other charms I can discover at the top of them. Every time she moves, her subtle scent—something floral and fruity—wafts up and makes it even harder for me to focus. Add in the satisfied moans she occasionally lets out while enjoying a bite of her steak and I’m half-hard sitting here, trying to tamp down a sensation of being drunk even though we’re both sipping on iced tea.
I didn’t open the wine she brought home, knowing that the last thing I need tonight is to have my inhibitions lowered. I knew Sage wouldn’t partake, and it’s hard enough to keep up with her sometimes, so there’s no need to make it worse. And that’s exactly what I told Sage when she offered to uncork it for me. She nodded knowingly and didn’t push the issue.
“You weren’t lying, were you? You do know how to cook,” she says while carving off another piece of her steak.
She stares at the perfectly cooked medium-rare bite perched on the tip of her fork, touches the tip of her tongue to the center of her lip in anticipation, and then moans unabashedly before popping it in her mouth.
No straight man alive will judge me for reimagining that moment into a scene involving my cock, her mouth, and some enthusiastic moans of a different variety. Not picturing that would require me to outthink evolution, and I’m too pea-brained for that. Especially when a woman like Sage is sitting across the table from me, fucking moaning.
“I’m glad you agree,” I half croak, clearing my throat before continuing. “These steaks looked too good to screw up. You must have a hell of a butcher around here somewhere.”
“These steaks are off the last beef my uncle sent to the processor. He farms just north of here and has a few cows, so when I help him out during harvest in the fall, I’m paid in steaks. That and rent-free housing.” Sage waves her fork in the air, gesturing absently at the house.
“So this is your family’s grounds? The house too?”
I try to keep any breathlessness out of my voice at the mention of the house. She nods and takes a sip of her tea.
“My mom’s side of the family. She took off when Cody and I were kids, but my dad made sure we still spent time out here with my grandparents. My uncle inherited everything when they died, but this place is too small for his family, so he built a new house up the road. I’d been living in an apartment and hated it, so it made sense for me to move out here. I like having some breathing room, and this way, my uncle doesn’t have to worry about the place sitting empty.”
Ah, yes. My first instinct about this house was correct. There is a story here. The only thing is, I think I might be more interested in how that story ties into Sage’s. But I can’t afford to delve into that any more than I already have. If she privileged me with details about her mom leaving or anything else, that would inevitably lead to my wanting to know more.
Blandly I nod to acknowledge what she just said, all the while tamping down the urge to keep her talking. Instead, I steer the conversation back to something superficial.
“I should have thought to bring something for dessert. If you think that the steak is good, then you’d lose your mind over the buckeye bars my sister taught me to make. Fudgy brownies on the bottom, a peanut butter layer on top of that, and then dark chocolate ganache on top.”
Sage freezes midchew, eyes widening almost comically. I send her a smirk but resist telling her that, if she so chooses, she should feel free to crawl into my lap and beg for those brownies. I’m feeling rather accommodating to anything that might make her moan again.
“You’re terrible,” she declares with an eye roll. “Let me guess, breakfast is another specialty of yours. Is now the time when you ask me how I take my eggs? I’ll try not to embarrass you by laughing too hard.”
“My culinary skills would be wasted on something as basic as eggs. Crepes or blintzes are more my style. But I was planning to save any references to postcoital cooking until after dinner. It’s still business first, correct?”
We both glance at our copies of Haley’s report, which are sitting on the table.
“Yeah.” Sage sighs. “Should we just dive in? Other than