When he walked beside Harper, all he could smell was her sweet floral scent. “How have you been?”
“Since yesterday?” She grinned at him.
Yesterday being the day he’d gone to her cabin and basically begged her to take the spare room in his apartment. She’d saidno, and he’d wanted to push. To tell her he knew about her father. That she needed some kind of protection.
Eastern had taken the call after her attack. She probably knew he would’ve looked into her background for any potential leads, would’ve learned about her father…but she hadn’t said anything.
Maybe she didn’t think it was information he’d share with Cody. But that news report Eastern had found—and the arrest—were matters of public record. He could ask her about her father. If she thought he was a potential threat.
No. He wanted her to bring it up onherterms. For her to trust him enough to talk about her family.
“Yeah, since yesterday,” he finally answered.
“Good. I ate, slept, and watchedSeinfeldreruns.”
“You’re aSeinfeldfan?”
“Oh, yeah. Kramer will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Cody laughed. “I like Elaine and Puddy. Their relationship was so dysfunctional you couldn’t look away.”
Harper grinned. “Dysfunctional is definitely the right word for what they had.” She handed him the paper bag in her hand. “Here, share with me.”
“You’re giving me part of your cupcake?”
“No, I’mforcingyou to havehalfso that I don’t eat the entire thing.”
He took the bag and pulled off a chunk of the cupcake before popping it into his mouth. Then he groaned. “God, Mrs. Sandler makes a good cupcake.”
“She does.” There was a small pause. “I ran into Vanessa earlier.” Then she cringed like she hadn’t meant to let that slip.
Cody stopped and faced her. “What did she say?”
“How do you know she said something?”
“Harper…”
“Okay. She said that you’re on the rebound.”
He laughed, even though there was nothing remotely funny about it. “I’m not. I was actually on the verge of ending the relationship when she cheated on me. The only reason I hadn’t already was because I had so much going on with my dad.”
She nodded, her bottom lip disappearing between her teeth. Did she not believe him?
He stepped closer. “Harper, I dated Vanessa for just a couple of months. And the way I felt about her wasnothingcompared to what I feel for you.”
She swallowed. “Really?”
“Yeah, Storm. You have me captivated. You have me thinking about you, and literally nothing else, all the time.”
“But Vanessa’s so beautiful.”
Again, he could have laughed. Did she really not see what he saw?
He lowered his head. “No.You’rebeautiful.” Then he kissed her, right there in the middle of the street, not caring who saw.
CHAPTER 11
Harper pulled up outside the cabin and leaned back against the headrest, just a hint of a smile curving her lips. Every time she’d glanced at Cody tonight at the bar, his gaze had collided with hers, like he felt her watching him. Was that possible?
