Finally, Sage could not take it anymore. She pushed her plate away and said, “Ryan, what did you come here to talk about? I’d rather we get that out of the way.”
“Sage, I know that you must have some questions regarding my relationship with Paige.”
She did not respond. Sage wanted to hear him out first.
“Paige and I are only friends. She sees me like a big brother. I met her on the streets. She’s going through something, and with a baby… I just thought that she would be able to find a job here at the hotel. I only wanted to help her.”
She wiped her mouth on the edge of her napkin before saying, “So the baby is not yours?”
“No, she’s not. Cassie’s father walked out on them shortly after she was born.”
“I admit that I jumped to conclusions,” she confessed. “I knew that you said you were from New York and had no family out here. I assumed that you didn’t really have many friends.”
“Sage, tell me something…were you jealous?”
“Why would you ask me that?” she asked, stalling.
He grinned. “You’re not going to answer my question, are you?”
She shook her head. “If you want to know the truth…I’m tired of talking. There are more important things we could be doing.”
Ryan understood the meaning behind her words. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her.
Sage responded hungrily.
“You never have to worry about me and another woman, Sage.” Ryan’s gaze was riveted on her face. “I love you, Sage.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
When she found her voice, she murmured, “Please tell me that I didn’t hear you wrong. Can you say it again, please?”
Ryan smiled. “I love you.”
Ryan wrapped his arms around her. “This feels so right to me,” he whispered. “I tried to fight my feelings, but I just couldn’t give you up. I don’t expect for you to declare your love or anyth—”
Sage cut him off by placing her hand over his mouth. “I love you, too, Ryan.”
Reclaiming her lips, Ryan crushed her to him. Her calm was shattered with the hunger of his kisses.
Sage took Ryan by the hand and led him into her bedroom.
He met her heated gaze. “Are you sure?”
Their eyes locked as their breathing came in unison.
She nodded. “I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level.”
Sage walked over to the bedroom door, closing it shut. She was filled with an inner excitement in anticipation of what they were about to share.
* * *
Later that evening, Ryan and Sage stood on the balcony of her unit, admiring the beauty of her surroundings. She pulled the folds of her sweater together.
“Cold?”
“It’s a little breezy out here, but I’m fine,” she told Ryan. “I love to come out here and just sit. The view is really beautiful, especially at night. It’s very romantic.”
Ryan agreed.
“So you consider this romantic?” Ryan teased, placing an arm around her. “Standing out here on the balcony in the moonlight?”
Sage gave him a playful slap on the arm. “Yeah, I do.” She savored the sultry sounds of Ryan’s laughter. “Especially after making love.” She rubbed her arms through the sweater, trying to ward off the goose bumps from the brisk air.
They went back inside the penthouse.
Sage and Ryan sat down on the sofa in the living room.
“Do you have any regrets about what we did?” Ryan asked as he played with a curling tendril of her hair.
Sage shook her head no. “None at all. How about you?”
“No regrets,” he responded.
Ryan kissed her.
His kiss was slow and thoughtful, and it sent spirals of desire racing through Sage.
“I am a blessed man to have found you, Sage.”
She smiled, touched by his words.
Ryan could hardly wait for everything to be out in the open. Only then would he be able to lift the weight of the world off his shoulders. He wanted to be able to confide in her, share his real life with Sage.
She snuggled against him. “Why are you so quiet?”
“I was thinking about you,” he responded. “I have never loved anyone as much as I love you, Sage. There’s so much I want to say to you, but it will have to wait until the time is right.”
“Ryan, you can tell me anything.”
He searched her face. Ryan could tell that she was sincere and meant every word, but she had no idea what he was keeping from her.
* * *
The summer months passed quickly with Sage and Ryan spending a lot of time together when they were not working.
Ari and Natasha’s wedding was just weeks away. Sage was glad because Ari was so busy that he had no time to lecture her about dating Ryan. He and Blaze made it known that they were not thrilled about her relationship with Ryan; however, her mother and father decided to trust her choice.
The restaurant had had a successful grand opening, and food critics raved about the food. Ryan was responsible for its success.
Sage was very proud of Ryan and his hard work. He was proving to be a man she could trust with her entire being.
She glanced at the clock.
She needed to begin preparing dinner. Ryan was coming by after work, and she’d promised him a home-cooked meal. They were similar in that they both preferred to eat at home over restaurant food.
He arrived promptly at seven.
Sage threw open the door and stepped aside to let Ryan enter the penthouse. Leaning into him, Sage welcomed his warm embrace.
“I’m so glad to see you, sweetheart,” he murmured in her hair. “I want you to know that it was hard to get my work done, because you were on my mind all day long.”
Sage wrapped her arms around him, and replied, “It was the same for me. At one point, I really thought this day would never end.”
Ryan laughed. “I know what you mean. I kept thinking that there had to be something wrong with my watch.”
Sage gestured toward the love seat and said, “Give me a few minutes to set everything up, and then we can eat.”
“Take your time, sweetheart. We have all evening.”
Ten minutes later, Sage led Ryan into the dining room.
He eyed the beautifully decorated table. Vibrant flames flickered from the gold-colored candles, casting a soft glow on the succulent display of lobster, coleslaw, garlic bread and steaming asparagus. “Everything looks delicious.”
“Thank you.” Sage sat down in the chair Ryan pulled out for her. He eased into a chair facing her.
After giving thanks, they dug into their food.
Ryan appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the meal, which thrilled Sage. She considered him a much better cook than she was, so Sage only cooked the types of foods she prepared well.
After dinner, Ryan helped her with the cleanup, which was definitely a first for her. None of the men she had dated in the past ever came into the kitchen unless it was to get something to eat or drink.
Later, curled up on the sofa together, Ryan acknowledged, “The lobster was excellent. You did a wonderful job, sweetheart.”
Sage never tired of looking at him. His brown eyes were lit up from within with a golden glow. She reached over to pinch him.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“I just needed to know if you are for real.”
Ryan threw back his head and laughed.
“I’m serious, Ryan,” Sage said. “I have to be real with you. There are times when you seem almost too good to be true.”
“Sweetheart, I’m for real,” Ryan responded. “To tell the t
ruth, I was feeling the same way about you, Sage. I mean, I have never met a woman that I considered perfect for me—not like you are.”
“No one has ever treated me the way you do. It’s kind of foreign. Do you know what I mean?”
“I do,” he responded. “Sage, I’m not going to change if that’s what you’re worried about. I’ve been heartbroken before, and it’s not something that I want to inflict on someone else. The truth is that I tried to fight my feelings for you. I wanted to keep a professional distance, but my heart would not let me.” Ryan gazed into her eyes. “Honey, I want you to know that I would never intentionally cause you pain.”
“I believe you,” Sage responded. Moving closer, she laid her head on his chest.
Together, they watched television.
Three hours later, Ryan gently sat Sage up and rose to his feet. “I guess I’d better get going. We both have to work tomorrow.”
Sage did not want him to leave.
Sage stood up, too. She still ached for his touch so much, and her feelings for him were intensifying, wrapping around her like a warm blanket. Her emotions melted her resolve. “Don’t leave. I want you to stay with me tonight.”
“Are you sure about this?” Ryan wanted to know. They had been very careful to keep their relationship as quiet as possible. Neither one of them wanted the media following their romance.
His steady gaze bore in her in silent expectation.
In response, Sage led him by the hand to her bedroom.
Standing in the middle of the floor, they undressed each other in silence.
Ryan held her in his arms, his eyes making passionate love to her with his gaze. Taking in his powerful presence, she asked, “What is it?”
“I knew you were special from the first time I ever saw you. You looked liked an angel to me, and when you put that money in my hands, I was convinced. I love you, angel.”
Sage was moved by his words. “I feel the same way about you.”
She watched the play of emotions on his face.
Ryan swept her, weightless, into his arms and carried her to the bed. He crawled in behind her after placing her in the middle of the bed.
Sage could feel his uneven breathing on her cheek as he held her close. The touch of Ryan’s hand was almost unbearable in its tenderness. His mouth covered hers hungrily, leaving her mouth burning with fire.
The touch of her lips on his sent a shock wave through his entire body with a savage intensity. Ryan planted kisses on her shoulders, neck and face. As he roused her passion, his own need grew stronger.
Passion pounded the blood through her heart, chest and head, causing Sage to breathe in deep soul-drenching drafts.
She had never been as happily in love as she was in this moment in time, and she did not want it to end.
Chapter 13
“I can’t thank you enough for this second chance, Ms. Alexander.”
“It’s just Sage,” she interjected. “Paige, we are glad to have you working here. You’re doing a fantastic job from what I hear.”
She smiled. “I’m getting a lot of referrals.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Sage had heard from Ryan that Paige was going out with Keith, the assistant manager at Le Magnifique.
Keith was a sweetheart and had been a model employee. Ari hired him right out of college, placing him in the management training program. Sage was genuinely happy for Paige. The young woman was a devoted mother and a hard worker; she deserved to have some downtime and a social life.
“I offered to babysit Cassie while they’re on their date,” he told her.
“Can I keep you company?”
Ryan smiled. “I was hoping that you would say that.”
“Bring her up to my place,” Sage suggested.
He kissed her. “I can’t wait.”
“Oh, my parents invited us to the house for the weekend. I guess it’s time for you to have that sit-down with them.”
He grinned. “I’m okay with that.”
Sage folded her arms across her chest. “Really? So, you’re not just a little bit afraid of my father?”
Ryan shook his head. “I have a lot of respect for Malcolm, but I do not fear him.”
“He’s fair,” she stated.
“You can’t ask for any more than that.”
Sage agreed.
Later that evening, she and Ryan sat in the middle of the floor, playing with Cassie.
“She’s so cute,” Sage murmured. “And she’s getting so big.”
Ryan agreed.
Sage loved spending time with Cassie. She was a good baby and always had a smile on her face. Paige was wonderful with children and obviously a good mother. Despite her time on the streets, she had not let it embitter her. Like her daughter, she wore a smile most of the time. She and Ryan were close, but their relationship was strictly a platonic one. Anyone seeing the two of them together would eventually come to the same conclusion.
“I have a confession to make.”
He glanced over at Sage. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“When you brought Paige to my office that first time, I thought that maybe she was your ex-girlfriend. I thought Cassie was your little girl.”
“So you were jealous,” Ryan stated with a grin.
Sage was about to deny it but changed her mind. “Okay, I was just a little jealous. I jumped to the wrong conclusion when I saw you with Cassie. It’s clear that this little girl has you wrapped around her tiny little finger.”
Ryan smiled. “There is a not-so-little girl who also has me wrapped around her little finger.”
She leaned over and kissed him.
“You don’t talk much about your past relationships,” Sage stated. “Why is that?”
Ryan shrugged. “Because it is a part of my past, and I tend to try to focus on the present and my future.”
“Sometimes it is good to look back and learn from past mistakes.”
He agreed. “It’s okay to do that, but what ends up happening is that most people cannot seem to come to grips with their past. They do not learn from it or they don’t know how to move forward.”
Cassie reached for her rattle.
Sage picked it up and held it out to the baby. “Is this what you want?”
“Do you want children someday?” he asked, surprising her.
Sage met his gaze. “Yeah. I’d like to have at least two. What about you?”
“I want to be a father when the time is right.”
She laughed. “Is there ever really a right time?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose when that desire becomes a reality that it will be the right time.”
* * *
Sage gave Cassie a bath.
“You are such a darling,” she murmured as the baby splashed in her tub. “I hope to bathe my little girl or baby boy like this one day.”
She was not aware of Ryan’s presence until she turned around. “What are you doing in here?” she asked. “This little lady needs her privacy, don’t you?”
“I love watching you with her,” he said.
Sage wondered if he had heard her talking about wanting a baby. She did not want him to think that she was desperate to have a child, because she was not. Besides, a marriage had to happen first. She was not interested in having children without a husband. Two of her friends back home had gotten pregnant—one in high school and the other in college. Both women were still single and struggling to raise their children without support from the fathers. Sage had learned from their mistakes.
Paige and Keith came to the penthouse around ten.
They sat down with Ryan and Sage to talk for a few minutes before taking Cassie with them to Paige’s room.
Sage cuddled up with Ryan on the sofa. She had no idea whether her relationship with him would lead to marriage, but a part of her believed she would spend the rest of her life with Ryan.
* * *
Ryan watched Sage as she slept.
He wanted so much to share the part of him that he kept secret from her. Ryan wanted to give all of himself over to Sage; he loved her that much. Thinking about what had transpired earlier, he watched the rise and fall of her chest as Sage slept. She made him feel loved in the way that she touched him, kissed him and held him in her arms.
He closed his eyes, seeking sleep, but images from his past resurfaced, forcing him to stay wide-awake. Ryan shook his head, trying to shake the turbulent thoughts away.
Sage turned on her side. She moaned softly but never opened her eyes.
Ryan really hated the idea of keeping parts of his life from her. There should never be secrets between two people who were in love. However, he also believed that most couples did not share every single aspect of their lives with each other.
Early the next morning, they climbed out of bed and went to the gym to work out. Ryan had never been on a health kick, but he enjoyed working out with Sage. They started out by stretching and then headed to the treadmill.
They ended their workout by lifting weights. Sage’s body was well toned, and Ryan learned that this was the way she kept her weight down.
“I love to eat, so I have to work out at least four days a week,” she had told him when they first started working out together.
Just as they were about to leave the gym, Ari walked in.
“You two leaving?” he asked.
Sage nodded. “I have a meeting in less than an hour.”
Ari and Ryan discussed the restaurant for a brief moment.
“I guess he’s trying,” Sage whispered as they left the gym. “Ari has always been very protective of all of us. I guess he feels that he has to because he is the eldest. He has nothing to worry about from you, though.”
Ryan did not respond.
When they neared the private elevator, Sage said, “I need to get going. I’ll see you for lunch.”
They kissed.
Sage gave him a smile and then stepped onto the elevator.
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