Her Hometown Hero(34)

Spence paused for a moment before answering her. "My dad and my brothers  don't know about this, but I did find my biological mother about ten  years ago."

"Do you still talk to her?" Sage asked with surprise.

"No. I thanked her for giving me up for adoption, for allowing me to  have a better life. She was so high, I don't think she even knew her own  name, let alone had any clue who the man was standing before her. I was  just a baby when I was found at the doorway of a fire department."

"Oh my gosh, Spence. I can't imagine what you must have gone through to  stand before the woman who willingly gave you up," Sage said as she took  his hand and squeezed it.

"I'm not angry with her, Sage. She did the right thing. She was too  weak, and too addicted to take care of a child. Yes, my early years in  foster care weren't pleasant, but ultimately it led me to Jackson and  Camden, and then Martin and Michael. My brothers by choice are my best  friends, and with Martin, I learned that someone doesn't have to share  the same blood to be family. He was and is a great father, and I'm the  man I am today because of him, so I'm grateful to the woman who birthed  me."

Sage found herself fighting tears as she listened to this man who was so  much stronger than she was. If she hadn't lived with her grandmother  after her parents died, she didn't think she would have been as strong.  She didn't know what to say.

"I've shared with you," Spence said, and then waited. His opening up gave her the courage to share with him.

"I lost my parents when I was ten. My grandfather was taking my mom and  dad fishing and their tire blew out over a bridge. They crashed through  the guardrail into the river, and it took the rescuers eight hours to  pull the car out. I still have a hard time discussing it. I was supposed  to be with them but wasn't feeling good that day, so I was home with my  grandma. She told me it was the angels protecting me, but if that's the  case, why didn't they protect my parents and my grandfather?" She knew  she'd never have an answer to that question.

"We don't always get to know the reason something happens, but I do  believe our lives are shaped by every experience we go through. Maybe  that feeling of helplessness is what shaped you into who you are, is  what gave you the drive to be a doctor. No, it shouldn't take losing  your parents to find yourself, but everything really does happen for a  reason."

Spence reached across the table and took her hand, offering her the only  comfort he was capable of giving right then. It wasn't enough, and at  the same time, it was exactly what she needed. She didn't want to speak  about it anymore, and he seemed to get that.

"Okay, we're going to shelve conversation for now. The band is about to  start, and I want to hold you." Spence stood up, escorted her to the  corner of the dance floor, and put his arms around her. Couples were  already swaying to the recorded music coming from the speakers. When the  live band started, the floor would be packed.

"Thank you for sweeping me off my feet tonight, Spence," she said against his neck.

"Thank you for giving me the chance to do it, Sage." He kissed her  gently, giving her a taste of the way their night was going to end.




                       
       
           



       
Well after midnight, Spence opened the door to their rooms at the  Fairmont Olympic Hotel. The hotel was beautifully designed and  appointed, with an ambience of high style and exclusivity, but this  corner suite still managed to surprise Sage. They entered the living  room to find a fire burning and soft lights. On every table sat a vase  holding roses and lilies in colors and shapes she'd never seen before.  It was romantic. It was perfect.

She walked to a window and looked out at the beautiful green hotel  grounds through the bright lights that illuminated the area. Even after  her years in California, she never ceased to be amazed at the beauty one  could find in the middle of a metropolis. When she'd imagined cities as  a child, she'd thought only of pollution and garbage. Thankfully, there  were always oases to be found.

As Spence's arms wrapped around her, she closed her eyes and leaned back  against him, feeling perfectly happy just as they were. Yes, she wanted  to get to the lovemaking, but at the same time she wanted to freeze  this moment, this feeling of bliss from the first truly romantic day  she'd ever experienced.

"I don't know how you arranged all of this, but thank you," she  whispered, afraid of breaking the spell she was under if she spoke too  loudly.

"I just made a couple of phone calls. The staff here did the rest."

"Well, they were great phone calls. Thank you again, Spence. You've made me feel special."

"I want you to feel special because you are. Everything I do for you, I  do because it pleases me so much to see your eyes light up with  happiness. A smile from you brings me joy unlike any gift ever has." He  punctuated his words by caressing the side of her neck with his lips.

She found herself tilting her head to give him better access to that sensitive skin.

Spence drew his head away momentarily. "Would you like a drink before . . . ?"

Sage was glad he didn't finish the sentence. She was ready for this, but  to talk about it . . . no, she didn't want to. Talking might give her  the opportunity to back out, and that's the last thing in the world that  she wanted. This was what she wanted. If she could just manage to fight  off the nerves that kept threatening her.

"A drink sounds good," she said, and nearly whimpered when he released her.

He walked over to a wine bucket, lifted out a chilled bottle, and  prepared it for the corkscrew. "From the moment our eyes connected, I  wanted you. It soon became an all-consuming passion, a need to have you.  Now . . . now, it's so much more." He drew out the cork smoothly and  then poured the wine into crystal goblets.

She accepted the glass he offered and moved back to the large window.  "It feels like I've wanted you forever. I'm sorry I didn't tell you  before about . . ." No. Why belabor their fumbled night? It was  something best forgotten.

"I have this strong impression that I need to guard you-or rescue you.  Am I the one you need rescuing from?" He was joking, but not entirely.

His uncharacteristic moment of insecurity gave her strength, wiped away  the nerves that had been gnawing at her most of the night-heck, most of  the time since being back in Spence's presence.

"I think I need to be rescued from myself-from the protective ball I've  placed around myself. I think you really are my prince come to life,"  she told him, setting down her wine and walking over to him, feeling the  material of her dress swirl delicately around her legs.

He set down his own glass and raised his hand to her cheek. "I can do  that. I can be anything you want me to be. I want to be a better man  when I'm with you." He bent down and took her mouth gently, showing her  his need in a slow, sweet kiss.

Sage broke away only long enough to say, "I just want you to be you. I  just want you, Spence," and then returning to the kiss, she got lost in  his arms. If this was a preview of their night to come, she thought she  might never float back to earth again.

"We won't rush this, Sage. I want to build the fires, make sure you know  that lovemaking is about pleasure, not pain. I don't want to push you,  and I don't want to ever stop. Tell me what you want, what you desire.  Let me please you."

"Don't treat me like a porcelain doll-that's all I ask. I want you to  lose yourself," she said, crying out when he gripped her hips and pulled  her against him, showing her that he was thick and hard.

"I can do that," he said, the low growl in his voice stoking an inferno inside her. "You are mine-only mine, Sage Banks."

Lifting her up, he moved to the bedroom, making her breath catch and her  heart race. Yes, he was her Prince Charming, claiming her, owning her,  taking what he desired. She was more than willing to be his partner-to  be whatever he wanted her to be.                       
       
           



       

She was seduced, and from the look in his eyes, he was just as much hers  as she was his. They were made to come together like this, made to  catch fire in each other's arms. She hoped time would stop and the night  would never end.

Sage hardly noticed the low lighting in the room, or the flowers on the  nightstand. She barely registered the silk sheets, or the rose petals  covering them. She seemed unable to notice anything but the sultry look  in his eyes.

Setting her down next to the bed, he stepped back, making her hunger to  be in his arms again, but he just stood there, his eyes roaming up and  down her body as he removed his jacket and then began undoing the  buttons on his crisp white shirt.