Carli: Awww. I’m smiling.
Cody: I live to make you smile.
Cody: Meet me on the same property. Does that work? I’ll be there in my pickup.
Carli: I’ll be there.
Chapter 24
Carli
If women knew how good they looked
in the dash light of oversized pickup trucks,
they’d never get out of them.
~ Craig Johnson
The road looks brighter tonight,but maybe it’s just because I was out here so recently. Everything feels familiar. Cody’s parked in the same spot as last time, but tonight he’s got the tailgate down and he’s sitting on it with his legs dangling.
I step out of my truck and walk over to him, stepping right between his legs and wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Mmmm,” he hums. “I missed holding you.”
“Same,” I say, stepping back and looking up into his face. We share a smile and then I hoist myself up into the back of his truck, next to him.
He spread a bunch of blankets out and the bed of the truck feels softer than usual.
“This is cozy,” I say.
“I got a bed liner pad this week.”
“How convenient,” I tease.
“Didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
I scoot to the back wall of the cab where Cody’s already lined up a bunch of pillows. He moves so he’s sitting right next to me. Our legs touch. He wraps his arm around me and I lean my head onto him.
He knocks my boots with his. “Did I already mention how much I missed you?”
“I could use hearing it again.”
“Well, I missed you, Carli. A few stolen kisses are fun, but they aren’t near enough.”
“I know,” I agree.
He tells me about a fire call he went on yesterday and a few funny situations around the ranch. I tell him about work and the dress fitting.
“I can’t believe you and Luke,” I say.
“It was his idea, but he didn’t have to rope me. I came willingly. Any excuse to see you. Is that the dress you’ll be wearing?”
“Yeah. I think so. I only tried that one on, but it works.”
“I’ll say,” he says, smiling down at me.
Our breath mingles into the cool night air.
