More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) (12 page)

“Okay,” he said.

“Super.” Sage beamed at him as if she’d channeled the sun itself. “Hop in.”

He got into her pumpkin car and prepared to play the role of Prince Charming if only for a single night.

Because tomorrow he had to get back to reality. 

Chapter Ten

“I haven’t cooked in here a whole lot yet.” Sage led Orion into her new kitchen. “Are you a pasta and meatballs guy?”

“I’m an anything edible guy,” Orion said. “Not picky at all when it comes to food.”

“Good to know.”
Why? Because I plan on cooking for him often?
She shook her head and set about pulling pots and bowls from cupboards.

“Need some help?” Orion shifted his weight from his right leg to his left and put a hand on the kitchen island as if steadying himself.

I need some steadying too.
She wasn’t sure what that kiss back at the Judicial Building meant or what she
wanted
it to mean. All she knew was she had never—not once—experienced a kiss like the ones Orion gave out. Though only their lips had touched and his hands had rested on her hips, she could have sworn he’d stroked the deepest parts of her. Parts no one had ever reached before.

She shivered now thinking about that kiss.
Kiss number two
, she reminded herself. She’d only known Orion for a handful of days, but those two kisses told her everything she needed to know about him. He was a guy who would have her surrendering to him. Completely.

“Be careful,” she said softly, reminding herself not to fall too hard too fast.  

“What’s that?”

When she turned to face Orion, he was rubbing a hand over his right thigh, a pained expression on his face.

“You should sit,” she said. “You’ve probably done more than you should on that leg of yours.” She pulled out a stool at the island and pointed to it. “Now.”

He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.” A small groan escaped from his throat as he bent his legs and sat on the stool.

“Want a beer?” She sure as hell needed one.

“Okay. Thanks.”

She busied herself with opening the refrigerator, selecting a bottle of beer, popping the top, and fishing around for a suitable glass. After pouring, she got one for herself and took a long gulp of it straight from the bottle. When she set the bottle down, Orion’s eyes were on her.

“What?” she asked. God, his blue eyes were magnetic. She couldn’t look away.

“Nothing. I just think a woman drinking beer from the bottle is sexy.” He gave her a small grin that made her insides swirl like a tornado. A very pleasant tornado.

“Wait until you see me inhaling meatballs. I hope you can handle it.” She winked at him and turned back to her cooking.

“I look forward to it.” He was quiet for a moment as Sage filled a big pot with water and set it on the stove. “Thanks for arranging the lawyer and coming with me today, Sage.”

The sound of him saying her name made a buzzing heat wobble through her. She feared she would fall completely under his spell if he said her name too many times in that low, a-little-bit-scratchy voice of his.

“No problem.”

“Maybe not, but helping me get Myah back even though you hardly know us puts you in the My Favorite People category. I owe you.”

She turned on the gas burner then leaned against the island so she was eye level with him. “You’ll think of a way to pay me back.”

He slid his beer out of the way and reached forward. Catching some of her hair in his left hand, he gently tugged so she had to come closer. “I’d like to get started on that payback right now.”

Again, his lips met hers and fireworks exploded in her brain. How could a man who wielded chainsaws for a living have such a tender touch? His lips worked their way along her jaw and down her neck. When he reached her collarbone, his teeth teased the flesh there, and Sage was certain she’d never leave that kitchen. Not until she’d gotten the full Orion experience.

She broke contact for a moment to walk around to his side of the island. When she stood before him, he moved his knees to either side of her body and looked up at her from his seat, his gorgeous blue eyes rimmed with long, black eyelashes.

“I should warn you,” he started, “women scare the shit out of me.”

“Not all women want to hurt you, Orion.” She cupped his cheeks. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I hope not,” he whispered as he stood. He pushed past her and turned off the stove. “I’m not so hungry for food anymore.”

“Me either.” Sage reached up and put her arms around Orion’s neck.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up against his long, muscled body. After another mind-blowing kiss, he swept her off her feet and into his arms.

“Where to?” he asked between nips at her earlobe. The scruff around his mouth scratched against her skin and she nearly came while they were both still fully clothed.

“That way.” She flung out an arm to indicate down the hall.

He took a step in that direction and Sage pressed her lips to his neck. He let out a sound that was very male, very urgent, very sexy.

She was about to point out which room was her bedroom when the doorbell rang. The fucking doorbell.

Orion stopped walking and set her down. “Whoever that is, make them go away.”

“Got it.” She gave him one more steamy kiss before jogging to the front door and ripping it open. She blinked at the detective standing on her doorstep. “Oh. Scott.”

“Hi.” He held out a humungous bouquet of orange lilies. “Congratulations on your new home. My aunt works with your realtor. I thought I’d welcome you to the neighborhood.”

Sage took the flowers. “You live around here too?”

Scott nodded. “Two streets over that way.” He pointed behind him. “Maybe we can try for that second date? You know, because we’re neighbors now.”

“Ummm…” Sage’s mind skimmed and scanned for something polite but direct to say. Again, Scott was perfectly nice—if a little persistent—but she couldn’t fathom kissing him after she’d experienced Orion’s kiss. Scott had no chance to bring about what Orion had aroused in her.

While she was still waffling between what to say and what to do, Orion came around the corner from the hallway wiping his hands on a brand new towel from the guest bathroom.

“I think that sink is all set now, ma’am,” he said. “I’ll send you a bill.”

Before she could stop him, he draped the towel on her shoulder, nodded a greeting to Scott, and brushed past him out the front door.

“Orion!” she called, but for a guy with a sore leg, he moved fast.

She watched dumbly as he disappeared into the woods that led back to his house.

“Your plumber came on foot?” Scott asked. “Where are his tools?”

“He’s not… I don’t…” Sage pushed the flowers back into Scott’s hands and took a few steps toward where Orion had vanished. How did she go from almost having incredible sex—and she knew it was going to be incredible—to having an unwanted detective lingering about?

“Who was that, Sage?” Scott asked.

“A… friend.” She shook her head and walked back into the house.

Scott followed and surveyed her living room then peeked back to the kitchen. “Did you get my other flowers?”

“I did. They’re in the dining room. Lots of light in there.” She waved a hand toward the dining room, but took a detour into the living room instead. She slumped onto the couch, her entire body coming down from a high. A high Orion had caused.

And a high he took with him when he left. Damn.
She hated being all turned on with nowhere to expend that energy.

She considered Scott for a minute, but she wasn’t going to use him. She hadn’t sunk to that level. What she had to do was get rid of Scott. Go after Orion. Explain. Get back to him carrying her down the hallway to her bedroom. Get to what happens next.

“Scott,” she started, “thanks for all the flowers, but—”

“No. Not a but.” Scott put the newest bouquet on her coffee table and sat on the edge of it. A one-of-a-kind table Rick had made for her mother years ago, but Joy had insisted she take to her new place.  

“Look.” She put a hand on his knee which she immediately realized was the wrong thing to do when he rested his hand atop hers. “I’m pretty sure I’ve met someone else, so you should send beautiful flowers to someone who can be one hundred percent yours. I’m not that person.”

She slid her hand off his knee and took a deep breath while a medley of emotions swirled on Scott’s face.

“You’d like me to stop with the flowers?” he asked.

“I would. Again, they’re beautiful, but you’re wasting your money on me, Scott.” She looked at him now. “I’m sure there’s someone out there dying to receive flowers from you.”

“Like you’re dying for that plumber-that-is-not-a-plumber to come back?”

Sage stood now. “I’m sorry, Scott. I met him and it was as if someone flicked a switch in me. You ever experience that?”

“Maybe.” His gaze lingered on her longer than necessary. “But the feeling wasn’t mutual.” He stood and walked right out the still open door.

Sage stared after him, wondering how she’d ended up alone again.

“Nope,” she said, grabbing her car keys. “Not this time.” She wasn’t going to let something amazing get away.

Orion was definitely something amazing.

****

By the time Orion reached his house, his leg was on fire and it felt… wet. He wasn’t sure if he was madder at reopening the wound walking through the woods or at Sage playing with him.

You’re such an idiot.

Of course a woman like her would have tons of men falling at her feet. Why in the world had he thought she was available? Or honest? Women were born to fuck with men’s minds. Ian had told him that repeatedly, and still Orion hadn’t learned that simple truth. Why was he such a goddamn sucker?

She helped me though.

Why would Sage do that? To reel him in? To create a false sense of genuine interest in him? Was it all part of her Master Plan to screw him over?

Hell, he didn’t want to think about these questions or their answers. Instead he wanted to tend to his injury then head to the workshop to hack away at some wood. Nothing but the buzz of his chainsaw and the scent of fresh pine. Hopefully that would scrub Sage from his mind… and his penis’s mind… and maybe his heart’s mind too.

Slowly, he climbed the back porch steps, let himself into the house, and slid off his shoes.

“Dad? Wendie?” When they didn’t answer, he searched rooms until he found a note held in place by a Bugs Bunny magnet on the refrigerator.

Orion,

Took Ian over to my place. Adam’s coming for dinner. We’ll have ourselves a little party. I’ll keep your father for as long as I can. Planning a checker tournament to distract him. Maybe you can have yourself a little fun. You deserve it.

J  Wendie

Fun? What was that? The concept was foreign to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had fun.

Not true.

He’d had fun about twenty minutes ago kissing and almost shagging Sage. Having her body in his arms, pressed up against him had jumpstarted his dead parts. Her lips had been so soft, so delicious… so… so…

Deadly.

She was like one of those animals that lure prey in by displaying incredible beauty then attacking the dazzled victim with a venom-filled bite. And he’d been bitten. Big time.

Growling, he threw away Wendie’s note, cracked open a beer from his own refrigerator, took a gulp, and made his way to the bathroom. He yanked his pants down, just now noticing the blood that had seeped onto the khakis.
Wonderful.
As if he had nice pants to spare.

He pulled the pants all the way off and brought his right foot up to rest on the closed toilet seat. Carefully, he peeled away the bandage covering the wound. Fresh blood seeped from the stapled line.

“Dammit.”

He cleaned the injury and applied a new bandage, all the while cursing pretty much everything about his life. His failed marriage. Lost daughter. Needy father. Bullet hole in his leg. Rug pulled out from beneath him by a woman.

Again.

“Well, this isn’t productive,” he said to his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Sighing, he splashed some water on his face and wiped it off with a towel. In his bedroom, he pulled on a pair of cargo shorts—that was more like it—and an old Iron Maiden T-shirt that was reasonably unstained. The angry, skeletal grin on the band’s mascot, Eddie, fit his mood perfectly.  

Back in the kitchen, he took a few more gulps of beer until the bottle was empty then sat to put on his boots. He already felt better in his work clothes. Wearing khakis and a nice shirt had made him act like a civilized moron. Better to stick to the rough-and-tumble gear so at least when he got kicked in the ass he’d be ready.

When he was halfway between his house and the workshop, Sage and her pumpkin car pulled up. She hopped out before he’d had a chance to swear.

“Excuse me,” she said, her voice all levels of bitchy. “I didn’t peg you as an escape artist.”

“What?” A few more steps and he’d be in the workshop, but she was stomping along behind him.

“At my house. You did a lovely vanishing act.” She didn’t take him not holding the workshop door open for her as a sign she was not invited inside. Instead, she barged right in, anger rolling off her in waves. As if she had any right to be mad. Or to still look fucking fantastic in that blue dress. Even pissed as hell, she was breathtaking. All fiery with flashy green eyes. All overheated with pink cheeks. All stomping feet as she followed him.   

“I didn’t want to get in your way.” He turned on the old radio he had on a shelf above his work bench. Korn. Perfect. Only it wasn’t one of their more rockish songs.

I’ll never love again. I won’t ever have to pretend. I’m never gonna love again…