“Yeah, no problem. Did you have a good visit with your friends? Get everything worked out?”
“Katrina, my business partner, ended up having some complications from her meds, so I decided to stay around a while to help out. She’s doing better.”
“Ah, I see. So, is there anything going on between you two?” He gave me a suspicious smirk.
I felt like maybe he knew about me and Sage, and I prepared for his big brother, “don’t fuck her over” speech. “Me and Katrina? No. Not anymore. I mean, at one time, yes, we gave it a go, but it became clear really fast that we had a much better working relationship.”
“Good, because Sage was asking if you were home. We’re all going out to the bar tonight. Anchor Management. Lissa gets off early, and they are doing karaoke and dancing.”
Karaoke and dancing weren’t my speed, and I was beat. But I wanted to see Sage. “I suppose I could go out for a bit. But I don’t sing or dance. Not even in the shower.” Maybe if I was lucky, Sage would end up back at my place. Or then again, maybe she was pissed off I’d spent a week in New York. She hadn’t texted me too much in the past few days.
“Neither do I. But the girls want to have fun, and from what I hear, you owe Sage a little fun.”
I gave a nod and realized he did know. “She told Lissa about us?”
He gave me a strange look. “What do you mean?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, wondering if I was wrong about the grapevine.
Christian shrugged. “I only meant since you’ve been gone, but wait just a minute,” he said, catching up to me as I headed into the house. “But what do you mean? What happened between you and Sage?”
“It’s my mistake. I just assumed she had told Lissa. It’s nothing. We hung out the night I left, is all.”
“And did you manage to go where no man has gone before?” He chuckled and followed me into the house.
“I don’t kiss and tell, and it’s not your business.”
“But you’re eager to see her again, aren’t you? I mean, you like her too, right? According to Lissa, she’s crazy about you.”
“I like her, yeah.”
“I know how it is. You have all the chicks you want back home. So, did you nail anyone?”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to discuss the details of my sex life, especially with him, even if I had, which I hadn’t. “Nah, it wasn’t that kind of trip. Katrina needed my help, and that’s what a business partner does.”
He rolled his eyes. “Look, man. I wouldn’t tell Sage, okay? It’s cool. If you fucked someone, you could tell me. We’re friends, and us guys have to stick together. I know you’d never hurt Sage’s feelings, but it isn’t like you’re committed.”
“Don’t you ever want a commitment?”
“Eh, I’m not sure.” He turned toward the mirror hanging in my entryway. “Are you going to go like that, or do you want to freshen up for Sage?”
“Give me a minute. I’ll meet you there if you want.”
“I was hoping you’d drive, actually. I plan on getting hammered, and I think Lissa is going to drive me home.”
“Sure, give me fifteen minutes. I want to shower and change. Make yourself at home. You know where the beer is.”
“Thanks, man.”
I disappeared upstairs and hurried to undress and get in the shower. I let the water run over my face, hoping it would wake me up instead of soothe me into a tired state. I needed to be alive for Sage. I couldn’t wait to see her and wished I’d have had more time to talk to her while I was away.
Eric and Cassie had me come and see them and Sierra, and then I spent a couple of nights in the hospital with Katrina, who had needed stitches from the attack, along with some supervision from a concussion. All in all, she was a lucky girl, and the insurance had handled everything.
I still wanted to murder the men responsible, but I made myself focus on something I could control, like seeing Sage again.
I got out of the shower, dried off, brushed my teeth, and freshened my breath before going to the closet to find something appropriate for Anchor Management. Jeans and a button-down it was. After spraying on some cologne and deodorant, I put on my loafers and headed downstairs to find Christian standing at the window.
“I’m ready,” I said.
“You work fast.” He placed the empty bottle in the garbage can in the kitchen, and then we headed outside.
“I can’t wait to ride in the Vette.”
“You’ll have to wait longer. We’re taking the Jeep.” I had pulled the top down and knew better than to take my baby on a trip to a bar with a drunk friend. Eric had thrown up in my car once when we were kids, and I had avoided those types of situations since.
It was a long ride there with Christian talking my ear off, but when we parked and went inside, my blood pumped faster in anticipation of seeing her.
She was across the bar at a table with Lissa, and as Christian hurried over, I hung back a bit, taking in the sight of her. Her hair was down, and she had it styled in loose curls that hung over her shoulders, framing her pixie face, which had a rare, mischievous look at the moment.
“You’re so bad, Lissa. You’re—”
Her eyes met mine as I approached, and she got to her feet as I walked up and gave me a hug.
“Hey, you’re back.”
“Yeah, sorry I was gone so long.”
“No problem. How’s your partner?”
It was sweet of her to ask about Katrina, and I hoped she wasn’t as suspicious as Christian about the other woman. “She’s good now. She stayed in the hospital for observation, and I helped her settle in at home.”
“You stayed with her?” she asked with a suspicious look on her face.
“For a couple of nights, yes. Worst night’s sleep I’ve gotten in ages. Her couch was lumpy.” I needed to make it clear that I wasn’t fucking anyone else, and I hoped that Sage wasn’t about to spoil my opinion of her with jealousy.
“You poor thing. Have a seat, and I’ll buy you a beer.”
“That’s not necessary,” I said, wanting to buy my own. “I’m a big boy.”
“Shut up, and let me buy it,” she said, shaking her head like she didn’t understand. “It’s not a big deal, you know?”
“Fine. One beer.”
About that time, the music changed, and then an announcer got up on the stage. “Okay, Anchor heads, it’s time for karaoke. Who wants to go first?”
Christian smiled and grabbed my arm. “Come on, man. Let’s go and show these girls how this shit is done.”
“Are you serious? I don’t even like karaoke.” The last thing I wanted to do was lead off if I had to do it at all.
“Go on, big boy,” Sage said. “I’ll have your beer icy cold when you get done.”
“Nah, it’s okay.”
“Fine,” she said. She turned and reached for Lissa’s hand. “Good lady, will you do me the honor?”
Lissa downed her beer then got to her feet. “Fuck it. Let’s do this!” She hollered across the bar to the announcer, and they jumped to their feet and made their way on stage.
“Aw, you’re never going to live this one down,” said Christian.
The music started, and while I didn’t know the name of the song, it was slow and seductive, originally sung by a girl’s group of another name I couldn’t remember.
But it didn’t matter, the words, which were sung by both girls who were a bit flat and offkey, but their bodies moved like burlesque dancers, and I wasn’t sure I wanted Sage up on stage, shaking her shimmy, even though she kept throwing me glances and even flashed me a wink.
“She’s already feeling good,” said Christian. “Seeing Sage drunk is a rare treat, my friend.”
As the song ended, the bar went wild, and one of the men in the back put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. I looked over to see who it was as Christian welcomed his girl off the stage.
I turned around to see Sage laughing with a man who was standing
too close with his mouth at her ear. She shook her head and hurried back to the table.
“Admirer?” I asked, gesturing to the man.
“He was just warning me about Maddox. He said that he’s going around telling others that we’re together. I told him we’re not.”
The prick knew how to get me riled up. I looked around the bar to see if I could find him. “Is he here?”
She giggled, not taking it nearly as seriously as I had. “No, thank goodness.”
The waitress brought another round of drinks, and Sage and Lissa clinked bottles and turned them up.
“Whoa, slow down, sweetheart.” I laughed, and she pulled the bottle away and joined in.
“Don’t be a pooper,” said Lissa. “We haven’t tied one on in a long time. And besides, we’re celebrating.”
“Yeah?” I wondered what the good news was all about.
“Yes, you know why.” She giggled, and Sage’s smile faded as she reached out and slapped her arm.
“Shush.” She turned up her beer.
I got up from the table. “Let’s go for a walk.” I thought it was a good time to talk about where we were with whatever we were doing.
“Sounds like a good idea,” said Christian, who got up, and before I knew what was happening, he dragged me onto the stage, and Sage cheered with Lissa, both of them whistling and making a scene. I looked around the bar and knew I couldn’t refuse without looking even worse.
18
Sage
I couldn’t believe that Christian had hauled Greyson on stage. I turned toward Lissa. “I don’t want him to know I told you about the sex, Lissa.”
“Well, shoot me. But it’s a reason to celebrate. I just can’t believe you waited nearly a week to tell me about it.”
I watched as the two on stage sifted through the songs. “Because I was upset that he stayed away so long.”
“I can’t believe he skipped town just minutes after fucking you.” Hearing her put it like that made me feel even worse.
I glanced around to see if there was anyone else in earshot. “Shush, you. You’re going to have everyone in town talking about me.” I finished off my drink and sank a little lower in my seat.
“Most already are. Since that cookout. They already think you’re sleeping with him to get him to lay out that kind of dough. And who was it he went to check on? A female business partner? Have you asked him if he used to fuck her?”
“No, and you aren’t going to ask him that either.” It wasn’t my business what he did.
She waved to the stage. “I’ll have Christian do it. He’ll be honest with him. Guy code and all of that.”
I had a feeling if I wasn’t careful, she’d sabotage any hope of a relationship with Greyson without meaning to. “Lissa, please don’t. Just stay out of it. I like this guy, and I’ve got no reason to be jealous.”
“No, but if he has a girlfriend back home, that’s certainly something to worry about. He was sure quick to tell you he slept on the couch. That was a totally deliberate share, hoping to ease your mind. Probably because the truth would hurt too much.”
“Why are you trying to make me suspicious? Is it because Christian is cheating on you again? That’s not all men, you know? Just because Christian is like that doesn’t mean that Greyson is.”
All of a sudden, the music started, and Christian was rallying the audience to cheer them on by waving his hands in the air. They broke out with a rap song, one I hadn’t heard in ages, and while Greyson was smiling, the look on his face was more like he couldn’t believe he’d been tricked into it.
With Lissa killing my buzz, I tried to enjoy the show, and while Christian worked the crowd, Greyson looked at the ceiling as if he just wanted it over with.
When the song was over, he jumped down off the stage and walked over to me with a disappointed look in his eye. “Do you still respect me?”
I looked him up and down, wondering what his fine ass would have to do to lose my respect. “As long as you don’t think I have a big butt?” It was my way of teasing him about the song he sang.
“I cannot lie. No, you don’t. But I didn’t choose the song. Christian did.” He looked over to where his buddy stood trying to make it up to Lissa.
“Are you calling me fat?” She gave him a nudge. “You know you like my round booty.” She gave it a slap as they sat back down with us at the table.
“I do love it,” said Christian, moving in closer. “I love it so much, I want to grab it.” He pulled her into his arms, and Greyson laughed and shook his head.
I moved my chair close to his. “It’s hard to believe they aren’t a couple, isn’t it? I mean, it’s a shame when two people who should so clearly be together aren’t.”
“I think we should take that walk,” he said. The tone of his voice made my heart sink. I wondered what had happened in New York and if this walk was simply his way of coming to tell me that it was over between us.
He took my hand, and we walked out of the bar and down the boardwalk toward the nearest pier. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Mostly, I just wanted to get out of that place before Christian pulled me to the dancefloor, but I also wanted to have you all to myself to say I’m sorry for not calling you more over the past week. I had a lot on my plate, and Katrina and the business just took a lot from me. I’m glad I’m back though.”
“I’m glad too, and I’m sorry about Lissa’s big mouth.” I stopped near the railing and turned to face him.
He chuckled. “It’s okay. I thought Christian knew, but it turns out he didn’t.”
“Well, I swore Lissa to secrecy, but I only told her because I was so nervous about it.”
“You were nervous after?” His thumb rubbed my hand, and even though it was a tiny gesture, it had a big effect on my body, which grew much warmer.
“Yes. I didn’t know if I had done something wrong or weird, or I don’t know. Maybe I wasn’t any good. I mean, it was just so different when I got out of the shower.”
“I know the horrible news ruined everything, but in my defense, it wasn’t my fault.”
“Oh, God, no. I didn’t mean to make light of that. It’s just I realized that I’m not the only woman in your life, nor am I the most important thing you have going. I guess I forget you had a whole life back in New York and are still tethered there.”
“You’re important to me. I care about you, and I didn’t mean to give you the impression that I was bailing on you.”
Once again, I felt like my problems were making me look insensitive to the horrible crime that sent him back to New York. Or maybe it was just the alcohol. “No, it’s not that. It’s my stupid insecurities. I just didn’t know if I had made a mistake.” I hoped I wasn’t saying the wrong things, but they just kept coming.
“I get that, and I understand needing to confide with a friend. I told Eric about us. But now I want to know if you think you did make a mistake.” He gave me a smoldering look as he moved to put his arm around me.
“No. It was wonderful.” I went to take a step back and stumbled, falling against the rail.
“Easy, I’m not in the mood to jump in after you.”
“Sorry,” I said, my case of the giggles returning. “I haven’t been this drunk in a long time.”
“Let me take you home,” he said, holding on to me.
I didn’t know if I was ready to show him my place or not, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the night ending with me passed out on the couch with Jasper curled up on my stomach. “I don’t want to go home yet. I want to go to your place.” I leaned in and kissed him, trying to be bold enough to convince him.
He gave me a warning look. “I can’t promise I’ll behave if we go there, Sage.”
I smiled much bigger, my cheeks feeling the strain. “Good. I don’t want you to behave.”
“It’s a night for mischief.” He took my hand and walked me out past the bar and to his Jeep, which had the top down.
As we hea
ded down the road to his place, I could feel the wind in my hair, and I stood up in my seat and let the breeze blow past me as Greyson laughed. “This is fun,” I screamed down at him, and he shook his head.
“Sit down before you fall out.” He tugged at my pant leg, and I plopped back down in my seat.
“I’ve always wanted to do that. It made me feel alive.” I raised up and kissed his cheek, then nuzzled his neck. “You smell so good.” He was so gorgeous in every way, and I suddenly found myself rubbing his thigh.
I moved my hand to his cock, which was already hard, and I felt a rush of pride for having that kind of effect on this sexy man.
He turned his head and kissed me, and then he broke away, slowing down to turn on Lincoln Street. As we approached his house, he put his hand on my thigh, and I continued to rub him through his pants, his cock now straining against his jeans even more than it had been.
“You are in a naughty mood, Sage.”
“Yes, I am.” I knew just what I wanted.
He pulled into his driveway, and we hurried into his house, me stumbling my way in behind him.
“Are you okay?” He held my arm, and I knew I said I was okay.
But the last thing I remember was sitting on the couch.
19
Greyson
I hadn’t expected Sage to stay all night, but after she passed out on my couch, I hated to wake her. I didn’t know if I should carry her up to my bed, but since the guest room had no linens yet, I decided it was the best option. I didn’t want to leave her on the couch.
And lucky me, I got to wake up next to an angel. Through the night, she had curled up next to me, and while I knew I probably should have gone down and slept on the couch, I wanted to be near her.
I stroked her back as she stirred next to me, and when she opened her eyes, she sat up, instantly giving a sound of regret as she winced and held her head.
“You might not want to make any sudden moves. You’re probably experiencing a nasty hangover.”
Caught Up In Love Page 11
