Sage’s head rested on Brad’s shoulder and his arm cradled her to his side. Her conscience whirled with silent recriminations. I’m a horrible person. I can’t believe I’m faking sleep just to cuddle up to Brad.
If he noticed she was faking, she’d be mortified. She’d have to leave town.
What kind of person does this? I’m such an idiot.
Her brain ran riot. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she couldn’t hear the movie anymore, the sound had become a low drone against her internal confusion. His arm rested along hers, his fingers stationary just above her elbow. His chest rose and fell in a soft comforting motion. She felt safer here than she had with any man besides the males of her family.
He was comfortable to be around, but a persistent sense of wanting more nagged at her. They’d been working together less than two weeks and part of her felt like she’d known him all her life. She even recognized his scent. Leather, spice, soap, all mixed with something unique and male and pure Brad.
She shouldn’t feel so attracted. They barely knew each other, yet it felt like she’d known him all her life. At the same time, it was as if she’d been waiting on him forever. She wiggled again. Snuggling closer.
How did he not realize that she was feigning sleep?
Unless…he wanted her to cuddle in closer.
She didn’t dare hope that was the case. That idea led to heartache. Tonight was a one off. Her and Brad together was temporary at best. After this, she’d back away. She would resume her distance and seek out a man who didn’t risk his life on a regular basis. Right now, he was too much for her to resist.
Something about Brad drew her in. Like a child to candy. A dieter to cake. She knew she shouldn’t but she was going to anyway. Consequences be damned. She sighed at her own folly, and tipped her head down slightly to peek her eyes open and watch the show. After only a minute, she closed them again. Who cared about a movie when heavenly bliss was right under her chest. She could spend the rest of her life right here.
“Hey, Sage.” A deep voice penetrated her cozy dream of holding Brad’s baby in her arms.
“Mm,” she mumbled.
“Sage, honey. Wake up. It’s almost eight.”
She struggled to open her eyes and orient herself. She was laying on the couch, facing the TV. Someone had draped a quilt over her. A warm male arm was nestled over her and her head was on his …
She bolted upright. Holy mistletoe! She’d fallen asleep. Her head was on Brad’s lap. She jerked to her feet and stared at him. His grin was roguish. He winked and heat flooded her face.
“Morning. Did you have a good sleep?” he asked.
She yawned. “Um. Yes?” She licked her dry lips. “Sorry I fell asleep on you.”
“No worries. I enjoyed the movie and having you beside me. You kept slipping lower down, I didn’t have the heart to wake you, so I let you sleep. I gave you a pillow to make you comfortable.” He patted the throw pillow on his lap.
“You stayed awake all night rather than wake me? That’s crazy. You should have given me a shove.” Holy Christmas, she’d slept with her head in his lap. She tried not to let her chagrin show.
“I slept off and on. I’m used to catching catnaps and it’s not often I get to doze beside a beautiful woman. I feel remarkably rested.” He tossed the cushion aside and rose to his feet. “I only woke you because you mentioned having plans today.”
“Thanks. I’ll make coffee.” She stood and dropped the quilt to her feet and scurried to the kitchen. She was fumbling to open the box of pods when she heard him step up behind her.
His hands landed lightly on her shoulders and she jerked, dropping the box. The pods spilled over the countertop and rolled onto the floor.
“Nervous?” he asked. “Don’t be.” He gently turner her around. “I enjoyed our dinner last night, and I enjoyed spending the night with you. You’re a lovely woman, Sage. One I’d like to get to know better.”
“Last night was nice.” His wince made her rephrase. “Dinner was amazing. I enjoyed talking with you. It was a lovely evening. We have a lot in common. I didn’t mean to abandon you by falling asleep.” She stared at the untucked tails of his dress shirt rather than look at him directly.
He eased her chin up until their eyes met. “No shame in being tired and if I wasn’t comfortable, I would have gone home.” His gaze travelled from her eyes to her lips and back again.
It was all she could do not to kiss him. Heat flared in his eyes and she leaned toward him. He inched closer.
This was it! They were going to kiss. She could hardly wait. No! She needed to stop this. But, maybe just one. She almost rolled her eyes at her dithering. Instead, she inched forward.
Low beeping sounded, distracting her from her self-argument. It grew louder with every beep. It took ten full seconds for it to penetrate the fog of desire clouding her mind. Her alarm!
She blinked twice and backed away. “That’s my alarm,” she explained needlessly. “I have to get ready. I totally forgot; I’m meeting a friend.”
“Male or female?” he growled. His brows pinched together in the middle and turned down on the outside.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but a female.” His jealousy tickled up her spine like a wave of sweet heat.
“Can I see you after church?”
“Why don’t you message me later? I don’t know what we’re doing or how long it will take.” She was going for lunch with Renna, but he didn’t need to know that. It never hurt to keep a guy on his toes. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him. Quite the opposite. But she didn’t want to seem too eager.
Sometime during the night she’d made the decision to give a relationship with Brad a chance.
“If I don’t see you today,” she said, “I’ll be at the church tomorrow morning making lists of what we have, and what we need. You could stop by.”
His frown slowly transformed into a smile that carried all the way to his blue eyes, making them shine. “I’ll message you after church. Now, how about that coffee? Do you have time?”
She glanced at the quirky black and white cat clock above the sink. “I have time for a quickie.”
He coughed.
“Not that type. Get your mind out of the gutter Putnam. A quick coffee.” She turned around to hide her grin. She started the first cup while Brad scooped up the pods that landed on the floor.
Coffee made, she opened the heavy blinds over the dining room window and early morning sunshine flooded in. “I love this view.” He joined her at the window. “Don’t you just love looking at the playpark, then the football field, and the forest beyond. Her apartment faced nearly due east and the distant trees were the boundary to a provincial park that ran right through town. “Oh, it snowed. There are no tracks in the park. It is pristine.” She paused. “That’s a little sad. Parks should have tracks running everywhere.”
“It is pretty though.” He sat at the table as she soaked up the sun. “You love the sun, don’t you?”
“I do. I stand here every day and get a bit of sun. In summer I keep the window open except on the hottest days. I get evening shade which helps generate a cool breeze.” She shivered. “Of course, when it’s this cold, I enjoy my sun and close the drapes back up. No sense chilling the whole place.”
♥♥♥
Brad watched her stretch her arms over her head and lean left and right. She had curves that would make a dead man sit up and drool. She was fit and sexy. She woke up happy, which was a bonus in his mind. Not that a person could control that, but he worked with a couple guys who were surly until they downed a pot of coffee and breakfast. He much preferred the happy riser.
Last night they’d talked for hours at the restaurant. They had a lot in common. She was quick witted and could converse about anything. What impressed him most was that she was a good listener and could ask just the right question to clarify a detail, or help him understand his own feelings better.
She slid into the chair opposite him and sipped her coffee. “Is there anything that tastes as good as the first morning sip?” she asked.
He’d bet her lips were tastier, but knew better than to put the thought out in the open. He couldn’t control his thoughts, but he could control what came out of his mouth. “It is delicious.”
They drank quickly and before he knew it, he was standing outside her door. He whistled his way downstairs to his truck. Today was going to be a good day. He had time for a quick shower, and a stop at the station before church.
They shared a delicious Sunday meal of rotisserie chicken, Ceasar salad, and apple pie later that evening.
Without meaning to, he called her every day and asked her out. Sometimes she agreed, others, she declined. Slowly over the next couple weeks, they got to know each other better. With every hour they spent together, he fell further and further. She was fast becoming an integral part of his world. He had no idea what he’d do if she pushed him back into the friend zone after the toy drive was over.