Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
“ H ow do I look?”
Nervously, Sage stood still under her sister’s quizzical regard.
“You look very pretty.”
Crossing their bedroom floor, she sat down on the side of the bed. “Are you sure you don’t mind me going out?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m happy you’re going out instead of being stuck with me on a Friday night. The girls are with Victoria for the weekend, and I plan to spend the night catching up on my reading. Go and enjoy yourself.”
“Tayla will be coming over to check on you throughout the night. Text or call me if you need me to come back.”
“Sage …” Glory waved her hand toward the door. “Go. I’ll be fine.”
When she heard the doorbell, she brushed a kiss on her sister’s cheek before clicking the bedroom door closed behind her, then went to open the door for Kent.
She pulled the door open and forced herself to breathe normally. She was used to feeling as if she was chilled to the bone, yet anytime he was close, warmth would spread throughout her veins, dissipating the piercing cold.
“Am I too early?”
She couldn’t resist smiling at Kent’s eager expression. “Not at all. I’m ready to go.”
“Good. I have a car waiting.”
“Smart move.”
“I don’t plan for you to have all the fun by yourself.”
Leaving her responsibilities temporarily behind made her feel as if she was walking on air. The thought brought a wave of guilt before she could get inside the car.
“Something wrong?”
Realizing Kent was holding the back door of the car open, she climbed inside. “No, I’m fine.”
He sat next to her and sent her a searching look. She was unable to lie to him, so she gave him a partial truth.
“I don’t get a lot of free time. I can’t remember the last time I had a free night.”
“Then I’m glad I was able to talk you into coming out with me tonight.”
“Me, too.” Grinning at him, she decided she was going to step around the barrier she usually placed herself behind to enjoy the night with Kent.
How long had it been since she had acted like a normal single woman in the company of an attractive man?
Her freshman year, she had gone to one baseball game and had hotdogs afterward.
When they arrived at the beer festival, she was amazed at the number of tents set up. Her heart started fluttering when he took her hand the moment they stepped out of the car.
“Where should we start?” She looked up at him wonderingly.
“Have you never been to a beer fest before?”
“No. My dad died before I was at legal drinking age.”
“None of your boyfriends took you to one, or you didn’t go with friends?”
“No, I didn’t have the opportunity.”
His hand tightened around hers. “Then we need to make up for it tonight.” Kent pointed at a tent about six feet from where they were standing. “First lesson, you want to check out the ones that have a line.”
“That makes sense.”
Holding hands, they got in line. As they waited, Kent told her about the various beer fests he had attended.
When it was their turn, he let her choose the beer she wanted to sample before choosing his.
While sipping their drinks, they started walking along the rows of stalls, each of them taking turns picking out which one to go to next.
After the first one, they ordered sample sizes, and Sage felt her nervousness ease as the night progressed.
They were throwing their latest cup away, when Kent pulled her back before she could get in another line. “I think we should grab something to eat before we drink anymore.”
Lighthearted, she pouted at him then wanted to smack herself. She glanced away from him and bit her lip to bring herself back to reality. Kent might be holding her hand and being solicitous, but she couldn’t tell if his behavior was meant to be romantic or friendly.
The embarrassment she felt for even considering they were on a real date made some of the night lose its luster. Being out with Kent was no different than if she had come out with Brian.
When she caught him looking at her, she forced herself to act carefree, as she had been doing.
“Stop it.”
Surprised at the low anger radiating from his voice, she turned toward him, forgetting to watch where she was going. She stumbled and would have fallen if Kent hadn’t caught her.
“Be careful. They should have taped those cords down better if they needed power,” Kent muttered, holding her elbow as he led her through the door of a restaurant. “Let’s get a bite to eat.”
Despite the crowd outside, the restaurant wasn’t busy. Staring around, she appreciated the muted lighting. Drinking beer on an empty stomach might not have been the world’s brightest idea.
She sank onto the cushioned seat of a booth but wasn’t given time to relax.
“Scoot over.”
Stunned, she made room for Kent to sit down next to her. Awkwardly, she took the menu the host handed her, swallowed down her shyness, and pretended having an attractive man sitting next her was nothing new.
Soft music and quiet conversations surrounding them eased the tension she was feeling.
“What looks good to you?” She forced the words out, trying to resume the lightheartedness she had felt earlier.
“What I want isn’t on the menu.”
Focused on the menu and her spinning head, she didn’t get his meaning until she looked at him and realized how Kent was staring at her. Any doubts that he only wanted friendship were blown to smithereens. There was no misinterpreting the sexual interest in his eyes.
Grasping the menu with trembling fingers, she tore her gaze from his. Thankfully, their waitress arrived to take their drink orders.
“We’ll take two cups of coffee, and I’ll take a glass of the strawberry lemonade,” Kent ordered. “What would you like to drink, Sage?”
“The strawberry lemonade.”
When the waitress left to fetch their drinks, she felt Kent’s gaze on her again.
“I’m in the mood for chicken wings,” she quickly filled the silence between them.
Kent chuckled. “You never fail to surprise me.”
Her gaze swung to his. “Why?”
“You keep your emotions very self-contained.” When he turned more fully toward her, his arm grazed hers, sending sensations of warmth traveling through her body. “A time or two, I caught you staring at me as if you’re thinking something over in your head. Am I wrong?”
“No,” she answered stiltedly.
“What were you asking yourself?”
What was taking their drinks so long? Running her fingers through her hair, she tried to think of something that would sound plausible instead of admitting the embarrassing truth.
“Sage …” His hand went to her chin, turning her face back to him. “Perhaps I can help. If you’re wondering if I’m attracted to you, the answer is very much so.”
“Sorry the drinks took so long. I had to make a fresh pot.” Setting the drinks down, the waitress looked at them expectedly. “Have you decided what you want to order?”
Kent took her menu and his and handed them to the waitress. “For a appetizers, we’ll take the chicken wings, and for dinner, the barbeque rib special. Sage?”
“The wings will be enough for me.”
“Good. You can help me eat the ribs.”
Finding herself the focus of Kent’s attention again when the waitress left, she poured cream into her coffee.
“Thanks for ordering the coffee. The beer was starting to get to me.”
“You and me both. Sage, are you trying to pretend I didn’t just tell you I am attracted to you?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“Why? Because you’re embarrassed or you don’t feel the same way?”
She should have prepared herself for him not letting her change the subject. He was a lawyer; he was skilled at getting the information he wanted.
“I’m not used to men telling me they’re attracted to me,” she slowly explained. “I’ve been so busy working that I haven’t had the time to become involved with anyone.” A sudden thought struck her. “Or were you telling me you were attracted to me for sex? I don’t …”
“Are you saying sex is off the table?”
Sage felt his arm slide behind her back to rest on the back of the booth, surrounding her in their own private space where all of her attention was focused on him despite others sitting a few inches away.
“I’m not saying that …” Nervously, she started twisting the plastic coffee stirrer. “I … don’t just jump in bed with a man because I’m attracted to them. I want there to be a connection between us.”
“I’m on the same page. I want to get to know you better, spend time with you, and when the time is right, move on to a more intimate relationship at your own speed.”
Warmth bloomed in her chest at the way he was talking to her. “You’re not just saying that to get me in bed?”
“No. The only reason I brought up my attraction to you tonight is because I felt you were misunderstanding my motives of us going out tonight. I don’t want to find myself in the friend category when I make a move on you.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Somehow, I don’t believe you have that problem often.”
“You’d be surprised.”
A sense of unease at his words overshadowed the ease she had begun to feel.
Kent was a highly attractive man; she couldn’t imagine him ever having any problem of finding himself in a friend zone.
Several of the women they had passed as they strolled through the booths had given him inviting looks, despite him holding her hand.
A sliver of distrust made her scoot slightly away from him.
“There’s something you should know about me.
” Her expression turned serious. “I don’t like to be lied to.
If you’re out for sex, be honest. I would much rather you be honest with me than be deceptive to get me in bed.
At least if I did decide to have sex with you, there wouldn’t be any hard feelings when you move on. ”
His expression mirrored hers. “I swear,” he said earnestly, “I would never lie to you for sex.”
Staring into his eyes, she believed him.
Sighing, she felt her unease slip away again.
Hearing the truth in his voice dispelled any misgivings she had.
What reason would Kent have to lie other than sex?
He made more money than her, had a prestigious job, and everyone liked him at the office.
She really didn’t have anything to bring to the relationship other than herself.
If he just wanted sex, he could take his pick from much more successful and prettier women than her.
As long as she kept her head on straight and didn’t let her baser instincts get carried away before risking her heart, she wanted to take a chance that he was feeling the same attraction for her as she was toward him.
What was the worst thing that could happen?
She had never jumped in bed with any man before.
She couldn’t imagine it would be any different with Kent.
He didn’t come across as a man who could knock your socks off; he was more the type who would be slow and trustworthy.
“I work two jobs, and I help out my sister with her two children,” she told him honestly. “But if you want to go out when I’m free, I wouldn’t say no if you asked.”
“Sage …” His voice dropped an octave, sending her pulse haywire. “Be prepared. I plan to make plenty of time to spend with you.”