“Apparently your time with him was memorable,” Cody drawled. Sherry caught the hint of sarcasm in his voice and was amused.

He paid the bill, and the three of them began to leave the dining room. Cody glanced in Jack’s direction, then back at Sherry, and said stiffly, “You’re welcome to stay and visit with your friend, if you like.”

“I’ve visited enough, thanks,” she said, following him and Heather to the elevators.

They weren’t back in the suite thirty seconds before Heather changed out of her dress and into her pajamas and new fuzzy slippers. The girl sank down in front of the television set, studying the pay-per-view movie guide. She checked out her selection with Cody, who gave his approval.

Sherry changed out of her dress and into a comfortable pair of jeans and a cotton T-shirt, then wandered back into the living room to sit on the sofa with Heather. Her mind wasn’t on the movie the girl had chosen; it was on Cody and what had happened while they were dancing.

When they’d left Pepper, the emotional distance between them had felt both wide and deep. Now she wasn’t sure what to think. He was sitting at the table, with his briefcase open in front of him. He reached for the phone and ordered a pot of coffee from room service.

What made things so difficult was how strongly she was attracted to him. She realized there was little chance for a truly loving relationship between them and that saddened her. His life was ranching. He needed a woman to appease Heather—though certainly there’d be benefits. Cody would be generous with her in every way except the one that mattered. With himself.

Sherry wanted a man who cherished her, a man who was willing to do whatever he could to win her heart, even if it was the busiest time of the year. She wanted a husband who’d withhold none of himself from her. And Cody couldn’t offer that.

“Something troubling you?” he asked, looking up from his paperwork.

The question snapped her out of her reverie. “No,” she said. “What makes you ask?”

“You look like you’re about to cry.”

Strangely that was exactly how she felt. She managed a chuckle. “Don’t be silly.”

Heather fell asleep halfway through the movie. When Cody noticed that his daughter had curled up on the sofa and nestled her head in Sherry’s lap, he stood, turned off the TV after a nod from Sherry, and gently lifted the girl into his arms. Heather stirred and opened her eyes as if she wanted to scold him for treating her like a little girl, but she obviously thought better of it and let him carry her to bed.

Sherry pulled back the covers, and Cody placed his daughter, who seemed to have fallen right back to sleep, on the bed. Sherry tucked her in, dropping a kiss on Heather’s forehead. Silently they moved from the room, then paused as if they were suddenly aware that they were now alone.