in her office until nearly noon, then she walked quietly to the dining room and plugged in the rice cooker. In about twenty minutes, lunch was ready. Easing to the door, she saw that Hunter was capping the pipe so he could turn the water back on. She couldn’t help it, she bit her lips to keep from laughing. Even if she’d shocked his sensibilities with her wet T-shirt type display, the whole incident was sorta funny. “The gumbo is ready, if you’d like some lunch,” she offered.
At her invitation, Hunter’s stomach growled. “Thanks, I’d love some. The canned chili I ate last night didn’t go very far.”
Cody felt guilty. He was here in a strange city, staying at a motel, eating canned food because of her selfishness. “Come eat, I’ve been told I make good gumbo.”
“Let me turn the water back on and rinse off my hands.” He headed outside and was back by the time she had it dished up and iced tea poured.
“Here you go. Would you like to sit with me or would you rather I take mine to the back?” She wasn’t about to force her company on him if he’d rather be alone.
“I’d rather have someone to talk to, if that’s okay.” He sat down at the long cherry dining table, taking a moment to look around at his surroundings. When he went on a job, he was always so intent on what needed to be done, sometimes he really didn’t notice a lot of detail. “This is a nice place.”
“It belonged to my nana,” Cody answered without thinking.
“Nana?” Hunter perked up at the familiar word. “Sage calls her grandmother Nana.”
Quickly, Cody added, “Actually, this is my great-grandmother. Many people use the word nana in this part of the world.”
He took another spoonful. “This is ambrosia. I’m not sure what they were making in Colorado, but it wasn’t this.”
A bit of pride filled Cody’s heart. “I enjoy cooking Cajun, Creole, and Tex-Mex. It relaxes me.”
“Sage has told me all about the cuisine here. Louisiana cooking was one of the things I was looking forward to about the visit.” He took another bite, wondering if his trip was in vain. “She used to drive me insane telling me what she was cooking for dinner.”
Cody decided she would cook for him while he was here. “Well, I have to eat every day. Why don’t you just plan on joining me or taking a plate home every night? I’d enjoy having someone to cook for.”
“You’re very generous.” Hunter sipped some tea she’d prepared, the way she’d looked in that wet dress never far from his thoughts.
“Do you mind if I put on some music?” She thought it might take the pressure off them having to think of something to say.
“Sure, what kind of music do you like?”
Cody opened up. “I love jazz.”
So had Sage, he remembered.
“Of course, everyone does down here. Louisiana is famous for their soulful blues and spicy zydeco.” Immediately the air was full of a catchy tune with an engaging rhythm. “Do you dance?”
Hunter shook his head, that sexy mane of hair sliding over his shoulders. It was longer than the last picture she’d seen of him. “No, I stick pretty close to home.”
“I enjoy it, I don’t do it often but occasionally my girlfriends and I go to this club where they feature local bands.”
The idea of Cody and her perfect little body gyrating to the beat made Hunter hot with desire. Damn, he had to get a handle on this feeling. He was here for Sage. “I bet you have a good time.”
“Yea, I do.” She’d even been known to dance with a man or two if the club was dark enough to hide the details of her face. “Want to try?” Cody had no idea what came over her, but this seemed like the best excuse she’d ever have to get to touch him. Couldn’t blame a girl for trying.
Hunter almost said no, but her hopeful expression did something to him. “You’ll have to show me how.”
“No problem, I’m an expert,” she joked. Pushing the chairs and table to one side, they made room. She
At her invitation, Hunter’s stomach growled. “Thanks, I’d love some. The canned chili I ate last night didn’t go very far.”
Cody felt guilty. He was here in a strange city, staying at a motel, eating canned food because of her selfishness. “Come eat, I’ve been told I make good gumbo.”
“Let me turn the water back on and rinse off my hands.” He headed outside and was back by the time she had it dished up and iced tea poured.
“Here you go. Would you like to sit with me or would you rather I take mine to the back?” She wasn’t about to force her company on him if he’d rather be alone.
“I’d rather have someone to talk to, if that’s okay.” He sat down at the long cherry dining table, taking a moment to look around at his surroundings. When he went on a job, he was always so intent on what needed to be done, sometimes he really didn’t notice a lot of detail. “This is a nice place.”
“It belonged to my nana,” Cody answered without thinking.
“Nana?” Hunter perked up at the familiar word. “Sage calls her grandmother Nana.”
Quickly, Cody added, “Actually, this is my great-grandmother. Many people use the word nana in this part of the world.”
He took another spoonful. “This is ambrosia. I’m not sure what they were making in Colorado, but it wasn’t this.”
A bit of pride filled Cody’s heart. “I enjoy cooking Cajun, Creole, and Tex-Mex. It relaxes me.”
“Sage has told me all about the cuisine here. Louisiana cooking was one of the things I was looking forward to about the visit.” He took another bite, wondering if his trip was in vain. “She used to drive me insane telling me what she was cooking for dinner.”
Cody decided she would cook for him while he was here. “Well, I have to eat every day. Why don’t you just plan on joining me or taking a plate home every night? I’d enjoy having someone to cook for.”
“You’re very generous.” Hunter sipped some tea she’d prepared, the way she’d looked in that wet dress never far from his thoughts.
“Do you mind if I put on some music?” She thought it might take the pressure off them having to think of something to say.
“Sure, what kind of music do you like?”
Cody opened up. “I love jazz.”
So had Sage, he remembered.
“Of course, everyone does down here. Louisiana is famous for their soulful blues and spicy zydeco.” Immediately the air was full of a catchy tune with an engaging rhythm. “Do you dance?”
Hunter shook his head, that sexy mane of hair sliding over his shoulders. It was longer than the last picture she’d seen of him. “No, I stick pretty close to home.”
“I enjoy it, I don’t do it often but occasionally my girlfriends and I go to this club where they feature local bands.”
The idea of Cody and her perfect little body gyrating to the beat made Hunter hot with desire. Damn, he had to get a handle on this feeling. He was here for Sage. “I bet you have a good time.”
“Yea, I do.” She’d even been known to dance with a man or two if the club was dark enough to hide the details of her face. “Want to try?” Cody had no idea what came over her, but this seemed like the best excuse she’d ever have to get to touch him. Couldn’t blame a girl for trying.
Hunter almost said no, but her hopeful expression did something to him. “You’ll have to show me how.”
“No problem, I’m an expert,” she joked. Pushing the chairs and table to one side, they made room. She
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