Climbing the Ladder by BA Tortuga Page A

something
    inside her believed.
    “Touch him?” Her hands roved over Kody, touching the warm, smooth skin.
    “Yes. He’s been pouring everything into us.” Mesa kissed her fingers when they got
    close. “We need to focus on him now.”
    “Pouring. Mesa, I don’t understand.” She had spent the last few days in a daze. She didn’t
    understand anything about what was going on. Still. She loved Kody. She’d do anything for him.
    “I know, honey.” He reached across Kody to stroke her cheek. So good. That touch was
    so sweet. “You know Kody has special talents?”
    That she did know. She hadn’t believed in psychics until she met him, but her Kody had
    known her—bone-deep. He’d known about her past, about her soul. Her heart. She might have
    questioned it lately, but she’d known it all along. Sammy nodded. “He does. He’s amazing.”
    “Yeah. Well, he’s been using his talent a lot to help you and me get to know each other.”
    “I can believe that. I never just go on a road trip like this. Never.” And that didn’t even
    touch the fact that she’d let him make her come over and over.
    “No. Kody says you’re very driven.” He held her hand on top of Kody’s hip.
    “I just try to be my best. It’s not easy.” She’d been on her own a long, long time. “You
    promise he’s okay?”
    “I do.” Mesa really didn’t sound worried. Tired, yeah.
    “When are we going back? I have to start looking for a new job, start dealing with my
    shit again.” She knew the question was weird. She knew it, but she didn’t know why or how.
    “Let’s just do one day at a time, honey. Hell, one thing at a time, huh? What’s your
    favorite thing to eat?”
    “Steak. I love a good steak.” Just barely cooked on the outside. Kody was so good at
    those.
    “Mmm. I like lamb. Do you like lamb?”
    “Kody made that for me. I’d never really eaten it before him. Did you know that girls in
    LA are supposed to eat a lot of salads?” Something about Mesa made her ramble a little bit.
    “Kody thought that was silly. He cooked bacon and roast. And chicken. And pizza.” She
    chuckled. This was not very lady-like. “I’m supposed to say watercress sandwiches and yogurt,
    aren’t I?”
    “Hell, no.” He laughed, too, stroking her hand. “You need to like meat. Makes you
    strong.”
    “I tried to be a vegetarian in college. I got really sick. I was surprised Kody wasn’t a
    vegetarian. I thought he would be.”
    “No. Not even Kody can get away with that.” Mesa chuckled some more.
    “Has he always been psychic?” Kody knew things—it was as if he could read her heart.
    Sometimes it had scared her, how much he knew. He’d never been able to answer questions
    about his talent, about when he’d known that was what he wanted to do with his life.
    “Yes. Though I didn’t know it until recently.” Mesa growled a little now. “There was a
    lot I didn’t know.”
    “How long has it been? Since you…broke up?” God, this was weird.
    “Long enough. Too long.” There was something in the way he squeezed her hand that
    told her he wasn’t giving Kody back.
    She sighed, her heart more than a little broken. “Long enough to let him get married to an
    idiot.” And that was the problem, wasn’t it? She was the rebound lover. She hadn’t even known
    there was a lover for Kody to be rebounding from, which was stupid, because the man was wild
    in bed. Amazing. Practiced.
    “You’re not an idiot, honey. I’m glad he found you.” Mesa didn’t sound like he was
    lying.
    Her fingers twined with his. “I’m laying here cradling my husband while I get to know
    his lover.”
    “I know.” Mesa made this rough but happy-sounding noise. “I guess it does seem weird
    to you, but to me it seems normal.”
    “How? How can this be normal?” She lowered her voice as soon as Kody frowned. “Oh,
    shh. Shh, love. I’m okay. We’re okay. Mesa and I are just talking.”
    “It’s normal for us. Why do we