Page 186 of Hidden Ties

She could do this, she reassured herself. All she had to do was not give Creed the opportunity to steal back her heart.

There was no way she was going to have sex with him after hearing him with Livvy. She might have caved and stayed, but that didn’t mean she was going to break where that was concerned. Creed thought because she had fallen in love with him so quickly and easily, it would be a breeze to manipulate her into doing the same again.

Tonight, he was going to find out he couldn’t have his cake and eat it, too. She might have to sleep in his bed, but he wouldn’t be getting any of the satisfaction he was anticipating.

FORTY-FOUR

Unable to put if off any longer, she left the bedroom suite to help Creed with dinner. Any thought of food yesterday held no appeal for her. But today, her stomach was filing a complaint against her, especially as the appetizing aromas hit her when she came out of the bedroom.

As she descended the winding staircase, she didn’t see Creed in the living room. She walked to the kitchen but saw nothing on the stove, so she pivoted toward the dining room.

Lights flickered on the wall as she came closer. Creed was sitting at the table, waiting for her with the overhead lights dimmed, creating an intimate atmosphere.

“I thought we were going to cook … I didn’t …” Sage found it hard to talk as she took in the effort Creed had made to create a romantic dinner for them.

Creed rose to his feet to pull out a chair for her. She sat down and took in the tapered candles accenting a beautiful tablecloth. The table settings had been reduced to two from earlier, matched with the flowers in the middle of the table.

“I didn’t expect you to have all the food already cooked, and I didn’t see any dirty dishes.”

Creed poured her and himself a glass of champagne before sitting back down. “You thought we would spend the evening cooking and cleaning the dishes? I don’t enjoy cooking, do you?” Nudging the appetizer board closer to her, he took a piece of toasted baguette with cheese.

“I’m a passable cook, but I don’t mind it. What I do dislike is the cleanup.” Shrugging, she reached for a piece of the baguette with shrimp. “Did you do all of this by yourself, and the dishes, too?”

“I arranged for it to be done. Does that count?”

Sage smiled. “Yes, it does. I think it looks beautiful, regardless of whoever accomplished it.”

Creed served her a variety of dishes before serving himself. The food tasted so delicious, she had to make a conscious decision to monitor herself, or she would have gone back for thirds of the cauliflower gratin and taken another steak skewer.

For dessert, Creed went to the refrigerator and returned back with a pale ale and a luscious strawberry and cream tart.

“I can’t eat another bite.” Shaking her head when he offered another slice, she laid her fork down before she could be tempted.

“Take your beer and let’s go outside and sit on the patio,” he suggested, rising to take his own beer.

She had planned to excuse herself after she’d eaten and go to bed so she could pretend to be asleep before he came to bed, but since she was mellowed out from the food, the plan of faking tiredness to keep from having sex then spending hours pretending to be asleep sounded torturous. Letting the plan bite the dust, she rose from the table, and when she leaned forward to blow out the candles, she noticed Creed about to do the same thing.

“I almost decided not to use them. I didn’t know if burning them would bring bad memories for you.”

“I don’t light candles around Glory, but she isn’t here tonight. I don’t think she’ll ever get over not checking to make sure the candles were out.”

They both took their glasses of beer and headed outside to an outside couch. With a push of a button on a remote control, Creed started the electric outdoor fireplace. He didn’t share the couch with her but took a chair close to the side of the couch where she was sitting instead.

“I really don’t want to talk about this subject on our wedding night,” Creed began somberly, as if he was afraid of breaking the peaceful night enveloping them, “but I don’t want you to think I’m being deceptive to you ever again.”

Sage set her glass down on a small table as dread filled her.

“I talked to the Ashwoods yesterday. They agreed to stop visitation with the girls.”

“How did you manage that?” Elated, she wanted to jump up and down on the couch.

“While searching for who Victoria paid to take the contract out on you, a friend of mine, whom I asked for help, uncovered how the fire really started. It wasn’t Glory’s fault. The only mistake Glory or her husband made that night was leaving their door unlocked.

“Victoria had come over angry. She saw the candles, the romantic dinner, the girls gone, and lost her mind. She said it was so she could show them how irresponsible they were, I guess. She puts the L in loony. When s napkin caught on fire, she got frightened and ran out of the house without trying to alert them.”

Sage jerked to her feet as blinding rage filled her to the extent she was shaking. She wanted to get in her car and go confront Victoria. What had she done with her car keys …? It took her a moment to remember she had driven here with Creed.

“I need to borrow your car!”