of my face, and gives me a smile I can only describe as love. I smile at him, the calm to my storm. The stress drips from my body.
Cody had taken me on a sushi date in Central Park as an attempt to celebrate our one year anniversary. Although it was actually two days ago, I was working a huge case and I couldn’t get the night off. I was so close to making partner, I couldn’t take the risk right now. So he had surprised me after work today with the entire night planned, only to be rained out. He’s carrying the leftover sushi that we saved before running out of the park as fast as we could. I don’t know how edible it is at this point, but I appreciate the sentiment.
We are currently standing under the awning of the nearest Starbucks, hoping to wait it out. Unknowingly to us there is a huge hole in the awning soaking us probably more than just the rain would have. But Cody is laughing, this huge belly laugh, and I can’t help but smile at him.
His long, dirty blonde hair is matted to his forehead, his face is otherwise clean cut. His beard freshly shaven, his hazel eyes looking more green today. His motorcycle jacket is hanging over my shoulders, having given it to me when we both thought it was just a few rain drops. God, how wrong we were. His arms are shown off in his tight black t-shirt and for a second I admire him.
If this were any other day, with any other person, I would probably be fuming. Demanding to go home and vowing to never see them again. I mean, what person plans a date out without checking the weather first? Of course I could have, I assumed he had and well, you see where that got us. But this isn’t any date, and this isn’t any man. Cody had walked into my life when I least expected it and turned it completely upside down; the yin to my yang.
“Let’s go back to my place and we can salvage this sushi with a bottle of wine and a bath.” He pulls me back in close and I smile.
“AndGreys Anatomy?”
“Wow, you’re really pushing it huh?” He laughs, throwing his arm around me.
“We did get rained on,” I point out.
“Oh god, I know better than to argue with one of the best lawyers in New York City. I guess I’ll suffer through another episode.” He shakes his head smiling.
We run as fast as we can toward the 57th street station, well I hobble because how am I supposed to run in four-inch heels? He leads us down the wet steps careful, to hold my hand so I don’t fall. I fight the urge to tell him I don’t need him to hold on, enjoying the comfort. We don’t sit on the train, our clothes too soaked and not wanting to ruin the seats for anyone else we hold on. Well, Cody holds on and I hold onto him. I lean into his chest, inhaling his musky cologne and the scent of fresh rain.
When we finally get to his apartment I’m almost dry. My hair looks like wet spaghetti and my makeup has started to run, but Cody steps ahead to run me a bath. I put his jacket on the hook by the door.
His apartment is large for something in the city. It wasn’t exactly a penthouse I was used to, but it was cozy. He has a smaller living room but the view makes it worth it. The buildings lighting up the night sky must have been part of why he chose to live here. He has a typical bachelor apartment; no throw pillows and simple decorations. It is surprisingly clean, but then again he had probably hoped I would be stopping by tonight.
I walk into his bedroom, a queen size bed taking up most of the room. The bed unmade, the black curtains drawn, an oversized dresser with a flat screen tv hanging above. I change out of my clothes and walk into the bathroom naked. He glances at me then raises an eyebrow, looking at all of me. He makes me feel even more naked, a chill running through my body.
I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss. He pulls me against his bare chest, a low moan escaping his lips. He surprises me by lighting candles and joining me in the tub. I swear he’s something out of a dream. A lot of the time it’s hard for me to feel like I deserve him.
“Come here.” He’s facing me in his oversized tub, pulling me in close. His chest full of tattoos on full display, like my own personal art museum.
I think he’s going to kiss me but instead he somehow slides my body so his hands are on my shoulders. His soapy hands work wonders on my too tense shoulders, and I sink into him. I close my eyes, smelling the strawberries and cream scented candle, enjoying this massage. He stops to tease me, grabbing my chest and kissing softly along my neck.
I usually have a million things on my mind, all the cases I’m working and how to win them, my friends, my family, but right now all of that slips my mind. Cody is the one person I can truly relax with.
We met almost a year ago, one night when my best friend Riley decided to punch out the creep who was hitting on me. It’s a long story but since then, it’s been Riley and Sawyer and Cody and I.
For a long time, Cody and I tried denying it. Our feelings, the idea of a relationship; or at least I did. I had my heart broken too many times to fall headfirst into anything. Which is how we became friends, and after a while we became more. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly it happened, because if I had seen it happening I probably would have stopped it. But now, we have fallen in love stronger than I had in a very long time. The way I feel about him is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It’s cliche as fuck, and I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but part of me wonders if he’s my soul mate.
I’m not sure if I believe in them, but if I did, I had to believe it would be Cody. Part of me keeps up this wall because of it, knowing what happened the last time I had given my heart to someone so openly. I won’t make that mistake again.
