More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) (17 page)

Focus on the bears.

He had to get his head off the smoking hot woman who had expertly charmed his father—and him—and pay attention to what he was doing. No worse pairing than a distracted mind and power tools with blades. That was how a guy lost fingers.

Concentrating, he visualized the bears in his mind. He’d made sketches when he’d first been contracted for the job, but in typical fashion for him, he hadn’t consulted them since doing the drawings. He could merely conjure what the finished product should be and go at it.

Go at it.

Three words he rather liked at the moment. Only the
it
he wanted to go at had nothing to do with pine or chainsaws or carved bears. The
it
had more to do with feelings and physical responses and one sexy chick currently sitting on a stool watching his every move.

Time to give her a show.

Revving the chainsaw, he held it above his head like Jason in the
Friday the 13
^th
movies and attacked the stump. Big chunks fell to the floor as the second bear took shape. He switched saws twice to get into the smaller and smaller details of the bear. Soon, he was consumed with creating this bear. All his attention was zeroed in on his work.

Well, almost all his attention.

Chapter Fourteen

Sage looked up when Orion came into the living room. “Is your father asleep?”

“Yes. Though he did want to know what we were going to do while he was asleep.” He sat beside her on his couch and rested his right leg on the coffee table. A crease formed between his dark brows for the briefest of moments, but when he looked at her, it was gone.

“What did you tell him?”

“I said we were going to play Scrabble.”

Sage clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugh. “Is that what you want to do?”

“N-O.” He spelled the word out. “I’m a much better kisser than I am a speller.” He leaned forward and caught her bottom lip between his teeth. Nipping playfully, he pulled her hair free from the loose ponytail she’d put it in while they’d eaten a quick dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips. Ian had insisted on pickles as well.

“You are a pretty good kisser,” Sage said as she climbed onto his lap, straddling his waist and being careful of his bullet wound. “Besides, I would have kicked your fine A-S-S at Scrabble. I’m an excellent speller.”

“I’m sure you’re excellent at a lot of things.”

“Wanna find out?” Without thinking too hard so she wouldn’t talk herself out of this, she pulled her tank top off.

Orion’s pupils doubled in size, only a thin rim of blue showing. He made a move to touch her, but hesitated, an internal conversation evident on his face.

“Orion.”

He met her gaze, uncertainty in those gorgeous eyes.

“I’m scared too, you know. I choose terribly when it comes to men. Ask Rick. He’s got a list of my past failures. Only he titles the list Men I Will Kill If They Show Their Faces Anywhere Near Sage.” She smiled thinking about the actual file her cousin had on his computer with names and addresses should he need them. “Probability would suggest that you’re going to turn out to be a jerk.”

Orion chuckled softly at that. “I’m not a jerk.”

“Good. And I won’t hurt you. I promised.” She cupped his cheek and ran her thumb over his bottom lip.

Nodding, he traced a finger along the tops of her breasts peeking out from her bra—the forest green bra with the lace trim she’d bought as a holiday gift to one of those previous failures. He’d said the bra was an “Erection Guaranteed” bra, and they’d had a successful romp between the sheets, but Sage had only classified the encounter as mediocre. When there was no spark, there was no spark. You couldn’t force it, but she hoped the bra did spark something now with Orion.

“You are so beautiful, Sage.” He buried his face in her hair and wrapped his arms around her. “And you smell like pine from being in the shop all day.”

“Tell me you adore that smell.”

“I do, but you could smell like burned broccoli and I’d still want you.”

“My, my. The things you say.” She started with a kiss to his left eyebrow, then his nose, then his right cheek, ending finally at his mouth. His glorious, delicious mouth. The stubble around his lips and on his chin scratched against her skin, and she felt as if she were a match being lit with a slow, steady stroke.

Orion pulled his legs off the coffee table, put his hands on Sage’s bottom, and stood in one fluid motion that got her super turned on in an instant.

“You opposed to going outside to the workshop?” His voice was a husky whisper that stroked her most female of parts.

“I’ll go anywhere with you.”

What?
Anywhere? It sounded nuts, but at the same time it made sense to her. Watching him carve for most of the day had been like watching porn. Fantastically sexy, lumberjack porn. When three life-sized bears emerged from those massive stumps, she’d been overwhelmed by Orion’s talent. Of course, she’d seen his work before. The moose she and her mother loved at the rest stop had always been a marvel to them.

Seeing the creator in action though? Well, that had been an exceptional treat. One she wanted to enjoy again. Soon.

He’d gone on to paint one of the bears and again, she had been blown away by his skill. Mixing colors, layering them, creating texture and shadow and dimension. He was a master.

When he’d let her help him paint the second bear, being in that workshop with him shot to the top of her Favorite Things to Do for an Afternoon list.

She had a feeling what was to come next might knock that to a close second.

Orion set her down so he could open the back door, but he backtracked into the kitchen and grabbed what looked like a small white walkie-talkie.

“Baby monitor.” He wiggled it as he grabbed her tank top and handed it to her. “So I can hear my dad.”

Had she ever been in the presence of a sweeter man?

Not even close.

After she slid back into her tank top, he ushered her out the door and onto the porch. The night was warm and fragrant.

“Is that roses?” she asked as she paused on the back steps to sniff the air.

“Yeah. Dad likes to garden. It keeps him calm. He actually won a prize once for the roses growing along the porch there.” Orion pointed into the darkness.

“Well, you Finley men have many layers, don’t you?” She followed him down the steps.

“Nah. We just like to be busy.” He pulled open the workshop door, turned on the overhead fluorescent lights, then closed the door quickly after Sage scooted in. “Don’t want to let the mosquitoes in. In about two minutes, you’re going to have quite a bit of flesh exposed.” He grinned and Sage was completely ready to shed everything she wore.

After setting the baby monitor on the workbench, he pulled down three small lantern-style flashlights and turned them on to a dim setting. He flicked off the overhead lights and the soft glow that came from the lanterns was perfect.

“I’d light candles, but there’s a ton of wood in here,” he said.

“Understood. This is perfect.” She could hardly believe how perfect. She’d been on many dates and had a good amount of sex. Not once would she have predicted that a workshop would be the setting for her next… her next… what should she call this? It was definitely more than a romp. More than scratching an itch.

Deciding not to puzzle over this and what it all meant, she watched as Orion opened a chest and pulled out two sleeping bags. He spread them out on the wood floor, layering them so as to provide ample cushioning.

“Awfully Boy Scout-ish of you,” Sage said.

“Be prepared.” He gave her a smile that curled her toes. “Myah, Ranger, and I used to camp out in here sometimes to get away from…” His voice trailed off and he shook his head. “Anyway. I hope these accommodations are acceptable or do you want your money back?”

“No refunds needed.” She eased down onto the sleeping bags and leaned back on her elbows. “Now where were we?”

“You were half naked. That much I remember.” He kneeled beside her and tugged on the bottom hem of her tank top.

“Right.” She peeled the shirt away. “Now you?”

“Only seems fair.” He shed his T-shirt, and Sage sat up.

“Chainsawing apparently provides a healthy workout.” She glided a finger along the exposed bicep of his left arm, loving the feel of the firm muscle.

“And for a woman who cooks for a living and eats like you do, you don’t appear to have an ounce of extra fat on you.” He unbuttoned her shorts, but splayed his other hand on her stomach. His shortened pinkie finger circled around her belly button causing her to arch closer. “What’s your workout routine?”

“I like to call my workout routine Keep Moving, because that’s all I do. I eat whatever I want, as you’ve seen, and basically only relax when I’m sleeping. If I’m not on my feet at Rick’s store, I’m on them cooking in my kitchen for a catering job, or I’m hiking in the woods with my sister or my cousin. I’m always in motion. Running from one thing to the next.”

“Well, you’re not running anywhere tonight.” He slid her shorts down her legs and groaned when he saw the matching green lace panties. “Tonight, you are mine.”

You are mine.

Those words had her blood racing through her body like a hot flow of lava. Normally possessiveness would have her stomping out the door. She didn’t do Neanderthal lovin’. She belonged to no one.

But this… Orion… he was different.

She wanted to be whatever he wanted, whatever he needed.

The time for talking was done as she made quick work of ridding Orion of his cargo shorts. Both of them took a moment to yank off their work boots, and Sage marveled over how fantastic Orion looked in that golden lantern light. His body was a work of art just like his wood carvings. Chiseled perfection.

He eased her to her back, his lips on hers instantly. When he left her mouth to trail light kisses along her neck, down her chest, and across her breasts, she shivered under him.

“Are you cold?” His brows lowered in concern, and cold was the absolute last thing to describe how she felt.

“No, but I’d love to use you as a blanket just the same.” She leaned her head up to reach his lips.

He laughed against her mouth, but draped himself over her body, his warm, male skin pressed to hers.

She nearly came right then and there, but managed to get control. She wasn’t going to rush through this. She wanted to enjoy this wonderful man fully… and often.

Orion intensified the moment by running his calloused hands along her sides and settling them behind her, his palms cupping her bottom. When he merely moved his thumbs over the small of her back, her mind lost its ability to do anything but crave more. More. So much more.

He slid down and forged a path across her stomach with his incredible lips. He bit playfully at her hip and her hands found their way into his thick, black hair. His slight beard scratched along her skin, causing the most thrilling sensation, and she wondered why any guy who could grow a beard wouldn’t. Beards were it. For sure.

When Orion’s knee came between her own legs, forcing her to widen them, her core became instantly ready for him, instantly desperate to have him inside her. He stroked his fingers along her hot and wet center, testing, teasing.

The moan that sounded from her throat was foreign to her own ears. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy had made her sound off like that. God, had she ever been properly attended to?

Not if what Orion was doing was the standard by which to measure. Every man before him had been an amateur, completely unskilled in the ways of making a woman pant with anticipation.

He slid one finger inside her, completely consuming her mouth as he did so, and her logical brain totally shut down. This wasn’t about logic or reason. Nope. This was about pure physical bliss. This was about two adults enjoying each other as if this moment was all that mattered.

Orion added another finger and stroked until she couldn’t take waiting anymore.

“Now, please, Orion. Please.”

A sound rumbled in his throat as if he’d been waiting for those words, had been working to hear them uttered. Slowly, he withdrew his fingers, taking every shred of Sage’s control with him.

He reached back to his shorts and magically produced a condom.

Bless him.
She loved a man who took care of the details without reminders.

As he crawled back over to her, slowly like a big jungle cat, a ringing sounded from those very same shorts.

“Damn.” His head came to rest on her stomach.

“Ignore it. It’s not your father. We didn’t hear anything on the baby monitor.” At least she didn’t think they had. They’d been a little distracted. “The moment has not been spoiled yet.”

“Okay.” He kissed his way up to her mouth and their bodies were perfectly aligned.

Sage trembled, reminding herself to breathe, to remember everything about the moments ahead.

The ringing sounded again.

Orion let out a growl and grabbed his shorts. He ripped his phone out of one of the pockets. His facial expression morphed into one of worry when he looked at the screen.

Sage propped herself up on one elbow. “Who is it?”

“Myah.”

****

“Hello?” Orion had trouble forming the word. Part of his brain was worried like crazy. Why was Myah calling him? Had Adriana allowed her that privilege or was something wrong?

The other part of his brain was devoid of any blood, because he was hard and ready to bury himself inside a beautiful woman. He shot a quick glance to Sage, now sitting up on the sleeping bags, still naked.

So wonderfully naked.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d lost himself like that. He’d been ready to forget all his problems, all his rules about staying away from women, everything. Sage had managed to get past all the barbed-wire fences he’d erected around himself. He wasn’t sure how she’d done it, but here they were so close to crossing that line.