The perfect end to what had been a perfect night.
The restaurant. The theater. But most of all, Caleb. Her lover. More than her lover.
The man she loved.
A little tremor of delight danced down her spine.
She’d felt him watching her tonight. Felt something different in his eyes. In his touch. He was so wonderful, so tender, so good to her that it seemed wrong, maybe even dangerous to want more.
But she did.
She wanted his love—and tonight there’d been times she’d felt—she’d felt as if he might feel some deeper emotion for her …
“Stop,” she whispered.
Caleb liked being with her. He liked taking her to bed. He’d asked her to become his wife.
Those things were enough. And if someday a miracle happened …
“Dammit, no!”
His voice carried clearly from the sitting room. Sage looked at the door, which stood ajar.
“Caleb?” she said.
He didn’t answer. She could still hear him talking but she couldn’t make out the words. His voice was low now, the tone urgent.
She walked slowly to the door and looked into the sitting room.
He was standing before the windows, the telephone at his ear. He was upset; she knew him well enough by now to read the signs. Head up. Spine even straighter than usual. Broad shoulders taut. Long, muscled legs apart.
A little smile curved her lips.
Her lover was the most beautiful man she’d ever known.
You weren’t supposed to call a man beautiful but there was no other word to describe him. He was beautiful, inside and out.
If only her mother had lived to meet him. To see how wrong she’d been.
Not all men were selfish. Not all of them were liars.
Caleb wasn’t.
He was good and kind, generous and honest, and she loved him, loved him, loved him …
“What?” he said, his voice harsh.
Sage frowned. He’d gone from upset to angry. She wondered if she should go to him, let him see that she was there for him …
“Goddammit,” he growled, “Jake shouldn’t have said anything to you. This is my business, not his.”
Sage’s frown deepened.
Maybe what she ought to do was shut the door. Give Caleb some privacy …
“Addison. Listen to me.”
Addison. His sister-in-law. His law partner.