The Devil Inside (7 page)

“In what alternate universe is kicking you out of your own bedroom something that makes sense?” He threw back the covers, struggling to get out of bed. “I should be in the guest room.”

“No, you shouldn’t.” Sam stalked over to the bed and pulled the covers up again, pushing gently on his shoulders so he lay back down. “This room is bigger, more open, so you can move around better once you get the go-ahead from the doctor to get off bed rest. There’s a connected bathroom, which the guest room doesn’t have. And it’s closer to the main living areas. It was my decision, and I have no problems with it whatsoever.”

Well, other than the overwhelming temptation to lift those covers back up, scoot him over just a bit, and snuggle on in.

Sam pursed her lips and turned away. She really had to stop this daydreaming. Especially since her mother was regarding her with suspicion in her eyes. Any minute now her mindreading talents were going to kick in and Sam would really be in trouble.

Right now, though, her mother’s attention was totally fixed on Cody.

There was something about her look that stopped Sam for a moment. She looked almost—vulnerable, which made no sense.

What about Cody would disturb her mother so?

“If you say so,” Cody said, a dubious note in his voice. He lay back against the pillows, closing his eyes for a moment. A thin sheen of sweat covered his forehead, showing the toll his silly attempt at chivalry had cost him.

“I do,” she said firmly.

“Sam.” A warning note underlay the sweet tone of her mother’s voice.

Sam shot her a look, then quickly masked it with a smile at Cody.

“It’s been a long time, Mrs. Quincannon,” Cody said, looking between the two of them. “I hope you’re doing well.”

“Yes, thank you,” her mother replied. “It’s Mrs. Alderson now, though.”

“Oh, you remarried? Congratulations,” he said. “I’ll have to let my mom know.”

A flash of pain showed on her face for a moment, then disappeared. “It would be nice to see Norma again,” she said, almost to herself. Then she shook her head and smiled tightly at Cody. “How are you feeling?”

He grimaced. “Not great.”

“Well, when you participate in something as dangerous as the rodeo, these things are bound to happen.”

“Mom!”

“Well, they are.” She glared at Sam defiantly. “The rodeo killed your father, and it almost killed poor Cody here. No wonder he’s feeling awful.”

“I wouldn’t say awful,” Cody put in. “I’m pretty lucky.”

Sam interrupted, desperate to stop her mother’s impending rodeo-is-eeeevil speech. She could almost see her gearing up for it. “Mom, could you get a glass of water for Cody?” Belatedly, she remembered the almost-full glass already on his nightstand. Grabbing it, she thrust it at her skeptical mother. “This one’s been here all night. I’m sure he’d appreciate a fresh cup.”

With a narrowed glance, her mother left the room, clutching the glass. Sam breathed a quick sigh of relief and turned back to Cody. “Sorry about that. I just didn’t want to leave you alone in the apartment while I went out.”

“A babysitter, huh? If you say so.”

She nodded with a bit more confidence than she actually felt. “And I wanted to ask you something, too.”

“Shoot.”

“Can I have your hotel key card?”

He laughed out loud at that, tilting his head back against the pillows. “Words I never thought I’d hear you say, Sam.”

“Cody,” she hissed, head swiveling toward the open doorway. Her mother could be back any minute.

“Sure, darlin’.” He flashed her a smile, a ghost of the grin she still remembered from all those years ago. “Hoping to stop by later for a little visit?”

Sam could feel the blush creeping up her neck. “Uh, no.”

“My loss.” He winked at her. “Well, if you change your mind…”

“Cody!” She backed away a step. “I was going to stop by your hotel and grab your things, close out your account, stuff like that.”

He heaved a sigh. “Not nearly as interesting as my version. Well, all right. It’s in my wallet.”

She walked over to the dresser and grabbed his wallet from the stack of personal effects the hospital had sent home with her. “I figured you wouldn’t want to keep paying for a room you aren’t using.”

“Fair enough. And I do appreciate it.” Sobering suddenly, he turned to look her in the eye. “Before you go, I think I owe you an apology.”

What?

“I have a sneaking suspicion that I acted inappropriately last night, and then managed to forget it until just a few minutes ago.”

Oh, God. She glanced at the open doorway. He wanted to talk about this now?

“I’d like to blame it all on the medicine, but that would be a lie.” One side of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile. “That’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time now.”

“Um…I…”

“And I certainly wouldn’t object to the chance to do it again.” Then he winked at her. Winked!

“Cody!”

“Now, the timing was all wrong, of course. And the forgetting the next morning part was a big no-no, too. But fair warning. I don’t intend for that to be our last kiss.”

She stalked over to the bed and slapped a hand over his mouth. “Not one more word out of you, buddy.”

His eyes danced with amusement. Then he gently bit the fleshy part of her palm and soothed it with his tongue, sending a shudder of desire through her body. She jumped back, clutching her hand to her chest, breath sawing in and out like she’d just left her spinning class.

“Just thought you should know.” With that, he turned his attention back to the door. “Hi again.”

Her mother. Sam turned around, eyes wide.

Luckily, she didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.

“Here’s the water,” she said as she came back into the room. She looked from Sam to Cody. “What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing,” she chirped, while at the same time Cody said, “How well Sam is taking care of me.”

Sam was now certain that she was the poster child for be careful what you ask for. Because, hello? Cody tossing double entendres at her wasn’t nearly as much fun with her mother as the audience.

“I think maybe it’s time to let the patient get some more sleep.” Sam bustled around the room to mask her discomfort. “Why don’t you and I give Cody some privacy, Mom?”

It was the flimsiest of excuses, but it seemed to work. And as she hustled her mother down the hallway to the family room, she kept her fingers crossed that the two of them would stay out of each other’s way while she was gone.

Chapter Seven

Sam shut the door behind her quietly, feeling for all the world like a thief stealing into someone’s private space.

Forget that she had permission to be here. It still felt wrong.

She flipped the light switch on the wall next to the door, adding dim pools of light to the darkened room. There was an opened suitcase on the counter by the bathroom, and a box to hold Cody’s cowboy hat on the floor below it. Stepping a few more feet into the room, she glanced over at the bed.

It was big, bigger than her own, and the tidy lines of the freshly made up covers made her wonder what it would be like to muss them up with someone like Cody.

Rip the sheets back and tumble down onto the pillows, arms and legs entwined…

She shook her head and turned away. Now she was reduced to having erotic daydreams about a generic hotel room bed. She had it bad.

Muttering to herself, she trudged through the room, checking each drawer and shelf to make sure everything was collected. She lifted out the neatly folded Wranglers and put them in the bottom of the suitcase, topped by T-shirts and socks. She bit her lip at the sight of the stack of boxer briefs, wishing she couldn’t picture them on Cody’s naked body.

In the bathroom, she lingered over the shaving kit, giving in to temptation and opening the bottle of aftershave. Yeah, that was it, the spicy scent that still lingered around him. She closed her eyes.

Forcing her mind back on her task, she packed the kit, put it in the suitcase, then checked the shower for anything left behind.

Back in the main room, she opened the closet door again. There, in the back corner, was a bag she’d missed the first time around. Reaching in, she grabbed it by the fabric handle and pulled it out into the room. It was lighter than she expected. Curious, she took a peek.

Then she dropped it, shaking her head. So that’s how it was.

One more sweep of the room and she’d be done. Bending down next to the bed, she checked under the edge of the covers for anything he might have dropped. A book, some change, a condom wrapper…

Damn. Was she now inventing a rodeo romance for him? Lord knew there were always buckle bunnies around, ready to give the favored cowboys a more intimate ride. But she had no reason to believe that Cody had taken advantage of what was freely offered.

Or that she had any right to whine about it if he did.

He was a free agent, and she had no claim on him. She never had.

Still, her jaw tightened as she glanced at the nightstand, noticing the scrap of paper next to the phone. A hastily scrawled phone number filled it, along with a smiley face and
Call me!
signed by Kimberlee.

Part of her was tempted to throw the damn thing away. He’d be in no shape to play with the tramp, anyway. But she tucked it in the paperback on the nightstand and tossed it in his suitcase, zipping up the case with a little more force than necessary.

Sometimes it really sucked to have a conscience.

Hefting the suitcase, she pocketed the key card and headed for the door. Cody wouldn’t be coming back.

At least not for a while.

The problem with bedrest was the boredom factor.

Cody shifted a little, wishing he had something, anything, to do. Now that the immediate focus on pain was going away, he was chafing at the enforced lying-around.

He’d always been active, not one to sit around and twiddle his thumbs. Obviously, he wasn’t getting up on a horse—or a bull—anytime soon, but something to take his mind off his injuries would be nice.

He’d even welcome a conversation with Sam’s mom, he was that desperate. Nothing against the woman, but she’d never been his biggest fan, despite her friendship with his mom.

He frowned, wondering again at her strange reaction this morning when he’d mentioned his mom.

They’d been close, at least before the accident.

Speaking of which…

Reaching over to the nightstand, he picked up the phone and dialed.

“Hi, Mom,” he said when she answered.

“Oh, thank God.” Her warmth and concern were almost palpable over the phone line. “I’ve been going crazy worrying about you.”

“Sorry about that.” He tucked the covers up under his arms and settled back against the pillows. “I’ve been a little out of it.”

“They told me you were knocked unconscious.”

“Among other things.” He paused. “I, uh, refused the medication.”

“Oh, Cody.” She sighed. “That must have been so hard for you.”

“A bit of an understatement.” He shook his head. “But last night the doctor prescribed something non-narcotic.”

“Thank God for that.” He could hear his dad’s voice in the background. Then his mom added, “How long are you going to be in Four Corners?”

“I don’t know. I’m on bedrest for another day or two, then we’ll have to see.”

“And you’re doing better now.” It was as much a statement as a question.

“Yeah. Sam’s been taking good care of me.”

There was a pause. “I’d heard she took you home.”

“Like a stray puppy she found on the side of the road,” he joked.

“I have to say, I was surprised.”

“Really?” He reached for the glass of water and took a sip. “Our families were always friends, Mom.”

“Up until the accident,” she reminded him. “Then…”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Plus there was that whole falling out the two of you had that last summer. You never did tell us what that was about.”

“Still not telling you,” he shot back.

She laughed. “Can’t blame a mom for trying.”

The door to his room opened and he looked over in time to see Sam’s mom peek in. “Hey, Mrs. Alderson,” he said, covering the mouthpiece of the phone with his hand. “Did you need something?”

“No,” she said, backing up. “I just heard voices, and thought I should check to see how you were.”

“Sorry about that. I just decided to call my mom, let her know how I was doing.” He spoke into the phone. “Hey, Mom, it’s Sam’s mother. Did you want to talk to her?”

“Sure,” she said, but when he looked up again, Mrs. Alderson was gone.

Damn.

“Uh, sorry, Mom,” he said. “I guess she had to go.”

He could almost see his mother pursing her lips. “I’m sure she did,” she said, a bite to her voice.

“I should probably get off the phone.” He glanced at the doorway again, wondering why Sam’s mom had run off like that. “Talk to you later?”

“Absolutely,” she said. “Sooner than you think.”

And with that cryptic comment, she said goodbye and hung up the phone.

Cody set the phone down and stared out the window. At least now he had something to puzzle over, instead of his injuries.

A horse and rider passed by on the dirt track ringing the arena as Sam picked her way toward the bleachers, dust swirling around her ankles. Squinting against the bright sunlight, she walked until she reached the entrance to the chutes, beneath the bleachers.

Back when her dad was competing, she’d spent a lot of time back here. She’d stood on the bottom rail of the split-rail fence, chin resting on her folded arms, watching her father prep for his ride.

She’d loved being part of the rodeo, hanging out with her dad as he competed. Her mother had hated every minute of it, preferring to wait at home until the rodeo ended. But Sam couldn’t get enough of it.

Then she’d watched her father die in the arena, and her love of the rodeo had died with him.

Or at least she’d thought so. Almost against her will, she sucked in a deep breath, strangely comforted by the smell of fresh-turned dirt and the rodeo stock animals. Riders walked through the maze of fencing, heads down, mentally preparing for the competition. Bulls and broncs were milling around the holding pens to the left of the chutes, snorting and blowing. A stock company worker walked between the pens, marking things off on a clipboard.