Sage
“Well, I’m stuffed.” Bill sighed, rubbing his belly, as he sat back at the table after scraping all the pumpkin pie crumbs off his plate.
I’d never been to a Thanksgiving dinner and I’d especially never been to a big dinner like this.
Everyone was here. Lina was making sure everyone’s wine glass was full.
Reed was shaking his head at Penn who was asking for more whipped cream on her pie.
Jude was going for seconds. Romy was cleaning baby Charli’s face after she ate her first real turkey dinner.
Kale and Chuck were bullshitting about rodeo.
And Christian was staring at me like he wanted to eat me right off his fork as he ate his pie.
Why was it so fucking hot in here? I wiggled in my seat and went for that fourth glass of wine Lina pushed into my hand.
Everyone was talking and enjoying themselves, when Christian, out of nowhere, gripped my hand from across the table and announced, “We’re engaged!”
It was like a record scratch. You could hear a fucking pin drop with how quiet it went. Everyone turned to look at him, then looked at me. The wine buzz I was starting to settle into, quickly vanished.
I wanted to fucking melt into the chair and disappear. My cheeks flamed.
“Christian,” I hissed, gritting my teeth as I faked a grin.
His grin was genuine.
“Wait. What?” Lina asked, her eyes bouncing back and forth between us. “Like for real? Or is this some kind of Christian Riggs joke to annoy Sage?”
I was still gritting my teeth when I looked at my friend, giving her a helpless shrug.
Her eyes widened. “No fucking way. You’re really engaged?”
“I knew something was fucking up the other night,” Jude said, narrowing his eyes while he brandished a fork at his friend.
“Yep,” Christian said. “We were trying to hide the engagement.”
I took the ring out of my pocket and slipped it back on my finger, the light catching the diamond.
Our eyes connected for a moment in silent understanding and I felt like I could release a small breath just in time for the shock to wear off from the rest of the table with a chorus of congratulations. Kale was the only one who continued eating his pie.
Agatha let out a gasping sob before she covered her mouth with her hands.
“Is that your grandma’s ring?” Bill asked.
But Agatha was already nodding her head vigorously, her hands dropping to reveal a weeping smile. “It is. Oh, my baby.” She cried, getting up and coming around to hug Christian, still in his seat.
Christian turned to wrap his free arm around her. “Don’t cry, Mom,” he said, patting her.
She straightened, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You just made me the happiest mother in the whole wide world.” She turned to her husband. “Bill, our baby boy is getting married.”
Bill shook out of his own shock, standing up from his chair and helping me out of mine so he could embrace me. “Not everyone sees all the love he can give, kid, but I’m glad you do. I’m proud to finally call you family.”
Bill’s words were like a hit to the heart.
A sting gathered behind my nose and I had to clear my throat to keep the emotions from spilling.
I did see that love in Christian, but the sudden guilt over not being totally honest with the people who meant the most to us felt like it was ripping a hole in my chest.
“Thank you. I’m happy too.” That part wasn’t totally a lie. I was happy. Especially in this moment surrounded by everyone, seeing them so happy for us even if they were surprised.
When my eyes collided with Christian, he raised a shoulder with a slight grimace like he was saying “Oops, sorry,” but it only made me want to shake my head and accept the smile I couldn’t help from spreading across my face.
“I guess it’s official,” Christian said, shrugging on his coat, as we stepped out of the stuffy house, warm from all the cooking in the kitchen and the number of people gathered around the table.
I sucked in a breath of fresh air, following Arlo down the snow-covered steps.
A few inches fell during the night, but now the day was clear.
I made an excuse that Arlo needed to go out just to take a break from the questions that unloaded soon after dessert.
Thankfully, Christian took the lead in answering most of them, sparing me from trying.
“Yeah.” I was exhausted already.
“Now, all we need to do is tell my sisters when we’re in Vegas.”
I halted in my steps, looking back at him. The sun was already setting, his cowboy hat was pulled low, casting a shadow over his face.
Taking a deep breath I started to say, “Christian, I—”
He raised a hand. “I know what you’re about to say. You’re thinking you still can’t go to Vegas. Whatever excuse you’re considering, don’t.”
“What about Arlo?” I gestured to where he was pouncing in the snow like he used to when he was a puppy.
“I already told you I got a room that’s pet friendly, but I have a feeling he’s not going to like being cooped up in a hotel room the whole time.”
“Definitely not.”
We continued walking, following Arlo down the driveway.
“Sage! Christian!”
We turned to see Lina stepping out of the house and sprinting after us. Stopping in our tracks, we waited for her to catch up with us.
“Okay, you two. Spill!” she said when she reached us, popping her hip waiting for us to talk.
“Pretty sure we spilled it all in there,” I said.
She shook her head. “I’m not buying it. I know you’ve been obsessed with our Sage for years, Christian. But, Sage, what’ve you been hiding from me? I’m your best friend. This started at the wedding, didn’t it?”
“Uh-um,” I stammered.
Christian stepped to my side, wrapping his arm around me. “You could say that.”
Lina hit him in the arm and he winced. “I knew it! You two hooked up and have been secretly hooking up ever since. And this whole stunt you pulled letting us move into your apartment? Genius! That’s why your parents didn’t look at all surprised by the news.”
I exchanged looks with Christian. He looked as dumbfounded as I felt.
“You two’ve been sneaking around under your parent’s roof, haven’t you?”
Despite the cold day, a wave of heat washed over me. Did they know about us sexting or Christian and I sharing a bed the last couple of nights?
I shrugged. “Guilty.”
Lina squealed, jumping on her booted feet, and throwing her arms around us.
“I knew it!” she yelled in our ears, just like my coworker Tessa had said.
My brow creased in confusion. What were they seeing that I wasn’t?
No one really seemed all that surprised.
In fact, everyone seemed very happy for us. “I’m so excited for you both.”
She pulled back. “And don’t you worry about Arlo.
We’re all helping out with the farm while you’re all in Las Vegas.
It’s the least we can do after all you and the Riggses have done for us while we repair the ranch.
I’m already planning a huge party as soon as we move back.
We could make it an engagement party too! ”
Lina’s joy was infectious and I couldn’t help but smile. I worried about the ranch. It seemed like Chuck hadn’t shared anything with her about the letter either.
“You know what they say about Vegas,” she said to Christian, winking at him. “Don’t come back married, you two!” She patted us both on our arms before running back into the warmth of the house.
“Oh fuck,” I said under my breath. I turned to look at Christian and he had that dopey grin on his face again. “Don’t get any ideas up there.” I gestured to his hard noggin.
“So you’re coming with me?” he asked, turning to wrap his arms around me.
I wrapped my hands around his biceps hoping that it would put some space between us.
I may not mind his arms embracing me when I was trying to sleep, but there was a purpose to it, not like this spontaneous hug.
I couldn’t help noticing his arms felt fucking good beneath my hands.
My fingers lingered, feeling the muscles underneath his coat.
“I don’t see why it would make much sense for me to stay here. Not while Clayton’s still in town.”
“Good. Because I already let Marty know that you need some time off work and the tickets aren’t refundable.”
I tipped his hat up on his forehead so I could see his eyes better. They were looking at me expectantly, a gleam to them. “You’re overstepping.”
“There is no boundary I’m not willing to step over for you.”
A week later, as soon as I stepped into the Las Vegas resort and casino, I knew this was a big mistake.
The crank, clang, and bells of the slot machines, and the blare and flash of the lights, was already overstimulating and I hadn’t even been there long.
It had been years since I stepped into a casino and I was hoping I’d never have to again.
It was like a trigger on overdrive and I was spinning like a roulette wheel.
I followed Christian up to our suite. I probably should’ve asked if we had two queen beds because he was acting like there was no problem when we walked into a room with one king bed.
“Holy shit! Look at this room!” Christian exclaimed, taking in the full floor-to-ceiling windows looking down at The Strip.
The lights flashed and twinkled off the glass.
Upscale furniture and fixtures adorned the room.
The pocket door to the bathroom was open, revealing a huge stone walk-in shower.
“Well, this isn’t going to work out.” I gestured to the only bed in the room.
“Huh, that’s weird.” Christian pretended to be surprised. “I could’ve sworn it was a room with two beds.”
“You did this on purpose,” I accused him.
“I think it makes the room extra cozy,” he said, setting down our luggage and flopping down on the bed with his boots still on.
“I think we need to see if there’s another room available.”
He folded his arms behind his head. “Good luck with that. It’s Cowboy Christmas. Everything’s booked. Come on, Sage, what’s the point? We’ll end up in bed together anyway.”
“That was back at home,” I argued.
“Sure, baby.” He grinned, his hand running down the ridges of his torso beneath his shirt.
My eyes trailed down the length of him stretched out on the bed, his thick thighs hugged by his Wranglers. Thighs I once straddled, a lap I once ground against. Warmth coiled in my belly and my pussy clenched.
He patted the bed beside him. “Come on, take a load off before we need to meet up with everyone.”
I groaned and relented, setting down my bags and collapsing onto the bed beside him.
“Now was that so hard?” he teased.
I turned my head on the pillow to look at him. He was beaming at me and I couldn’t help breathing out a subtle laugh while I shook my head.
This was going to be a long ass week.
Ten rounds. Ten nights. And I’m pretty sure my liver was going to hate me after tonight.
I’d been coping, taking the edge off with a few more drinks than usual to get through the bright lights and chaotic noise of Las Vegas.
It felt like my trauma was decorated with neon and elaborate water fountains.
It made me miss Arlo, my art studio, and Willows.
I barely saw Christian. When they weren’t at their event, Christian and Kale were at red carpet luncheons and appearances.
I made my excuses to his family — his sisters, of course, being as lovely as his parents — escaping to the hotel suite every night while they went to dinner or a charity event.
We may be engaged, but by that time every night, I was emotionally and physically drained and in need of a break from pretending.
Pretending we belonged to each other. Pretending that being in a casino again didn’t bother me. Pretending I was fine.
Thankfully, Christian was being a complete gentleman, giving me space and privacy in our one bed hotel room.
But it was making me feel so guilty that I was taking advantage of him and his feelings for me.
He’d said that he was willing to risk it all to help me, but how long could I keep up this pretense?
I just hoped that by the time we got back home, Clayton would be gone so we could call this whole thing off.
Today was the last event and I waited until I couldn’t wait anymore to make my way to the arena.
After grabbing my beer, I made my way up the stadium stairs.
The seats were already filled, the crowd loud for the final round, the MC sounding like he had a line of coke for lunch, and Christian’s older sisters, Ashley and Lexie were already yelling at the announcement of Christian and his winnings so far.
He and Kale had already won thousands of dollars, and although they were up for average title, it didn’t look like either one of them were winning the gold buckle after witnessing their competition.
“Sage! Here!” Ashley gestured to the open seat beside her.
“Damn, girl! Did you save the best look for last?” Lexie leaned over her husband to appreciate tonight’s outfit.
I had no idea the NFR was such a fashion show until Lina insisted on helping me pack before I left.
The cream-colored fringed mini-dress, blue suede cowboy boots, and turquoise and silver jewelry were her picks.
I gave her a small smile of appreciation. “Thank you.”
“You do look fantastic,” Ashley chimed in. “I really don’t know what you see in my goofy little brother, but he’s one lucky motherfucker.”
“Ashley!” Agatha chided her where she sat at the other end of our seats.
Ashley shielded her mouth so her mom wouldn’t see it. “He’s the perfect baby boy who can do no wrong but we all know you’re way out of his league.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I said, trying to brush off her compliment.
“Well, it looks like you two make each other happy and that’s all that truly matters.” She tapped my beer with hers.
“Yes, we do,” came my practiced reply.
Two pints of beer later and I was screaming along with the rest of the Riggs family while we watched Kale and his bull kill it with a near perfect score, right before Christian climbed into the bucking chutes.