God, who was she trying to kid? Who was she being brave for? She was all alone here. No mom. No Jenna. She could cry and wail and weep if she wanted to-for all the good it would do her. It had already been two weeks. Sage had forgotten all about her and it would really be a good thing if she could do the same.
Nodding, she picked up the sheaf of papers, slid them back into the envelope her real estate agent had dropped off and then sealed it. It was done. Her house was sold. Her new life was about to begin. She only wished she could be happy about that.
When the doorbell rang, she jumped up, eager for any distraction to take her mind off her depressing thoughts. To keep her too busy to think of Sage and everything that might have been.
She pulled the door open and there he was. For a second, his presence didn't really compute. It was as if she'd spent so much time thinking about him that her mind had actually conjured a vision of him just for her. But that silly thought was gone the moment he opened his mouth.
"We have to talk."
"No, we don't." Colleen shook her head and tried to close the door, but his booted foot kept it open. "I'm really not a masochist, Sage, so if you don't mind I'd appreciate you just going away. If you're here to apologize, thanks. You're forgiven. Happy trails and all of that."
God, what it cost her to tell him no. But how could she let him back in, even temporarily? Salt, meet wound. No. She just couldn't do it. Already she wasn't sleeping or eating and her eyes were constantly red from all the tears. She had nothing left.
"I'm not here to apologize," he muttered through the gap between her door and the wall.
"You're not?" She glared at him through that same gap. "You should be."
"You already forgave me, remember?"
Frowning, she was forced to admit he had a point. "Fine. Then there's no reason for you to be here at all. So go away."
"Beback misses you."
"That's just mean," she snapped. He knew how much she liked his dog. How much she wanted one of her own.
"I miss you."
"You miss the sex," she countered because she simply would not let herself believe anything else. She was through building castles in the air. Just because he was here didn't mean anything between them had changed.
"Sure I do. Don't you?"
She looked into his eyes, those really amazing, wonderful, soulful eyes and couldn't deny it. Naturally she missed the sex. "Yes."
"And you miss me," he said softly.
Oh, she did. She really did.
"I'll get over it," she told him and shoved harder on the door. But the man was just too strong for her.
"I don't want you to get over it. Or me."
"Sage..." She sighed, leaned her forehead against the door and murmured, "Please go away?"
He reached through the gap, covered her hand with one of his, and Colleen felt that so familiar zing of heat that whispered inside her, urging her to listen. To let him in. To remember how good they were together. But remembering wouldn't change anything, so why go there?
"Why are you here?" She pulled her hand free of his, though she missed the warmth of his touch.
"I have to show you something," he said softly. "Will you take one more trip with me up the mountain?"
"Why should I?"
"There's no reason in the world you should," he admitted and pulled his foot out of the doorway. "But I'm asking you to anyway."
If he'd tried to smooth talk her into it, she might have refused. Instead, he'd played a new game. Honesty. And frankly, she was tired of fighting him. She knew she'd regret it later, of course, but at the moment, going with him was just easier.
The ride was tense, neither of them talking much. Colleen's mind was whirling with possibilities and questions. Why had he come? Where were they going? Why?
She sneaked glances at him, and he was always the same. Stoic. Eyes focused on the road ahead, which should have relieved her, since this drive could be treacherous. But she wished that he would glance her way. Give her some indication of what was going on. Instead, he drove the narrow, winding road up the mountain in silence, passing his ranch gates, and she turned in her seat to look at them as they drove by. "I thought we were going to your house."
"No," he said, not looking at her, focusing instead on the road stretched out in front of them.
Her stomach swirled uneasily as she realized where they were probably headed. The cabin. Where else would he be taking her on this mountain road? But then, why would he take her to the cabin? It was the first question she asked when he pulled into the drive and parked.
"Like I said at your house," he told her, climbing out of the huge SUV, "there's something I want to show you."
He took her hand, just as he had the first time, as they headed along the path to the cabin. But it was different now. The flower beds were weeded and bursting with newly planted, bright spring blossoms. Their scent rose up into the air and twisted with the ever-present aroma of pines.
The path itself was covered in fresh gravel. The surrounding pines had been trimmed back, still providing shade for the cabin but no longer threatening to tip over in a storm. The walls were painted a crisp white with navy blue trim around the windows. The chairs on the front porch had brand-new, dark blue cushions and there was a sturdy iron railing snaking along the porch, replacing the rotted wooden one that had snapped on their last visit.
It was beautiful. It was perfect. But she still couldn't buy it. "I can't," she said, looking up at him. "I can't buy this cabin, Sage. I appreciate you fixing it up for me but-"
"The cabin's not for sale anymore."
"What?"
"I bought it last week." He closed in on her and Colleen's heartbeat sped up. "Went to see Ed at his new place and paid him for it on the spot."
"Why?" she asked and was lucky she'd managed to squeeze out that single word.
"Let's go inside. There are some things I want to say to you."
She walked the path, ran her fingertips over the heavy black wrought-iron railing. When he noticed, he said, "I had my guys over here every day this week, fixing this place up. But the railing I installed myself." He caught her hand in his. "It's sturdy enough that you could do handstands on it, but I'd take it as a favor if you wouldn't. I don't want to risk losing you again."
Pleasure slid through her heart, leaving a trail of eager anticipation in its wake. Was he saying what she thought he was? Could she believe? Her logical mind told her emotional half to get a grip, but it wasn't listening.
He smiled at her and tugged her along after him. "Come on."
She followed and the minute she stepped into the cabin, she realized he'd been at work here, too. The wood floors were gleaming under a fresh coat of wax. Bright throw rugs added splashes of color. Bookcases stood on either side of the wood-burning stove and there was a scent of lemon polish still hovering in the air.
"Linda, my housekeeper," Sage was saying as she walked through the little cabin that was now as shiny as new pennies. "She handled most of the inside work, though my guys did the paint job."
"It's beautiful," she told him, walking back to stop just a foot from him. "But I still don't understand. Why did you buy it?"
"For us," he said simply. He stood there opposite her in his black jeans, black leather jacket and white shirt and looked more gorgeous than she remembered. Just looking at the man gave her chills, but what he said next had every sense reeling.
"I bought it for us, Colleen. I wanted us to have this place to come to, just the two of us. I want us to always remember that we started here. That what's between us grew from here."
Oh, God. Her heartbeat was hammering so quickly now she could hardly draw a breath. But she didn't need air, Colleen realized. All she needed was to know that he meant this. Because if he had done all of this for the two of them, that could only mean that he loved her, and that would be everything.
"See," he said, moving toward her, laying both hands on her shoulders so that she could feel the strong, steady warmth of him seeping into her body. "I know now that I wasted what time I had with my father. I don't want to waste another minute of my time with you."
"Sage..."
"You said you loved me," he reminded her and gave her a slow smile. "I hope that hasn't changed, because I love you, too, Colleen."