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He laser focused on her face, not wanting to see anything else. The look of pure joy in her eyes turned to embarrassment, then rage when her gaze shot past him to Summer.
Cody turned his back on Natalie, not wanting to see anything more than he already had by accident.
“What are you doing here?” Natalie asked Summer.
“I’d like to know what you’re both doing.”
Cody was about to answer when he caught his sister and David’s surprised expressions as they took in this absurd scene from the doorway next to Summer.
“Oh, shit,” David and Brooke said in unison, showing how much in tune they were with each other.
Cody focused on Summer. She had a death grip on the strap of her purse hanging from her shoulder. She’d dropped her overnight bag at her side. Man, she was a sight for sore eyes even with the anger and suspicion flashing in hers. Behind that, he saw the fatigue.
Summer hadn’t taken her eyes off her sister in their bed.
All Cody wanted was for Summer to look at him and see the truth. “This is not what it looks like.”
“You look nearly as half naked as she does,” Brooke pointed out.
He held up the wet shirt in his hand.
It was Summer who spoke sense. “Bath battle.”
Brooke and David backed out of the room, leaving him with one woman in his bed and the other looking like she might follow them out the door any second.
Panic shot through him, but he tried to remain calm and not light a match to this volatile situation.
“You heard him. He wants me here.” Natalie’s words shocked him.
When he’d entered the room, he’d thought he’d been speaking to Summer, not Natalie.
Summer’s gaze swept up his bare chest to meet his eyes. “Explain.”
He really didn’t like that quiet, hurt tone.
“Natalie!” Nate stood in the bedroom doorway, Miranda next to him, though her scrutinizing gaze was on Cody, not her nearly naked daughter.
He guessed he could thank Brooke for the newcomers to his room.
Natalie shifted behind him.
He hoped she’d pulled the sheet up and covered herself. He couldn’t take his eyes off Summer. “This is not what it looks like.”
Summer remained very still. “You said that already.” Tears gathered in her eyes.
“Please don’t cry.” His chest ached with dread and his anger built. He tried to keep it in check, because he really needed to keep it together and tell Summer the truth. “It was dark. I thought she was you.”
Doubt clouded her eyes. “You weren’t expecting me.”
“I thought you came home early to surprise me.”
“I did.”
“I see that. And I’m so damn happy you’re back. I missed you.” It took everything he had not to go to her and wrap her in his arms. He didn’t think she’d welcome it at the moment.
“I got your message when I landed, but I...” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Every single one of them tore his heart to shreds. “You wanted to surprise me. Yeah. You don’t know how much I appreciate that.” It meant so much to him. He took a step toward her. “I didn’t do anything. In another second or two, I would have realized she wasn’t you. Please. You have to believe me. I would never cheat on you. Ever.” And it made him sick and angry that Natalie would think he would and put him in this position.
