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Brian was impressedat how quickly Sage recovered.
Within a week, her cheek bruise was mostly gone, and she was walking completely without a limp. She was going for longer stretches of time without her arm sling, and she was using that arm a little. Sometimes too much. One day he’d come over to check on her and he’d found her braced against the counter, tears swimming in her beautiful eyes.
“What did you do?”
“Grabbed for the spatula,” she nodded her head at the utensil on the floor.
Brian reached down and tossed it into the sink, then reached out to rub her back. “You okay?”
She nodded, straightening. Man, the woman had grit.
“Yeah, it just took me by surprise. I’ve been doing really good, and it hasn’t been hurting so bad, so I forgot.”
He rubbed her back and ran his fingers down the length of her ponytail. “Well, stuff like that will set you back if you’re not careful.”
She nodded, forcing a smile. “I am aware. I’m being as careful as I possibly can while still doing what I need to do.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple and reached for a new spatula. “Want me to take over?”
And that was how they went. He was support staff in her home, and honestly, he loved it. He came over every day after work to check on her. Sometimes he found her asleep on the couch— usually after a physical therapy appointment— and other times she was up and moving around. It took her a little longer to do things with her left hand, but she managed amazingly well.
Then he came over one day, and she was beaming.
“Gary is improving. Candice says that infection he was fighting has receded and he’s feeling a lot better. They think he’s going to keep the leg.”
“That’s wonderful,” Brian said, and he opened his arms. It wasn’t even a conscious thought. He just did it and she walked into them, happily, squeezing him with her left arm. Her injured right arm rested at his waist, her head under his chin, and he could feel her touch like a brand.
These past two weeks had been hard for him because he was always conscious of not taking advantage of her injured and more emotional state. But it was so easy to reach out and touch her now. The forced proximity had sped them through a lot of emotional and physical minefields. He’d seen her naked and she’d seen him without his legs, and he was in her home every day, checking on her and helping her out. They talked for hours about important and trivial things, and she had one of the most amazing intellects. Obviously, she was the source of Adam’s genius, though she didn’t give herself enough credit.
The only thing he hadn’t done was kiss her again, though the ache to do it was there every time he saw her. Yes, he’d given her little pecks on the head or temple, but he’d forced himself to give her time to recover from her injuries.
It was getting harder, though, and when she pulled back, he looked down into her face, and he knew he was a goner.
And she seemed to be encouraging him a little, because she tilted her mouth up to his, and he knew he had to kiss her. Lowering his mouth, he gave her time to pull away, but her lips curved in anticipation. Then she cupped his neck and pulled herself up to meet his kiss.
Brian had dreamed about her lips ever since Cheyenne. That kiss had rocked his world and made him hunger more than any other kiss ever had. He’d been upset that he was leaving, and for the first time he’d thought about changing his plans. And when he’d returned to Columbus, he’d thought about calling Sage and maybe flying out to meet her or something. She’d thrown him for a loop he didn’t know what to do with.
Then fate had handed him new neighbors and he’d thought maybe he could have what all those happy fuckers in Denver had, that love that was almost visible between all the couples. After he’d gotten over his own hang-ups.
Then the accident had happened, and his needs had had to take a back seat.
Sage was recovering, though, and she was obviously of the same mind he was, because she kissed him like she was starved for his touch. Brian cupped her face in his hands and kissed her back, loving her taste. This time though, there was no traffic in the background, or schedule pushing at them to move quickly. He took his time, learning what she liked and the way she moved her mouth.
Sage melted into him, and he braced his legs, thrilled to have her in his arms. He moved cautiously, though, very aware that she was still bruised. Maybe in another week or so he could pull her into his arms like he wanted to.
The woman kissed like he was her first, all tender innocence and gentle nibbles. Then she moaned and leaned into him, her intensity changing. Heat rolled down through his body, and it took everything in him not to grip her hips and grind into her.
Go slow, he kept reminding himself. It was hard to do when she was so enthusiastic.
Then they heard the key in the front door lock. Adam was home.
They drew back slowly, and Brian wished he’d had more time. Adam walked into the room and his eyes flicked over them. And he grinned.
Brian wanted to grin as well, but he didn’t want Adam to think it was okay that he’d manipulated them all. And he wanted anything that progressed between he and Sage to be natural. Unforced. So, he stepped back and turned away, praying that no one noticed his erection.
“I need to respond to an email, if you don’t mind,” he said, clearing his throat. And he headed toward the table to open his laptop.
