Most Wonderful

by Bryce Oakley

"Well, her name's Emilia, and she owns the bookshop next to the bakery?" Her mother played her hand.

  Cody pressed her lips together, cursing her uncle and mother's close friendship.

  "Yep," Cody said flatly. "What else has Henry told you so that I can know what you've got up your sleeve."

  "That's it. Don't screw it up. You always jump right into these things because you get excited, but even though she sounds fantastic, don’t lose your head,” Julia lectured.

  Cody rolled her eyes again. ”We’re taking things slow, don’t worry,” she said. They were taking things slow, but there was nothing slow about the excitement bubbling up inside of Cody at the thought of Emilia.

  "Does she know about…" Her mother began but paused.

  "Not exactly," Cody said, knowing she was referring to Katie. "I've told her a bit, but haven't given her the full Cody Backstory Experience yet."

  "Darlin', there's nothing wrong with feeling your feelings," Julia said.

  Cody sighed. It was one of her mother's favorite lines. As a pediatric doctor, Cody bet she used that one a lot on her patients, too, not just her grown daughter. "Thanks, Mom, I know," Cody said, kicking at the sidewalk. "So, Henry and I just had the weirdest talk—"

  "Listen, honey, I want to hear more about that, but I've got to go. There's a kid with a missing toe, I can see the blood spurting from down the hall. It’s really cool. Okay, love you, call me soon." She hung up quickly before Cody could say goodbye.

  Her entire childhood in one call: busy but supportive mom, trying to budge right into Cody's business. She knew Julia had good intentions, but she was incredibly grateful for the thousand miles between them sometimes.

  She looked back down at her phone. She had just sent a text when Julia had called.

  Cody: Get out before she plays that song a 60th time.

  Her face split in a lopsided grin, reading Emilia's reply.

  Emilia: Staging a walkout in protest. See you out front in a moment?

  A few minutes later, she was outside when Emilia emerged from the bookshop, holding the door open for an incoming patron.

  "We've been really busy since the reading. I think it was excellent publicity for us," Emilia said as she walked over.

  "I know, I've been seeing people double-park in front of the shops all day. Traffic on this road has become such a headache. And you have only yourself to blame," Cody joked, rubbing the back of her neck. It was such a relief to see her. She felt as though her entire head unclouded when she set her eyes on Emilia’s face.

  Sure, she worried about what Emilia would think of her after she knew she realized I didn’t like to be tied down, and about Katie. Cody wondered if the things she was feeling for her would get them over those hurdles, but something about just seeing her face made her worry a whole hell of a lot less.

  "To be fair, it was bad before your cupcakes became such a hot commodity," Emilia said, poking Cody playfully in the shoulder.

  Cody laughed, grabbing her hand. "Want to order pizza and not talk about work for a few hours?"

  "I thought you'd never ask," Emilia said dramatically and squeezed her hand.

  Chapter 11

  Emilia

  Emilia watched as Cody concentrated, moving the small metal dog figurine to land right on her railroad. She resisted the urge to throw both hands into the air in excitement.

  "Checkmate," Cody said, grinning.

  "Wrong game," Emilia giggled. Giggled! Who was she becoming? "Now pay me…" She looked down at the card. "$200, please."

  "Woman, you think I'm made of money?" Cody teased, her dimples popping in full force, as she handed over the cash.

  Emilia looked across the board game to the woman sitting on the other side of her coffee table, bathed in the glow of the Christmas tree lights. She was genuine and silly, and outrageously and unfairly good looking. And best of all, she hadn't complained once about taking things slow.

  She had only suggested that they slow things down because she was a little afraid of how badly she wanted Cody. She fantasized about the woman constantly, and things as simple as sitting beside Cody on the couch gave her full body goosebumps. She had never been so affected by a person before, which she was finding equal parts exciting and scary.

  "Do you want some wine?" Emilia asked, her voice a little thicker than she had intended. She cleared her throat.

  Cody nodded, and Emilia walked into the kitchen. Cody followed after a moment.

  Emilia noticed her glance at the fridge full of magnets. She thought for a moment about taking them all down, but it felt strange not to have them. It felt as though those magnets were the last shred of connection to her parents she had. Only Frankie spoke to them on the phone — Emilia never had the patience to schedule across time zones — but those magnets were living proof that even on their travels, they sometimes thought of her. She shook her head, pouring the wine into two glasses.

  "I feel a bit embarrassed for going on and on about my parental issues to you," Emilia admitted, nodding to the magnets.

  "No, don't. I like knowing more about you. It makes sense, really," Cody said, taking the wine glass from her.

  "What makes sense?" Emilia asked, giving her a skeptical look.

  "Well, I've been trying to figure out what made you so driven,” Cody said.

  "I'm good at goals. Really, really good at goals. You could call it tunnel vision," Emilia admitted with a small laugh.

  "I believe that," Cody said. "It feels like you live and die by the bookshop."

  "Is that such a bad thing?" Emilia asked, furrowing her brows together.

  Cody held her hand up defensively. "No, I just mean, you find a lot of purpose in what you do, and I admire that. I've never found that. I don't think so, at least."

  Emilia tilted her head. "You didn't find purpose being a paramedic? Saving lives?"

  "It's so different from me. I've never known what I wanted to do with my life. I've been a baker, a cook, a paramedic, and I even trained to be a firefighter for a while, among countless other odd jobs. It's just…" Cody paused, squinting as she found the right words. "Okay. Well, I quit my last paramedic job because I… failed," Cody said, looking down at her glass as she swirled the liquid.

  Emilia froze, probably looking like a deer in headlights. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

  "I won’t come out looking great," Cody said into her glass, not looking up.

  Emilia reached out and took Cody’s hand in hers. "It’s okay, tell me as much or as little as you need."

  Cody took a deep breath, and Emilia could tell she was struggling with gathering the courage. "There was a car accident. It should have been a pretty routine call." She cleared her throat.

  It was clear to Emilia that Cody visited these memories often. She could tell by the haunted look in Cody’s eyes as she began to speak, as though she was withdrawing into herself.

  "I knew exactly how to save this little girl, and I went against my gut, and she died anyway." Cody’s face went through a range of emotions, from worried to upset to devastated.

  "I'm positive it wasn't your fault," Emilia said calmly, setting down her glass, moving to stand in front of her with a hand on her shoulder.

  The Cody she knew and liked so much would never have purposely put anyone in harm's way. But she also got the unnerved feeling that there were some key details that Cody had left out.

  "You don't know that," Cody whispered, pressing her forehead against Emilia’s and closing her eyes.

  "I do know that," Emilia said, her voice firm and unwavering. She trusted Cody, left-out details or not.

  Emilia wanted to wrap her arms around Cody and hold on tightly until the guilty emotions faded, until Cody looked okay again, or at least looked more like the Cody she had come to admire. She had always been so confident, so optimistic, and seeing her any other way made Emilia want to take away all of her pain and worry.

  Emilia wrapped her arms around Cody’s neck, holding her. Raising up on her ti
p-toes, she brought her mouth to Cody’s, trying to show exactly how thankful she was that Cody had opened up to her.

  Cody tasted rich and fruity from the wine, and their passion spiked almost immediately, as if it had been slowly bubbling under the surface for a few days.

  Emilia was torn between wanting her so badly and wanting to take things slow. It had been awhile since she had slept with anyone, and the thought made her hesitate. She broke the kiss after only a moment, and leaned back against the counter, taking a large gulp of her wine.

  "I don't know why I feel suddenly nervous," She admitted.

  "Nervous? Why?" Cody tilted her head, leaning against the opposite counter.

  "I just haven't done this in a while," Emilia confessed, looking down at her feet and pressing her lips together, feeling slightly embarrassed.

  "Haven't... hosted a friend over to drink a glass of wine in the kitchen and play Monopoly?" Cody teased.

  "You know what I mean," Emilia said, rolling her eyes.

  Cody put a hand on the countertop on either side of her. "I'm a little nervous, too," she admitted. She laced her fingers through Emilia’s. "But I have zero expectations. I'm happy just to make you laugh. Truly."

  "Truly?" Emilia asked, quirking a brow up at her.

  "I mean," she raked her free hand through her hair, dramatically exhaling. "We could use some music, though."

  Emilia grinned, pulling out her phone. Within moments, Darlene Love's voice was filling the room.

  Cody nodded in surprised approval. “Is this the Phil Spector Christmas album?”

  "Oh, you thought Frankie was the only one with good taste in music? Who do you think taught her everything she knows?" Emilia grinned, setting her phone down.

  "I wasn't expecting Mariah if that's what you're asking," Cody joked. “But I also wasn’t expecting holiday music. Looks like someone is finally feeling the Christmas spirit.”

  Emilia rolled her eyes. “Don’t make a thing out of it or I’ll change it,” she warned.

  Cody took her hand before she could pick up her wine glass, and pulled her close, slipping the other hand to her waist. She rested her head on Cody’s shoulder as they began to dance in slow circles on the kitchen floor.

  She smiled to herself as Cody kissed the top of her head, then rested her cheek against Emilia’s hair.

  When was the last time she had just paused and soaked in a moment? She had been so scared of letting Cody in, of breaking down her own walls. But she hadn't ever forced Emilia to open up, either. When she did open up to Cody, like the last time they had been in her kitchen, it came unexpected and rife with emotion. She felt so unpredictable around Cody, and yet strangely safe and grounded.

  "I really like you, too," Cody whispered, her voice soft but thick with emotion.

  Emilia turned her face up, and Cody leaned down to kiss her, holding both sides of her face.

  The kiss was like slow, melting chocolate. Emilia felt warm all over, with a familiar tightening in her chest. Her hands tangled in Cody's shirt, and her tongue slipped into Cody’s mouth.

  Cody stepped her back until she was pressed against the kitchen counter. She reached under Emilia’s thighs, lifting her effortlessly to sit on the edge. Her legs wrapped around Cody’s hips, holding her close.

  Cody placed kisses over her cheek and down to her neck, nibbling gently, sliding a tongue along her tender skin. Cody nipped at Emilia’s earlobe, and goosebumps rose over Emilia’s skin.

  She moaned, tilting her head back to give Cody more freedom. Emilia’s arms wrapped around her, and their hips began together to move in gentle rhythm.

  Emilia’s pulse raced as Cody moved back to nip at the delicate skin of her collarbone.

  She barely even noticed that her hands were in Cody's thick hair until she had it in her fist.

  "Take me to bed," Emilia commanded.

  Cody hesitated. “What happened to taking it slow?”

  “I told you I’d let you know when I was ready,” Emilia said, nipping at Cody’s lower lip.

  Cody’s flashing eyes looked all too eager to obey.

  She could tell by Cody’s wide eyes that she was surprised that she had spoken the way she did. Cody lifted her off the counter, still in her arms, and walk blindly to the bedroom.

  The bedroom was down a hallway through the bedroom, but before they could reach the doorway, Cody was already pinning her against the wall, sucking on her lower lip and holding it gently between her teeth.

  "Oh, now you can't wait?" Emilia teased, slowly grinding her hips. "If you're this eager, the kitchen counter would have been much easier."

  "Too predictable for a baker," Cody joked, straightening and regaining her balance.

  Emilia reached to open the door to her left and pointed.

  Cody walked them into the room, still carrying her. ”You’re sure you want this?" Cody said as she sat Emilia down on the bed, sitting down next to her.

  Emilia nodded. Typically, she would have been nervous at this point, but she trusted Cody. It already felt different with her. It felt right, like they fit together and knew what the other needed.

  Some women she had been with were clumsy and awkward, and it had felt more like putting together a strange puzzle. Cody exuded a kind of calm confidence that put her at ease.

  Add to the list that she was unbelievably sexy and definitely knew what she was doing, and Emilia was a goner.

  Emilia nodded, looking up at her. "I definitely want this."

  "We can go as slow as you want. I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything." Cody said, running her hands through Emilia’s hair, massaging the base of her neck gently.

  She tightened her grip ever-so-slightly in Emilia’s hair. She bent, trailing kisses along Emilia’s throat as she lowered them both to lie onto the bed.

  "I would very much like to take off your dress," Cody said, punctuating every few words with a kiss. "And then I'd like to lay you down on the bed and slowly explore every inch of you with my hands and lips and tongue."

  "Every inch?" Emilia raised a brow.

  "Well, some areas more generously than others, I do admit," she said with a low chuckle.

  “Go on,” Emilia said, a sly smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

  Cody moved her hands, one to rest on Emilia’s waist, holding her. With the other, she trailed her fingertips over Emilia’s mouth, then down her throat, sliding down to cup her breast through the fabric of her dress, nipping at her neck.

  Emilia moaned, her eyes closing.

  Cody’s hand kneaded Emilia’s breast, and her fingertips closed around the nipple, rolling it delicately between her thumb and middle finger. Sensation and pleasure shot through her body, centering on the sensitive area between her legs. Emilia’s lips parted in a quiet gasp.

  "And then I'd like to focus quite a lot of attention down here," Cody whispered, her voice husky with the same longing Emilia was feeling.

  Cody's hand slid down over Emilia’s stomach, moving to caress over her hip, and down her thigh until she reached the bottom edge of Emilia’s dress. She paused until Emilia opened her eyes, realizing Cody was waiting for her approval.

  "Yes," Emilia whispered, unable to hide the swell of emotion deep in her chest.

  Excitement swirled in her chest and belly as she willed herself to be patient, to be seen by Cody.

  Cody reached under the edge of her dress, pushing it up as she drew her hand up Emilia’s thigh. She cupped Emilia’s ass in the palm of her hand and rested her forehead on Emilia’s shoulder.

  Emilia could hear both of their breaths quicken as Cody hitched Emilia’s leg against her hip. Her fingertips slid over Emilia’s ass, beneath her underwear, and she let out a soft moan when her fingers felt just how ready Emilia was.

  "Yes, please," Emilia breathed into Cody’s ear, biting her lower lip to hold back a whimper. Her hips took on a will of their own, moving to gain more friction against Cody’s hand.

  "And then I'd very
much like to fuck you," Cody said, turning her face so that her breath tenderly stroked Emilia’s throat as her fingers circled ever so gently.

  "Yes," Emilia begged, digging her fingernails into Cody’s shoulder. She nearly cried out as Cody drew her hand away and straightened, standing. She lifted her finger to her lips, sucking it into her mouth.

  Emilia gasped, watching Cody taste her, wondering if it was possible to orgasm on the spot without even being touched.

  Cody began to undress, but Emilia leaned forward and hooked her fingers under the edge of her shirt and pulled it over Cody’s head, taking in the chiseled muscles of her shoulders and chest. Cody pulled her bra off as Emilia’s fingers ran over her chiseled muscles, and down to the V of the muscles at her hips.

  Cody climbed onto the bed and reached for her, but she shook her head. She pushed Cody’s hands back to rest on her thighs.

  She moved to stand in front of Cody. ”You can't touch," she said, reaching back to unzip her dress. She slipped the fabric over her shoulders and past her breasts, standing only in her underwear.

  Cody’s eyes widened and she brought her mouth to Emilia’s breast through the fabric of her bra, kissing along her skin. The roughness of the damp material over Emilia’s nipple and the warmth of Cody’s breath made her heart race and heat pulse between her legs.

  "Not even with your mouth," Emilia commanded, pushing Cody’s shoulders gently until she was leaning back on her palms, watching with curiosity and excitement.

  Emilia reached behind her back, unhooking her bra, and slowly slid both straps down her arms. She tossed the flimsy fabric aside and pushed her dress over the swell of her hips.

  She was a confident woman, but in the past, that had never translated well to the bedroom. She had always felt strange taking ownership of what she needed, but there was something about Cody that made her feel more empowered in this moment than she ever had before.

  She couldn't think of a time she had ever stood in her underwear, letting anyone look over every curvy inch of her. She’d have been embarrassed just thinking about it, but the appreciative look on Cody's face made her feel even bolder.