Jax

I kissed her forehead then backed away from Sage, physically sick about putting distance between us after that life altering kiss. If I was reading her right though, she needed some space to deal with her father.

Jogging through my house so I could get back to her quicker, I grabbed a shirt and tugged it on. My sweatshirt was lying on my dresser, so I picked that up and took it back out to the patio to give to Sage. I appreciated her lack of clothing very much, but I didn't want her getting cold out there without my body to keep her warm.

Jesus, that woman kissed like she ate. All gusto and enthusiasm, no hesitation or apology. I hadn't had a kiss that good since I was in high school and every kiss felt that amped up due to out of control testosterone levels instead of actual skill or chemistry. She'd just about climbed up my body trying to get close to me and didn't complain when I'd slammed her against the wall. I should have been more careful with her, and if she gave me the chance to kiss her again, I promised myself I would be.

I hung the sweatshirt over her shoulders and leaned back against the railing, seeing that her face was stony, all the heat from before replaced by an icy, cold anger.

"Father, you don't need to do that. What do you mean?" Sage began to pace the deck, her voice firm but with an evident shakiness.

I frowned, listening closely but not able to make out what her father was saying back to her. This guy sounded like he was a hard ass, completely oblivious to the stunning, dynamic woman his daughter had become. I didn't like him already.

Without another word, she hung up and closed her eyes on a deep sigh.

"That went well, huh?" Maybe she'd talk to me about it.

She walked back to me, putting my sweatshirt on, even though it hung off of her and covered her hands. The sleeves were pushed up by shaky hands and then they were on my face, locking me in place, like I'd choose to be anywhere else but right in front of her.

"My father is flying out here tomorrow night. He doesn't trust me to handle things. That only gives me tomorrow to get started on my plan." She stopped and her eyes took on a determined gleam like I'd never seen before, instantly making me never want to be on this girl's bad side.

"I know we haven't had a lot of time to get to know each other, Jax, but do you trust me?" Her eyes softened, the iciness leaving, a raw pleading taking its place.

My hand moved to cup her jaw, my thumb tracing down her soft cheek. I should be running scared, wondering how I got in so deep with this woman so quickly, but my feet stayed where they were and I dug in even deeper. "Remarkably, I do. I trust you to do what you need to do. Just tell me how to help you and I'll be there for you."

Her eyes closed for a brief second and when they opened again, there was moisture there that wasn't before. A smile ghosted across her face before I leaned in and took those lips one more time, sealing the deal.

And then I did the hardest thing I'd had to do in a long time and I backed away.

"Go be badass, Sage. I've got your back." I gave her a smile to boost her confidence. To show her I was in this with her. To show her that this was just the start of an 'us'. To say what I couldn't yet with actual words.

Sleep didn't come for hours after Sage left. Different scenarios were running through my head, battling for top position. We'd discussed nothing. I had no idea what her plan was, or what she intended for her and I. We'd made no promises to each other, yet I felt like I'd do anything for her. Which should scare me, but didn't. I was completely convinced she was solid, that we were solid. Anyone else would laugh at my blind trust, but I pushed away the doubts and decided to just trust her.

But she wasn't the only one who had a plan. I had a plan now too. Which was why I was on the phone with Bailey, an old friend of mine. We'd dated a few times, but there was no chemistry. I had still been bent about the shit that went down with my ex-girlfriend and in no shape to take up a new relationship. Bailey was awesome, not blaming me for acting like an ass when I should have been focused on her during our dates. We'd stayed friends, which I appreciated since she was best friends with Esa, who was set to marry my boss, Ivan, in just a few months. I had no favor to call in, yet I was calling it in anyway.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the gorgeous Jax Stern lighting up my phone. To what do I owe this honor?" Bailey's voice boomed out of my phone, her personality always seeming larger than life.

"Hey beautiful, you got a minute?"

"For you? Sure. What's happening?"

"I need you to dress me."

A pause. "Okay, so I know we dated way back when, but you know that ship has sailed, right?"

I laughed, realizing that had come out all wrong. "Sorry, yeah, I know. I meant, I need you to pick out an outfit for me. Money's tight but I'm willing to part with it to get some fancy clothes today. I need your eye."

"Phew! I was worried for a second. You betcha. I'll pull some items off the rack so you can get in and out quickly. How dressy are you looking to go?"

"Unfortunately, pretty fucking dressy."

I pulled at my collar, the expensive material sliding smoothly across my skin, like a silk cage designed to lull you into thinking you wanted to be there. This was not my usual environment, to put it mildly. Of course the bastard was on the penthouse level of the best hotel in Huntington Beach. Only the best would do, I suppose, when you were a real estate mogul moving properties and millions of dollars a year.

Just a few hours ago I'd spoken to his gatekeeper, finally granted access to a face-to-face with him when I told them I owned the property he was looking to buy. I'm sure he expected an easy negotiation. I was just a small town boy clinging to a failing rental shop. He probably thought he was doing me a favor by throwing money at me and bulldozing the shop my dad built with his own two hands.

This wasn't my arena, but this was my town. I had every right to be here. Every right to fight for my property. Every right to tell him what I came to say. Worst case scenario: he hated me. Best case: he tolerated me. Either way didn't really matter to me. I wasn't here for me, I was here for Sage.

The door swung open long moments after my loud knock. A young man, with black hair slicked back to perfection, stuck his hand out, trying to impress me with his grip strength. Unfortunately for him, I didn't sit around pushing paper all day. I actually worked for a living, which was clear by my firm grip and the callouses that must have scraped his baby soft skin.

Arm wrestling match lost, he spun around and led me to a separate room with a long table set with eight glossy, dark wood dining chairs. He indicated I should sit, but I decided to stand, preferring to make this quick and to the point. The kid left with a shrug, off to call in Sage's father, I'm sure.

I didn't have to wait long. The door was pushed open and Mr. Vanderman bustled in, the kid in his wake, ready to do his bidding. Sage's father was older than I anticipated, his grey hair neatly trimmed, thin reading glasses perched on his nose, a sour expression carved into his hard face.

No wonder Sage's voice shook when she talked to him. There was nothing warm or kind or fatherly about this man that stood before me. A deep sense of gratitude for my own father rose up in my chest, nearly choking me.

"Mr. Stern." He inclined his head, reaching out to shake my hand.

"Mr. Vanderman." I shook his hand, relieved not to find myself in another strength battle.

He sat down at the head of the table, unbuttoning his suit jacket and settling in. I chose the seat off to the right of him and waited for him to launch into his deal, ignoring his lackey entirely.

Instead he set his papers down and just looked at me, perhaps cataloging all my features and making assumptions about me based on what he saw. And good luck to him because I could bet he had no idea what conversation we were about to have.

"My daughter has met with you already?" he finally asked.

I nodded. "Yes, she did. Almost had me convinced to sell when that's the last thing I want to do."

He harrumphed. "That's her job. Except she is supposed to get you to sell. Not almost."

The anger was already bubbling up in my chest at his condescending tone and his implication that Sage had somehow failed when he had no idea what was really going on here.

"Well, I'm not selling, because Sage understands something you fail to see." His eyes narrowed, clearly not liking my own tone. "The Surf Shack is a landmark of Huntington Beach, built by my father in the seventies by his own two hands." I paused. "Have you ever built something with your own two hands, Mr. Vanderman?"

His face was flushing red. "Look around you, boy. You think I could afford to stay here if I hadn't built something with my own two hands? You think I don't know about hard work?"

I interrupted. "Perhaps you do. Perhaps you also know about building a legacy. About building something that can be passed down to future generations. My dad passed down The Surf Shack to me, just like you want to pass your business down to Sage."

He let out a long breath through his nose, his chin lifting.

"I'll tell you what I told Sage last week. I'm not selling. Ever."

He leaned forward, placing his folded hands on the table in front of him. "That's not good news for my daughter, Mr. Stern." One bushy eyebrow raised, the anger leaving his face. "Sage is a nice girl, don't you think?"

I paused, wondering where he was going with this. "Yes, she is. More than 'nice'."

"It's a shame you're going to ruin her entire future with your decision to leave a ramshackle building still standing. With the money I was prepared to give you, you could rebuild your shop elsewhere. And at the same time allow Sage to take over my company when I retire." He paused, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "You wouldn't want to take a multi-billion dollar company away from Sage, would you?"

Ah, so that's where he was going with it. He was trying to strong arm me into selling so he wouldn't have to destroy Sage. As if his own ultimatum wasn't to blame. It was a good argument though. One I would have probably given in to eventually had Sage and I not had our conversation yesterday. I'd told her I trusted her and this was the first time that trust was being called into question. This wasn't the time to falter. Not with this vulture in the three piece suit who was too smart for his own good.

I leaned forward, matching his stance, my gaze laser focused on his watery blue eyes. "Let's not pretend that this lies on my shoulders. You are the one who gave her an ultimatum. You are the one taking away her future. I'm the one that intends to be there for her future. The future that she makes for herself, on her own time, in her own way."

I stood up, unable to keep this conversation going without wanting to strangle the man. His assistant jumped up too, feeling the tension and naively thinking he could do something to stop me if I intended to strike. They didn't know my job, that my nature was to save lives and keep the peace.

"Sage is an incredible woman, which I'm sure you already know. She fits into any environment, immediately making friends with anyone who crosses her path. She's serious, she's playful, she's a calm force. She'll be a success at whatever she takes on professionally, primarily because of who she is, and only secondarily because of what you've taught her. She doesn't need your company or your trust fund to be happy. But I do know that any son or daughter simply wants acceptance, love, and approval. She wants only that from you, Mr. Vanderman."

I took a breath and he stood quickly, the anger back in his expression and the clench of his fists by his sides.

"Don't you tell me what my own daughter needs from me."

I leaned a fraction of an inch closer, hoping he would hear me, for Sage's sake, not mine. "I will tell you, because you aren't listening to her. I've known her for merely a week and I can see all that. Where've you been? Why haven't you seen her?" I let my questions hang in the air, his eyes murderous.

"I think it's time you left, buddy." The assistant pulled back my chair and his hand was on my elbow, pulling me in the direction of the door. I stepped away, removed his hand from my arm, and left the hotel suite on my own two feet, knowing I'd said all I could. It may not be enough to change him, or to make Sage's situation any better, but I just couldn't stand by and watch Sage be mistreated, by her own father no less.

It was a long shot, but maybe what I said would get through to him and change the dynamic of their relationship, or at least make him rethink his ultimatum. It didn't seem like Sage had anyone that would go to bat for her and I wanted to be the one in her life who would.

Naive or not, I wasn't intimidated by a wealthy business man. I'd seen too many macho men be taken out by the strength of a simple ocean wave. We were all human, with weaknesses and limits to our strengths. Sometimes we just needed reminders of our limitations to remember what was most important to us.

I paced The Surf Shack, my state of worry interrupted periodically by customers bringing back their equipment after a fun day on the water. Doubts started to creep in. Not about Sage or this fragile start to some sort of relationship with her. That was all still rock solid on my end. My doubts came from her father.

Maybe I shouldn't have butted my nose into his business. Maybe my little visit made things worse for her. Maybe he wouldn't ever see Sage beyond the dollar signs she could be making for his company. I didn't know the man, nor how he would react to some kid coming in there and shoving his face in his failings as a father. It was a risky move meeting up with him and saying what I did, but I didn't want Sage being the only one taking risks to make this relationship work. She needed to know she had someone sticking up for her, someone on her side.

I'd hosed off the last boat that was brought in earlier, wiping it down and getting ready to call Sage. I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to check in and see how things were going with her father.

Slamming car doors stopped me in my tracks, my hand on the back door to the shop. It sounded like the car was in my lot, but I wasn't expecting any customers since it was closing time and all the equipment was accounted for. Walking quietly to the corner of the building, I strained to hear more.

"This the building that guy doesn't want to sell? Really?" Sage's father spoke, his voice dripping with disdain.

I stayed where I was, hidden behind the corner of the shop in the fading sunlight, wanting to hear what was going on before I butted in again.

"Father, we've gone over this. He's not selling because it was his father's legacy. Please respect that." Sage sticking up for me made my chest swell with pride. I'd been right to trust her, I could just feel it.

The pride quickly turned to anger when her father kept talking.

"Yeah, and good riddance. I guess that's it, huh? You want to date the boy so badly you'd turn your back on me?"

I almost charged across the lot to defend her before I heard Sage jump in, the strength of her voice like beautiful music leading to a crashing crescendo. There wasn't one tremor as she confronted her father and told him how it would be.