by Amelia Judd
“Shouldn’t you stop them?”
“They need to work through this on their own. I’ll step in if any blood is shed.”
“You sound like a parent,” she teased.
Pax blew out a long, slow breath. “You have no idea how many times I feel like the head of a very dysfunctional family.”
“Susie, he didn’t mean no harm. He’s just fooling around, right?” Brick turned to Logan, taking on the role of the peacemaking middle child.
“Good-o.” Logan smiled, looking pleased with himself.
Susanna stared Logan down for a full five seconds before turning her attention to the half-eaten plates on the table. “Eat. All of you. Before the food is ruined.”
After finishing the delicious meal, Sage relaxed back in her chair and sipped her glass of wine. She’d never been a big drinker, and after two mojitos, she should probably take it easy on the wine.
Her lowered defenses allowed in a depressing jolt of epiphany. Her life had turned out very differently than Pax’s. Though he had chosen an unconventional path, people who loved and respected Pax surrounded him. In contrast, she’d always played it safe—followed the rules—and at the end of the week, she would be returning to a relatively empty life.
“What’s wrong?” Pax’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“I was thinking about home,” she said, which was true. “I, ah, can’t remember if I paid my cable bill this month. It’s due tomorrow.” Okay, that wasn’t true. She paid her cable bill on the first day of every month. But she wasn’t ready to fess up her real concern that her life might be a little empty, boring even.
Pax pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of her. “Use my phone to check. I know you’ll worry until you do.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled, oddly touched by his gesture. He knew she would worry about paying a bill late, even for nonessential cable. She liked that he didn’t make fun of her concern or tell her not to worry about such trivial things.
Kat rose from the table and extended her hand toward Sage. “Come on lady, let’s go for a swim before heading back to the villa.”
“Pool or ocean?” Sage asked.
“Ocean, of course. We can swim in a pool anywhere.”
“No way.” Sage shook her head slowly from side to side. “Sharks feed at night.”
“You’re afraid of sharks now?” Pax asked, the corner of his lips twitching slightly.
Sage narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t you dare laugh. Fear is a completely natural response to the possibility of becoming a great white’s yummy snack.”
“Come on, Sage, I don’t want to go alone,” Kat pleaded.
“I’ll swim with you,” Logan offered with a mischievous smile.
“No, you won’t,” Pax snapped then turned to Kat. “If you insist on going, I’ll go with you.”
“Fine,” Kat huffed, “but now I can’t skinny dip.”
Pax grimaced and stood up from the table. “I’ll walk both you and Sage back to her villa. You can put your suit on there.”
Sage shook her head. “No thanks. I’m fine here with Logan. Make sure you remember to change this time,” she told Pax, and then explained, “Pax has been known to jump into the water fully clothed.”
“Let’s go, big brother.” Kat slugged an exasperated looking Pax on the shoulder as she hurried from the room.
Logan leaned across the table and filled Sage’s wine glass to the brim. “Better run along, mate. Need to watch out for your sister.”
Pax’s eyes darkened as he shifted his gaze from Logan to the wine glass and then back to Logan again. He scowled at the big Australian.
“Don’t worry about Sage.” Logan winked. “I’ll look after her.”
For a long, tense minute, Pax lasered a death glare at him. Then he stormed from the room, muttering a colorful phrase that Sage tried to reserve for truly painful moments, like stubbing her toe or bikini waxes.
Amusement lit Logan’s eyes. “No worries. He just said he has ‘somewhat of an itch.’”
Sage swallowed a snort. “Oh, really? I thought he called you a son of a—”
“It’s such a lovely night, darl,” Logan interrupted with an easy smile. “Let’s move to a table outside.” He pushed back his chair and made a lead-the-way gesture.
“Great idea.” Sage was happy to extend the enjoyable evening. She slipped Pax’s phone into her pocket and took a quick gulp of wine, lowering its near overflowing level so it didn’t slosh out while she carried it in her ever-so-slightly inebriated state.
She carefully strolled from the kitchen, through the hacienda, and onto the patio surrounding the pool, thankful the relaxing effect of the wine hadn’t hampered her ability to walk in heels. She only stumbled twice. Well, maybe three times, but she was pretty sure it didn’t count if no-one else saw her do it. She plopped down at a table for two, looking out over the moonlit ocean beyond.
Logan sat beside her, stretched his long legs in front of him, and sipped from his own glass of wine. A comfortable silence settled around them. Well, not quite silence. Even at night, songs of animals and insects mixed with the distant ocean waves, enveloping the night in tranquility.
Eventually, Sage felt Logan’s gaze on her. “Are you going to give him the loan?” he asked.
Sage considered her words carefully, at least as carefully as possible after multiple drinks. “I emailed my preliminary report earlier today, but I don’t have the final say.”
“Did you recommend the loan?”
“I gave an honest report on the resort’s financial standings as well as a detailed report of the grounds and the activities offered.”
“How come it sounds like you’re dancing around my question?”
She blew out her breath, deflating both her posture and her attempt at being professional. “My gut says he won’t get the loan. The bank wants him to have more money to put down on the place. I don’t think they’ll overlook his lack of funding just because I said it’s great here.”
“Pax deserves this place. Is there anything else you can do?”
“Maybe.” She slipped Pax’s phone from her pocket.
Logan looked at the phone and then back at her. “Do I want to know?”
“Probably not.” She turned it on, not sure if it was good or bad that she didn’t need a password. Maybe it was a sign. She shrugged and quickly did what needed to be done and put the phone away before she could think about the consequences. “Done.”
“Good-o. So, are you going to tell me the real story between you and Pax?”
“Nope,” she answered, turning to look at him. “Are you going to tell me the real reason you made Pax think you planned to hit on me when you had no intention of doing so?”
The corners of Logan’s mouth turned up in a crooked grin. “Sure,” he answered. “I’ve never seen him so worked up about a woman before.”
“Have there been a lot of woman for him to get worked up about?” Sage asked, shooting for nonchalance. “Sounds like some of the female guests have been interested in him before.”
“He’s not a saint if that’s what you’re asking. But he’s never been serious about anyone here, and he’d never mess around with a guest. Got to say though, he might break that rule for you. I’ve never seen him look at a woman like that before.”
She gulped. “How does he look at me?” She remembered Pax asking her a similar question that long-ago night by the pool in Silver Bay.
“Like he...” Logan’s voice trailed off and his grin widened.
“Go on,” Sage said, gesturing for him to talk.
“On second thought, if you don’t already know, then you should probably ask Pax.”
She scowled at him. “Fine. Be unhelpful. But that still doesn’t explain why you pretended to hit on me.”
“I like pissing Pax off, and there’s obviously something between you two.” He gave a careless shrug. “Wanted to see how he would react.”
; Sage shook her head. “I’ll never understand why guys like to be jerks to each other.”
“It’s just what we do,” he said with a wink. “I’ll let you in on a secret, as long as you promise not to tell him.”
“Deal.”
“Pax is like a brother to me. I’d never actually let a woman come between us.”
“That may be the nicest thing I’ve ever heard one guy say about another.” Sage leaned close and placed her palm over his heart. “You have a big heart, Logan McCabe.”
Logan looked up and froze. “Darl, would you be kind enough to move your hand? I might like pissing Pax off, but right now I’m starting to fear for my life.”
Sage followed Logan’s line of sight. Pax stood silently at the top of the path leading from the beach, eyes as black as the night around him.
“Hey, mate. Done with your swim, ay?” Jumping to his feet, Logan shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
“Kat changed her mind,” he growled.
“Guess I’ll be heading back to my place and give you two old friends time to catch up,” Logan said, backing away.
“Chicken,” Sage mouthed.
With a devilish grin, Logan bolted.
She cocked her head and squinted at Pax. He looked pissed. Really pissed. Or maybe tired? Frustrated? Maybe all three? She couldn’t quite tell, and to be honest, the lovely mojito-wine buzz made it hard to catch her thoughts right now. Like snowflakes falling on a winter day, they were floating around in her head, but if she tried to grip one too hard, poof! It was gone.
She squinted a little more, imagining his eyes were full of passion rather than anger. Damn, he looked good. Her blood started to heat. “Do you want to make out? You know, for old times’ sake?”
“Damn it, Sage. You’re killing me here.” His voice rumbled from his throat as he strode toward her, and for one blissful moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he stormed past her and disappeared into the brightly lit hacienda.
Okay, that’s not how the scene had played out in her head. Sure, somewhere in her hazy mind, a thought nagged that making out with Pax was a bad idea. But right now, it seemed like the best idea she’d had since arriving in Costa Rica.
She stood, determined to find him before enough rational thought returned to ruin the fun. Before she moved from the table, however, he was back, placing a bottle of water into her hand.
“Drink up. You’ll thank me in the morning.”
She sidled closer. “I’d rather thank you for something else in the morning.”
“You’re drunk.”
“Tipsy. There’s a difference. I haven’t been drunk since my first week of college. It was horrible. My head spun, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Or barf. When I’m tipsy, I’m a lot more fun.” She emphasized her words with a playful wink.
“Shit,” Pax muttered with a pained expression, rubbing the back of his neck. “I feel like a damn camp counselor. I have to lifeguard Kat and babysit you.”
“What’s the big deal? We’ve kissed before.” Sage tiptoed her fingers up his chest.
“You might want to lower your voice,” Pax growled in her ear, grabbing her wrist. “Or do you want the entire resort to know the details of our past?” He eyed the guests enjoying an evening cocktail at the bar on the other side of the hacienda’s lobby.
“There’s not much to know. You said no,” she said, flinging her free arm in frustration. “Seriously, Pax? What guy turns down sex?”
Cursing under his breath, he hustled her away from the pool and steered her silently down the dimly lit path to her villa. He guided her up to the private deck facing the ocean and then dropping his grip on her wrist. Turning, he braced his hands on the deck’s railing and faced the ocean rather than her.
“What, nothing to say?” Sage asked, carefully placing her bottle of water on the railing, a few feet away from him. “Just like you had nothing to say then.”
“I was returning to Costa Rica in a few days,” he said, his voice low and frustrated. “Having sex with you would not have been a good idea.”
“Good idea or not, it was damn embarrassing to be turned down when I wanted you so much.” She threw the words at him. “I still feel like an idiot every time I think about that night.”
“Sage—”
“No.” She shook her head, unable to stand the pity in his voice. “No. Forget I said anything. I don’t want to talk about this.”
Pax moved down the rail toward her, stopping so close she could feel the heat from his body and smell the spicy scent of his skin. Against her better judgment, she drew in a long breath and moaned, leaning into him. Pax still pushed her past reason.
“I wanted you,” he rasped, his voice raw. “I still do.” He tilted up her chin and brushed his lips gently across hers. “Sage,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and molding her body to his.
His tenderness set off a rush of emotion in her chest.
She parted her lips, and Pax deepened the kiss, slowly, thoroughly exploring her mouth as his hands caressed her. Her body tightened and desire swirled through, ending in an ache low in her belly.
“Let’s go inside,” she coaxed between kisses.
His mouth stilled on hers. “Kat’s inside taking a shower.”
“Then take me to your place.”
“This still isn’t a good idea.”
“It feels like a great idea to me.”
Pax stepped away, shaking his head. “You’re here on business, not for a fling. That’s all this would be. I live here. You live a world away. You’ve made it clear you’ll never change your life for a man.”
“Buzzkill,” Sage grumbled.
“Am I wrong?” he asked, scrubbing a hand down his face.
“No, but—”
“Goodnight, Sage,” Pax interrupted, his jaw tense and his eyes hard.
And then he was gone, leaving her slightly dizzy and utterly confused.
Chapter 9
“I’m going to be an awesome surfer! This is one time those Barbie legs aren’t going to help. My lower center of gravity will make it way easier for me to balance.”
Groaning at Kat’s enthusiastic ramblings, Sage closed her eyes—currently hidden behind sunglasses—and laid her head against the Land Rover’s backseat headrest. While not fully hungover, thanks to the water Pax had pushed on her last night, she still felt like crap this morning.
Today was surf-lesson day. No matter how much she’d pleaded, Kat wouldn’t let her bail. Her friend had guilted her into coming along by reminding Sage of the over two-thousand-mile trip Kat had made for her with less than twenty-four hours’ notice.
They’d left La Vida right after breakfast, Pax and Logan in the front two seats, Sage and Kat in the back, driving to a town called Talara, the best local beach for beginners to surf. Determined—desperate really—to maintain her dignity today, Sage planned to hang back and try to get her relationship with Pax back on a professional path.
Talking about her legs wasn’t helping things.
“Barbie legs?” Logan questioned.
“Sage looks like Barbie. Don’t act like you hadn’t noticed,” Kat chastised. “When she’s dressed for work in her tailored suits and five inch heels, she makes the perfect Banker Barbie.”
Pax grunted while Sage groaned again, wishing she were still in bed. Or back in Milwaukee. Or anywhere other than heading to a beach to spend the day with a guy she’d thrown herself at. Twice!
Pax maneuvered the SUV from the main road and headed up a street lined with colorfully painted houses. He waved to three weathered-looking grandpa types sitting on the front stoop of a bright yellow home with a small, well-maintained yard. The men dipped their heads in acknowledgement and returned a simple wave.
The farther they drove, the closer together the houses became. Eventually they gave way to a small town. Out the right side of the SUV, Sage could see glimpses of the Pacific Ocean between the beach shops, restaurants, and bars linin
g the main street. On the sidewalks, bathing-suit-clad tourists and locals, all loaded with beach gear, hustled to reach the crashing blue waves.
“Talara is mainly a beach town,” Pax explained. “Even though surfers and other tourists found her a few years back, there are no chain hotels or high-rise condos.”
Sage sat up straighter and studied the view out the window. “I like how the homes and businesses have personalities here. They’re not all painted beige, white, or gray like the ones back home. They seem happy.”
“Yes, but they’re a lot smaller and don’t have a number of luxuries found in America,” Pax said. “Does that bother you?”
“Not at all,” she insisted. “They’re charming.”
“I’m glad you think so. The visitors who take the time to actually meet some of the local residents—Ticos as they’re called—quickly find out how happy the people are here. In fact, Costa Rica often ranks as the happiest country in the world.”
“Seriously?” Kat asked.
“Look it up. The United States’ per capita GDP is four times the size of Costa Rica’s, yet Ticos report being happier than Americans.”
Logan threw a devilish grin over his shoulder. “Pax is not only trying to bring the world together, he wants to teach us all that money doesn’t buy happiness.”
Pax made a dismissive noise. “You make me sound like a damn hippie.”
“Well, I think it’s great, how you encourage guests to get involved in the local area,” Kat said. “I’m proud of you, big brother.”
Pax stared straight ahead at the road.
“Hello?” Kat pestered. “Did you hear me?”
“Yeah. Thanks,” he mumbled.
Sage hesitated, recognizing Pax’s discomfort at talking about himself. Too bad for him. This was her chance to take care of Ann’s dubious assignment once and for all. “So, Pax, are you happy in Costa Rica?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“No. Not to nitpick, though, but you didn’t answer my question.”
Pax huffed out a sigh. “Yeah. I’m happy here. Happier than I was or ever could be in Wisconsin.”
Like it or not, she had her answer. Sage could now report back to Ann that her son had built a good life, a happy life, in Costa Rica. Since Pax had always made it clear he had no plans to return to Wisconsin, his contentment in Costa Rica was a good thing.