by Amelia Judd
Pax studied her, his eyes focused and assessing, seemingly unconcerned about the wriggling snake in his hands. After a long pause, he shrugged a shoulder. “Okay.”
“That’s it? You’re not going to try to talk me out of it? What if I hyperventilate, pass out, go into cardiac arrest, or all of the above?” Her voice rose in volume and pitch with each word.
“Do you want me to talk you out of carrying the snake to Logan?”
She blew out a breath. “Of course I want you to talk me out of it, but I’m going to do it anyway.”
Pax grinned. “Okay. Here you go.” He extended his arms, the movement making Sir Hiss struggle in his grasp.
Sage jumped back a step and held up her hands. “Whoa, slow down. I’ve got to prepare for this little adventure.”
After slipping on a thick pair of work gloves and indulging in a full body heebie-jeebies shiver, she stepped forward. “Now I’m ready.”
Pax slowly maneuvered the snake toward her. “Hold him firmly with one hand right behind his head and the other about halfway down his body. Walk him slowly to the parking lot. Logan is working there.”
Heart racing, Sage wrapped her shaking fingers around Hiss’s body. The snake squirmed in her hands, fighting his restraints. Eww and double eww. She clenched her jaw. She needed to find Logan before she freaked out.
She hustled toward the parking lot, arms stretched as far in front of her as possible. She mumbled an embarrassing string of obscenities under her breath and fought the nearly overwhelming urge to chuck the snake to the ground and run away screaming.
Some small part of her registered that a number of the volunteers were watching her. Her heart pounded and blood rushed in her ears. When she finally reached the parking lot, she stopped abruptly and managed to croak out, “Logan?”
She couldn’t do this much longer. She’d either faint or throw the stupid snake if she didn’t find Logan soon.
She felt two strong hands settle on her shoulders.
“He’s by the truck. Come on. You’re almost there,” Pax said quietly behind her.
She’d been so focused on Hiss she hadn’t realized Pax was right there with her all along. Carrying an evil serpent of death could really screw with your senses.
She gulped and focused on the warmth seeping into her cold skin where his hands rested on her shoulders.
Pax steered her toward a beat-up red truck parked near the entrance. Logan stood in the bed of the truck, lowering potted plants to Brick and a few other volunteers. A frown settled between his eyes as he watched her approach. “Whoa, darl, did you bring me a present?” In one fluid movement, he jumped from the truck bed and hustled toward her.
“Uhnf.”
Logan scooped the snake from her death grip and lifted Hiss to eye level for a closer inspection. “Ah, she’s a beauty. Look at the coloration.”
Sage stumbled backward and bumped to a halt against Pax. He slid his hands from her shoulders to her upper arms and gently settled her against his chest. Warmth rushed into her body, his nearness giving her strength.
“You’re as white as a ghost and shaking like a wet kitten,” Logan said. He smirked in Pax’s direction. “Mate, you really know how to show a lady a good time.”
Chapter 15
“Now that you’re on friendly terms with our no-legged friends of the jungle, I don’t need to hang around here and protect you anymore.” Kat pulled a pair of pajamas from a drawer and tucked them into the small bag draped over her shoulder. “I’m going to hang with Mom at Pax’s house tonight. We’re going to watch Carter O’Reilly’s newest movie.” She turned back to Sage and fanned her face with a slow, exaggerated motion. “That man is beyond hot.”
“I didn’t realize you’d been protecting me the last few nights,” Sage said, an eyebrow raised.
“Totally. I knew how freaked you were by the opening in the shower, and reptiles don’t bother me. Figured I’d play the knight in shining armor if a snake crawled through the opening. But no need now that you know exactly how to escort one of those little bastards from the room.”
“You realize I’m only slightly less afraid of snakes, right? I assure you, if one tries to join me in the shower, I still plan to run away screaming, just not quite as fast or quite as loud as I would have yesterday.”
“Even a little bit of progress is progress,” Kat said with a wry smile. “Seriously. You did good today, babe. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Sage shook her head and shuddered. “Neither did I. I still can’t believe I touched a snake, let alone carried it miles through the jungles of Costa Rica.”
“Miles?” Kat said with a look that perfectly married skepticism and sympathy.
“Okay, fine. I carried a harmless snake through a playground for a few yards.” Sage blew out a breath. “Trust me, it seemed a lot more dramatic at the time. Not that you could understand. You’re such a badass. You’re not afraid of anything.”
A shadow crossed Kat’s delicate features. “We’re all afraid of something.”
Sage had expected a flippant response. Kat’s serious tone didn’t gel with her usual exuberance. “I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
In an instant, the shadow cleared and Kat’s face lit up with a teasing smile. “You’re keeping me from my movie date with Mr. O’Reilly, that’s what’s wrong.” Her friend pulled her in for a quick hug. “Gotta run. I’ll catch you for a good-bye before your flight tomorrow. And I hope any unexpected visitors tonight are of the extremely enjoyable kind.”
With a wink, Kat slipped from the room.
“Jeez,” Sage muttered. Guess she was more transparent than she’d realized. Hopefully, no one else could read her as easily as her best friend. She didn’t know what she would say if Will or any of the Bennetts questioned her about her feelings toward Pax.
She slid open the glass door leading to the wooden deck that wrapped around the villa and stepped out into the moonlit night. Hands braced on the railing, she focused on the lapping waves and gentle breeze as she filled her lungs with deep breaths. She would miss the fresh, salty scent of the ocean and the soothing sounds of the jungle around her. She would miss the tranquility, the beauty, the adventure, and the unexpected contentment she’d found here. And, most of all she would miss Pax.
It seemed strange to think that this time tomorrow, she’d be back in her characterless apartment in a suburb outside of Milwaukee. Rather than views of the ocean, her apartment looked over a parking lot and onto another apartment building that varied from her own in no significant way.
Rather than the sounds of nocturnal animals and rustling foliage, tomorrow she would be listening to the muted sounds of her neighbors’ television sets, an occasional siren wailing in the distance, and the regular slamming of car doors in the parking lot as other people lived their lives. Her life in Milwaukee was stable, safe, and predictable—everything she’d always wanted.
So why did the thought of going home depress her so much?
She shifted her eyes, looking for anything to distract her. She spotted a familiar male figure walking along the beach alone.
Okay, so what if for the first time ever she now questioned whether the plan she’d devised and carefully followed every day of her life could actually lead to happiness? That only meant she might have screwed up her own life and had no idea how to straighten it back out. It didn’t mean she shouldn’t try to fix other people’s issues. Right?
This was her chance. Without even stopping to slip on shoes, she rushed down the stairs and onto the beach, slowing only when she reached the side of the tall man.
“Hi, Mr. Bennett. Mind if I join you?”
Richard Bennett turned to look at her, the nearly full moon illuminating the smile on his handsome features. Though Sage had attended his sixtieth birthday a couple of years earlier, he appeared to be in better shape than a lot of men half his age. Pax might have issues with his dad, but passing down crappy genes sure wasn’t one of them.
/> “Good evening, Sage. I’d love for you to join me. I had to get away for a while. My wife and daughter are planning to ogle some Hollywood hunk tonight. It’s rather uncomfortable to watch.”
She grinned. “I can imagine that would be awkward for you. I’m sorry to say what I want to talk with you about might be even more uncomfortable.”
“Are you going to discuss the hardness of some guy’s abs?”
“I promise not to mention any part of the male anatomy.”
“You have my gratitude.” He smiled warmly down at her. “What did you want to talk about?”
Sage took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, carefully preparing what she wanted to say to the man who’d opened his home and his heart to her time and again.
“I’ve always admired many things about you,” she said slowly. “You’re a great leader and an excellent businessman. You have a strong moral compass, and you show respect to anyone who deserves it, even those less wealthy or powerful than you.”
“I’m going to start blushing if you keep this up.” Richard turned his head toward the water. “It’s really not necessary for you to sing my praises.”
Sage laid her hand on his arm, forcing him to turn his attention back to her. “It never mattered to you that I grew up with a single mom far from the upper-echelons of society where you moved. You welcomed me into your home again and again over the years, showing me only kindness and generosity. On top of everything else, I’m well aware that Pembrock Bank hired me after the referral you insisted on giving in person.”
“You really don’t have to say all this.” Richard patted her hand. “I think of you like one of my daughters.”
“And you are the father I always wanted. So please know what I’m about to say is coming from a place of love.” She gave him a steely-eyed look and poked an index finger into his chest. “You’re acting like a butthead.”
Richard’s head snapped back. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t say you are a butthead. I said you are acting like a butthead.” She dropped her hands to her hips and stretched to her full height. “Pax is an amazing man who takes after his father in all the ways I mentioned a minute ago. The community respects him, and his employees are as loyal as they are hardworking. His business runs at capacity the entire year and has a higher return on investment than yours.” She paused to catch her breath. “As soon as you stop acting like a butthead, you’ll realize you should not only be supportive of the life your son has built here, you should be damn proud of it.”
His features went emotionless. Her gut clenched, and she realized that she might have crossed a line, but she meant everything she’d said and didn’t regret saying it.
Sage pinned him with her narrowed gaze.
After a long, tense minute, Richard’s rigid posture crumbled as he let out a breath. “You may be right.” He raked a hand down his face. “The rub is, I’ve known that what you just said is true for a while now, but I can’t change the past. Even if I say I’m sorry, that does nothing to change what was done and what was said years ago.”
“So don’t worry about fixing the past. Life isn’t a sitcom. You can’t clean up all the junk that has happened before in thirty quick minutes.” She shifted her weight to her right leg and tilted her head to the side as she looked up at Richard with her most encouraging expression. “Focus on making the future better. Pax is moving forward with his life. He’s building his future here, and you can ask to be a part of that future. Isn’t the potential return worth the risk of rejection?”
Richard’s eyes lit in unexpected humor as a smile tilted the corners of his mouth. “Thank you, Sage.” He cupped her shoulders in his hands and planted a fatherly kiss on her forehead. “It’s funny,” he said, stepping back. “Sometimes another’s advice is perfect. And sometimes our advice for another is also the perfect advice for ourselves.” He gave her a quick wink. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
“Huh?” Perplexed, Sage watched him turn around and walk toward the path leading to Pax’s house. What a cryptic response...
Jeez-o-Pete! She sucked in a breath and jolted to attention. Richard knew. He knew how she felt about his son. Her cheeks heated as she sank down to the sand and rested her forearms on her bent knees, staring blindly out to the sea. Looked like she’d done a crappy job keeping her emotions to herself.
A rustling of leaves and a sense of something moving drew her attention to the jungle. “Pax, is that you?” She rose to her feet, dusted the sand from her sundress, and squinted in the direction of the noise.
“Are you expecting him?” Will stepped into view on the dimly lit path leading from his villa to the water’s edge.
“Oh, hi. No, I wasn’t expecting Pax. Why would I be?” Sage’s laugh rang falsely in her ears.
“I’m no fool. I can see something is going on between the two of you.” Will stopped next to her, a condescending expression on his lean face. “I assume it’s some sort of fling. God knows Paxton Bennett is not the kind of man to commit to anyone.”
“That’s not true.”
“Which part?”
“Any of it,” Sage snapped. “We’re not having a fling, and Pax can commit.”
“Has he offered you a commitment?”
“Well. No. But look how devoted he is to La Vida. He’s willing to do anything to keep her.”
“Such as sleeping with his loan officer.”
“I did not sleep with him! And even if I had, it wouldn’t have anything to do with his loan.” She flung her arms in the air for emphasis.
“There’s no need for dramatics.” Will gave a lofty sigh. “You’re a good girl. I don’t blame any of this on you.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
He raised an eyebrow. “It means I’m sure you had no idea of his true intentions. I still think we make a smart couple. Once you distance yourself from this situation, I’m sure you’ll agree.”
Sage stepped back and looked at him, her mouth hanging open. “Let me get this straight. You think I’ve been having sex with Pax this week, and you’d still like to date me?”
“No one at home knows what happened here. Of course, I would insist on monogamy once we return to Wisconsin. Without it, our image would be irrevocable damaged.”
“Our image?” Sage gaped.
“I’ll be taking over my father’s bank soon, and Richard Bennett has taken on the role of surrogate father to you. If we marry, that combination would bring us both a lot of prestige and influence.”
“Marry?” Shock radiated through her. “You want to marry me because of my connection to the Bennetts?” Un. Be. Lievable. “Aren’t you afraid Richard and Ann would be angry if you steal me from their son?” she asked dryly.
“Maybe, if he actually wanted you for the long run.” Will smirked. “Has he mentioned marriage?”
She clamped her mouth shut and narrowed her eyes.
“I didn’t think so,” Will said, a note of pity in his voice. “We’ll discuss this after we return home and your head is clear. You’ll realize everything I’ve said is well thought out and logical. And we both know, that’s exactly how you like things.”
Sage cursed under her breath and stomped her foot in the sand as Will left. Damn him for trying to use logic to justify his ridiculous proposal. There was nothing logical about walking away from the man she loved to marry a man who cared more about image than he did her.
Whoa. Back up. She loved Pax?
Her heart swelled with emotion, and she felt a goofy, I’ve-got-it-bad smile spread across her face.
Yep. With a complete disregard to logic, she’d fallen madly, stupidly in love with Paxton Bennett.
Chapter 16
Sage sucked in air at the back of Pax’s yard and fought to get her heart rate under control. She’d run the entire way up the private trail from the beach to Pax’s home. The fact that she was barefoot and might step on a snake as she ran the jungle path had kept her pace at near Olympian levels. Carrying
a snake with gloves was one thing, but the possibility of stepping on one in the dark upped the ick factor to a near hyperventilating level.
Once she caught her breath, she looked across the backyard to the dimly lit outdoor seating area around the pool. She saw the silhouette of Pax sitting in one of the chairs. She squinted through the darkness, hoping to make out if he was alone. As if sensing her gaze, he rose from the chair and began walking straight toward her.
Sage took another deep breath and continued to watch as his lithe gait carried him closer. Only Pax moved with equal amounts of power and grace. Her body tightened in anticipation.
Falling in love with Pax had made her finally understand that the lonely existence she’d created for herself was more dangerous than risking her heart. She couldn’t stand looking back on her life fifty years from now and realizing she’d turned down every adventure life had offered her. She wanted to laugh, cry, dream, love.
She wanted to truly live.
A broken heart would heal. A life full of regrets would kill her.
Pax stopped directly in front of her, eyebrows raised and a smile tugging the corners of his lips. “Out for an evening stroll?” He scanned her body, tilting his head to the side when he reached her feet. “Barefoot?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Definitely not.”
“There is something I’m curious about.” He tipped his head toward her and raised one eyebrow. “My dad just cornered me into having a little talk. Do you know anything about that?”
“That depends.” Sage shifted her weight from one bare foot to the other. “How’d the talk go?”
A spark of humor lit his eyes and the corner of his lips twitched. All good signs in her opinion.
Pax studied the darkened jungle behind her. “He said I had done a good job with La Vida, and he asked if he and Mom could visit again soon.” He turned his head to look out over the ocean, still not meeting her eyes. “He also wants to help out financially. He offered to cosign for the loan. He said it would be a shame to lose this place.” He paused and swallowed hard. “He even mentioned a few ideas about constructing a spa here for guests to enjoy after a day of adventure activities or volunteering.”
