True to his word, it was almost noon when Samantha made it downstairs to Deborah and Freda’s inquisitive stares.
“Guess some of us were very tired last night.” Deborah winked.
Samantha reddened. The color rose a shade deeper when Cody arrived directly behind her, refreshed, and genial.
Lips pursed in a petulant grin, she winked back at Deborah and headed for the kitchen. Her passion filled body in urgent need of coffee. The sudden rumble of her tummy a reminder of the reason she missed breakfast. It made her laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Cody came up behind her, circled her waist, and held her tight.
“Cody, someone will see us.” “I don’t care.”
Shocked, she whipped around in his arms. “You don’t?”
“I can’t stay away from you.” He grinned. A wicked, devilishly smug smile of a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Not even for a day.” His hands ran down her sides and cupped her ass.
“So it’s true, then?” Deborah’s soft words broke them apart. She stood in the kitchen doorway. “The noises I heard last night were coming from your room.” “Deborah.” Embarrassed, Samantha blushed. Cody laughed.
“I knew you’d pull it off, girl. I’m so happy I could kiss you both.” Deborah pulled Samantha out of Cody’s arms and enveloped her in a bear hug.
“What are you talkin’ about?” Cody asked. His puzzled gaze switched between her and his sister.
Her lips curved in a sheepish smile, Samantha ignored the question and concentrated on setting the kettle on the stove.
“Well, I kinda told Sam to grab you by the balls and don’t let go,” Deborah said.
“God, Deborah.” Choking, Samantha cried out. “What?” Her friend feigned perfect innocence. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
“You’re too much, Debs.” Samantha laughed. She slanted a demure glance in Cody’s direction. He stroked his chin and chewed on his lower lip as if contemplating Deborah’s sudden revelation.
“Was I so easy to read?” he said at last.
“Like an open book.” His sister punched him playfully.
“Not for me personally, though.” Samantha shook her head.
“Why?”
He appeared to be enjoying the conversation evident by the playful impishness in his body language. This wasn’t the man she initially met. His gaze on her now, head cocked boyishly to one side, he waited for an answer.
“For one thing, your moods were always obscure. I wasn’t sure when you were angry or happy…you know what I’m talking about.” Samantha noticed he took pleasure in her discomfort. Next to him, her friend switched gazes between her and Cody, and probably gauged there was more to this story than plain attraction.
“You know, it’s about time you found somethin’, or should I say someone to occupy your mind other than the ranch and adult siblings. And honestly, I couldn’t be happier with your choice.” Deborah grinned.
“I didn’t realize I was such a burden.” He tugged a lock of his sister’s hair.
Her friend’s smile vanished and was instantly replaced with a solemn frown. “You’re not, and don’t you dare say it again. All I want for you is a little happiness sprinkled with plain old TLC. It isn’t too much to wish this for my big brother, is it? You’re always there for us.”
“I’m sorry, sis.” Cody sobered. “It’s not what I meant. I know you care.” Hugging his sister, he kissed the top of her head.
“I’ll never stop caring, no matter what.” She planted a kiss to his cheek.
Silently, Samantha watched the tender exchange between brother and sister. Her heart lurched. Yet again another surprising side to Cody and openly obvious why Deborah loved her big brother. The man possessed a pure heart where his family was concerned. If only her parents had more children. Her perspective on family togetherness may have sprouted a different seed. Deborah stepped away from Cody’s embrace.
“Hey, Sam, I’m sorry. We weren’t ignoring you.” Samantha didn’t realize a frown masked her face and her friend’s soft jibe startled her. “What…no, it’s okay. I just wondered about the happy consequences if my parents had more kids.”
“I can hug you as well. Ain’t gonna be in a brotherly way, though.” Cody winked.
Deborah, it seemed, enjoyed her discomfort, and chortled as he dragged a red-faced Samantha into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth.
“This place is way too hot for me.” Deborah framed Samantha’s face. “Cody, before you get all warm inside, why don’t you feed Sam. By the looks of it, I think she needs some food,” Deborah said and walked out.
“I thought I’d been feedin’ you.”
“You certainly have.” Cheekily her hand slithered down his chest to rest right beneath his balls. She gave them a little squeeze.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Lust flared in his eyes as Cody untangled her hands and guided her gently down onto a chair. “Once you start, we ain’t gonna make dinner. Coffee?”
“Please.”
“How do you like it?”
“The way I like my men.” At his raised brow, her lips curved in mischief. “Hot, white, and strong with a hint of sweetness.”
He laughed. “Let me make you breakfast…er…on second thoughts let’s make it lunch.”
“Think you could handle it. I am so hungry right now, but I’m not keen on burned food.”
“You’ll have to wait and see, won’t you?” He cracked eggs over the hot pan with a smile.
****
“Yes, Mom,” she said into her cell phone. “Another week and I’ll be home.” Samantha listened to her mother’s chatter for another few minutes then wished her goodbye. Disconnecting the call, she groaned. Her father’s agitation about her return filtered through her mother’s words. He’d started prep for an engagement party without any discussion. A pending fiasco she’d have to face sooner or later. She didn’t want Rajesh to cast a desultory shadow over her new- found happiness.
Caught in the spiral of a hazy dream over the last week, she didn’t want to wake yet. Slowly, her mother’s frantic request to come home hurled her out of her reverie, and nagged her lids open to face the reality of her situation. For now, she resorted to take what each day offered. Cody shared her happiness. It mattered most whether she admitted loving him or not.
Heaving another desolate moan, she climbed the stairs in search of her friend. Outside Deborah’s room, she stopped as a tiny sob caught her ear. Samantha knocked lightly then opened the door.
“Debbie?” Her friend sat on her bed, facing the window. Her head bent, and her face in a towel. Samantha strode over to the bed. “Hey, girl, what’s the matter?” Sitting, she put a hand across her friends quivering shoulders.
“Remember the night you went out with the boys?” Deborah said into the towel. “Well, I found out—” Hesitation stopped her words then she lifted her head. “Oh, Sam, I’m pregnant.”