Grady came and sat once again on the couch next to her. He spoke in a quiet tone. “I ordered a large pizza with just about everything they had, except for the two toppings you didn’t want. It should be here in twenty minutes.”
Sage looked down at Josh and saw he’d finished the bottle and pushed the nipple out of his mouth. “And it looks as if Josh is all done. I’ll put him upstairs.”
After leaving the living room, she took the stairs to the upper level and headed for her bedroom. Even though she had two guestrooms, Sage wanted Josh in her room in case he did happen to wake up in the middle of the night. She tended to be a deep sleeper, especially when she was trying to make the changeover to another shift.
Inside her room, she carefully placed Josh in the playpen and covered him with blankets. Before she headed downstairs, she turned on the baby monitor that sat on her dresser, then picked up the receiver to take with her.
Sage returned to find Grady sitting on the couch exactly where she’d left him. He smiled as she closed the distance and took a seat next to him. She placed the receiver for the baby monitor on the end table.
“Did Josh stay asleep?” Grady asked.
“Yeah. He was out like a light.”
“Good.” Silence stretched between them for a few seconds before Grady said, “I’m glad you didn’t cancel our date.” He turned on the cushion toward her. “I was looking forward to seeing you again.”
“I guess you could say I was as well.” That was mostly true. Even though Sage had wanted to come up with a way to cancel their date, she really had thought about seeing Grady again. And now that they were together once more, she didn’t mind having him around.
“So what do cops do on their days off?” Grady asked with a grin.
“Well, this one, besides babysitting for her older sister, usually hangs around at home and relaxes. I also get caught up on laundry, house cleaning and grocery shopping that I tend to neglect during a workweek.”
“Sounds exciting.”
Sage chuckled. “No, it’s not, and you know it.”
“Okay, that’s true. How long have you been a police officer?”
“A couple years now. It can be a stressful job, but I wouldn’t want do anything else. How about yourself? What do you do for a living?”
Grady smiled. “Live. Seriously though, I don’t work. I don’t have to. I own stocks in my uncle’s multinational software company, which is the biggest here in Anchorage.” He said the corporation’s name.
Sage instantly recognized it. “Yeah, you must do well for yourself.”
The doorbell rang and Grady pushed to his feet. “That has to be the pizza. I’ll get it since I’m paying for it.”
She watched him leave the room, then heard him talking to the delivery guy. It didn’t take long for Grady to return, holding a pizza box. The smell of it made her stomach growl once it hit her nose. Sage hadn’t realized how hungry she actually was until then.
“I’ll get some paper towels,” she said as she quickly headed for the kitchen.
She handed Grady a sheet once she returned. He opened the pizza box and they dug in. A quiet moan pushed out of Sage after she took the first bite, chewed and swallowed. It was exactly what she needed. She looked over at Grady to see him watching her eat. He stared at her as if he wanted to taste her along with the food. A surge of arousal shot through her. To hide it from him in case she showed any outward sign of it, she took another big bite of pizza.
“Enjoying it?” Grady asked.
Sage nodded, then swallowed. “This place always has the best pizza. I’d hate to tell you how often I order it. Cooking is another thing I find hard to do while working.”
“You must work long hours.”
“I do, and a lot of them can be during the night shift.”
They didn’t talk too much after that and concentrated on finishing their meal. Once they were done, Sage got rid of the pizza box in the kitchen and returned with a beer for each of them.
Now that they were no longer eating, Sage decided to bring up the subject of how she’d met Grady. So far, she hadn’t seen any sign of the nasty head wound he’d received. He seemed to have recovered rather quickly.
“How’s your head?” she asked.
“Fine.”
“Did you end up going to the ER?”
“Actually, no. It wasn’t as bad as you thought it was. Even though it bled like a bugger, it was only a scratch.”
Sage frowned. Having taken a metal pipe to his head, Grady would have been pretty lucky to only end up with a mere scratch. The light from her flashlight hadn’t been the best, but what she’d seen when she’d checked his head the night before was a lot more than that. Yes, head wounds bled a lot, but the amount of bleeding he’d done, it hadn’t been something as minor as that.
“Really?” she asked. “Then you won’t mind if I look at it. And I never did get a chance to ask if you knew who your assailant was before you took off.”
“I thought you were off duty today,” Grady said with a short laugh.
“I am, but that doesn’t mean I stop being a cop. I take my job very seriously. Some of the guys I’ve dated in the past have said I’m too uptight about it. But that’s the way I am. So are you going to let me look?”
“There’s nothing wrong with that, and I’m fine. As for the guy who hit me, it was dark and I didn’t see his face very well.”
“Do you normally walk around that area alone late at night? The buildings there are mostly industrial. I thought it was kind of strange.”
Grady looked at her, not showing anything on his face. He then said, “You ask too many questions.”
Sage didn’t get a chance to say anything else before Grady closed the gap between them and took her mouth in a heated kiss. A small voice inside her said he was using it to distract her from what they’d been discussing, but the rest of her didn’t give a shit. She quickly lost herself to the sensations coursing through her as his lips moved over hers. It became more so once he pushed his tongue inside and stroked hers, tasting her.
Things quickly heated up after that. Sage basically said the hell with it, wrapped her arms around Grady’s neck and tugged him even closer. She wanted him. She didn’t know if what they started here would last, but right now her body craved his touch—bad. She’d just feel and enjoy what he could give her.
Grady reached between them and palmed one of her breasts. His thumb stroked back and forth across Sage’s taut nipple. It immediately tightened even more. She kept hold around his neck, shifted and fell back flat onto the couch cushions, taking him with her. His heavier weight stretched full on top of her with his hips wedged between her spread thighs, which had her moaning. His erection landed right on her pussy, rubbing against it, driving her arousal higher.
Soon Grady stepped things up a notch. He lifted his upper body off her, breaking contact with her mouth, and pushed her sweatshirt to her chin. He stared down at her bra-covered breasts, his gaze filled with hunger. With one finger he traced an invisible line from the hollow of her throat to her cleavage. It then hooked into one of her bra cups and tugged it to the side, exposing her nipple.
“Beautiful,” Grady said on a sigh.
A noise that sounded like a true cat’s purr pushed out of Grady as he bent his head and kissed the tight bud. Sage arched her back, pushing herself closer. Her heart beat faster and an ache built inside her pussy. She panted in anticipation, silently begging him to touch more of her. Once again in a man’s arms, she now realized how much she’d missed it, how much she craved it.
Grady rubbed her nipple along his cheek, then opened his mouth and took it inside. He rested his weight on a bent arm as he used his free hand to caress Sage’s side. He thrust his hard cock against her pussy, making her wish there weren’t layers of clothing separating them. Wetness pooled between her legs and she lifted her hips to meet his.
Their breathing became harsh as they strained against each other. Grady tugged the cup
aside that covered her other breast and took the nipple between his lips, sucking, making her even wetter.
Sage reached down and pushed her hands under the back of Grady’s shirt. She ran them up the muscles along his spine, scraping her nails against his skin. He groaned and released her breast.
He lifted his head and met her gaze. “I need to see and feel more of this gorgeous body of yours.”
“I won’t stop you,” Sage said in a low voice. “I intend to do the same to you.”
Grady gave her a sexy grin. “I get to go first.”
He shifted to his side, wedging himself between her and the back of the couch. Sage turned to lie on her side as well, facing Grady. There was just barely enough room for both of them. She was about to suggest they move to the floor, or any flat surface that was a lot bigger than the piece of furniture they were on now, but the words died in her throat as he undid her jeans and shoved a hand down the front of them and her panties.
Sage moaned as a finger stroked her pussy, playing in her wetness. It then pushed inside her, pumping in and out. It wasn’t until a second joined it that she could no longer lie still and rocked against him. She squeezed her inner muscles around the plunging digits while pleasurable sensations shot through her. Sadly, it wouldn’t take much more of that to make her come. She was already strung tight.
She panted and ran her hand down Grady’s chest, encountering his cougar head pendant. It felt warm to the touch, and Sage couldn’t resist wrapping her fingers around it. She used it to anchor herself to him as he skillfully worked her body.
Grady took her lips in a carnal kiss, his tongue thrusting inside her mouth, mimicking the movement of his fingers. Sage clutched his pendant tighter as her orgasm slammed into her, almost taking her breath away. She moaned against his lips, riding his fingers while wave after wave of pleasure swamped her. He continued to thrust into her pussy, pushing every last bit of her release out of her until there was nothing left.
He removed his fingers and nibbled her lips. “God, I love the way you look when you come,” he said, his voice husky with arousal. “I want to see you do it again, but with my cock buried deep inside you.”
“Yes.” Sage reached for the button on Grady’s jeans and undid it. With a quick tug, she had his zipper down as well.
She’d been about to get her hand around his erection when the doorbell rang. Sage stiffened, then turned her head in its direction.
“Don’t answer it.” Grady grabbed her leg, draped it over his hip and nuzzled the side of her neck.
“I have to,” she said reluctantly. “It could be my sister. This is the first time she’s let me keep Josh overnight. She might be regretting that decision.”
Grady sighed, then slowly let Sage go. “You’re right. You have to get it in case it’s her.”
Sage rolled off the couch and stood. She quickly did up her jeans and fixed her shirt before she headed for the front door. She smiled as she pulled it open, all prepared to see Macy standing on the other side, looking anxious. Her smiled died when her gaze landed on the police officer who stood on her porch. She knew him well since she worked with him almost on a daily basis.
“Hey, David. What brings you over to my house? I’m off-duty today.”
He nodded and took a deep breath as if he really didn’t want to be there. “I’m not here about you being off. It’s a personal matter.”
Sage frowned. “I don’t understand. What could that possibly be? As far as I know, I haven’t unconsciously broken any laws, because that’s about the only way I’d do something like that.”
David looked down at his feet, then back up at her. “Damn, this is a lot harder to do when you know the person.”
“Now you have me feeling a little nervous.”
“Sage, I’m sorry.” He paused, then continued in a businesslike voice. “There was an accident almost an hour ago. A drunk driver slammed into a car and pushed it into the oncoming traffic where it was hit head-on. The driver of the car the drunk hit was killed instantly. The passenger was rushed to the ER barely alive and not expected to make it.” He paused again, a look of pity on his face. “It was Macy and her husband. You need to go to the hospital to be with her. I know she had a baby. He wasn’t in the car. Do you know where he is?”
“He’s asleep upstairs in my room,” Sage said softly, not wanting to accept what David had told her. “Are you sure it was Macy and Hank?”
“I’m positive. I was first to arrive on the scene. I recognized them from the family picnics the department has in the summer. Plus, we found ID on them, which confirmed who they are. I’m so sorry. Would you like me to drive you to the hospital? As I said, your sister isn’t going to make it. When I left the ER, they were doing their best to keep her alive.”
Sage swallowed back the tears that threatened to rise to the surface. “Is she conscious?”
“No, and the doctor doesn’t think she’ll wake up. You need to see her before…” David’s words trailed away.
She knew what he’d been about to say. Before Macy died. “I’ll drive myself. I don’t want to take Josh with me, though.”
“Then don’t take him,” Grady said as he came up behind her. “I’ll stay with Josh. You go to the hospital.”
Sage turned and looked at him. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. He’s asleep, and you said he’d more than likely stay sleeping for the rest of the night. I can handle that.”
“Is there anyone you need me to contact?” David asked, drawing Sage’s attention.
She shook her head. “No. I can call Hank’s parents. They live in Fairbanks. As for my family, it’s just Macy and I. We don’t have anyone else. And I’m legally Josh’s guardian. Macy made sure of that right after he was born.” Sage’s voice cracked a little.
Grady put his arm around her shoulders and tucked her under his arm. “Are you going to be okay to drive?”
“Yes,” she said after she cleared her throat. “I’ll get ready and will leave in a minute.”
“I’ll follow behind you,” David said.
Sage stepped away from Grady, feeling about ready to break down, but she wouldn’t. At least not yet. She had to be strong, be there for Macy. She wouldn’t let her sister be alone.
* * *
Grady stood in the open door and watched Sage pull away in her SUV. The police cruiser parked at the front of the house fell in behind her. Once they disappeared from sight, he shut the door and let out a deep breath.
The night had gone from being perfect to a disaster. After Sage answered the door, Grady had easily been able to hear the conversation that took place there. He’d wanted to go to her, but he couldn’t since he wasn’t supposed to know what was going on. Once she’d said she didn’t want to take Josh to the hospital with her, there was no way he could remain in the living room. He’d had to tell her he would look after the baby. It would be one fewer thing she had to worry about. She already had enough on her plate with her sister not expected to live.
He returned to the living room and sat on the couch. Grady was prepared to stay with Sage for however long she needed him. Hearing she had no other family besides her sister, he wouldn’t let her go through this alone. Yes, they’d just met, but he liked her a lot. He would be strong for her, help her through this difficult time in her life. He’d be a huge asshole if he left now. Plus, it went against everything he’d been taught. Cougar shifter family groups were tightknit. Each member could be counted on to be there for another when they were in need. Since she didn’t have anyone to fall back on, Grady would step in and fill that role for her.
Right then the baby sighed over the monitor. Grady turned and looked at it. If Sage’s sister didn’t pull through as expected, Sage would become an instant mother. Even though Josh wouldn’t remember his parents, he at least wouldn’t have to suffer through watching them being buried or know what was going on.
Chapter Four
Sage sat in one of the hard plastic chairs in a
hospital waiting room. She’d been there for hours. She figured it had to be pushing close to dawn, though she really hadn’t been paying close attention to the time. At least not until after Macy had passed away.
Sage had made it to the hospital to be with her sister before she’d succumbed to her injuries. Macy had had massive internal injuries and head trauma, and there had been nothing the doctors could do to save her. The damage had been too severe. Sage had been able to hold Macy’s hand, kiss her one last time and tell her that she didn’t have to worry about Josh. That she would look after him and would always be there for him. As if her sister had only been waiting to hear those reassurances, her heart had stopped beating and didn’t start again, no matter how hard the doctor and nurses had tried to bring her back.
Now here Sage sat, numb to the world around her, waiting to sign the paperwork to arrange to have her sister’s body moved to the funeral home of her choosing. She also waited to talk to Hank’s parents. They’d only arrived a short while ago, having taken the forty-minute flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage. There was no question of Hank and Macy not being buried side by side.
The older couple stepped into the room. They both seemed to have aged ten years. Hank had been their only child. At least a piece of him would live on in Josh. The baby was the spitting image of his father, but with his mother’s eyes and hair color.
“Sage,” Hank’s mother Kate said as she held open her arms.
Sage hugged Kate and then Hank’s father Max. “How are you both holding up?” she asked.
“About as well as you, I’d imagine,” Kate said as she wiped tears out of her eyes. “I just thank god Josh wasn’t in the car.”
That would have been even more devastating. “So do I. He’s still at my place. My boyfriend Grady is there watching Josh.” Sage figured it would sound better to have Grady as her boyfriend than tell them she’d just met him.
“A boyfriend?” Kate asked with a small smile. “Last time I talked to Macy she said you didn’t have one, and that you were too busy with your police work to date.”
Fated to a Cougar cs-4 Page 3
