Page 125 of Under the Ink

“It’s hard to crash when you’re driving ten miles an hour.”

Sage laughed, pouring her a cup of coffee. “I can’t argue that. Did you make it over the pass okay?”

“My fingers hurt from gripping the wheel but I managed okay.” When Sage handed her the mug, she said, “Thanks.”

“Yeah.” And already he was feeling good that she’d managed the pass—meaning shereallywanted to get over here. “So what did you say you came here for?”

“I, um…I owe you a huge apology.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I do. I really do. I said some really mean things to you—and even though I’d been drinking, I know what a bitch I was. Iknowyou don’t regard me as a groupie or a plaything.”

“I get it, Naomi. You were trying to push me away.”

For a few seconds, she was quiet, as if searching her soul. Nodding, she said, “Yeah, I was. But…you were probably right. I probablycouldstand some therapy. I just…don’t know how to find someone. It’s, um…I have a hard time trusting people.”

Sage got closer, putting his hands on her shoulders. “I know.”

Inhaling a deep breath, she looked straight ahead, her eyes focused on his t-shirt, and Sage was going to give her all the time she needed to find what she wanted to say. When she did, she shifted her gaze to his eyes. “I know you care—and I wanted you to know I care about you, too. And…thank you for sticking by me when I was…all fucked up.”

“Yeah, of course,” he said, tilting his head. “And apology accepted. Now…I oweyouthe truth.”

“What?”

Perfect. He had her full attention.

“You probably don’t realize what you did forme.”

“I didn’t—”

“Yes, you did. Baby, you haven’t cornered the market on distrusting people. I had a few issues of my own. But…” Jesus H. Christ. He was going to have to dig deep. “Youhelpedme, too. I don’t know exactly why or how we connected, but we did—and you made me want to be a better man…to learn to trust that you wouldn’t rip my heart to shreds if I willingly gave it to you.”

Her mournful eyes said it all. “But Idid.”

“No, you didn’t. You weren’t lashing out at me because I was nothing to you. You were trying to hurt me to push me away—and I understood that.” Closing his eyes, he pulled her into his chest and brushed his lips on her forehead. The way she tentatively wrapped her arms around his torso told him everything he needed to know. “I didn’t know that you’d come back. When I first met you, my heart was kind of fucking frozen. I was self-destructive in my own way—and you managed to shake me out of it.” When she looked up at him, he said, “You showed me how to let go and love again.”

Her eyes searched his as if looking for the bottom of his soul—and he could see her letting go as well, ready to jump into the abyss, full of trust that she would land just fine. “I love you, Sage.”

“And I love you, too, Naomi. I fucking love you more than you’ll ever know. You and me—we’ll figure it all out. Together. If you’re good with that.”

“Yeah.” When she kissed him, it was as if she filled the entirety of his world, leaving no room for doubt or fear or worry about what the future held. So long as they were together, everything would work out.

Everything.

When their lips parted, he pulled her close once more and just held her. This woman’s breathing was like the rhythm of his drums.

She was his heartbeat.

Finally, Naomi said, “Well…we’ll need to start with getting Ginny’s car back over that pass.”

Sage laughed. “You got it, baby. You got it.”

CABO SAN LUCAS, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR

OCTOBER 10, ONE YEAR LATER

The breeze on Naomi’s face was warm, the sand soft underneath her feet—but her attention was on Sage’s strong arm around her as they sauntered along theplaya, looking across the aquamarine bay at the almost cloudless sky as the smell of fresh ocean water hit her nostrils. For the first time since she’d been a little girl, she felt completely at peace.

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