I ease closer, right next to him, so my thigh is touching his—settling against his side.
He tucks me in, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“I brought cocoa,” he whispers into the top of my head.
“And you’re just now divulging this?” I shake my head lightly, and it rubs on his chest.
I pull back. “One more rule, Cody Lawson. If you are ever in the possession of chocolate in my presence, making me aware of the chocolate is the first note of business, not the last.”
“I think the average person refers to this as dessert,” he says.
“It’s our fifth rule.”
“Agreed,” he says, shifting so he can reach behind himself into the back seat.
He pulls out a thermos, hands it to me and grabs two mugs.
“No more hiding my chocolate,” he promises.
“Okay,” I say.
“I’d feel the same way about your biscuits.”
I laugh. “Well, if I’m ever hiding biscuits, I’ll come clean,” I tell him.
“You can hide them from Luke, though.”
“Deal.” I smile.
Is he jealous of the way Luke fake flirts with me? The idea thrills me more than it should.
Cody pours us each a mug of cocoa. We sit side-by-side, our thighs touching, his arm around my shoulders, a song playing low on the radio, sipping our warm drinks and smiling at one another.
“I’ve got a big decision coming up,” he says into the warm space between us.
He turns to look at me, his eyes soft, brows drawn up together.
“What is it?”
“I haven’t talked to anyone about this—well, except Jace.”
“You can trust me,” I assure him.
“I know.” He sighs, pivoting slightly so he’s facing me a little more fully. His knee folds up so it’s resting against my thigh. His arm is still loosely draped over my shoulder. “Captain’s getting a promotion. He’s going to be the battalion chief.”
“I saw him at work,” I say. “He told me.”
“Did he tell you he asked me to consider taking his place?”
“Not in so many words. He said he encouraged someone to consider the spot. Of course I wondered if it was you.”
“It’s a big decision.”
“It is.” I sit quietly, cupping my mug in both hands. Cody seems so uncertain—I’m not used to seeing this side of him. I reach out with one hand and rest it on his knee.
“Do you want the promotion?” I ask.
“In a lot of ways, yeah. I do.”
