Blindness(76)

“I can’t…I can’t carry you. I’ll never be able to lift you over my shoulder, spin you around like Trevor does,” he says, ashamed of his disability.

“I don’t need you to carry me, Cody. I can stand on my own. I’m strong, and I can carry myself,” I say, moving in closer. Cody slides his hands to my waist and is holding them in place. He’s policing himself, and I can feel his muscles tense around me from the conflict. The soft tickle of his breathing against my neck sends a flurry of goosebumps over my entire body. His breathing is slow and deliberate.

“Kiss me, Cody. Please, just kiss me,” I beg him. “I choose you. I choose you.”

He closes his eyes as a final tear falls, and he bends his forehead to mine. His hands slide around me completely, into the top of my skirt along my waist as he pulls me closer to him. He slides his right hand up my back, against my soaking blouse, and to my neck where he wraps his fingers into my hair and tilts my head back slightly. His lips hover over mine for a few seconds before he finally gives in, and our mouths are moving together forcefully.

He tastes like tequila, and his tongue is warm as it explores the inside of my mouth, urging me even closer to him. He’s holding my face to his with both hands now and walking me backward a step at a time until we reach his truck, still kissing me and tasting and tugging at my lips with his.

“I need you, Charlie. But if I do this, there’s no going back for me,” he says, his head pressed against mine, and his eyes closed tightly.

I’m leaning on the passenger door of his truck now, and he has me caged in between his arms. I reach my hands to his face and brush the water from his cheeks, running my fingers through his soft, wet hair. I lean into him as he reaches around and slides his hand along the bare skin of my upper thigh, lifting me slightly before he presses my body forcefully against the truck.

“I’m yours, Cody. I said I choose you, and I mean it,” I say, fully understanding what that means. My safe and simple life is gone—I’ve busted that to pieces. Hell, that life was gone the first time my eyes met Cody’s and everything fell into place. He’s home for me—and I don’t think I can breathe any longer without him.

Cody slides me to the side and swings the passenger door open. He reaches again for my body, wrapping his arms around me and urging me into the truck with his potent kiss. I lift myself to the seat and scoot back as Cody climbs in on top of me, pulling at the buttons of my shirt and sliding the wet silk from my body, dropping it in a pile on the floor. He kisses my belly button next, and then grabs the bottom of my shell top with his teeth, pulling it slowly up my body as well. I help him lift it completely until my breasts are exposed and being teased by his hot breath. When he completely covers my nipple with his mouth, I can’t help but cry out in pleasure, holding his head to me hard.

“I need you, Charlie. But not here, not like this. I don’t want anyone seeing you,” he says in between kisses along my breasts and neck. He lifts himself over me more, kissing my lips once again, leaving them feeling raw.

“Take me home, Cody. Take me to your home. I want to be in your bed tonight,” I say, knowing if we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to, and I won’t care who sees us.

Cody stares at me for several long seconds, almost like he’s giving me the chance to change my mind, to back out on him, but I’ve never been more sure of a decision in my entire life.

Cody reaches behind his seat and pulls his leather jacket over me before leaning in to kiss me one more time. “Put this on, and then buckle up. I’m driving fast,” he says, his smirk almost sinister—and sexy as hell.

I do as Cody says, and he keeps his promise, getting us home in less than 30 minutes. He keeps his hand on my knee the entire drive, squeezing my leg and teasing me by running his fingers up to the edge of my skirt over and over again. I should be shivering from the rain and the freezing temperatures, but instead my body is hot, almost breaking out in a thin sweat.

Cody practically sprints from the driver’s seat and runs to my side, opening the door for me and pulling me down into the small space between him and his truck. His jacket is open along my front, and he slides his hands inside, his thumbs slowly circling my breasts and barely grazing my nipples—just enough to leave them fully aroused and to awaken every part of my body.

“I don’t know if I can wait to get you upstairs,” Cody says, biting at my bottom lip and running his hands over my breasts once again, forcing me to arch against him. I lean my head back, and he sucks along my neck and collarbone. Everything about what we’re doing is raw and messy—it’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before.

“Cody, I want to feel you, all of you. Take me upstairs,” I whisper in his ear, and I can feel him hard against me, the heat between us growing with every passing second.

Almost like a caveman, Cody threads his fingers through mine and races up the steps to his carriage house, dragging me behind him—barefoot, with my breasts exposed in his open jacket, and my skirt hiked up my legs. Once we’re inside, Cody slams my body into his front door, and he continues to assault me with his tongue and lips. I reach for his shirt buttons while he’s kissing me and work his shirt from his body, letting my hands roam along the smooth warm skin of his back.

I sneak a look at his tattoos while he’s tilting my head and kissing my neck. They’re the hottest things I’ve ever seen, and I don’t know if it’s because they’re on him or if it’s because I understand what they represent—his promise to keep his dad’s memory alive. Just letting the thought of Jake in my mind gives me pause, but Cody quickly has my face cupped in his hands, and he’s walking me back to his bedroom, pushing his shoes off along the way. He kicks the door open and pushes me flat against the bed as soon as we’re inside.