were supposed to marry the devastatingly handsome brothers and be related for life. Heck, we’d even have our children at the same time so they’d grow up together and be best friends just like us.”
“Don’t you wish life worked out so easily?”
“Yeah. But the real world never goes the way we want it to. Enough of that. I want to know how you feel. You lost your virginity. Was it good? Bad? Did he suck? I want details, lots of details.”
Sage spent the next fifteen minutes filling Grace in on exactly what had occurred at Spence’s house. Even speaking about it again had her hot and bothered. How could an experience that had been so good for her, have been exactly the opposite for him? She felt shamed and humiliated and didn’t ever want to see him again.
“You have to talk to him, you know,” Grace told her. “You have to figure out what in the world he is thinking. He had to have been shocked. Most women don’t make it to your age with the V card still intact. Give him a chance to explain himself.”
“He hasn’t even tried,” Sage said with a frustrated sigh.
“Then corner the man and make him speak.”
“I can’t even think about this anymore. Please, please, please tell me what is up with you and Camden, and let’s not talk about me. You were having lunch together at the diner and your heads were bent together awfully close.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Sure, sure.”
“No, really, Sage. We’re just working together on something, or he’s trying to work with me on something, but I don’t want his help, but the man is a pain in the ass and won’t take no for an answer.”
“There’s no way you are getting away with being so vague, Grace.” Sage had lost all interest in decorating the tree.
“There’s really nothing to tell,” she said, probably hoping that would satisfy her best friend.
Not by a long shot.
“Grace, I know that look in your eyes and I know when you’re hiding something from me. I will get it out of you!”
“Look, it’s really nothing, but Cam seems to think it’s something. I just can’t talk about him right now. The man infuriates me.”
Sage sat there, looked at the pain on Grace’s face, and knew she needed to give her friend a break. Just like Sage didn’t want to speak about Spence right now, it was more than obvious that speaking about Camden was too hard for Grace. They would talk to each other when they were ready, Sage had no doubt about that.
“Grace—” Just then the doorbell rang.
“I got it,” Grace said hastily, acting as if there was a fire and she was going to be the first out of the building.
“You can run, but you can’t hide,” Sage called out after her friend.
“We’ll see about that,” Grace called back before Sage heard the door open.
“My, my, my, looky what the cat just dragged to our doorstep.”
Sage had a sinking feeling . . .
“I come bearing treats.”
Great. Spence’s voice first thing in the morning was almost as sexy as late at night. Of course, thinking of night and Spence’s deep voice made her think of beds and . . . Nope, not gonna go there.
“What kind of treats?” she heard Grace ask.
“Fresh hot coffee and pastries from the new bakery down the street.”
“New bakery? I didn’t know it was open yet,” Grace said with suspicion.
“You got me—these are a few hours old. I picked them up before I flew out of Seattle. The coffee did come from the café, though. It was the good barista.” He was obviously wearing a seductive smile, and he spoke with his most come-hither voice.
“You may enter,” Grace said.
Sage scrambled to her feet. She was wearing pajamas—with little elves on them, for goodness’ sake. Bad, bad, bad. No, she didn’t want to seduce him, not after being rejected, but elves?
“Sage, we have company,” Grace yelled two seconds before they entered the living room.
Sage’s eyes connected with Spence’s and her stomach sank. A week apart from him had done nothing for her libido. And he was clearly still feeling something as well, at least if the smoldering in his eyes was any indication.
Now she was confused, very confused. He could have made love to her all night, but he’d pulled away with no explanation, disappeared, and now was in her home bearing gifts and acting like no time had passed. What in the world was the man thinking? The