Page 45 of Broken Hearts

She turns to the open doors and the sun that’s streaming into the apartment. “I think if I lived here, I’d…” She starts, before trailing off, as though she suddenly remembers that her being here and deciding what to do with this place is the big elephant in the room that is constantly with us.

“You get used to it,” I tell her, choosing to ignore the elephant. “And maybe if you got into surfing, you’d appreciate it.”

Now it’s Sage laughing. “I’m not sure I’d be any good at surfing.”

“You ever actually tried?”

“Nope,” she says, shaking her head, her smile disappearing. “I always blew him off when he suggested it.”

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I could teach you,” I say, my words quiet.

Sage swallows, licking her lips as she watches me. “You’d do that?” she asks, an almost nervous edge to her question.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

Before she can say anything else, she yawns, laughing a little as she says, “Shit, sorry.”

I squeeze her hand. “Maybe you should try and get some more sleep?”

“Yeah, maybe,” she says before surprising the shit out of me when she moves closer on the couch and lays against me.

And just like that, my heart is pounding in my chest again as memories of last night flash through my brain: the way she felt pressed against me, sitting in my lap, her hands in my hair and mine all over her.

Fucking hell, I want her so badly.

But I don’t do anything now except shuffle down on the couch, pulling her against me so her head is resting on my shoulder.

We must both fall asleep because the next thing I know, I’m blinking my eyes open to find Sage lying beside me on the couch. We’re facing each other, my arm draped over her waist and both of Sage’s hands curled up and resting on my chest. Our legs are tangled together, and of course, I’m fucking hard.

I don’t move, though. I just lie here watching her sleep.

She’s so goddamned beautiful, it almost takes my breath away. I’ve never reacted to a woman like this before, and even though it’s been a while, I know it’s more than that. Everything I am feeling for Sage is new and unexpected and seriously scaring the shit out of me.

I don’t get attached, and I don’t risk getting hurt. That’s exactly why I keep people at arm’s length. Why I push them away.

“Nate,” she suddenly murmurs, still asleep as her hand now grips my T-shirt. She must be dreaming, and the thought of her dreaming about me only gets me harder.

I drag my hand across her hip, my fingers brushing against her warm skin where her tank has ridden up. Sage blinks her eyes open, a small smile pulling at her mouth when she finally focuses on me.

“Hey,” she whispers.

“Hey,” I whisper, my hand still resting on her hip.

“I fell asleep.”

I smile. “We both did.”

Sage blinks a couple more times. “Don’t you have to work today?”

“No, Alana’s taking care of it,” I tell her, shaking my head. “You think you can eat something?”

Sage glances down, her hand letting go of my T-shirt before moving to her stomach. “Yeah, I think so,” she says.

I lean in and press a kiss to her forehead, inhaling her scent before pulling back. “Come on, then,” I say, reluctantly rolling off the couch, turning as I discreetly adjust myself.

Sage sits up, scrubbing her hands over her face. “Where are we going?”

I hold a hand out to her, pulling her up off the couch when she takes it. I don’t let go right away, instead pulling her close. With my other hand, I tuck her hair behind her ear, smiling as I say, “Somewhere Mitch used to take me.”

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