More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series)

by Christine DePetrillo

  “How long is too long to watch your best friend make out with a woman?”

  Sage and Orion jumped away from each other at the sound of Adam’s voice and Wendie’s laughter.

  “You’re a prick,” Orion said.

  “Sometimes, yes.” Adam grinned. “Wendie and I are leaving. There are too many adult themes here.”

  “Ian’s in his room,” Wendie added. “He’s waiting for you to say goodnight, Orion.”

  “Yeah, so as soon as you’re done sucking on her face, you should go tuck the old guy in.” Adam ducked when Orion threw a light punch at him. “Sage, your cooking was divine.” He tipped his baseball cap and walked toward the door.

  “Later, kids.” Wendie followed her brother and shut the door behind her.

  “I should go.” Sage put her things back into the cardboard box.

  “But you’ll come by tomorrow?”

  “I’d love to watch you wield a chainsaw, so yes, I’ll come by.”

  “Great. It’s going to be just me and my dad tomorrow.”

  “To fathers and sons.” She dropped a kiss on his cheek and picked up her box. “See you tomorrow.”

  She loaded her car but kept glancing back at the farmhouse. There wasn’t anything particularly fantastic about the house, but it was amazing how fantastic its contents were.

  As she drove away, Sage could only think of returning tomorrow.

  ****

  The kitchen was just a kitchen without Sage in it. Minutes ago, it had been this magical place, all soft and warm and sensual, but now it was just appliances, cupboards, a sink, and countertops. Totally lifeless.

  Funny what a woman adds.

  Not just any woman though, because Adriana hadn’t made the house anything close to soft and warm and sensual. She’d brought stress, hate, insults… things Orion never would have imagined when he’d first met her. She’d seemed like the perfect woman. Someone he could definitely start a family with and spend the rest of his life loving. He had no regrets about starting a family—Myah was the best gift he’d ever received—but he wished for a do-over in the mother of his child department. Adriana was vindictive, selfish, and in no way fit to raise a daughter.

  He wanted someone more like… well, more like Sage. What he’d seen from her so far was spectacular. She certainly could cook. Ian was right about that. She also had a way of managing people, particularly his jumbled father. She had patience, and she was clever.

  And sexy. No way he could forget that part. Thinking of her right now was tightening parts of him. Definitely a cold shower on the schedule for tonight.

  “Orion?” Ian called from his bedroom.

  Snapping out of his mental review of all the ways Sage Stannard was flawless, Orion took out a glass and filled it with water. He walked down the hallway and stopped at Ian’s door.

  “You rang, Father?”

  Ian gave him a puzzled look. “I don’t have a bell.”

  Orion chuckled. “I know, Dad. It’s an expression. Like you were ringing for a servant to bring you water.”

  Ian considered this then said, “You’re not a servant.”

  “Glad you think so.” Orion stepped into the room and handed the glass of water to Ian.

  His father chugged the entire contents in under ten seconds then passed the glass back to Orion. “Thanks.”

  “You got it. Anything else?” Orion opened the window a little more because it was stuffy in the room and Ian loved to listen to the crickets.

  “Tonight was fun,” Ian said. “I like having people over.”

  “Depends on the people.” Orion walked back to the door.

  “Sage, Adam, and Wendie are good people. They’d never hurt us.” Ian leveled his blue eyes on Orion’s.

  “Adam and Wendie would never hurt us. You’re right.”

  “You forgot Sage. She wouldn’t hurt us either.” Ian pulled the sheet up to his waist and put his hands behind his head.

  “How can you be so sure?” Orion paused, wanting some proof, some evidence from the old man.

  “Anyone who makes blueberry pie like hers is pure goodness. Like our Myah. My panda bear.” Ian beamed a smile at Orion. “When can we see Myah? I miss snuggling with her. She’s the best snuggler.”

  This was true. No one snuggled like Myah.

  “Soon, buddy. We’ll see Myah soon.” Orion hoped that to be true with every fiber of his being. He wanted his daughter and his dog, dammit.

  And if he were making a list, he wanted Sage too. Why couldn’t he have it all? Why?

  “Good night, Orion. Sleep well.” Ian rolled to his side giving his back to Orion who slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  In the living room, he checked the wall clock. 11:00 p.m. Still an entire night and a morning to get through before seeing Sage again. He had that cold shower on the agenda, but that was pretty much it. He’d love to go into the shop and get cracking on those bears, but chainsaws buzzing after dark never made anyone happy. Least of all a sleeping Ian.

  Not sure what else to do, Orion flopped onto the couch and turned on the television. Maybe some useless channel surfing would make him sleepy, because right now he was anything but sleepy. Not with thoughts of Sage running wild in his mind. Not with Ian reminding him how good a snuggler Myah was. Not with remembering watching television with Ranger sprawled across his lap, licking his fingers and wagging his tail. Not with his thigh aching.

  As he settled on watching Conan O’Brien, his cell phone chimed on the coffee table, indicating he had a voice message. He’d totally forgotten about his phone through dinner, but the only calls he cared about nowadays were from people wanting him to carve something. Myah wasn’t allowed to call him and when she’d snuck a call, Adriana had gone off the deep end. He’d advised Myah to be patient. That they wouldn’t be apart forever. That someday she wouldn’t have to try to call him because she’d be with him.

  He almost believed it now. Because of Sage’s help.

  Picking up the phone, he played the message. From Adriana.

  You son of a bitch. Modification to the custody agreement? We’ll see about that. I don’t care who your hot-shot California lawyer is, you are NOT getting Myah. Or your fucking dog for that matter. They belong to me. You need to move the hell on. Myah doesn’t need you. She doesn’t want you. Nobody wants you. You have nothing to offer anybody, Orion.

  You never did.

  He pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it in his hand. He wasn’t supposed to give a fuck what she said. Her words weren’t supposed to bother him anymore. She wasn’t supposed to be able to push his buttons. Problem was, he did give a fuck, he was bothered by her words, she absolutely did push his buttons. Every goddamn one of them.

  And now she was pissed. More than usual.

  Should not have poked the beast.

  Without poking her though, he’d never get Myah and Ranger back. He’d never be able to move on with his life. He’d never be able to see if he could actually have a functioning relationship with another woman. He’d never have anything to offer a woman like Sage.

  Tossing the phone back onto the coffee table, Orion focused on Conan and tried to find his interview with Kate Hudson interesting.

  It is Kate Hudson after all.

  But even her smiling face, lilting laugh, and magnificent body couldn’t get him out of this funk. A shame too, because as Ian had said, tonight had been fun. He’d seen Sage off with a pleasant tingle in his chest and a fresh excitement to see her again tomorrow.

  Now everything was back to sucking wind again. Amazing how Adriana still had the power to do that to him. To make him feel like absolute shit.

  Grumbling, he shut off the television even though Kate Hudson had volunteered to show Conan some Latin dance moves from her latest movie. He hauled himself off the couch and headed for the bathroom and that cold shower.

  Don’t need a cold shower now.

  Nope. A cold ex-wife had done the trick. His penis was cowe
ring in fear, all thoughts of standing at attention, ready for performance, gone. Completely.

  Sorry, buddy. We’re not ready anyway.

  Would they ever be ready?

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sage glanced at the grandfather clock in her client’s dining room. Already noon and they still hadn’t finalized the menu. How hard could it be to decide on a cake flavor for a seventieth birthday party for one’s father? Sage didn’t have a father anymore, but she was certain if she did, she’d know his favorite cake flavor. Come to think of it, she wondered what her father’s favorite had been. She’d have to ask her mother.

  She didn’t think of her father often. She’d been so young when he died along with her aunt and uncle, Rick’s parents, in a plane crash. Her father was usually a fuzzy memory except for that time they’d gone hiking, just the two of them. That memory was always high-def clear. Every so often she’d gaze at the photo of her father and Rick’s father on display at Rick’s storefront and book swap. Only open after sugaring season was over and closed as soon as summer began, the shop offered customers maple syrup and other goodies made with the sweet stuff. It also offered Sage the chance to look at her father and wonder what kind of relationship they’d have if he were still around today.

  Would he have been the overbearing type? A father who questioned her every decision and was ultra-protective? Or would he have been the type to believe in his daughter and congratulate her every accomplishment?

  Too bad she’d never have the answers to those questions.

  While her client flipped back and forth through Sage’s portfolio, still slaving over cake decisions, Sage’s mind wandered to Myah. She’d only met the girl once, but that had been enough to see her spark. The kid was beautiful with all those black curls and those bluer than blue eyes. Clearly, Myah had gotten all of Orion’s wonderful physical attributes. Also evident was her love for her father. Sage didn’t know many kids, but she did know the way Myah had reacted to Orion was something special.

  No doubt because Orion is something special.

  After leaving him last night, she’d returned to her empty house and, though she had a million things she could have done on the Moving In list, she dialed Hope instead. She’d spent the next thirty minutes gushing about Orion and the evening she’d shared with his father and friends.

  “You don’t normally gush,” Hope had said. “This is new.”

  “I’ve never felt the need to gush,” she’d said, “but Orion is… gush-worthy.”

  “I want to meet him.”

  “You’ve met him.”

  “Yeah, when he was bleeding and nearly unconscious. I need to check him out more fully if you’re going to get involved with him.”

  “Well, good. Okay. He’s got this buddy, Ada—”

  “Stop right there,” Hope had interrupted. “I have a man. Remember?”

  “Miles and miles away, Hope. Besides, Adam is cute and funny.”

  By the end of the conversation, Sage had gotten Hope to agree to a dinner party where she’d subtly raise her sister’s interest in the ex-military hunk. She toyed with the idea of getting Rick to check Orion out to be on the safe side. It was entirely possible that her own internal douchebag radar was thrown off course by Orion’s uber-sexiness.

  Not that my internal douchebag radar ever worked.

  More like a douchebag magnet. They never seemed like douchebags initially. It was always a hidden talent that sprouted after she’d gotten physical and had invested—wasted—time in the relationship. A doomed relationship it always seemed.

  No, she wanted this thing with Orion thoroughly investigated before she made an ass of herself.

  “Let’s go with the yellow cake with the strawberry filling.”

  Sage focused on her client, almost forgetting what she was in the middle of as Orion filled her brain.

  “Excellent choice.” She wrote down the cake flavor and reviewed the entire menu one more time.

  “That sounds great,” the client said. “You need a deposit today, right?”

  “Yes. Fifteen percent today and the rest after the catering job is complete.” She tapped on her tablet as she filled in the invoice. Showing it to her client, she said, “Verify here. I can take cash, check, or credit card.”

  The client touched the tablet screen. “I’ll be right back with my credit card.” She left and returned with her wallet. “Here you go.”

  Sage completed the transaction, thanked her client, and hurried to her car. Her next stop was Orion’s, and she couldn’t wait to get there.

  Unfortunately, someone was leaning against her car in the client’s driveway.

  “Scott.” She rubbed her forehead. Why did this dude keep popping up? It was bordering on creepy now.

  “Hey.” He pushed off her car as she approached. “I was sitting at my desk.” He pointed up the street where the old brick police department building loomed over the smaller buildings around it. “And I saw your orange car.”

  Damn. Should have gone with the incognito black.

  “Well, I’ve got to run.” She tried to skirt around him to get into her car, but he blocked her way.

  “What are you doing later today? I’m only working for another hour. Not a ton of crime in St. Jamesbury.” He laughed and Sage was amazed at how un-sexy his awkward chuckle was compared to Orion’s low, raspy laugh.

  “I’ve got plans already, Scott. Ones I’m actually late for, but thanks.” She managed to get to the driver’s side door and open it. “Enjoy your afternoon.” She slid into the car and started it immediately.

  Scott stood there. Watching her. Waiting for her to what? Change her mind?

  Not going to happen. She felt bad, but there came a time to move on. This was that time. Scott had to realize that soon.

  Didn’t he?

  She’d thought he’d gotten the picture the last time she’d seen him. What was so hard to understand?

  Shaking her head, she made a quick stop at her house to change into more comfortable clothes and grab the batch of pumpkin brownie cookies she’d made for Ian. Ten minutes later she pulled up in front of Orion’s house.

  Chainsaw noise guided her to the workshop instead of the house. The first thing she saw was Ian perched on a stool, earplugs wedged in his ears. She didn’t want to scare him, so she walked in a wide arc until she was nearly in front of him. The smile that bloomed on his friendly face was precious.

  Ian waved enthusiastically and hopped off his stool. He dragged another stool over, placed it right next to his, and patted the seat.

  Sage sat, but Ian was on his feet again, rummaging around on Orion’s workbench. When he returned a moment later, he held out a package with foamy, neon yellow earplugs. He motioned for Sage to plug her ears.

  The noise of the chainsaw was deafening to the point Orion hadn’t realized she’d arrived yet. Sage didn’t exactly mind that her presence was still unknown. This gave her free license to stare all she wanted at the Stud at Work.

  Orion wore cargo shorts, which appeared to be his clothing of choice. His blue T-shirt said World’s Greatest Son and fit him… snugly. Not snugly as in he was out of shape and taxing the limits of a too-small shirt, but snugly as in my-muscles-and-I-can-rock-a-T-shirt like no one else can.

  Sage’s lower regions vibrated with anticipation and she fanned herself with her hand.

  She’d given the basket of cookies to Ian and he had become involved with them, so she continued her Orion inspection. He had on a backwards John Deere baseball cap, earplugs, and safety goggles. Sawdust snowed over him and she noted that the tops of his work boots were again taped around the ankles. As her gaze traveled up his lower calf to the back of his knee to his simply magnificent ass, a heat washed over her every part.

  How could just looking at a man stir up so much?

  She longed to touch him again. To feel all his taut muscles under her fingertips. To have his hands all over her.

  Shit. She was close to orgasm from all
the way across the workshop. What would being in his personal space right now do to her?

  Ian munched happily on the cookies, and Sage settled a bit on her stool. She focused on the way Orion’s shoulder muscles flexed as he held the chainsaw at different angles to cut into the massive stump. His biceps were a treat to behold as well, and she literally wiped her mouth with her hand, afraid drool had escaped.

  As if sensing her ogling, Orion turned around and gave her a big, bad, sexy grin. One that had her heart beating erratically in her chest and threatening to jump right past her rib cage.

  Get control.

  But it was probably too late for that. Her libido had already made decisions. Her heart wasn’t far behind. Only her mind held her back a bit, recommending caution, and she couldn’t ignore that.

  Orion powered down the chainsaw and set it on the ground by the stump. Brushing sawdust off his chest—Good God, he was sexy—he made his way over to her. He pulled off his glasses and earplugs and set them on the workbench.

  “Sage is here!” Ian hollered, making both of them crack up.

  “Yes, I see that, Dad. Thanks.” He settled his gaze on her. “You’re here.”

  “It appears so.” And I’m about as turned on as a gal can be.

  He flitted his attention to Ian with his hand in the cookie basket. Again.

  “He’s going to gain like four hundred pounds with you around.”

  “I’ll take him hiking with me. He’ll burn it off in an afternoon.” She reached out to sweep some sawdust off Orion’s shoulder.

  “My work is a little messy.” He cleaned his T-shirt off some more.

  “But very sexy. The definition of manly.” She was eager to see him continue. “And it smells downright heavenly in here.” She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she did so. When Orion’s lips brushed her own, her arms automatically came up to cup his face, to hold onto him, to not let him go.

  “It tastes good in here too,” Ian said, eating cookie crumbs off his shirt.

  “Hey, are you going to share any of those or what?” Orion plunged his hand into the basket and snagged a cookie as Ian tried to keep the basket away, his laughter filling the workshop.