I woke up to the image of Cody's naked back.

Believe me when l say shame was the last thing on my mind. At the moment my 'boyfriend' was raking his fingers through his hair, turning the gold strands into a messy, adorable style. As fascinating as that was to watch, my attention was otherwise occupied by something more interesting.

The rippling muscles of his back. Each time he moved l swear his huge biceps bulged and the muscles of his back flexed seductively.

"See something you like?"

"N-no. No. Just looking for my...hairbrush." I looked away hastily. Already l could feel a deep heat crawling up my neck to settle on my face. I'm positive l now looked like a cherry red tomato. Cody didn't even deign to answer back. For the past two days things had been rather awkward between us. Well...more than usual.

I had been expecting Cody to pounce on me every time he talked with the maid. I had been wrong. He left me alone and didn't even bother to ask why l flinched every time he came near me.

Cody turned to put on his shirt giving me a peek at what the dratted shirt hid. My heart pounding l looked away and unconsciously licked my lips.

Yummy.

"Still looking for your brush?"

I glanced at Cody and instantly regretted it. The shirt though doing a good job of covering him up, wasn't really leaving a lot to the imagination. And mine was already in overdrive. I looked up and saw that evil smirk l had grown to become suspicious of plastered on his face.

"Um...yeah. Mind handing it to me?" I asked.

Over the three uneventful but tense days we had come to an uneasy truce. I allowed Cody to do as he pleased so long as he slept on the floor. He turned around and reached for the brush, his muscles flexing accordingly.

With a few steps he was in front of the bed and handing me the brush. My bedroom is pretty much where we spent most of our time. Well, where I  spent most of it in my hopes to avoid Richard and Susan.

I took the brush taking careful consideration not to brush against his fingers. If Cody noticed he didn't let it show. Instead of retreating to his side of the room like l expected, he sat down on the bed. I slowly edged away from him.

"Do you know what ordinary couples do in their free time?" He asked.

I blushed.

Cody burst into laughter and said "No. Not that you dirty minded skank. They go out and have fun. "

I felt offended. Not because he called me a skank but because he actually guessed what l had been thinking about. It truly had been dirty.

"Why should we do that?" I hurriedly inquired to hide my shame.

"We still need to convince the judge that we are a true couple. Remember?"

Right. Convince judge.

"OK. So where are we going? Patsy's?"

Cody grinned. "Why! Mrs. Mills are you asking me on a date?"

My cheeks suddenly felt unbearably hot. I reached for my pillow and smacked him in the face. I reached for another and threw it at him.

"Out!" For once he actually obeyed and left the room albeit chuckling like a mad man.

Which he is.

I got up and dressed unhurriedly. Best to let him die of boredom out there. I left the room to find Cody in the hallway, alive and jingling his keys as if it were bait.

I walked past him and said a single word."Patsy's. "

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Patsy's is a thriving diner and bar filled to the door with horny men and women and alcoholic fumes that would make any newcomer faint. However from our time as reckless, paid spinsters, Carly and l had become its resident frequents. That is until l met Richard who deeply disapproved of the place because of was 'inferior'.

What ever that meant.

We reached there in record time thanks to the little gold lioness that Cody 'owned'. It had truly been a long time since l had been here. I had forgotten just how long the queues to this place could be. The line that was before me spanned from the parking lot to somewhere where the door was supposedly meant to be.

I turned to Cody and suggested we go back home. In answer he grabbed my elbow firmly and marched to the door with me in tow. All along the way the street lights illuminated the faces of the people in the queue.

Most where twisted into a grimace of impatience and the fact that we just walked by, cutting the line, did not make them happy. A few people even hurled insults at us but a look at Cody's muscular form quietened them.

At least the men did.

The women took one look at Cody and gave me glares fit for a pervert. Ahhh...the joys of sisterhood.

The bouncer if possible, was even less impressed by the line cutting and was just stepping forward to stop us when Cody leaned forward and...

Whispered in the guard's ear.

Face flushing he let us through. "Whatcha say to him?"

Cody mumbled something l couldn't hear over the din of the loud music. He bent forward and whispered into my ear. Well maybe he shouted but the loud music made it sound like a whisper. "Food or a dance?"

It sounded so seductive and with hidden promises and threats.

I took in his form and though l couldn't smell him l could easily imagine his scent rubbing over me as we danced.

Yep. My choice made l screamed, "Food!"

This made his body shake as of he were laughing. With a tug he lead me to the quieter  side of the club/diner/bar. Conversation was pretty wasted in a place like this. We resolved to shoving food into our mouths, trying to see who would give up first.

I did.

Not because I was full or surrendered to Cody's larger appetite. No. It was because from the corner of my eye l spotted someone. Someone familiar.I turned and saw them.

Heading towards us with smiles that didn't quite reach their eyes.

                                                        😱😨😵