Chapter 9
Sage
It’s been six days since Casey’s father woke up and he’s come to see me each day after visiting the hospital. We’ve eaten out for dinner, we’ve practiced yoga together, and of course we haven’t missed a daily walk.
One place I haven’t been back to is the hospital. His mother asked that I not visit, saying it should only be family for now, but I know it’s her way of punishing me for my clothing.
I complain to Casey about it as we walk into town. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Sage,” he says. “What she thinks really doesn’t bother me.”
“Well, it bothers me,” I say as we walk side by side along a gravel road. “Decent clothes? Of course, I own decent clothes, but I couldn’t argue with her in the hospital room, minutes after her husband woke up from a coma. I do have some decency despite what she thinks.”
He clasps his hand over mine and squeezes. Smiling down, he whispers. “I like your clothes and wish you wore less of them today.”
His boyish grin and flirtatious words are enough to coax me out of my bad mood.
I don’t usually let other people’s opinions bother me, but she embarrassed me in front of Casey’s father.
“I was fully covered, wasn’t I? Nothing’s indecent about nipples for goodness’ sake.
Why is everyone so concerned about seeing them? ”
“Because they drive men crazy.”
“Then we should blame men for not controlling themselves and not women for having what God gave them.”
“You’re right. And to prove your point, I think you should show me your nipples every day so that I may acclimatize to them.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
There’s a sparkle in his eye and I haven’t seen this side of Casey before. It’s irresistible.
Turning to my left and then my right, I see no one around. We’re on the gravel path, leading to the falls. The Mill is on the other side of the road, but no one ever walks this way unless they’re traveling to the waterfall.
“Fine,” I say, then I lift my white cotton T-shirt to the top of my breasts. I’m wearing a sports bra underneath but it’s thin enough that surely he can see my nipples through it.
Casey stares at my breasts and his cocky grin falters. Suddenly, all his playfulness is gone. I sigh, realizing he lost the point of the exercise, and move to drop my T-shirt.
“Wait,” he says. “Don’t move.”
He slowly raises his hand and looks at me. “May I?”
I eye him skeptically. “Maybe. What are you going to do?”
He places his finger on the top of my sports bra and pulls the material down until my breast pops out. Leaning down, he takes my nipple into his mouth and flicks it with his tongue.
My nipple hardens and pleasure zings from my breast to my stomach, making me dizzy on my feet.
He holds me steadily with a hand to the small of my back, then lifts his head and finger.
My sports bra snaps back up and he grabs my hand and pulls me along the path to the falls, as though he didn’t just turn me on with a flick of his tongue.
“What the hell was that?”
“What was what?” he asks casually.
The sun is shining on his short brown hair, and he narrows his blue eyes up ahead. He seems unphased and I’m annoyed that I am… well… I am ‘phased.’
Ugh.
“Have you ever been to the falls before?” he asks.
“Of course.”
“I forget that you’ve been here so long. I can’t place you here with my memories and it feels odd. Like you know this town, and I know this town, and yet I don’t know you.”
I shrug. “What do you want to know?”
Our feet crunch beneath the tiny white stones, and I shake a pebble free from my sandals.
The sound of rushing water grows louder, and it grows cooler as we step down into a gorge.
“What’s your favorite food?”
“Seaweed salad.”
He laughs. “Be serious.”
“I am. I can’t get enough of it.”
“They have seaweed salad in Cedar Brook Falls?”
“Yep. Mr. Balderson started ordering it and some other things for me since I asked him to.”
“Mr. Balderson? He has never allowed special requests before.”
“Well, I asked him nicely.”
He looks over at me and smiles. “I’m sure that was it.”
“What does that mean?”
“Only that I think it may have something to do with him wanting to please a pretty girl.”
I shrug. “Well, that’s his problem if that’s why he did it. I still get my seaweed salad every week.”
“Touché. Okay, what do you do for fun besides yoga?”
“Oh, yoga isn’t fun. It’s hard work. Mmm…” I take my time to think about this one. I used to go for walks with Charlotte every night or play catch with Charlie, but since they moved out, I’ve done those things less.
“I went to Vegas with Frankie a couple of weeks ago.”
“That’s right. You mentioned that at dinner. Was it fun?”
“Ah… it was memorable.”
He stops just before we make it to the falls. “What happened?”
“Oh, it’s not my story to tell. But let’s just say it gave me another reason not to trust anything that comes out of a man’s mouth.”
He touches his chest, acting wounded. “That hurts. I haven’t lied to you, have I?”
“No. You haven’t.”
I stop as the falls come into view. The white rushing water foams at the bottom and the rocks below my feet are now grey and slick from the moisture and stream. Casey holds my hand as we navigate closer to the feet of the falls.
I squeeze his hand. “This.”
He stops and looks over his shoulder at me. “Pardon?” he asks and I raise my voice so he can hear me through the rushing waters. “I like doing this. Enjoying nature with a friend.”
He grins and his blue eyes squint mischievously. “Friend, huh?”
“Yup.” I grin playfully since the long kisses between us these last few days say otherwise.
He shakes his head. “Well, I don’t usually go around licking my friend’s nipples, but maybe things have changed in a small town since I left.”
“Oh, definitely. I think Billy would love it if you licked his nipples.”
Casey barks out a laugh and hunches over. He slowly straightens up, wiping his eyes. “That’s funny. You’re funny.”
He lifts his hand and gently places it on my cheek. “I really like you, Sage.”
His lips are only inches from mine, and I can smell the peppermint on his breath. “I like you, too.”
As he moves his lips closer to mine, I close my eyes and feel their softness on a deeper level.
This isn’t just about giving each other pleasure.
I feel something building between us. I don’t want to fool myself into thinking it’s more than just a kiss, but the way he looked at me just now…
well… no one’s ever looked at me like that.
His tongue explores the inside of my mouth and he’s so gentle with me that it feels like this is my first kiss. When we break apart, his eyes stay closed and his mouth is slack and satiated.
He opens his eyes and blinks a couple of times. As he stares at me, his face grows somber.
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
After a deep breath, he answers. “That I don’t want to go to the homecoming party tomorrow.”
Although that sounds true, I don’t think that’s what went through his mind just now. But I don’t call him on it. “Does it make you uncomfortable?” I ask.
“A little. What am I even supposed to do at my own homecoming?”
“I don’t know. It helps me if I eat a little, smile a lot and make small talk.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
I chuckle. “It doesn’t have to be. People love talking about themselves, just ask lots of questions and they’ll do most of the talking.”
He lowers his body to sit on one of the rocks. I look for a dry spot but can’t seem to find one. Casey notices my dilemma and pulls me down onto his lap.
“Relax,” he says as I try to keep my body from crushing his. “You can put your weight on me. I can take it.”
I frown, unsure if that’s a compliment or an insult, but I let go, figuring if I crush him, it’s his own fault.
I sink into his lap and let him wrap his arms around me.
We sit for a while, not speaking, just listening to the water crashing in front of us.
A shaky breath escapes my lips as the feeling of someone holding me like this makes me a bit emotional.
The last person who cared and held me like this was my father.
I miss my parents every day, and in moments like this when I should be enjoying this man, my mind travels to what I lost.
I sniffle and cover it with a cough.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry. The mist is getting to me.”
The weight of his stare is heavy, but I don’t look up at him.
Instead, I gaze straight into the water and try to stay present in this moment.
Casey, my college crush, is holding me in front of one of my favorite places, nature’s energy force.
There’s no one around us and I feel protected and safe.
I sigh shakily but my composure slowly returns.
“You know,” I say. “I always wondered how humans managed to harness the power of water.”
“It’s a good thing they did. This waterfall and subsequently the Mill put this town on the map and food on the table for many families.”
Most of the town worked at the Mill at some point in their lives. Everyone has a connection to it. Even me.
“Billy’s dad, Mr. Wentworth, hired me when I first moved to Cedar Brook Falls. I was a runner. Basically, I ran errands for him and the other executives. I think it was a made-up job, and I’ll forever be grateful to him for it.”
“He’s a good man.”
I nod.
“How about you?” I ask.
“I never worked there. Baseball has been my whole life. But Austin did and I’m sure my dad did at some point.”
“My dad never worked a day in his life,” I say, a little surprised I even said it. I rarely speak of my parents. But Casey’s large arms comfort me and I want to share this piece of myself with him.
“How did…”
I smile. “He painted nature and the world around him; my mother sold his pieces to galleries for good money, but my father wanted to know nothing of it. He just loved to paint. That’s why he’d say he never worked a day in his life.”
Casey chuckles. “I like that. I guess I’ve never worked a day in my life, either.”
“You really love it, huh?”