Questing Heart: Fighting Heart Erotic Bad Boy Romance Series Book 2 by Nicole Hamilton Read Free Book Online

the audience. My Cody.
    But I was counting my chickens. I waved at Cody after he’d finished and gave him a double thumbs up. He smiled and waved back, and then I packed up and decided to find a room before the town ran out of them. But before I shifted altogether I looked back through the window of The Great Stag. There amidst the drinkers and the festival folk Cody was talking excitedly to his agent. She threw her arms around him and held him under the excuse of celebration. But I saw where she wanted to take this. I hoped Cody stayed true to what could be between us. But in a sense, I knew it wasn’t my right to determine his future or where his love settled. Back outside the Union bar he had given me the bare facts, and I had made my choice. Through fear of losing everything I’d worked for I had stayed with Brandon – even when I knew it wasn’t good for me… and in the meantime Cody had moved on and a new woman had noticed him. If I lost Cody tonight I would only have myself to blame. I turned away from the window before I could see something I didn’t want to. Even if my hotel was the most comfortable in York, there was no way I would sleep well tonight.  I hoped tomorrow I would end up as Cody’s lover… but there was a chance I would end up just a friend. And I would have to accept it either way.

Seven
     
    The day before Ashley arrived in Yorkshire things had been so very different. Cody had realised Joanna Laws was keen on him and he knew it within a day of arriving in Yorkshire. They’d spoken by phone and swapped emails before the trip and he just knew she was going to be sexy just from her telephone voice. Her voice was soft but forceful and there was humour and play thrown into the mix. She was a businesswoman who saw Cody as a sound investment for her agency and her time. When someone showed belief in Cody’s writing – the thing he had put his whole time and self into – Cody couldn’t help but automatically like them. He liked her before he even met her, and then when he saw her he struggled to stop his eyes revealing the awe he felt. Throughout the trip they had talked business about a three book publishing deal and anthology of short stories with a major publisher. Joanna had the contacts and she said Cody had the talent. From this point on Cody began to pick up subtle and sweet vibes, yet still thought some of it was just in his head. Ashley’s inability to move on from the jerk of the year – Brandon Lynes - had left Cody hurt and confused. For all the texts she had sent him Cody reckoned if Ashley was still with Brandon by now then she was destined to never leave him. The idea that Ashley’s potential and beauty ruined and abused by such an idiot burned him up. Whenever he thought about it Cody winced. So now he was in Yorkshire he put it away deep inside and decided only to look at what was before him. And what he saw was good. Joanna Laws was hot, but not in the glossy magazine, bikini and thong type of way. No. This woman was classy. Cody liked the attention he got from her, revelling in the warmth of her gaze. It felt good and mostly took his mind off Ashley. Those feel good vibes had been simmering all week, and on the night before Ashley arrived in town they boiled over...
    They were on the rural leg of the Yorkshire festival. Joanna had said this part was mostly for a social media campaign to build Cody’s profile after winning the new writer award. They arrived at a small country pub in the afternoon. There were multi-coloured festival banners everywhere and some press people around, but to Cody it looked more like a political hustings than a reading venue. He took a drink with Joanna while they waited for his turn to read. So far she’d paid for all the food and drinks on their tour along with all their accommodation. As they supped their drinks in the country pub, with the day heading towards evening, Joanna shared her plans for the rest of their day. She wore another of