"Cody McClain! What on earth happened to you?!" Suellen said in her panicked motherly voice. Crossing the living room in two steps, she was beside Cody. Carefully, she reached up and poked at Cody's shiner with one finger. "Did someone hit you?!" 

       "Ma'am, really, I'm fine." Cody let out an awkward chuckle. He wasn't used to folks caring this much about him just being a little banged up. Pulling back, Cody tried not to wince at the pain Suellen was unintentionally causing.

      "Dillion was at the auction." Maleena interjected in a cold voice. She folded her arms over her chest as she shook her head with the memory. "And he basically challenged Cody to a fist fight. So, Cody did the gentlemanly thing and put Dillion in his place." Looking over at Cody, who was being checked out by Suellen, Maleena couldn't help but smile at her knight in shining armor- er,- cowboy in faded Wrangler jeans, that is. "He really stood up for me, and was really there for me today." 

        A smile rose on Cody's lips right before Suellen carefully grabbed his chin in two of her fingers, tilting his face to look at it better in the light. 

       "Well, Cody, thank you for stickin' up for Maleena, but really, this bruise looks bad." Suellen stopped her fusing momentarily, dropping her hands from Cody and taking a step back. 

       "Really, ma'am, it isn't a big deal. I have gotten banged up way worse, I am a rodeo cowboy." Cody teased, but turned serious. "But I really appreciate you carin' about me gettin' banged up. And, I just want to apologize for Maleena havin' to see me punching Dillion." 

       Suellen stood with her hands on her hips. "You're the most chivalrous man I know, Cody, I just want you to know that." 

       "Well, thank you, ma'am, I appreciate it." Cody replied, looking over at Maleena again.

      "Oh, mom, why did you have such a freaked out look on your face when we got back?" Maleena asked, remembering how worried her mom looked when she first saw Maleena and Cody.

     Suellen drew her eyes from Cody to look at Maleena. Letting out a slight chuckle, she replied, "Oh, I saw how banged up Cody was and was just really concerned that something really bad happened. Well, I mean getting punched out isn't good, but you know what I mean." Suellen waved a hand in front of her face. 

      "But you were on your phone. I thought something bad happened." 

      "No, not at all, honey. Everything is fine. That was just your father sayin' he is bringing supper home." Suellen turned her attention back to Cody. "Now, what do you say we go get you fixed up?" 

       "I got it, mom." Maleena rolled her eyes at her mom, grabbing Cody's hand and leading him out of the living room, towards the stairs. 

        Once in the upstairs bathroom upstairs, Maleena partially closed the door, turning to Cody. "I apologize for my mom. She tends to get kinda overly protective sometimes." Maleena stated, motioning for him to take a seat on the bath tub ledge.

       Reaching into the cupboard above the toilet, Maleena pulled out a wash cloth, then escaped into the hallway where the linen closet was, grabbing all the medical supplies she needed to patch up Cody's roughed up hands and his bruised face.

       Walking back into the guest bathroom, Maleena left the door only slightly agape, setting her arm full of supplies down on the sink counter.

      "Dadgum, darlin', are you fixin' to do surgery on me? I mean it's only a couple scrapes and cuts is all." Cody chuckled.

        "Very funny. Give me your hands." Maleena said after wetting the towel, pulling up a stool to sit in front of Cody's spot on the edge of the tub.

       Extending his hands to Maleena, Cody obeyed. Maleena held one of Cody's hands with one of hers as she wiped the blood off with the towel in her other hand. "Don't your knuckles hurt?" She asked, taking a little extra time on one of the knuckles that had bled more than the others.

      "Not really. It was for a good cause, so I reckon it was worth it." Cody grinned that cockeyed smile.

        Maleena nodded, dropping his hands to grab some hydrogen peroxide, Q-tips, and Neosporin, applying them as needed onto the back of her boyfriend's hands. "There, all finished with your hands. Now, let's see your shiner." Maleena rung out the towel before wetting it again, carefully wiping it over Cody's busted up lip and eye. To get the best angle, Maleena leaned closer to Cody and watched his eyes as they scanned from her eyes down to her lips.

         "You're so beautiful, Malie Kay." Cody whispered, reaching a hand up to her cheek just as Maleena moved the rag from his lip to the gash on his eye socket. He leaned ever so much closer to his girlfriend as Maleena noticed what was happening. Slowly, Maleena lowered the hand that was doctoring his busted-up eye as she, too, leaned closer to Cody.

       Maleena swallowed as her eyes drifted down to watch Cody's lips as he leaned closer for a kiss. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as the couple inched closer and closer. Maleena tilted her head slightly to the side and closed her eyes. She could feel Cody's breath on her face as he moved at a snail's pace closer to her. 

      The second before their lips could meet, there was a knock on the bathroom door, making the couple pull apart quicker than a bullet shooting from the barrel of a gun.

       "Hi, mom." Maleena cleared her throat, keeping her head down, knowing her face was red as a tomato from the blush rising to her cheeks from embarrassment.

      "I just wanted to let y'all know that Wayne is here with supper whenever y'all are ready to come down and eat." Suellen smiled, giving the her daughter and Cody a look.

      "Okay, mom. Thanks." Maleena said sarcastically. Giving her mom a look, she said, "We will be right down."

    Taking the hint, Suellen exited the bathroom, leaving the door open after her.

     Letting out a sigh, Maleena turned back to Cody. "I'm sorry about that."

       "That's quite alright. We will have our moment soon enough." Cody hinted towards the promise of another kiss. "Thanks for fixin' up my battle wounds." He chuckled, resting his hand on Maleena's knee.

      Laughing, Maleena smiled. "You're welcome." Taking a deep breath, and standing up from her spot on the stool, Maleena added, "Well, we should probably start heading downstairs for supper."

       "Yes ma'am." Cody followed suit, walking behind Maleena out of the bathroom, heading downstairs.

      "Sir, good to see you." Cody shook Maleena's dad's hand once they got downstairs.

       "You too, son." Wayne replied with a smile. Turning Cody's hand, that he still gripped tightly, Wayne added, "Although I would like to hear the story as to why you look like you got into a fight today." 

       "Well, sir, I, uh-" Cody started, giving Maleena a look; he was still upset at himself for allowing Maleena see him beat up Dillion.

      "I'll tell you later, dear. Let's eat supper." Suellen saved Cody from the explanation.

        Wayne nodded at Cody, turning to walk into the kitchen.  

       "Is there anything I can help with?" Cody asked, turning his attention to Suellen. 

       "Wayne brought everyone home some burgers from Roadhouse." Maleena's mom stated before realizing her slip up.

         "Roadhouse? Like the restaurant that Dillion works at?" Just hearing his name made Maleena's blood boil. 

           "Yes, but it is the closest restaurant to where I work, and your mom wasn't feeling well enough to cook tonight, so I offered to pick up something on the way home from work." Wayne grabbed the bags of food off of the kitchen island, taking out each individual box. 

          Without a response, Maleena walked into the kitchen, grabbing her boxed meal and making her way back out to the living room, taking a seat on the love seat. 

       "You alright, darlin'?" Cody asked, taking the open spot next to his girlfriend. 

        "Yeah, I just don't like hearing about anything that has to do with Dillion; I can't even eat supper without being reminded of him, which sucks since Roadhouse's food is so dadgum good." She said after eating a couple of the large steak fries. Grabbing the television remote from the coffee table, she turned on the TV to the show her family watched every time this week. Usually, Suellen made pizzas or burgers and it was the one night a week that her whole family sat together in the living room, and were allowed to watch television while they ate. It was a nice change a pace and a treat for Maleena, so she looked forward to the traditon. 

        "I understand." Cody nodded, keeping his mouth shut even though he could have said a lot more, but he knew Maleena wouldn't want to talk about it any longer.

     "Where's Chandler at tonight?" Maleena asked once her mom was seated in the living room.

       "He is hanging out at a friend's house tonight. One of his rodeo buddies." Suellen pulled her TV tray closer to her. 

        "Oh, that is really fun. I'm looking forward to hangin' out with him later this week." Maleena smiled before taking a bite out of her burger. 

         Small talk was made for the rest of the time that Maleena's family ate their dinners. For Cody, it was a very relaxing night; he truly enjoyed spending time with Wayne, Suellen and Maleena. The Lackley family really made him feel like one of them, and he was incredibly thankful for that, but every time that he spent with his girlfriend, he was finding it harder and harder to leave. 

        All to soon, everyone's stomachs were full, and the plastic to-go boxes were tossed in the recycling. With a sigh, Cody said his goodbye's to Maleena's parents. 

       "I'll walk you to your truck." Maleena said, practically reading Cody's mind. 

        "Thanks again for dinner. I'll see y'all later." Cody said one last time before following Maleena outside of the house.

          "Thanks again for today, and for staying for supper." Maleena smiled as her and Cody walked at a snail's pace to his truck. 

          "It was my pleasure, darlin'." He grabbed her hand, walking out across the yard. "Thank you for lettin' me come over." 

        "You're welcome. I have a question, though." Maleena tucked some hair behind her ear with her free hand. 

      "Of course, anything." He said sincerely, stroking a thumb over the back of Maleena's hand. 

      "When do I get to meet your parents?" She turned to face Cody since they were standing beside his truck now. 

        Cody let out a breath, licking his lips slowly before folding in his bottom lip, biting down on it as he tried to think of a good response. "I, uh, will talk to them about when a good time is." 

      Maleena shifted her weight. "Do you not want them to meet me, or do you think we aren't ready for that step in our relationship?" 

        "No, we are ready for that step, I just..." He started to give her an excuse, but seeing the look in her eyes, Cody changed his mind. "I will talk to them once I get home." 

      "You sure?" Maleena couldn't help but grin. "I mean, I'm surprised that I haven't even ever seen them at your rodeos or anything." 

      "Yeah, they both work full time, so I honestly don't get to see a lot of them either." Cody let out a chuckle, staring at his beautiful girlfriend. Taking in a sharp breath, he admitted, "It's gettin' harder and harder for me to leave you, you know that?"

      With a smile, Maleena stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Cody's middle in a hug. "Then don't leave me." 

        Cody pulled back so he could see Maleena's face. "How tired are you?" 

        "Not very, why?" 

        "Do you want to go stargazing?" Cody asked, grinning. To him, looking into Maleena's eyes, he was already under a blanket of stars. 

                                                                           ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note: Hey y'all, two quick things. 1. Sorry it took me so long to update. I have dilligently been working on writing some other books and school has been keeping me super busy. 2. Because of the orders of these chapters, to make this chapter and the next chapter make the most sense, I recommend if y'all go back and read Chapter One (prologue) after this chapter, before you read chapter 25. ;)
Thanks for reading, y'all. Hope y'all enjoy! Please let me know what y'all think about it. :)