Married in Texas, page 24
Sherry had rejected his less-than-flattering proposal. Cody made it sound as if he was too busy rounding up cattle to go out with her or to focus on developing a relationship. But it was much more than that. He wasn’t willing to make an emotional commitment to her, and Sherry would accept nothing less.
She was on her way back into the dining room when a tall, vaguely familiar-looking man approached her. His eye caught hers, and he hesitated a moment before speaking.
“Excuse me,” he said, smiling apologetically, “but don’t I know you?”
Sherry studied him, thinking the same thing, but unable to decide where or when she’d met him. “I’m not from this area,” she said. “This is my first time in Abilene.”
He frowned and introduced himself, but that didn’t help. “It’ll come to me,” he said. “Do I look familiar to you?”
Sherry gave him her name. “You do look familiar, but I can’t place you.”
“Me, neither. Well... I’m sorry to have disturbed you, Sherry.”
“That’s okay.”
When she reached the table, Cody’s eyes were full of questions. “Do you know that man?”
“I’m not sure. He said his name’s Jack Burnside.” She paused. “He thought we’d met before. We might have, but neither of us can remember when or where. I’m generally good about remembering people. It’s a little embarrassing.”
Cody snickered. “Don’t you know a come-on when you hear it? That guy’s never met you—he was just looking for an excuse to introduce himself. His ploy’s as old as the hills. I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Apparently not,” Sherry said lightly, refusing to allow Cody the pleasure of irritating her.
“I think you should dance with Sherry,” Heather suggested a second time, pointing at the minuscule dance floor, where several other couples were swaying to the music.
“I’m sure your father would rather we—”
“As it happens, I’d be happy to give it a try.” Cody’s gaze seemed to hold a challenge.
Sherry blinked. Cody had managed to surprise her once again. She stood when he pulled out her chair. His hand felt warm on the small of her back as he guided her to the polished floor.
He turned her into his arms with a flair, making her skirt fan out from her knees. Then he brought her close to him, so close she was sure she could feel his heart beating.
Sherry wasn’t fooled; she knew exactly what he was doing, although she doubted he’d ever admit it. He hadn’t asked her to dance because of any great desire to twirl her around the floor, but to make sure Jack Burnside understood she was with him.
His attitude angered her, yet in some odd way pleased her, too. She was gratified to realize the attraction was mutual.
While Cody might have escorted her onto the dance floor to indicate that she was with him, Sherry thought he was as unprepared as she was for the impact of their physical closeness. Cody’s hold on her gradually grew more possessive. His hand slid upward from her waist until his fingers splayed across her back. Of its own volition, her head moved closer to his until her temple rested against the lean strength of his jaw. Her eyes drifted shut, and she breathed in the scent of spicy aftershave. The music was pleasant, easy and undemanding. Romantic.
As soon as she realized what she was doing, allowing herself to be drawn into the magic of the moment, she pulled away and concentrated on the music. Cody didn’t attempt anything beyond a mere shuffling of his feet, which suited Sherry just fine.
She quickly saw her mistake. With her head back, their eyes inevitably met, and neither seemed inclined to look away. They continued to stare at each other, attempting to gauge everything that remained unspoken between them. The longer they gazed at each other the more awkward it became. Seconds ripened into minutes....
Sherry was the first to look away. Cody’s hand eased her head toward his, and she sighed as her temple again unerringly came to rest against his jaw. Her eyes had just drifted shut when, out of the blue, she remembered where she’d met Jack Burnside.
“College,” she said abruptly, freeing herself from Cody’s embrace. She glanced about the restaurant until she spotted Jack. “I do know him,” she said. “We met in Seattle years ago.” Taking Cody by the hand, she led him off the dance floor to a table at the far side of the restaurant, where Jack was eating alone. He stood at their approach.
“Jack,” she said, slightly breathless, “you’re right, we do know each other. I’m Sherry Waterman. Your sister and I were roommates in our junior year at college. You were in Seattle on business and took us both to dinner. That must’ve been about twelve years ago.”
Jack’s face broke into a wide grin. “Of course. You’re Angela’s friend. I was sure we’d met.”
“Me, too, but I couldn’t remember where.”
“So, how are you?”
“Fine,” Sherry replied. “I’m living in Texas now.”
“As a matter of fact, so am I. Small world, isn’t it?” He looked fleetingly at Cody.
“Very small,” Sherry agreed.
Jack seemed especially pleased to have made the connection. “I never forget a face, especially one as pretty as yours.”
Sherry blushed at the compliment. “This is Cody Bailman.”
The two men exchanged brisk handshakes. “Please join me,” Jack invited, gesturing toward the empty chairs at his table.
“Thanks, but no,” Cody said. “My daughter’s with us and she’s rather shy. She’d be uncomfortable around a stranger, I’m afraid.” Cody refused to meet Sherry’s baffled glance. Heather shy?
The three of them spoke for a few more minutes, and then Sherry and Cody returned to their table and an impatient Heather.
Sherry knew that the reason she’d dragged Cody off the dance floor was more than the opportunity to prove she was right about Jack. It was a way of breaking the romantic spell they’d found themselves under. Cody had made her feel vulnerable, and she’d seized the opportunity to show him she wasn’t.
“Who were you talking to?” Heather asked, craning her neck. “I didn’t think you two were ever going to come back.”
“The man who approached me earlier,” Sherry said. “I remembered who he was, so we went over to speak to him. His sister and I are friends, although Jack and I only met once.”
“Apparently your time with him was memorable,” Cody drawled. Sherry caught the hint of sarcasm in his voice and was amused.
He paid the bill, and the three of them began to leave the dining room. Cody glanced in Jack’s direction, then back at Sherry, and said stiffly, “You’re welcome to stay and visit with your friend, if you like.”
“I’ve visited enough, thanks,” she said, following him and Heather to the elevators.
They weren’t back in the suite thirty seconds before Heather changed out of her dress and into her pajamas and new fuzzy slippers. The girl sank down in front of the television set, studying the pay-per-view movie guide. She checked out her selection with Cody, who gave his approval.
Sherry changed out of her dress and into a comfortable pair of jeans and a cotton T-shirt, then wandered back into the living room to sit on the sofa with Heather. Her mind wasn’t on the movie the girl had chosen; it was on Cody and what had happened while they were dancing.
When they’d left Pepper, the emotional distance between them had felt both wide and deep. Now she wasn’t sure what to think. He was sitting at the table, with his briefcase open in front of him. He reached for the phone and ordered a pot of coffee from room service.
What made things so difficult was how strongly she was attracted to him. She realized there was little chance for a truly loving relationship between them and that saddened her. His life was ranching. He needed a woman to appease Heather—though certainly there’d be benefits. Cody would be generous with her in every way except the one that mattered. With himself.
Sherry wanted a man who cherished her, a man who was willing to do whatever he could to win her heart, even if it was the busiest time of the year. She wanted a husband who’d withhold none of himself from her. And Cody couldn’t offer that.
“Something troubling you?” he asked, looking up from his paperwork.
The question snapped her out of her reverie. “No,” she said. “What makes you ask?”
“You look like you’re about to cry.”
Strangely that was exactly how she felt. She managed a chuckle. “Don’t be silly.”
Heather fell asleep halfway through the movie. When Cody noticed that his daughter had curled up on the sofa and nestled her head in Sherry’s lap, he stood, turned off the TV after a nod from Sherry, and gently lifted the girl into his arms. Heather stirred and opened her eyes as if she wanted to scold him for treating her like a little girl, but she obviously thought better of it and let him carry her to bed.
Sherry pulled back the covers, and Cody placed his daughter, who seemed to have fallen right back to sleep, on the bed. Sherry tucked her in, dropping a kiss on Heather’s forehead. Silently they moved from the room, then paused as if they were suddenly aware that they were now alone.
Luckily Sherry had remembered to bring a book with her and decided to sit on the couch and bury herself in it. Although Cody sat at the table, busy with his own affairs, Sherry had never been more conscious of him. Agreeing to the suite had been a mistake. She should’ve insisted on two rooms—on different floors.
“Would you like some coffee?” Cody’s question cut into the silence.
“No, thanks.” If it wasn’t so early, she’d make her excuses and go to bed too, but it would look ridiculous to turn in at nine-thirty.
Unexpectedly Cody released a beleaguered sigh. “All right,” he said. “Shall we air this once and for all and be done with it?”
“Air what?” she asked, innocently.
“What’s happening between us.”
“I wasn’t aware that anything was...now.”
He closed his briefcase with a deliberate lack of haste, then stood and walked over to the sofa. He sat down on the opposite end, as far from her as he could get and still be on the same piece of furniture. “I’ve had more than a week to give your rejection of my proposal consideration.”
Sherry spoke softly. “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
He tilted his head and a hopeful expression appeared on his face. “You mean you’ve changed your mind and decided to marry me?”
“No.” She didn’t like to be so blunt, but it seemed the only way to reach Cody. “I regret saying I’d rather eat fried rattlesnake.”
“Oh.” His shoulders slumped. “I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy.” He grabbed a pen and pad. “I’d like to know exactly what you find so objectionable about me.”
“Nothing. You’re honest, hardworking, trustworthy. My grandmother, if she were alive, would call you a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy, and I’d agree with her. It would be very easy to fall in love with you, Cody. Sometimes I think I already have, and that terrifies me.”
“Why?” He sounded sincere.
“Because you don’t love me.”
His face fell. “I like you. I’m attracted to you. That’s a lot more than many other couples start out with.”
“Love frightens you, doesn’t it? You lost Heather’s mother, and you’ve guarded your heart ever since.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He stood and walked to the window, shoving his hands in his pants pockets and staring out at the night. His back was to her, but that didn’t prevent Sherry from hearing the pain in his voice. “Karen died ten years ago. I hardly even remember what she looked like anymore.” He turned to look at her. “That’s the problem with you women. You read a few magazine articles and romance novels and then think you’re experts on relationships.”
“You loved her, didn’t you?”
“Of course I did, and I grieved when she died.”
“You didn’t remarry,” she told him quietly, afraid of agitating him further.
“I didn’t have the time, and to be truthful, my life was full enough without letting a woman dominate my time. That’s why I want to set the record straight right now. I’m not about to let a wife put a collar around my neck and lead me around like a puppy.”
“Karen did that?”
“No.” He scowled fiercely. “But I’ve seen it happen to plenty of other men, including Luke.”
“Ellie doesn’t seem the type to do something like that.”
Cody frowned. “I know—Luke put the collar around his own neck.” He returned to the table, wrote on the pad and glanced at her. “I was thinking you and I might reach some sort of compromise.”
“Is that possible?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “But it might be if we try.”
“Before we go any further, I want it understood that I have no intention of changing who you are, Cody. That’s not what marriage is about.”
His look told her he didn’t believe her. But Sherry had no intention of arguing with him. He’d believe whatever he wanted.
“This isn’t working,” Cody said, thrusting his hand through his hair in frustration. “I was hoping to make a list, so I’d know what you want from me.”
“For what?”
He dropped the pen he still held on the table. “So we can put an end to this foolishness and get married!”
Their conversation had taken so many twists she was no longer sure exactly what they were discussing.
“You still want to marry me?” she asked.
“Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t risk making a fool of myself twice.”
“Why?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“Damned if I know,” he snapped. He took a moment to compose himself and come to grips with his temper. “Because I like the way you feel in my arms. And I like kissing you.”
“That’s all?” she asked.
“No. I also want to marry you because my daughter clearly adores you. On top of that, you’re easy on the eyes, you’re intelligent and well-read.”
“Ah,” Sherry said.
Her response seemed to succeed in making him angrier. “There’s sparks between us—you can’t deny it.”
This man had the most uncanny way of insulting her with compliments. But it was impossible for her to be angry and, in fact, she was more amused than offended.
“We’ve only kissed twice,” she reminded him.
“Only twice?” He sounded surprised. “Well, I guess you pack quite a wallop.”
Sherry decided to accept that as a definite compliment, and she smiled. He was suddenly standing in front of her, his hands reaching for hers, drawing her up so that she stood before him. “I can’t stop thinking about how good you taste,” he whispered. His mouth was inches from her own.
Sherry knew that a kiss would muddle her reasoning, but it was already so tangled it shouldn’t matter.
He pulled her closer. For one crazy moment all they did was stare at each other. Then Cody spoke. “It’s been a long time since I’ve kissed a woman the way I want to kiss you.” His words were low and heavy with need.
“I’m not afraid,” Sherry said simply.
“Maybe not, but I sure am.” His arms went around her, folding her against his chest. How right this felt, Sherry thought. How perfectly their bodies fit together....
His voice was ragged and oddly breathless when he said, “You kiss me.”
Sherry didn’t hesitate, not for an instant. She placed her hands on either side of his head and drew it down toward hers. Their lips met in an uncomplicated kiss. Sweet, gentle, undemanding. Then it changed in intensity. What had seemed so sweet and simple a moment earlier took on a magnitude and power that left her head swimming and her lungs depleted of air.
Cody groaned and his mouth slanted hard over hers.
This wasn’t the type of kiss that burned itself out, that made the gradual transformation from passionate to pleasant. This kiss was a long way from being complete before it grew too hot, too heady for either of them to handle.
Sherry wasn’t sure who moved first, but they broke apart and stepped back. Space, she needed space, and from the look of him, so did Cody. Sherry’s chest was heaving, her heart pounding, and her emotions threatened to fly out of control.
Cody spoke first. “I think,” he said raggedly, “that it’s a fair assumption to say we’re sexually compatible.”
Sherry nodded mutely. This brief experiment with the physical aspects of their relationship had proved to be more potent than she’d thought possible. She raised her trembling fingers to her lips.
Suddenly, standing seemed to require a great deal of energy, so Sherry moved back to the sofa and sat, hoping she seemed confident and composed. She felt neither.
Cody joined her as he had earlier—sitting on the far end of the sofa where there wasn’t any possibility of accidentally touching her.
He reached over to the nearby table for the same pad and pencil. “Thus far, your main objection to marrying me is...” He hesitated, then reviewed his notes and set aside the pad.
“I want to be sure of something,” Sherry said when she was reasonably certain her voice would sound even and steady. “Heather’s 4-H project.”
Cody’s gaze shot to hers.
“Your sudden desire for a wife—does it have anything to do with that?”
His shoulders squared defensively. “Yes and no. To be honest, I hadn’t given much consideration to marrying again until this past year, and Heather had a lot to do with that. She’s at the age now when she needs a woman’s influence. She realized it herself, I think, before I did. Otherwise she wouldn’t have come up with that crazy project idea.”
