23. Too Soon for Love

Stassi

S tassi stared at Sage as she rested so peacefully. She pulled the blanket around her as a chill hit her body. It wasn’t even chilly in Sage’s bedroom, yet there was this ominous feeling. It almost felt like doom was hanging over them, before they could even continue what was happening.

Stassi didn’t want to feel this way, but there were too many things that could go wrong between them. When they were together, Stassi felt like they were meant for an eternity. They weren’t nearly in that position, though. Time was hardly on their side. And there were too many ways they could crumble. So why did Stassi feel it was meant to be? Love wasn’t a word that Stassi had never had reason to say. Outside of her parents, Stassi would avoid using the word. It was reserved for when her mom or dad would initiate it. It was too soon. Hard to even consider that Stassi would want to say it to Sage, especially someone she hardly knew. The bedroom proves otherwise. That was the problem. When they were together in an intimate setting, there was no denying their chemistry. She was comfortable with her. And that wasn’t even scary to admit.

Stassi grabbed her phone and stared down at her latest text to her father.

Stassi

Are you ignoring me? I get the feeling you’re ignoring me. I’ve texted, emailed, and called. I need to talk to you.

She fell back against the chair and stared at the sleeping woman, who was barely covered in her bed. If her father didn’t return her messages shortly, she would have to go directly to his house. He couldn’t ignore her if she were standing right in front of him.

“Are you staring at me?”

Stassi turned and spotted Sage on her elbows, her eyes directed to her. Stassi felt her cheeks burning. “I mean, you are hard not to stare at.” Stassi stood up and moved over to the bed. She leaned in and planted a kiss on Sage’s lips. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t wake me.” Sage tilted her head. “Yet, I’m wondering what you’re doing awake. It’s just after two.”

“Got a little hungry. Hope you don’t mind, I warmed the food up.”

Sage snickered. “Don’t mind at all. Just bummed you didn’t wake me. Didn’t you hear my stomach growl?” Sage grinned and Stassi sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Do you want me to warm you something up?” Stassi asked. “It was delicious, by the way.”

“I can get it.” Sage looked Stassi up and down, then grinned. “You look good all wrapped up in that towel. Good enough to devour.” She wrapped her hand around Stassi’s neck and pulled her to her. Words like that were impossible to ignore. And she didn’t want to.

“You better get out of that bed, or you’ll never get anything to eat,” Stassi teased.

Sage groaned. “You just want to see me naked. I know how you are.”

Stassi laughed. “You caught me.” She tossed Sage’s robe to her. “But just in case…”

Sage snickered and put the robe on. “Maybe it’s the fact that you like to take clothes off of me, that you really like.”

“You’re naughty.” Stassi shook her head but couldn’t keep the laughter down. She could get wrapped up in similar moments like that and never question why she felt that Sage was her ultimate destiny.

When Sage stood to her feet and closed her robe around her, she reached for Stassi’s hand, and they left the room together. “This is nice,” Sage replied, as if to read Stassi’s mind. Stassi gave a slight nod, despite her inner voice telling her that things were moving way too fast.

“I will do the deed. Do you want it all?” Stassi let go of Sage’s hand and moved to the refrigerator to grab the food that needed to be warmed up.

“Yes, please.” Sage took a spot at the table and Stassi moved around the kitchen, like she owned the place. When she looked over to Sage, Sage had her eyes drawn down to the table, lost in another thought. She looked up and met Stassi’s gaze. “I have a meeting with Noah Benton on Wednesday.”

Stassi arched an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Oh. Right. Noah Benton is the hospital's CFO. I’ve had numerous appointments scheduled with him to discuss the staff’s demands. Unfortunately, every attempt I’ve made has been refuted by him. He’s either had to cancel or reschedule. This last time I was in his office, he practically dodged me like a bullet.” She shook her head. “It’s hard to be taken seriously when they won’t even listen to your pleas.”

“That’s rough,” Stassi mumbled. Watching Sage, she felt a certain amount of guilt. She couldn’t tell Stassi the truth about her father, because then she would be seen as one of those people. She didn’t want people to look down upon her because she was the daughter of the hospital’s owner. But also the longer she kept the secret, the harder it’d be to tell her. “Hopefully, you’ll get to actually talk with him this week.”

“That’s the plan.”

The microwave dinged, and Stassi was able to turn away from Sage’s wandering eyes. She grabbed the plate but didn’t anticipate how hot it would be and winced in pain. “Ouch.” It dropped from her hand, splattering the plate to the counter. Food went everywhere, and the corner of the plate broke off.

“Dammit, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Stassi turned to Sage, holding her hand against her as her hand burned.

“Are you alright?” Sage jumped up and hurried to stand next to Stassi. She reached for Stassi’s hand, causing Stassi to pull back instinctively. Her eyes clouded over, and she quickly nodded. She wanted to tell Sage everything about her father and how he was the typical rich patriarch but had lost his fortune, which caused her to look for a job… a job that he was able to get her.

“I’m fine. Just a little sore.”

Sage scrunched up her face. “It’s red and will likely blister if we don’t do something. Here put your hand under the cold water while I get some things.” Sage guided Stassi’s hand to the sink and then rushed from the kitchen. With the cold water running on her hand, Stassi turned to the mess in the kitchen. She scowled and tried to pick up the pieces, but Sage ran back into the room. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll get it. Give me your hand.” Stassi held out her hand as Sage put cream on the burn and then bandaged it up.

“Not just an Occupational Therapist,” Stassi began.

Sage snickered and shrugged. “In school, you learn lots of skills—so I have a broad range of foundational knowledge. How does that feel?”

“Better,” Stassi said, looking at Sage’s handiwork and then at the mess. “But I’d feel even better if I could get this cleaned up and give you some food.”

Sage nodded. “Fine. We’ll clean it up together.” And that’s what they did. The truth never did get revealed that night, but as they worked in the kitchen to pick up the mess and discard the broken dish, Stassi felt even closer to Sage. Maybe everything would work out in the end and Sage didn’t have to know right at that moment who her father was. She just hoped that Sage’s meeting with the CFO went well, though, for everyone’s sake.