Stroke of Love (31 page)

KATE COULDN’T REMEMBER ever wanting anything so badly in her life. The hope in Sage’s eyes tugged at her heart. She was as scared as she’d ever been, but knowing she’d be with Sage made it worth the risk.

“Okay. Yes! Let’s do it!”
Oh my God.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips, her neck, her cheeks. “I’m so happy,” he said between kisses. “I can’t wait.”

“Me either.” Her entire body trembled. A good trembling, one that she relished. A tremble of hope. She’d still have to deal with telling her parents and telling Raymond.
Oh God, Raymond. AIA.

“What’s that look?” Sage cocked his head.

“What am I gonna tell Raymond?”

“I usually go with the truth,” Sage suggested.

“Oh, yeah.
Hey, Raymond, I’m going to start another nonprofit to help newly developing nations?
” She rolled her eyes.

“I think so, yes. Kate, you never know when the two organizations can work together. If you think about it, there might be times we want to align ourselves with one of their missions. We’re not doing anything wrong. We’re doing something good.”

She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed him in. “You’re always so sure of things.”

“I’m sure of this, and I’m sure of being with you.”

“Me too.”

“Kate, if you need something to do, to focus on when you come to New York, we should spend some time outlining the organization. The areas you’re particularly interested in helping, your thoughts on travel, everything. I want to flesh this out as much as we need to for you to feel comfortable.”

Kate climbed off his lap and sat beside him. “Does it bother you that I like to have things planned out?”

He laughed. “If it bothered me, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I never would have ended up in your bed the first time we made love, and I would never do this.” Sage pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

“God, I’m gonna miss that,” she said in one long breath.

“Me too.” He stood and held out a hand to help her up. “I hate that I’m going to have to spend a week without you before you come home.”

Home
. She loved the sound of that.

“What if your family doesn’t like me?”

“What if yours doesn’t like me?” He arched a brow.

“Stupid, right?” She sighed.

“We’re both good people. What’s not to like? Come on. Let’s take a walk and we can talk about everything we need to figure out so that you’re comfortable.”

They walked along the shore, their feet kicking up little waves in the warm water.

“Caleb doesn’t know anything about the possibility of AIA pulling out. Do you think you should mention it?” Sage asked.

“Not yet. I need to talk to Raymond about everything. I hope they don’t pull out of here, and I think if I talk with him about Luce’s ideas, it might help, too.” A breeze kicked up off the water, and she turned her face toward it. “Mm. This is so romantic. You know it’s not always like this. When I was in Albania, it was so cold that we had to deal with frozen pipes.”

“Did you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed it here?”

“Yeah, I did. To me it’s not about how beautiful the place is. Every place is beautiful. It’s about the work I’m doing and how much it helps the people there. When I was in Albania, I was working with a local company to help them learn more efficient business practices. That’s what the need was, so that’s what I did.”

“Did you work with kids there, too?” He guided them into the warm water.

“Each of us had a project outside of our volunteer work. Mine was an environmental club for the kids. I taught them about recycling, and we did a big project at the end of my assignment where we cleaned up a local park and took a bunch of pictures. It was really fun.”

Sage turned to face her, squinting from the sun. The right side of his lips lifted in a smile. “Do you think you can stand living someplace for a few months out of the year and traveling for projects instead of living in a remote location for two years straight?”

She dug her toes into the sandy ocean floor. “I’m sure I can.”
I can do anything as long as I’m helping others and spending time with you.

“I need you to promise me that if you need anything, or you feel confined, you’ll let me know. I don’t want you to ever feel restricted.” His tone turned serious.

“Okay.”

“I’m serious, Kate. I’ve been thinking about this, and this is a big change for both of us. I’m also thinking that if you love living with me”—he pulled her close—“which I’m sure you will, then maybe we’ll move out of the city and find someplace that’s more suited to us. Maybe get a few acres somewhere, a small house with a studio for my work and whatever you want for yourself.”

She took a deep breath. “You’re thinking really far ahead. I’m worried about coming to New York and finding out that you loved me here but in New York I’m not quite as appealing to you.”

His eyes darkened. “You’re really worried about that?”

She shrugged. “It’s romantic here. It’s like a vacation for you. Your real life is far, far away, but what happens when your schedules and deadlines come into play? What if…there…you see me differently?”

He clenched his jaw, and Kate held her breath.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Why did I say that?

“You know, I could see you anywhere. Here, New York, Pennsylvania, Paris. None of it would be different. Kate, I see you.” He closed the gap between them and her stomach fluttered at the feel of his chest against her.

“I am in love with you, Kate. Who you are, the person you are, that doesn’t change because of where we are.”

“I…But…”

“What?” He brushed a strand of hair from where it had swept against her cheek.

God, I love you
.

“Tell me.”

“I’m just scared. I want to be with you more than I want to take my next breath, and I want to be part of the work you described, but I’m not anything special, and you’re going back to a world where you are so well-known, and—”
Oh my God. I didn’t even know I was this scared.

He folded her in his arms and held her. “Babe, I am who you see. I am the man you know. You think I’m special because you love me. And I love that, but back in New York, it’s my art that is special to everyone else, not me. And that doesn’t affect who I am as a person.” He drew back and looked deeply into her eyes. “We can be scared together, because I worry you might not find me as interesting when you have a sea of men to choose from.”

“Yeah, right.” She laughed under her breath.

“See how silly? That’s why you shouldn’t worry about me not wanting to be with you. It took me twenty-eight years to find you. I’m not letting go that easily. Let’s not worry about the
what-ifs
and focus on the
what-we-wants
. Tell me what you envision for this endeavor of ours.”

“Me? Isn’t this your baby?”

“Nope. It’s ours. So tell me what you’re thinking. You have the experience. I just have dreams.”

Ours
.
How on earth did I get so lucky?
“Well, I think clean water is the main thing we should focus on because of health issues, but if we’re working on wells, then maybe we can also bring in a project for the local children at the same time. Like I did with the kids here. And if we’re on location for the installation of the wells, then we can cater the kids’ programs to be no longer than that amount of time.”

They turned and walked back down the beach.

“I like your idea about a program for kids. What about timing? Would you be okay traveling for, I don’t know, one month out of every three?”

“Yeah. I think so. I’m sure you need time to work, too, and that would give us four times each year when we can make a difference. A big difference.” Walking with Sage had taken the edge off her nerves. Just talking about what she might or might not want to do made her feel more comfortable with the whole concept of the nonprofit. Then again, Sage put her at ease with everything he did. Kate smiled at how he’d taken her needs into consideration first, instead of working around his own schedule, which brought her mind to New York again. “Sage?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me what you’re like when you’re not here. What’s your life like in New York?”

He looked down at her and smiled. “My life in New York.” He sighed, as if he were about to tell a long story. “I get up and usually work out, maybe go for a run; then I work in my studio for a while. If I have a show, of course I go there. Sometimes I have to meet with clients who are commissioning work. I visit their homes or offices. I usually work several evenings each week, sometimes well past midnight if I’m in the middle of a project. I try to catch up with Dex for a drink every few weeks, whenever we’re both around.” He shrugged. “It’s not very exciting. Every once in a while my mom sets up a dinner or lunch and we all try to get together for it.”

She was quiet while she processed his answer. Working well past midnight several nights each week? How would that work? Would they ever see each other?

“Now, do you want to hear what my life will be like when we live together?”

“Sure.” She was trying to figure out how she would fit into his life, and she hated how withdrawn she sounded because of it.

“I’ll probably do everything pretty much the same, except I hope we’ll have breakfast together, maybe take a walk some evenings.” He stopped walking and placed his hands on her hips. “Dinner together is a must, to be sure that I’m not just your booty call. Oh, and I’ll get my studio time in well before midnight. Just in case you want that booty call.”

She laughed. “You’re such a fool.”

He swooped her into his powerful arms and ran into the water. “What am I?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her forehead on his. “You’re the sexiest and sweetest man I’ve ever known, and I want to have breakfast and dinners with you. I want you at my beck and call for late-night booty action. And I want to meet your brother for drinks.”

“And?”

And what? She couldn’t think of anything else. She shook her head.

He swung his arms, readying to throw her in. She clung to him.

“And what?” she said through a laugh. Kate couldn’t think of one thing to say that would stop him from throwing her into the water, so instead she lowered her mouth to his and took him in a deep, greedy kiss. His strong arms came around her, repositioning her legs around his waist. With the setting sun on her back and the heat of Sage pressed against her chest, a calm radiated through her. Even if she didn’t know what would happen in a day, a month, or a year, she wanted every blessed second she could have with Sage. He laid her on the towels beneath the tree and kissed her until she could barely think.

“A week is too long,” he said, before grazing her shoulder with his lips as he untied her bikini top and slipped it from her body.

His hand, sure and strong, traveled down her ribs, sending a full-body shiver through Kate. He looked down at her, his eyes dark, hungry, and so full of love that she had to wrap her hand around the back of his neck and pull him into another kiss to keep from falling apart, knowing that tomorrow at this time, he’d be gone. His hand slid down her hip, hooking on the bottom of her suit. She lifted her hips, and he drew the tiny swatch of fabric down, then slid out of his bathing trunks and settled himself above her.

Leaning on his forearms, his mouth an inch from her lips, he pressed his cheek to hers and whispered, “Don’t worry over the silly things. Love me and let me love you. I will always be here for you, and I’ll never let you down.”

Oh God
. “I know you won’t.” Tears pressed at her eyes as he slid into her and they became one. She loved him so much, everything about him, and as she wrapped her arms around his body and closed her eyes, the love swelled so big she thought her heart might burst. She opened her eyes as his forehead met hers.

“I’m so in love with you, Kate.”

She opened her mouth to respond as he moved slowly, deeply, filling her completely. She had to catch her breath. The words were lost in their love. She felt a tear slip down the side of her face; then the pad of his thumb wiped it away.

He stopped moving. “Am I hurting you?”

She shook her head, still overwhelmed by emotions that felt thick and tangible. “No. I just love you.”

He nuzzled against her neck and held her tightly. And as their bodies moved in sync and the sun fell from the sky, Sage settled his lips over Kate’s and loved her right up over the edge, until she had to tear her lips from his to gasp a breath. She met each of his powerful thrusts with a lift of her hips, feeling her heart open and devour him. She had to have more of him, and she grasped at his back, his hips, anywhere she could find purchase, until he was breathing hard, sucking in air between clenched teeth, and the night air carried his name from her lungs. Sage was right there with her, filling her with his love and carrying them through his powerful release. His body shuddered as he came to rest. Their hearts thundered as if they were trying to break through their chests and join together as one.

“Don’t forget me when we’re apart,” she whispered, though she knew he never would.

“We’ll never be apart. I’m leaving my heart right here with you.”

KATE AWOKE SUNDAY morning nestled between Sage’s arm and his chest, where her body melded perfectly to his. She didn’t dare move. Sage was leaving in just a few hours, and some tiny part of her thought that if she didn’t move, if he didn’t wake, then maybe he wouldn’t really have to leave. She lay with her eyes closed, breathing in the scent of him, willing her body to remember the feel of his leg beneath hers, the way his muscles twitched under her weight. She listened to the cadence of his breathing. It was even, comforting, and peaceful, unlike his ragged breathing when they’d made love the night before, first at the beach and then in her room.
A week isn’t that long
. It felt like a lifetime.

He drew in a long breath, causing his chest to rise, taking her cheek along with it. Kate held her breath, hoping he’d stay asleep a little longer. Once he was awake, they had a million things to do before he left, and she just wanted to forget. She glanced at the table by her bed, littered with sticky notes. For the first time ever, she hated the sight of them, the stupid little reminders telling her all the things that meant Sage was definitely leaving.
Clean the cabin. Wash the sheets. Prepare for the next volunteer
.