Chapter 77 Always Time For This

Chapter 77 Always Time For This
Jasmine

I've been back in California for a couple of weeks and have settled into a routine. Next week, I start a new job at a nearby restaurant—hopefully, my new boss isn’t as difficult as my last one. It’s just a trial period for the first week, then we’ll see how things go. I’m not looking forward to late nights again, balancing studying and working on my free days. That means less of a social life and less time with Cody, but I need to do it. I can’t keep relying on Cody to cover everything. It’ll make things easier, and we can save money, maybe even plan a vacation. 

Until then, we have our weekend free. Tonight, Cody and I are going out for dinner with Sasha and Carter. It's just the four of us. Luckily, no one invited Silver or Toby, as Cody also wants to keep his distance from that idiot! When Cody told me that Silver had shown up at our place while I was gone, I was furious, but I didn't do anything. We decided that the best way to handle her is to ignore her and not react. It seems to be working because she's staying away. 

After returning from classes, I drop my belongings on the floor and slump onto the sofa. This week has been particularly demanding, and although I still have some work to complete for Monday, I am deliberately taking tonight and all of tomorrow off. I need to give my mind a break before it all begins again. The house is empty, but the silence is exactly what I need. I close my eyes, breathe deeply, and enjoy a moment of calm before I have to shower and get ready for dinner. 

Since returning, I've been checking in with my family every day, and I still feel a bit worried, even though my dad and Lily are doing well. I can’t help it; I miss them. I miss Lily, and during our video call last night, she was crying because she missed me. It broke my heart, but I was glad I could calm her down. Still, I felt guilty. The thought of it is enough to make me sigh to myself. I give myself a shake. 

With limited energy, I drag myself off the sofa and head to the kitchen to make an iced coffee. It'll give me the small boost needed to start preparing. I have a couple of hours, so there's no rush. Cody should be home in an hour. We’ve barely spoken since saying goodbye this morning. I messaged him during lunch; he replied, but that’s about it—understandable since we're both busy. I hope that as I return to work, he can cut back on his hours, since he’s been working overtime to rebuild the funds spent during our flight that night, when I learned about the accident, and he flew home to see me. It used a lot of the money that was saved. 

One part of me is excited to go out tonight, while another wants to slip into sweatpants and stay home until tomorrow. I’ll feel better once I’m out, but the thought of preparing to go out is what bothers me. Sometimes, I find being a woman exhausting because of how much effort it takes to get ready. 

I bring my coffee to the bedroom, shed my clothes, and change into shorts and one of Cody’s tees. I still need to decide what to wear for dinner tonight. I take a sip of my coffee, set it down, and go through my clothes. I need some new ones, but there are more important things to spend the money on. I raid through them, pulling out four different outfits. They include two dresses; another is a pair of black shorts and a nice tee; and the last is a skirt and a blouse. I sit them out on the bed and stare at them. I groan after a few minutes because I can’t decide. 

I shake my head and walk away. I will pick it out later after my shower. 


Returning to my bedroom after a shower, I find the clothes have been moved off my bed and hung on the closet door. Cody has taken their place on the bed. He is lying down, hands behind his head, wearing only joggers. 

“Hey, baby girl,” he grins. 

“Cody!” I beam and climb onto the bed, crawling over him to gently kiss him.

He smiles into my lips. “Did you miss me, sweetness?” 

I part from the kiss and kneel between his legs. “Don’t I always? When did you get home? I wasn’t expecting you for another half an hour at least.” 

“Ten minutes ago. They let me go early. I assume, by the clothes that were on the bed, that you can’t decide what to wear tonight?” he chuckles. 

I shake my head and pout. "No! Help?” 

Cody understands me well enough to know I'm awful at choosing what to wear. "Whichever makes you feel comfortable, angel.” 

I roll my eyes. “Not helping!” 

“The green mini dress,” he answers. 

“That easy, huh?” 

“It is. You are just terrible at making up your mind,” he teases. 

I slap his chest lightly with a smile. “Mean.” 

In one swift move, Cody has me pinned against the mattress, and his body is on top of mine. “You know I love you, really,” he says with a wink. 
“Um, I can’t get ready if you’re on top of me.” 

A smirk curls on his lips. “Maybe that is my plan…” 

I can't respond because he presses his lips to mine, shutting me up before I can speak. I moan, wrap my arm around his neck, and curl my legs around his hips. We don’t have much time, but I don’t mind. Being a little late doesn’t matter to me. 

Cody withdraws from my lips and then traces his lips along my jaw to my ear. “Fancy a quickie?” 

I burst out laughing. "So romantic.” 

He raises his head to glance at me. “So, is that a no?” he laughs. 

“We both know it is a yes,” I reply. 

He smirks and presses his lips against mine once more. We can always find time for this, even if I have to take another shower. It will be worth it.