34. Sage
sage
Irolled over in bed, the morning light flickering through the pane glass windows.
The bed beside me was still warm, but the sheet and blankets were thrown back.
I pushed myself up on my elbows. The little room in the cabin still had awful green ivy wallpaper that needed to go, but the heavy wooden bed, the bull skull above the headboard, and the new bedding was all courtesy of Romy and Jude.
Although it did need some work, the little cabin was growing on me, just as Christian was.
Over the last three weeks since we’d moved in together, I’d grown accustomed to sleeping beside him. The thought that he wasn’t in bed when I woke up made me only yearn for him. I wanted to be able to wake up and see him right there beside me. To feel his arms solid and warm around me.
“Christian!” I called. When I didn’t hear a reply, I considered getting up, but then I heard the thump of his crutches as he limped across the old floorboards to the room.
He pushed open the door, the door squeaking on its hinges.
“You called, milady.” He was wearing an apron and a pleased smile on his face, leaning on one of his crutches, with a coffee mug in his other hand.
“What are you doing?”
He hobbled into the room, bowing slightly and holding out the mug. “Your coffee, madame.”
“Oh my God, are you naked?”
He looked down at himself. “I have an apron on.”
I took the coffee, trying not to spill it with the laughter bubbling up.
“Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. Put on my shirt.”
I looked past him to the corner of the room where an antique chair sat, his clothes discarded there last night. When I looked back to him, he’d turned, heading back to the door and giving me a nice view of his cowboy ass.
I raised the mug in cheers, though he couldn’t see it. Yep, I could accept that Christian did, in fact, have a fucking amazing ass.
I pulled Christian’s shirt over my head, not bothering with panties since he was cooking breakfast without them too. Shuffling my feet into slippers, since the floors in this house were always freezing, I stopped in the bathroom to take care of my needs and brush out my loose mess of wavy curls.
Before I even stepped out into the big open room where the kitchen and family room was, I knew he was making bacon and eggs.
He was filling plates and popping bread in the toaster.
I took a seat at the old farm table he’d gotten from his parents, sipping my coffee while I watched him.
I couldn’t help watching every flex of his glutes as he worked.
“Jude said when you get married, you need to use more butter,” he explained, as he spread a good size portion on both of our toasts.
“He did? Are you sure that’s what he said?” I asked, hiding a smile when he turned to bring our plates over to the table. “You’re leaving your crutches behind.”
He brushed it off, limping over to me. “I shouldn’t rely on them so much if I’m going to get stronger.”
He sat down beside me. But before I could even take a bite, his hand dipped between my knees, gripping the chair and pulling me closer to him.
My breath caught, heat washing over my skin, as I peered up at him.
I couldn’t help my gaze from landing on his lips.
They looked so soft. Maybe I shouldn’t hold on to this no kissing rule …
“That’s better,” he said quietly, his eyes warm and affectionate. “He also said that I needed to work on my game. How’s this for game?”
I laughed, but it came out breathy and not very convincing. “Not bad, but do you need game when you already have a wife?”
His eyes widened. “Absolutely. My dad still takes my mom out on dates and brings her flowers for no other reason than because he wants to. He once bought mom a horse just because it was a Monday and she hates Mondays.”
I laughed again. He was always making me laugh now. “I love that for your mom.”
“She’s good people.” He grinned, his dimples deepening.
Just as I was about to pick up my fork to start eating, he took my hand, his thumb rubbing my knuckles. He was looking at me expectantly. “Will you go on a date with me, Sage Riggs? One that we can remember later and doesn’t include your brother.”
I hummed, tapping my chin with my index finger to ponder, even though I wanted to laugh. “How many times have I told you no now?”
He huffed a laugh. “To be honest, I lost count. But I’ll never stop asking. So, I know eventually you’ll say yes.”
“Even if it’s forty years from now?” I asked him.
His smile widened, reaching his eyes. “Even if it’s forty years from now. Sage, are you saying that you’re in this for the long haul?”
“Pft. I didn’t say that. But I might be warming to the idea. And I probably should start acting more like you’re my husband if we’re going to convince everyone this is real. I think Lina and Romy are starting to wonder after I refused to kiss you on New Year's Eve.”
His smile faltered slightly. “Yeah, we don’t want them growing suspicious.”
A twinge of guilt shot through me. That wasn’t the only reason I was considering going on a date with him.
I actually wanted to. I enjoyed his company.
I didn’t realize how lonely I’d been until I started spending so much time with him.
He made me laugh. He loved my dog who hadn’t even bothered to come greet me this morning, instead chewing on a bully stick Christian gave him in his bed by the fire.
And he was hopelessly in love with me. So much so, he was willing to do anything to help me and bring me pleasure.
He was giving so much to me and here I’ve been holding all my cards close, trying to protect my heart and keep him from getting hurt in this arrangement.
Because the reality was I did care about Christian.
I cared about him more than I thought I would.
His bull riding wreck terrified me enough to make me want to open up.
To let someone as good as Christian in. Life was too short to miss out on something that could be extraordinary.
“Okay, Christian,” I said, pumping his hand to know I meant it. “I’ll go on a date with you.”
His smile returned and he shot up out of the chair, starting to do a little hobbled two-step despite his knee as he sang, “Sage Riggs. My wife. Is going on a date with me.”
Arlo, noticing the excitement, ran over from his bed, jumping and barking like he was joining in on the fun.
“Did you hear that, buddy?” Christian leaned over to rub his ear. “Mama is going on a date with daddy!”
I laughed, shaking my head at both of them, not even bothering to tell him that Arlo wasn’t his dog like I usually did.
I guess it was time to accept I was starting to have feelings for Christian Riggs.
“Come sit back down,” I told him, patting the chair.
Still with a grin on his face, dimples popping, he sat, and I didn’t waste time climbing onto his lap to straddle him. Lifting the apron, I fisted his cock, making his smile falter and his breath catch. He was so close to my bare pussy. But I wouldn’t fuck him. Not yet.
“What does a single, late-forty-something year old man care about upgrading a kitchen?” Christian was saying as he elevated his knee up on the couch with a bag of frozen peas later that week.
I’d just gotten back from the grocery store and was unloading the bags in the kitchen while he told me how his physical therapy was going.
He’d spent the afternoon at the farm. Jude’s old MMA coach was in town and helped show Christian some exercises to strengthen his leg as his knee healed.
Apparently, everyone was also there working out, including my brother and Chuck.
They got on the topic of the ranch and how they were finally able to start making repairs.
Chuck had mentioned that he wanted to renovate the big house on the ranch where he and Lina had lived for the last twenty-eight years.
Now that Lina was moved out and living with Reed and Penn, he was going to be alone in that old ranch house once they were able to move back.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s thinking of dating again and wants to impress the ladies.”
“Huh,” he said, considering. “You don’t think—” He stopped, still thinking. “No, it can’t be.”
“What?” I asked curious as I took out a bottle of wine from the grocery bag.
He shook his head. “Never mind. Just a silly thought.”
“I’m going to pour a glass of wine while I get ready.”
“Go for it. I’m just going to finish icing my knee and then I’ll get myself cleaned up for our date.”
“Where are you taking me anyway?” I asked.
His dimples deepened. “You’re just going to have to wait and see.”
“Hmm, surprises huh?”
He winked.
I took a big gulp of wine, trying to settle my irritation that I wasn’t going to know where we were going. My control issues didn’t like surprises.
Opening the closet, I looked through my clothes. I’d started moving stuff over here from my apartment and hanging them up so I didn’t feel like I was living out of a suitcase anymore. I didn’t know how long this living arrangement was going to last. Might as well get comfortable.
“What should I wear?” I called out to him from the bedroom.
“Something pretty.”
“That doesn’t really tell me much. Are we going to dinner? Is the restaurant nice? Should I dress casual or more formal?”
“Dress nice, like a dress or something.”
“So helpful. Thank you.” I hoped he could hear my eyes roll from there.
I flipped through my dresses, finding the forest green satin cowl neck slip dress that hit me mid-calf with a slit high up the side.
I’d never worn it. In fact, the tag was still on it.
I’d seen it online and knew I needed to buy it for myself to wear when I finally opened my gallery.
I’d had something similar in my old life and I missed that dress.
But that one had been bought for me. This one I’d bought myself.
It had cost a whole paycheck and a month’s worth of tips, but it was well worth it.
There was no reason to leave it hanging in the closet when I had a reason to wear it, an occasion that seemed just as special as the gallery opening.
I got undressed and pulled the dress on, letting it flow over my skin.
I loved how it felt like water, hugging my curves.
The neckline dipped low, revealing more cleavage than I usually did.
The slit was high enough that my floral thigh tattoo was visible.
If he wanted “pretty,” I’d give him pretty.
I smiled to myself, a little flutter in my chest when I realized I had inadvertently bought a dress the same color as Christian’s eyes.
Those damn green eyes of his. Always sneaking into my subconscious.
Still feeling somewhat irritated that he was keeping me completely in the dark with this date, I rummaged through the top drawer of the dresser, finding exactly what I was looking for and slipped it on.
The bedroom door creaked open and Christian released a low whistle.
“Hot damn.”
I turned around to see him standing there in his sweats, leaning against the doorframe. I dropped my gaze, noticing the bulge in his pants. My lips tipped. This was going to be fun.
He stepped toward me, trying to reach for me.
“Nuh-uh. Go take a shower and get dressed. Maybe then I’ll let you touch me.”
His eyes caressed over every curve of my body while he bit his lip.
“The longer you stand there staring at me, the longer you’ll have to wait.” His eyes flicked back up to mine. He looked desperate. My lips tipped. “You do want to touch me, don’t you?”
“You know I do.” He turned on his heels, hobbling as quickly as his legs could carry him to the bathroom and shutting the door, leaving me there to bite back a laugh.
While he was in the shower, I dropped the little palm sized remote control into the one pair of slacks he owned, buckled up my black stilettos, and reapplied some lipstick, then sat on the edge of the bed sipping my wine while I waited.
Modesty was now long gone between us, Christian coming out of the bathroom stark naked, his hair still damp.
“I’m not going to even look at you,” he said, shielding his eyes as he went to the closet to get his slacks and a dress shirt. “Otherwise, we’re never leaving here.”
I smiled to myself, taking notice that he wasn’t putting on any boxers beneath his pants. “Good boy, following the rules.”
“See, I can follow them if I want to.”
I wondered how long it would take him to notice something in his pocket while he dressed. Once he buttoned and zipped his pants, stuffing the pockets in, he stopped, pulling out the remote.
“What’s this?” He turned it around in his hand as if the back of it would tell him what it belonged to.
“Why don’t you press the power button and find out.”
He clicked the button, the zing of vibration immediately jolting my legs apart and causing me to suck in a breath.
A low hum filled the quiet room. He found the plus button and hit that twice, the vibration increasing in strength against my clit so intensely, I had to set my glass of wine down so I didn’t spill it.
He pressed it again, the vibrations stopping. “What’re you wearing?” His eyes were large, staring at my legs. His throat bobbed.
I parted my legs wider, opening the slit higher so he could see the lace panties I was wearing with the tiny vibrator inside.
“Are those vibrating panties?”
He was so cute with the look of shock on his face, I couldn’t help but smile.
“If you’re going to surprise me, I figured I'd leave you with a little surprise of my own.”
His mouth was hanging open, the remote still in his hand as he decided what to do with it before shoving it back into his pocket. “Can I touch you now?”
“You can hold my hand,” I told him, offering it to him. He took it, walking me to the door and getting our coats like a complete gentleman.
He stopped to put on his knee brace, commenting, “I have a bionic leg and you have a bionic pussy. A match made in heaven.”
He winked, making me laugh.
As soon as we were in the truck heading down the road, he pressed the button again making my thighs fall apart and my hands grip the door handle and center console as vibrations took over. My clit throbbed, sending sparks of pleasure into my core.
“Christian,” I gasped.
His arm stretched out across the headrest, his fingertips brushing my hair out of my face. “You’re so perfect, Sage. Watching you be pleasured in my truck … I’m so fucking hard right now.”
I rolled my head against the seat to peer down at his lap. Sure enough, his erection was pressed against his zipper. I reached over to feel him and he hissed, his hips thrusting up to meet me.
The vibrator teased my clit. I strained to find more friction, my pussy clenching, wanting to be filled. Wanting him to fill me.
His hand suddenly dropped away from my hair, returning to his pocket. The vibration stopped, leaving me panting.
“We have a little bit of a drive,” he explained, smiling, obviously pleased with himself. “I don’t think it would be quite fair to get you off before we even get there.”