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SUSAN HAD PACKED a picnic in the cooler that included fresh baked bread and tomato sandwiches. Of course, Duke declined when they were passed and stood, instead, behind the group.
He was impossible ... and sad.
Until today, Sage hadn’t been aware of how little he participated in the events happening around him. She understood he was working, but even Stone had said he couldn’t relax when he’d been on vacation. It started to make Sage think maybe it was because he’d never vacationed before, never relaxed at the beach, never driven along the countryside for an afternoon of nothing more than an escape from everyday life, from work.
Thinking back to the time during their affair, she had winked and teased him. Sometimes he had sent her a slight lift of his lips or a burning desire of want in his eyes, but it had never occurred to her how many hours he’d invested in the Blake family. A lot of their rendezvous had been after hours. He’d had a room at the Blake house so he hadn’t had to leave the property and would always be up bright and early the next morning. Did he have his own house? Had he ever gone out and lived for just himself? She was confident the answer was no.
Today, she didn’t care if he was on the job or not, it was her mission to make sure he got in that water.
“I’m going for a dip,” Sage announced.
Susan’s hand extended between the chair to touch Sage’s arm. “Wait until your food has digested, dear.”
“That’s a myth.” Sage stood up. “Or is it?” She shrugged at Duke. “Hopefully I don’t get a stomach cramp and drown.” She unbuttoned her shorts and slid them down her legs before pulling the tank top over her head. “Anyone else want to join?”
“I’d rather sit here and enjoy the view of your drowning,” Bowie slipped on a pair of thick, black, round sunglasses and stretched out in her chair. Her fiancé hissed at her, but it went unnoticed. If Bowie joined her, Sage couldn’t promise she wouldn’t drown the woman herself.
Sage stepped into the waves crashing against the shore, pulled the elastic out of her hair, and snapped in on her wrist. She didn’t pay attention to whether Duke followed or not because she knew his job would force him to tag along. The cool water felt good in contrast to the hot sun pelting her shoulders. When she got knee deep, she stretched her hands out in front of her and dove into the water, letting the liquid wrap around her, ridding the negativity weighing down on her. Her mom lived in a positive aura, using her essential oils to bring tranquility, calmness, and peace, but none of it compared to this feeling, right now. Duke needed this too. To allow the water to swallow away all the things that bothered him and touch base with nature, earth, water.
Her head surfaced, and she pushed her hair off her face, blinking the water out of her eyes. When she saw Duke still standing on the sand, she swam deeper. She’d force him into this water if it meant swimming until he had to drag her out. When she glanced back and found him no closer, she swam further, far beyond her feet touching. She could seriously do this all afternoon.
Silence.
Alone.
Peace.
The lake was revitalizing in a way she hadn’t known before. She floated on her back and watched the wind push the white, fluffy clouds in the sky. The city didn’t have clouds like these, ones that formed odd shapes, some recognizable and others representing nothing. One cloud had started as a dinosaur but slowly turned into a bunny or an elephant, or maybe a unicorn, depending on what angle she looked. Soon she’d forgotten about her mission and felt truly relaxed for the first time in days. Even before her mother had been shot, she’d been staying up late rehearsing her presentation, planning and preparing exactly what she would need on the final day. It had been weeks of long hours and hardly any sleep. When her mom was released from the hospital and recovered, Sage would take her on vacation for two weeks—maybe a month. Linda could man the store. At the thought, she was again left with uncertainty as to where Linda would stand with the Ellises. Her mother wouldn’t fire her, and Sage didn’t want to let her go ... but if she had something to do with the shootings ...
Sage up-righted herself and dunked back under the water to shake away the negativity building up in her mind. When she popped up she found Duke treading water in front of her, his naked torso bobbing in and out of the water.
She smiled. Mission successful.
“Hey,” she said.
“You’re too far out.”
He wasn’t wearing his sunglasses and she glanced at the shoreline to see what else he’d left behind. It was too far away to make out.
“Are you wearing your pants?”
“Briefs.”
She tried to hold back her smile, but failed. “You stripped down to your briefs in front of your friends.”
“I don’t embarrass easily when I’m on the job.”
“You’re always on the job.”
“I am.”
“What if you weren’t on the job right now? What would you do, out here with no one? No people threatening me or you.”
“Except there could be a sniper in the brush.”
“There’s not. You would’ve already sensed it. Tell me, what would you do?”
“I would go home.”
Sage’s smiled wavered. Duke seemed to sense her thoughts.
“Not there.”
“I didn’t mean to bring it back up.”
He surprised her by saying, “I live in the city.”
She took the only hook he’d ever thrown her and asked, “Where?”
“In the old part of town.”
“House or apartment?” She didn’t know if he’d answer, but what was the harm in trying?
“House.”
“Yard or no yard?”
“Yard.”
“Barbeque or fire pit?”
“Both.”
“Have you used both?”
“No.”
She didn’t ask which one he hadn’t used. It would be the fire pit, because Duke didn’t have a life outside of work.
“My mom lives in the old part of town around the corner from her shop. If she were here she would say if you were stuck out here in the water, you should take advantage of it.”
“Would she?”
“Absolutely. Lie on your back and look at the clouds here. They’re amazing.”
He glanced upward and nodded back to her without floating on his back. “Duke, that’s cheating.”
“I’m working.”
She inched closer to him. “We’re alone out here. No one is threatening harm.” Biting her bottom lip with a smirk, she lowered her hand in the water and splashed Duke.
His body didn’t even react.
“Splash me back, Duke.”
“Why would I do that?”
Sage laughed. “Because that’s the game. And next time duck because the point is to not get splashed by the other person.” This time when Sage splashed him, he ducked to one side and his hand sent a wave of water to spray her face.
“Like that?” She loved the way his lip curled on one side. Damn, he was a handsome man when he wasn’t so deep in thought.
“Yes,” she laughed. Her hand ploughed through the water at him. He cupped water with his palm and sent it flying back at her. Before she knew it, they’d started a full-on water fight that lasted until Sage was out of breath, heavily panting.
She held her hands in the air. “I call it,” she said.
“Call it what?” His laughter was as intoxicating as the water around them.
“Quits.”
“You’re a quitter, Ellis?”
She laughed at his normally reserved banter. “Not usually, but—” Her leg cramped and her head dipped under the water. Her surprised gasp made her inhale a mouthful of water which also stung her nostrils. She felt Duke’s arms lift her face out. She coughed out the water.
“I’m okay,” she said between coughs, but she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and let him support her weight anyway.
“What happened?” His arm was snuggly wrapped around her middle, pulling her firmly against his side.
“Muscle cramp in my leg.”
“Which one?”
“My right calf. Owww.” She sucked in a breath as the contraction continued.
Under the water, Duke’s hand touched her right calf and his fingers began to massage the area.
“Lower,” she said. When he touched the right spot, she breathed out.
“That the spot?” She could hear the tease in his voice and she lightly slapped his shoulder.
“Stop it. It really hurts.”
“Stop?” His hand paused against her skin.
“No, not stop. Duke!”
He laughed and his fingers pressed deeper into her skin. “Take some deep breaths.” His breath kissed her cheek sending waves of sexual energy through her.
“I just lost my bearings for a second.” And they were decreasing the longer he held her in his arms, faces close, wet bodies rubbing, and Duke kneading a magical spell into her skin.
His eyes gazed downward as her tongue darted out over her wet lips. “I haven’t laughed this hard since I was a boy. Truly laughed.” He looked back up at her. She found no sadness in his eyes, but, instead, a reflection of joy. “There was a pond behind our house where I’d take my younger brother and sister. They would splash, swim, and jump off the dock. It was the only time we didn’t have to be quiet and we weren’t scared to smile and laugh. I forgot about those moments until today.”
Sage didn’t know what to say. Was this revelation good or bad? Did he want to forget? Was he mad at her for remembering?
“Being with you has always felt like those special moments. The best moments of my life.” His confession numbed her body and washed away the remaining pain of her cramp. “But it wasn’t fair to you when I selfishly stole those moments without considering what your outcome in that situation would be. For that, Sage, I’m sorry.”
Sage felt her lips curve upwards at the sweetness of his admission. “I would’ve spiraled without ever having met you. It was journey I had to take. But when I hit rock bottom, I wouldn’t have known the feeling of being wanted if I’d never met you.”
His eyebrows furrowed together and his hand cupped the side of her face. “You’re an incredible woman.”
She considered leaning into the kiss, giving him the go ahead, but she knew what she wanted.
Sage covered his hand with hers and squeezed. “Don’t kiss me until you’ve lain under the sun, roasted marshmallows over an open fire, and swam by yourself in a journey to discover who you are. Find who you are, Duke. It took me months of soul searching to be content with me, to love me, to forgive me.” Sage took a deep breath for bravery. “I don’t know what happened at the farm you took me to today, but I’m guessing you’ve never talked about it to anyone. And I’m guessing you blame yourself for whatever happened—”
Duke pulled away and the cold water nipped at where his body had been. “Duke, wait.”
He treaded a distance away from her, his eyes as cold as ice. “Swim until you can touch the water’s floor.”
“I wasn’t prying.”
“And I wasn’t asking. Swim.”
She glided her arms through the water, moving just past him. “You’re an incredible man too. I hope one day you believe your life is worth living for you.” She didn’t look at him as she swam to the shore. Walking out of the water, she stopped and stared at the group lounging on the chairs.
Darn it.
Privacy didn’t exist with these people. She turned right and kept walking.