Unlikely Lovers (12 page)

“I love you, Cody.”

“You really do?” he asked, searching her eyes.

“Yes, but…” she continued.

He stopped her from going on, “There’s always a
but
with us.”

“I love you, you love me, but that doesn’t mean it will last forever. Someday I’ll tell you what you need to know about me, but I just can’t right now.”

“Where does that leave us now?” Cody asked gently.

“Loving each other, continuing the way we have been and if it’s meant to be more then it will be
at some point. When we’re both ready,” Jessica replied.

“Do you think
we’re really in love with each other or just love the idea of what we are together?” he ventured as he gently caressed her cheek.

“That’s the whole thing in a nutshell, isn’t it? Neither one of us knows for sure
,” Jessica replied sadly.

“So we just keep on dating and having mind boggling sex until one of us decides it’s over?” he asked.

“Or until we decide to take it further.” Jessica looked to him for understanding.

“I’ll agree to that,
” he said as he leaned down to kiss her.

“Did I just hear someone offering mind boggling sex a minute ago?” Jessica smiled as the kiss ended.

“You little vixen, you just can’t get enough, can you?” Cody teased.

“No, I can’t, not with you.”

“Damn, woman, you’re good for my ego.” He gave her his sexiest grin as he teased her.

“Then show me what you got, cowboy.”

“Feeling feisty tonight, are we?”

“Bring it on
.” She laughed as he stood up and did a sensual dance for her. By the time he finished she was laughing hysterically.

“What, may I ask, was so damn funny about that?”

“You. Acting like a clown just to cheer me up.”

“Yes,
Jessie, I had to do something. You’ve been so sad lately. Did it work?”

“Yes, but
…”

“Here we go again, always a
but
with you.”

“Okay, I’m cheered up…on with the real show.”

She stood up, pushing him onto the bed. She did a dance for him then, but her dance wasn’t meant to be funny, she was extremely sensual and he was very aroused by the time she was finished.

“Come to me, baby
,” Cody said as she walked toward him.

“Do with me what you will, my lord,” she said in her best British accent.

“We are quite the jokesters tonight, aren’t we?”

“Just trying to lighten the mood,” she answered with a smile.

“Well, it’s time to get serious if you want me to live up to my legend.”

She continued to tantalize him with her movements. Suddenly, he rolled her over and crawled on top of her.

“Tell me what you want, Jessie.”

“Just love me, Cody.”

“That I can do, baby, that I can surely do,” he whispered hoarsely as he touched her

cheek and leaned down to give her the kiss that would once again ignite the flame within her soul.

The next morning, Cody woke her with a breakfast of scrambled eggs and
toast served in bed.

“What’s this about?” she asked, reaching for her coffee.

“Just doing something nice for my girl, serving her breakfast in bed.” He kissed her as he sat on the bed next to her and buttered a slice of toast.

“Am I your girl, Cody?”

“Well, I don’t see any other females around here, do you?” He looked around the room. “I don’t think there’s anyone hiding in the closet over there.”

“You goof.” She laughed as she spread strawberry jam on her toast and took a bite.

“What would you like to do today, other than stay in bed and screw all day?”

“Well, since you put it that way…”

“Seriously, would you like to go to a movie, or pack a picnic and go to the lake?”

“I kind of liked that other idea.”

“Woman…you are crazy.”

“You’re saying you don’t want to?”

“I’m a guy. I’m supposed to want it all the time…most women like to be taken out once in a while.”

“I’m not most women.”

“So I’ve noticed. I’ll make a deal with you, you finish your breakfast, then we’ll get out of here and go do something for a change.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” she asked as she kissed him.

“You really want me to explain?”

“In detail, please.”

He chuckled as he set the breakfast tray aside and kissed her. “Why don’t I show you?” he teased.

“Sounds like a plan.”

And he did show her, very thoroughly.

Later, she woke to find him staring at her. “Did I slobber in my sleep or something? What are you staring at?”

“I’m staring at the beautiful woman lying in my bed. I could get used to this, you know.”

“I’m here pretty much all of the time as it is, aren’t I? You should be used to it by now.”

“I guess you are. Change your mind about going out?”

“I think we should go
up to the Little Wichita Mountains this afternoon.” She caressed his face and leaned over to kiss him again.

“Oh, pretty lady, you are just too much. Is there any other guy in the world as lucky as me?”

“Probably not and don’t you forget it.”

“I’m not likely to anytime soon,” he answered, gently caressing her face.

“I feel lazy today.”

“Too lazy for this?” he kissed her neck, teasingly biting, and then moved down to
her breasts.

“Umm… never too lazy for that,” she replied. “But we need to get out of this bed if we are going to spend the afternoon
in the mountains.”

“Let’s go grab some Meer’s burgers and maybe take in Holy City while we’re in the mountains. Have you ever been there? ” he said later as she came out of the bathroom drying her hair with one of his fluffy maroon towels.

“Sounds good to me,
no I haven’t, but I’ve heard people at work talk about both places,” she replied as she took jeans and a sweatshirt from one of the drawers he had emptied to make room for her things.

He drove up the mountainside, into the animal preserve and on to Holy City.
The air was chilly still, but for February it wasn’t bad. They took their time, quietly taking in the memorial for the Oklahoma City bombing victims before making their way through the rest of Holy City. It was a peaceful place and Jessica enjoyed being able to share it with Cody. When they had finished, he drove to Meers. It had at one time been a mining town. The restaurant was in a ramshackle building, which used to house a general store and post office. The building was sort of built into the mountainside and didn’t look like much.

“Don’t let the looks of the place scare you off, babe. The burgers here cover the whole plate. They cut them into
quarters. And they have the best fried okra you’ve ever tasted. You’ll love the pies too, I’m sure.”

“Okay, if you say
so. I’ll take your word for it,” she said, glancing around.

Exactly as he had predicted, the food was excellent. They lingered over the iced tea served from canning jars as they easily talked and joked until it was time to drive back down the mountain.

“Could we stop at the lake for a few minutes and take a stroll?” Jessica asked as they were nearing the place they had gone on their first date.

”Sure, I think that’s a great idea,”
he agreed and swung his truck into an open parking spot.

They were alone. February wasn’t the time most people would take a walk at the lake. But then again, Cody and Jessica weren’t most people.
He took her hand as they strolled silently, lost in thought.

Much too quickly, the afternoon was over and it was time to go home. Remembering he had driven her to his place last night, she knew he’d be planning to drive her home.
How am I going to get around this? He can’t know that I live in quarters on post.

“Why don’t you drop me by Missy’s?” she suggested when he started the truck. “She probably needs help
getting ready for her move. She’s always so organized, she probably already started packing.”

Missy lived off post in a small
rental. There had been nothing available on post when she’d arrived and when something did open up, she’d opted to stay put.

“I can do that. She’ll give you a lift home then?”

“I’m sure she won’t mind. I want to spend a little quality time with her anyway. This will give me a chance.”

He drove her to Missy’s and went in with her to talk to Andy and Missy then kissing her goodbye
told her he’d call her later.

“I take it since he brought you here, you haven’t told him?”
Missy accused.

“We talked some last night, but it didn’t get as far as that. We discussed our feelings but not quite everything.
We’re planning to continue the way we are for now and see what happens.”

“Jess!” Missy was obviously upset with her.

“Don’t lecture me, this is hard enough for me. We got part of the talk out of the way. I’ll tell him the rest. I told him there were things he needed to know about me before we made any decisions about any kind of future together.”

“Well, that’s a start, Jess. But please, don’t wait too long. I’d hate for him to find out some other way before you tell him yourself
,” Andy added his opinion.

“That’s right, honey. You can’t keep putting it off
,” Missy added as she packed another plate.

It wasn’t long before
Missy called it a night and offered her a ride home.

“
See you in the morning,” Jessica said, getting out of the car.

“
Okay, have a good night.” Missy waved and drove off.

She walked into her bedroom, lay down on the
bed and began to cry. What the hell am I going to do? she asked herself for the millionth time, falling into a troubled sleep.

When morning came, she methodically dressed for work and somehow made it through the day. When it was finally over, she drove to her apartment and spent most of the evening pondering her situation until Cody called at nine. They talked for a long time, easily and jokingly. She was just as confused as she hung up the phone and got ready for bed.

She slept fitfully, dreaming of Cody and a wedding. He appeared to be the groom, but she couldn’t quite make out who the bride was. Was it her? Or had he moved on?  She never saw the face of the bride in her dream. She awoke and went through the same ritual of the day before.

That night, Cody didn’t call
, but the next night he called and told her he missed her.

“Want to come over for some late night loving?”
he teased.

“Do you want me to?”

“Only if you want to, don’t ever feel pressured with me, Jessie.”

“I’ll come over.”

“See you soon, baby.”

Not half an hour later Cody let
her in and took her in his arms. “I love you,” he whispered softly.

“Oh, Cody
.” She began to cry.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“Everything, you, me, us…I love you too, but I’m afraid it’ll never work out.” She sobbed as he held her.

“Why in the world would you think that?” Cody asked. “I thought we were good.”

“I just do. I can’t explain it.”

“Honey, r
emember what we said the other night? Enjoy what we have now. No rush.”

“Love me, Cody…please…
make love to me
…”

“Baby…” He lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. He gently lay dow
n beside her and held her close, kissing her, not wanting to rush her. When she began to respond, he slowly removed her clothes and his and lay back down. He took her in his arms, rocking her back and forth.

“Jessie, I’ve never seen you so down. What can I do?”

“Just love me,” she replied, wanting nothing but the sweet love that only he could give her.

Wordlessly, he began to gently caress and kiss her. He loved her in a way that brought tears to her eyes. He whispered in her ear, “My sweet baby.”

Afterward, neither of them spoke. He simply held her in his arms and rocked her again until she fell asleep.

Having come to
a momentous decision, Cody asked Andy to meet him for a beer after work.

“Well, maybe just one. I want to
get to Missy’s as soon as I can. I want to spend as much time as possible with her before she moves,” Andy agreed reluctantly.

“I promise to make it quick
. I need to talk about Jessie,” Cody told his friend.