He paused, touching her to hold her gaze. “Because we were meant to meet you. If we’d stayed there, we wouldn’t be here with you right now, feeling so content.”
“Content? You feel it then? Both of you?” she asked and tilted her head up toward Quaid.
Quaid smiled. “We all do, baby. This is real. We’re not using you, or going to leave you. In fact, if I know my brother Matt, he’s probably downstairs right now trying to figure out a way to get you to move in here with us immediately.”
She gasped and both Quaid and Dale chuckled.
“Don’t get scared or freak out.” Dale looked at her bandage and then softly ran his thumb over her bruised hip bone.
“We want to protect you, so that no one can ever hurt you, ever again,” Dale said.
She smiled softly. “I feel lucky.” She reached up with her good hand to touch Dale’s chest. He swallowed hard. The woman had no idea how difficult it was to lay here next to her naked body and not want to get lost inside her, making love all day.
“I think we’re the lucky ones,” Quaid said and then moved against her back. Her eyes widened, and she tilted up to look at him. “That’s what being next to you does to me. To all of us. Looking over your body, getting to know you, tasting you ignites our desire. I want you so badly it hurts inside.”
She blinked her eyes. “If it helps, I feel it, too. I want to try, I do, but then I panic.” She lowered her head and sunk deeper into the pillow.
“There’s no rush, Sage. We’re not going anywhere.”
She widened her eyes and pulled back.
“I’m leaving for a trip tomorrow. I’m going to Dallas to visit my friend from college and to see two offices that are looking to hire in September,” she told them.
“What?” Dale asked, feeling his gut tighten and a sick feeling fill it. He didn’t want to lose her. Was she still considering leaving Pearl?
“You’re not still considering leaving Pearl, to move to the city are you?” Quaid asked, now sitting up behind her. She rolled to her back, taking the sheets with her and looked from Quaid to Dale.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet. I gave myself the deadline of midsummer to decide so I won’t lose any opportunities.”
“What’s going on?” Matt asked as he and Virgo entered the room.
Dale stood up. “Did you know about this? About her leaving for a trip to Dallas tomorrow and exploring jobs?”
Matt scrunched his eyes together and then stared at Sage with his hands on his hips. “No. Wha
t are you talking about?”
Quaid explained.
“I said I wasn’t sure about moving. I gave myself the deadline of midsummer in case I do leave so that I can get a job. I’ve been offered a few already.” She now sat up and covered herself better with the sheets.
“How could you think about leaving when things between the four of us are just getting started?” Quaid asked.
“I didn’t say I was leaving. Listen, I’m going tomorrow. It’s an overnight trip and I’ll be back Tuesday.”
“Who is going with you? Who is the friend you’re staying with and where do they live in Dallas?” Matt asked.
She took a deep breath and released it. “His name is Curtis.”
“It’s a fucking guy you’re staying with?” Dale asked, all pissed off. He couldn’t help himself. He was instantly jealous.
“I’ve been friends with him for the past four years. He has a girlfriend.”
“What does she think about you staying at his place with him?” Virgo asked.
“I met her, and she’s great. She knows that Curtis and I are just friends. So you should understand that, too. Listen, before this gets out of hand quickly, I’m going. I already purchased the bus ticket. I’m going to go check out the three jobs, to keep my options open. I explained early this morning that I needed things to go slow. You four acting so overprotective and jealous for no reason is kind of scary.”
“Scary? Scary was hearing the fucking radio call about the bar fight and then finding out you were in urgent care hurt and getting stitches. How the hell are we supposed to let you out of our sights right now?” Quaid asked as he ran his hand through his shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair. His dimples were nearly lost when he was angry.