Chapter Three
Sage snuggled deeper into the warmth of her fleece sheets. Cool spring nights had kept her from changing to the plain cotton ones. But she’d miss the fleece when the time came. They were pricey but such a worthy indulgence. The fleece felt so soft against her skin.
Today her bed seemed extra warm and extra comfy. And what was that delightful scent? Earthy and delicious, it wrapped around her like a sensual hug. Sage inhaled deeply in an attempt to identify the familiar smell. She wiggled down until her feet dangled over the edge of the mattress.
A deep masculine chuckle stopped her movement. “Is this how you usually get out of bed?”
She froze. “Matt?”
“Yeah. I’m up here.”
She rolled over. Matt lay on his side, his head propped on his fist. Thick stubble lined his jaw. His curls formed a disheveled halo. A mouthwatering amount of his chest and abs were on display. “What are you doing here?”
“You asked me to stay.”
She struggled to keep her eyes on his face.
Despite her best efforts, her gaze was repeatedly drawn down his sculped torso.
He sported the perfect amount of body hair.
Her fingertips tingled with the temptation to pet him, starting at his collarbones, following the flow of hair straight down to his happy trail.
If the spreading smile on Matt’s face was anything to judge by, he didn’t mind her lack of control. She ran a hand over her face. “Oh, yeah. Um, thank you.”
“What do you want to do today?”
The rumble of thunder filled the room seconds before the heavens opened up and rain drummed against the bedroom windows, vetoing any outdoor excursions. “Curl up with a good book.”
“Typical librarian answer.”
“Part-time librarian,” she corrected. Their town housed one small library no bigger than a modest house. Aside from herself, it employed one full-time librarian and a part-time assistant. A couple of volunteers came in on a semi-regular basis.
She loved her job, but the pay was laughable. If her parents hadn’t allowed her to live in her late grandmother’s house rent free, she’d still be in her childhood bedroom.
“Besides, you have to admit it’s the perfect day for reading.”
“Rain that heavy won’t last long.”
“But with any luck, the sky will be overcast all day.”
He groaned and flopped onto his back. “I forgot you love rainy days.”
She slid out of bed. “I’m going to shower and change into something baggy and indistinguishable from pajamas.”
He laughed. “I’ll shower and make breakfast.”
She paused on the way to the bathroom. “You don’t have to do that.”
“No arguments. I’m here to take care of you and that’s what I’m going to do.”
As she really didn’t feel up to cooking, she didn’t protest further.
After a long shower that helped to work out some of the lingering soreness from the accident, Sage donned baggy gray sweats, her softest t-shirt, and a thick pair of fuzzy socks with grippers on the bottom.
Thankfully, her braids were holding up, and she didn’t have to deal with her hair.
Amongst her other minor aches and pains, her shoulder was sore and it limited her comfortable range of motion.
She walked into the kitchen as Matt placed a platter of scrambled eggs on the table next to a plate of pancakes. “Are we expecting company?” she asked, spying plates of bacon and sausage next to the stove.
“I hope not.”
“Then why so much food?” She had a healthy appetite, but she had her limits.
“I’m a growing boy.”
She eyed his six-foot-four frame, taking in his broad shoulders and the biceps exposed by his short-sleeved tee. He’d bulked up since the last time she’d seen him. “You’ve grown quite a bit.
He carried the bacon and sausage to the table. “Could you get the plates? And some silverware?”
She did as he requested, noticing that he’d also made coffee. “Seriously, how long was I in the bathroom. How did you have time to make all of this?”
“It’s breakfast food. It cooks quickly. Cools that way, too. Sit down and eat. I’ll bring over the coffee.”
She had to admit, she felt pampered. No one had cooked breakfast for her since she was a child.
As she prepared her plate, she noticed that Matt took only one pancake while his abundant serving of bacon and sausage threatened to fall onto the table.
She took a sip of her coffee and smiled.
He’d made it just the way she liked it with lots of sugar and cream.
“When are you getting your car back?”
“The shop will call me when it’s fixed. Though I may have missed their call while I was in the hospital. Did you need to go somewhere?”
He took a sip of water and nodded. “We need more groceries.”
“I have plenty of groceries.”
“Well, then I need more groceries. Don’t worry. I’ll pay for it.”
Remorse tightened her chest. “No. I’m sorry. You came here to take care of me. The least I can do is feed you.”
“Sage, I don’t need you to feed me. I’m not broke.”
“But you’re not working—”
“When my father died, I got an inheritance left to him from my grandparents. It doesn’t mean I’ll never have to work again, but I’ve got breathing room. Room to wander a bit….”
“So…no thoughts of meeting someone and settling down?”
“Right now, I don’t know if I’m coming or going. Did you know that both Randy and Tyler got married? Tyler is expecting his first kid.”
“You still hang out with those guys?”
“Not so much. We keep talking about getting together to go fishing or something, but they both have big families and wives.”
She felt a wave of sympathy for him. He didn’t have much family and because of his father’s behavior, moving them around the country and drinking excessively, his remaining family members were practically strangers to Matt.
Matt put down his fork. “God, Sage, I can smell the pity rolling off you. I’m not lonely. You’re there whenever I need you.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. I would have liked to be there for you when your father passed.”
“I know and that knowledge was a great comfort to me. But…I couldn’t.”
Sage tamped down on her exasperation with him. This was the second time he’d indicated that there was something he couldn’t tell her. It stung that he didn’t trust her enough to confide in her.
Instead of blowing up at him, she tapped into her sympathy for her friend and tried to view it from another angle. Perhaps whatever he’d experienced had been so painful, he couldn’t bring himself to tell her about it. She needed to be patient with him.
“What’s wrong with your car anyway?”
“The motor in the window died. The window won’t roll up.”
“I’ll call Chandra to give me a ride to pick it up and then I’ll pick up groceries on the way home.”
She groaned. “What happened to sitting by the window watching the rain fall while reading?”
He laughed. “You can still do that. I’ll go on my own.”
“You won’t know what kind of ice cream to get.”
“Ice cream. Not sorbet. Not frozen yogurt. If there’s fruit, apple, peach, and strawberry are strongly preferred. All other fruit, especially bananas, raspberries, cherries, and raisins are a ‘hell, no.’ Nuts are good. Caramel is a ‘hell, yes.’ No chocolate.”
Sage’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I remember everything you say to me.” He shoved the last strip of bacon in his mouth before he stood and began clearing the table. “Got to keep my patient happy.”
“Yes, but that was what? Six, seven years ago during late-night study session when Chandra, Estrella, and I sent you on a run for ice cream?”
Matt hummed. “Go get comfy while I clean this up.”
“I can help. I feel fine.”
“I know you can, but what you’re going to do is rest that sexy ass in a seat next to a window with one of those romances you secretly love.”
“Evidently, not secretly enough,” she mumbled as he picked up the last empty plate. “I’d better call to see if my car is ready.”
Sage closed the cover on her Kindle as the rain picked up again. Even an abduction by a fated alien mate failed to hold her attention. Matt left over an hour ago. Prior to her car accident, she might not have worried. But now….
The world outside her window turned white as rain poured from the sky with a vengeance.
She paced for a few minutes before grabbing her cell and texting Matt. Her message went unanswered and unread.
Seconds after the rain stopped, she heard a car door close. She rushed to the window in hopes of seeing her black four-door sedan. Instead, the driveway remained empty. She dropped onto her couch with a disappointed sigh only to be startled by the doorbell moments later.
She whipped open the door without checking to see who stood on her porch. Thus, it was with a disheartened, “Oh,” that she greeted her neighbor Janie.
Janie gave her an odd look. She held up a casserole dish. “I saw you come home yesterday. I made you a chicken dumpling casserole.”
“Sorry, Janie. I was waiting for someone else.” Taking the dish from Janie, she stepped back and waved a hand. “Come in. Thank you so much for this. You shouldn’t have.” And she meant it. Janie hated cooking, and she wasn’t good at it.
“You’re welcome. I can’t stay. Frank is supposed to come to pick up more of his things to take to his new place….” Sage thought Janie was well rid of that particular ex as the two of them argued day and night.
“Well, then….” She hoisted up the heavy casserole dish. “Thank you again for this.”
Janie smiled. “It was no problem. Really. And don’t worry. I didn’t bake it. My sister made it for me when Frank left.”
Through the open door, Sage saw her car pull into the driveway.
Matt got out, tall and gorgeous as always, a sudden burst of sunlight striking his curls and turning them into gold.
He rounded the back of the car and opened the trunk, reappearing moments later with his arms loaded with plastic shopping bags.
Janie’s mouth dropped open. “Who the hell is that?”
“That’s Matt. He came to stay with me while I recover from my concussion.”
“If I wreck my car, will he come stay with me? I mean, is he a nurse? And if he is, which hospital?”
Sage laughed though she didn’t appreciate the lascivious way the older woman eyed her friend. It wasn’t that she was jealous. Never that. “Need some help?” she asked Matt as he ascended the porch steps.
“Looks like you already have your hands full,” he said with a nod toward the baking dish she held. “I’ve got this. There are only a few more bags.”
“I’d be glad to help,” Janie volunteered, reaching up to tidy her messy ponytail.
“I thought you were expecting Frank?”
Janie waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Pft. He’s got hands, eyes, and sort of a brain. He can find his things on his own.” With an overly sympathetic smile, she patted her on the shoulder. “Let me help while you’re on the mend. After all, what are neighbors for?”
Sage fought an involuntary rolling of her eyes at such an obvious lie. But perhaps it wasn’t obvious to Matt and that was the point. “How nice of you,” he said, putting the grocery bags on the kitchen counter.
“Thank you.” Janie held out her hand. “I’m Janie, Sage’s neighbor. I’m in the burgundy brick house just next door.”
“I’m Matt—friend and temporary nurse.”
Sage slid the casserole dish onto a shelf in the fridge. “I’ll put those away while the two of you bring in the rest.”
Matt immediately protested. “No. You’re supposed to be reading.”
“My eyes are tired. I don’t think I can read anymore without getting a headache.”
“Then take a nap.”
“I’m not sleepy.”
Matt purposefully invaded her personal space. He cupped her cheeks. “You need rest.”
She rolled her eyes. “Putting away a few groceries isn’t going to tire me out. I’ve been resting all day. I promise to leave the heavy lifting to you.”
His blue eyes narrowed, flicking back and forth between hers as if he judged her level of veracity. “Okay,” he conceded after a moment.
“Why don’t you go on out and I’ll help Sage?”
The second they were alone, Janie whipped round to her, any pretense at assisting with the groceries abandoned. “You and Matt, are you just friends or something more?”
“What?” she asked, searching the bags for items that needed refrigeration.
Janie expelled an impatient sigh. “Are you fucking?”
Sage mentally recoiled from her neighbor’s intrusive question. Though they were neighborly, they weren’t friends. They didn’t hang out together or trade secrets. Once the shock settled, she forced a no through tight lips.
“Great! Then you won’t mind if I ask him out?”
She should be used to this. It’d happened countless times in college. Women would ask her or her friends about Matt. Was he seeing anyone? Would she introduce them? Could she give them his phone number or set them up on a date?
Sage didn’t bother pointing out the obvious age disparity. Janie had to be almost twenty years Matt’s senior, but she liked dating younger men. She kept herself in shape and dressed well.
“Matt’s a really nice guy…but he’s not the type to commit.”
“Who’s looking for commitment? I’m looking for fun.”
Sage shook her head. “I don’t even know how long he’ll stay. You’re free to ask, but don’t expect much beyond one date.”
Matt came in carrying as large a load as his last one. Sage’s eyes widened. “I don’t usually buy a month’s worth of groceries at once.”
“This isn’t a month’s worth. You’ll see,” he said, pulling a massive roast from a bag.
Her eyes widened. “Are we having a dinner party?”
“No. This will cook down to nothing.” He continued to remove packages of meat from bags.
“How much did all of this cost?”
“Don’t worry. I covered it. Why don’t you go rest?”
“I’m fine.”
“He’s right,” Janie said, cupping her elbow and guiding her out of her own kitchen. “We’ve got this.”