Cherishing Mrs. Right

by Debbie White

  Darla’s eyes widened. “Do tell, cowboy.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  

  The linoleum shone like glass. Cody envisioned a

  huge buffer and some old man trying to keep it under

  control as he waxed the floors at the hospital. The

  smell of disinfectant was everywhere.

  Cody gave a few nods to the nurses and other

  staff on duty. He could hear low rumblings and some

  laughter coming from behind closed doors. He

  wasn’t sure what there was to be so jovial about. He

  hated hospitals.

  Darla stopped at the nursing station and asked for

  directions. She thanked the nurse and then took Cody

  by the hand as she led the way to Bryan’s room.

  “This is it,” she said, stopping in front of a blue

  door.

  Cody let out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he

  was holding. He motioned for her to go through the

  door first. He was her support.

  Darla lightly tapped on the door and then without

  waiting, opened it up and walked in. Cody followed

  directly after her, softly closing the door behind

  them.

  The room was large, and several beds lined the

  walls. Darla made a beeline straight to Bryan. Cody

  hardly recognized him.

  “Brother, how are you?” Darla said, hugging

  Bryan as he sat on his bed near the window.

  “I brought a friend with me,” she cooed.

  Darla stepped aside.

  Cody and Bryan locked gazes. A small smile

  quirked Bryan’s mouth. Cody stepped forward and

  put out his hand. “Bryan. Man. It’s been a long time.

  How the hell are you?” Cody asked, grasping onto

  his hand.

  Bryan’s eyes darted to Darla then back to Cody.

  “Pull up a chair,” he directed them.

  Cody searched the room and saw a couple of gray

  folding chairs. He brought them back and opened one

  for Darla and then one for himself. The silence in the

  room was eerie.

  “What’s going on here?” Bryan blurted.

  Darla wiggled in her chair. “Well … I went to

  Dallas.”

  “And?” he prompted.

  “I met Cody. And now we’re here visiting you,”

  she said.

  “Sounds like a lot of in between story is being

  left out,” Bryan said frowning.

  Cody cleared his throat. “Darla came to me

  because Gabe suggested she visit me. See how she

  liked Dallas,” Cody said, telling a little white lie.

  Bryan nodded. “I see.”

  Cody brushed his hand through his hair. This was

  harder than he expected. “To make a long story short,

  old buddy your sister and me … well … we’re

  dating.”

  Bryan’s eyes lit up. “Dating? As in a couple?

  Really? That’s cool,” he said pursing his lips.

  “So you’re okay with it?” Darla asked.

  “Cody is good people. I put my life in his hands,

  and I’d do it again. So yes, I’m okay with it,” he said

  smiling.

  “So what’s the plan for you guys now?” Bryan

  asked looking at Cody.

  “Well. We thought you’d like to come to Dallas

  with us. I was going to offer you a job in my

  restaurant,” Cody said, lowering his voice.

  Bryan scrunched up his face. “Was?”

  “While we were on our road trip, there was a fire.

  Extensive damage to Cody’s Steakhouse, I’m

  afraid.”

  Darla reached over and took Cody’s hand into

  hers. She laced her fingers in his. A soft smile

  formed on her mouth. He gently squeezed her hand.

  “But …” Darla started. “We have new ideas once

  we open the place back up, and we’d love for you to

  join us in our new adventure.”

  Bryan grunted as he lifted himself off the bed and

  lowered himself into the nearby wheelchair. “How

  about we get out of here for a while? We can talk

  more freely outside.”

  Cody jumped up and rushed to the door, opening

  it for him. Darla followed her brother and Cody

  brought up the rear. Bryan seemed to know exactly

  where he was headed. Soon they were in an elevator

  and after that they were outside with meandering

  sidewalks and gardens. They found a nice bench and

  took a seat.

  “It gets so stuffy inside,” Bryan said, taking a

  deep breath. “I feel so cooped up sometimes,” he

  added.

  “I totally get that. I can’t wait to get back to my

  ranch,” Cody said.

  “You have a ranch? Wow. That’s awesome,

  dude!”

  “Come with us. I have plenty of room. Wide

  open spaces. I could use some help. I have so many

  ideas for that place.”

  “Look at me, man. What kind of help do you

  think I can be?” Bryan said.

  Cody quickly looked to Darla for help.

  “Bryan. Don’t be so rude. Cody is just trying to

  help.”

  Cody leaned in closer to Bryan. “Listen. I’m not

  going to pretend that I know what it’s like to be an

  amputee. But I have my crosses to bear, too. I suffer

  from PTSD. I’m getting help, and with Darla’s love,

  I’ll survive. With our love,” he said, motioning to

  Darla, “we’ll all make it. Just think about it. What do

  you have to lose?” Cody asked.

  Bryan lowered his head. When he raised it, he

  looked off into the distance, deep in thought. He

  moistened his lips. “Okay. I’ll do it,” he said.

  Darla smiled. She grabbed Cody’s hands and

  raised them in the air. “Yay! We’re going to be a

  family.” She started dancing around.

  Bryan and Cody looked on.

  “Dallas has one of the best VA hospitals. You’ll

  have lots of support.”

  “I’ll need it. I have flashbacks, nightmares, night

  sweats, and the list goes on and on.”

  “That’s why I think it’s important you come with

  us. We can get some horses, Darla can do organic

  gardening,” Cody said, winking at Darla. “I have a

  dog, his name is Tracker. He’s great therapy for me,

  so I know he will be for you, too.”

  Bryan laughed. “All right already. You’ve sold

  me on it. Now, we just gotta get the docs to sign off

  on it.”

  “Who do we have to talk to?” Cody asked.

  “My doc comes in at about three o’clock every

  afternoon for a pep talk.”

  Cody furrowed his brows.

  “Just to make sure I know how important my life

  is. That kind of stuff,” Bryan added.

  “Your life is important, Bryan. You’re the only

  family I have left,” Darla said.

  “Come back tomorrow and I’ll let you know

  what the plan is. I may not be able to come back with

  you guys, but I can fly out when I’m discharged.”

  Darla’s smile widened. She hugged Cody. “Okay.

  See you tomorrow.” She leaned in and kissed Bryan

  on the cheek.

  * * *

  Cody and Darla rode in silence to the hotel they

  w
ere staying at. It was near Walter Reed. They

  grabbed some Thai food to go and watched an old

  movie starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and

  Goldie Hawn.

  Darla took a bite of the spicy tofu dish and

  chewed it slowly. She let out a small laugh. “You

  know what?” she asked Cody.

  “No. What?”

  “I think I’m gonna get another tattoo.”

  Cody quirked a slow smile. “Oh really? What and

  where?” He gently knocked her shoulder with his.

  “A cactus flower.”

  “I suppose that idea just came to you while

  watching the movie?”

  She nodded her head a few times, glad he got the

  connection.

  “Well, I guess you do remind me a little of

  Goldie Hawn. So that makes sense. Where are you

  going to put it?”

  She snuggled in and whispered in his ear. He

  leaned back and let out a small laugh. He leaned back

  in and kissed her softly on the lips. “You never did

  show me where that other tattoo was.”

  Darla laid the fork on the Styrofoam container

  and set them down on the coffee table. She turned

  toward Cody. He immediately focused on her mouth.

  Her perfectly shaped mouth. She rose off of the

  couch holding his hand as she did. She pulled at him

  slightly, urging him to get up. She led him to the bed

  which was just mere steps away. She pulled her

  clothes off as she kissed him. She released his mouth

  and turned slightly, plopping down on the soft bed.

  Cody’s eyes focused on her inner thigh. His eyes lit

  up.

  “I told you. A place where only welcoming eyes

  are invited.” Then she wrapped her arms around his

  neck and pulled him in.

  * * *

  After a full day of consultations, Bryan got the

  good news he’d be released. He agreed to travel with

  Cody and Darla to Texas. Cody hadn’t seen Darla

  this happy in a long time. Well. Almost. He seemed

  to put a smile on her face when they were making

  love. Heck. It put a smile on his face, too.

  Chapter Fifteen

  

  Back at the hotel, Cody and Darla were lying on

  the couch, their legs wrapped around each other. The

  television was on in the background, but neither one

  of them could tell you what was playing. Cody

  played with Darla’s golden locks, smiling as he did

  so. Darla was smiling, too.

  “Baby,” Cody called to her softly.

  “Uh huh?”

  “When you first saw me. At the restaurant that

  night. Did you think anything about me?”

  Darla turned over and was now lying in between

  his legs and looking up at him.

  “I thought to myself: That’s one gorgeous man,”

  she said as she smiled.

  “I thought there was something really different

  about you as well. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but

  I’m so glad I decided to take you to that other

  restaurant.” He ran his hand up and down her arm.

  Darla pulled herself up toward his chest more.

  She angled her head so that he knew she wanted a

  kiss. He obliged, leaning down and planting a warm,

  wet kiss on her mouth. She let out a soft moan. He

  gently released her and looked into her eyes.

  “And what about those cards. Was that for real,

  or did you fake that?”

  Darla frowned. “The Tarot cards? I never fake

  that, Cody. That was for real.”

  He nodded.

  She slid her hand inside his shirt and rubbed his

  chest. He reached for her, pulling her up so now she

  was on top of him and she could feel the hardness

  under his clothes. She reached up and clasped her

  hands around his neck, pulling him toward her. She

  nuzzled his neck and lightly sucked, causing a small

  red mark. She giggled.

  “You didn’t give me a hickey did you?” he

  asked, rubbing the area with his hand.

  “Just a little itty bitty one,” she said, looking at

  him in a way he had a hard time resisting.

  He rolled her off of him and rose from the couch,

  taking her hand into his as he did. She had a puzzled

  look on her face as he led her to the bedroom. She

  stopped walking and yanked him back toward her.

  “What was wrong with the couch?”

  “Nothing. I just wanted room,” he said pulling

  her toward him.

  “Oh. Are you saying we’re going to get wild?”

  Darla whispered.

  The look in his eyes told her the answer.

  Darla let out a low sexy whimper. She pushed her

  hand into the waistband of his shorts. She slowly

  moved them almost reaching his hardness. She licked

  her lips. His eyes burning with desire, he quickened

  their pace toward the bedroom. He closed the door

  with his foot and walked her backwards to the bed.

  Darla plopped back on the bed and scooted toward

  the headboard, her breath caught in her throat, her

  eyes intense with desire. Cody reached for her body,

  and Darla gasped. His thoughts were swimming,

  making it nearly impossible to breathe. Cody claimed

  her lips and a deep, sensual, tongue-thrusting kiss

  ensued. He kissed her like she’d never been kissed

  before. He moved his hands over the back of her

  neck. He could feel her body shudder with every

  touch. Darla arched her back, her arousal almost too

  much to bear. He gently lowered himself between her

  legs, steadying his body on two hands—push up

  style. She groaned. She tossed her head back and

  forth on the pillow. He couldn’t take his eyes off of

  her. He lost control at the same time she did, swept

  away by a warm wave of pleasure.

  Delirious with heated passion, Cody and Darla

  were fulfilled beyond belief. He rolled over on one

  side, propping himself on one arm. He leaned over

  and kissed her on her nose. She still had her eyes

  closed. She let out a sigh. She stirred lightly,

  bringing the sheets up to cover her. Cody leaned over

  and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead.

  “Wow. Wow. Wow. I totally saw stars,

  butterflies, bolts of lightning … you name it, I saw

  it,” she said smiling.

  He leaned forward and found her mouth with his.

  He stole yet another kiss.

  Cody put his arm around Darla and pulled her

  close. They both watched as the ceiling fan blades

  turned, a low whine keeping time with the rotation of

  the blades.

  “Did you ever think for one moment we’d be

  doing this?” Cody asked.

  Darla nodded.

  Cody scrunched up his face and turned toward

  her. She was not taking her eyes off the ceiling fan.

  “You knew that someday we’d be in bed

  together?”

  “The cards said it, remember?”

  Cody gently ran his fingers up and down her

  shoulder. “I love you,” he whispered.

  Darla perked up. “What did you just say?”

  “I said, I love you.” He look
ed down at her small

  face with the perfectly shaped mouth.

  “I’m scared, Cody. What if it doesn’t work out?

  We’ve both been hurt before.”

  “We won’t know if we don’t take a chance.

  We’re different—there’s no denying that. We’re like

  oil and vinegar. You’re my yin and I’m your yang. I

  think it will work just fine. Don’t be scared. Have

  faith. If we don’t have faith we don’t have anything,”

  he said softly.

  Darla reached over and kissed him softly on the

  lips. He could feel his desire for her harden. He

  gently rolled her over onto her back and looked

  longingly in her deep blue eyes. He reached up and

  removed a stray tendril of golden locks from her face

  and gently tucked it behind her ear. He rested his

  hand on her soft peach colored cheek, letting out a

  sigh as he did.

  I’ll keep you safe, you keep me wild,” he said.

  Then he claimed her mouth with his.

  Epilogue

  

  The road trip back to Dallas was filled with fun

  and would make great memories for the three. On the

  way back they avoided Bates Motel and although

  Darla didn’t let anyone know, she chanted a prayer

  that most likely was the reason for their uneventful

  trip.

  Once back in Dallas, Cody and Bryan started in

  on getting the barn and pastures ready for horses.

  The doctor felt it would be great therapy for Bryan.

  Cody couldn’t agree more. He was looking forward

  to a dose of the therapy for himself.

  Cody and Bryan built several raised garden beds

  for Darla’s organic garden. She whistled while she

  planted, and yes, even chanted. Cody was beginning

  to like the rhythmic vocalization of the chants.

  Bryan got himself a dog. An Australian sheepdog

  that required a lot of exercise. It was the perfect dog

  for a ranch. Tracker had to learn to be nice and share,

  but soon the two were bosom buddies.

  Gabe and the gang visited Dallas regularly, and

  the group could often be seen riding horses on