by R. C. Martin
She digs her fingers into my arms as she moans, “You! God, Sage—you own all of me. My heart, my body, my soul—it’s yours, baby. I belong to you.”
My chest swells at her words and I don’t waste another second before I ease my cock into her tight, warm, soft pussy. I can’t stop my eyes from rolling back as my lids close. She feels perfect wrapped around me. She wasn’t lying—she’s drenched.
I push all the way in, until I’m buried as deep as I can go, and then I pull out slowly. I take my time, wanting to give her exactly what she asked for—wanting to make this moment last. I don’t think about the fact that this will be our last night together for who knows how long. I don’t think about how much I’ll miss her body cuddled against mine in my bunk on the bus. I don’t think about how awesome it’s been having her on the road with my closest mates and me. I don’t think about anything but right now. And as I make love to my woman, time ceases to exist. We get lost in each other and the pleasure that we can only find together.
“Kiss me,” she pleads.
I do. I kiss her until neither of us can breathe. When I pull away, she arches her back, crushing her chest against mine.
“Oh, Sage, baby—I’m going to come!”
Her words spur me on, and it takes everything in me to keep my slow pace. When her pussy clamps down around my dick, I thrust into her hard, pausing for a beat before I pull all the way out. Her body still trembling from her climax, I roll her onto her side and curl myself around her from behind. I slide my hand between her thighs, lifting her leg before I sink back into her core. She moans and I bury my face in her neck, breathing her in as I begin to pump in and out of her.
“Fuck—I love your pussy, doll face.”
“Mmm, I love your dick, baby.”
Her back bows as she reaches behind her to grab a fistful of my hair. I thrust in and out of her faster, harder, sure that I won’t last much longer.
“You’re going to come again for me, Millie.”
“M’Kay,” she mutters, breathless.
I reach down between her legs, my fingers finding her clit, and she sucks in a breath. She’s still swollen and sensitive from her last release, and I know I can get her where I want her with just a little coaxing.
I nibble on her ear, massaging her clit as I bury my dick inside of her over and over. When I start to sing to her, she presses her ass into me even more, her grip tightening in my hair, and I’m sure she’s close.
“Come for me, baby,” I murmur once I’ve finished the phrase. “Strangle my dick, Millie.” I pinch her swollen nub and she cries out, her pussy squeezing me tighter than before, pulling forth my own release. I hold her tight against me as I pound into her until I’m spent, and then we both sink further into the mattress, panting.
“Shit,” she sighs. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, gorgeous,” I say, cupping one of my hands around her breast as I hold her close.
“I’m so tired,” she whispers.
I can hear it in her voice, hear her succumbing to her exhaustion, and I don’t try and stop her. I listen as her breathing grows deeper, her body becoming heavy as she drifts off to sleep, my dick still tucked inside of her. I don’t move. Not yet. I want to feel at home for just a little while longer.
GOODBYE IS A BITCH I wouldn’t fuck if she was the last cunt on earth. Watching Millie board that plane, seeing her as she looked at me from over her shoulder one last time—her long hair pulled up into a ponytail, leaving her face fully on display so that I could see the tears in her eyes as she waved at me with the tiniest of smiles—yeah. It was a bitch.
But as I stand in the middle of this stage, wading in the spotlight, drowning in the music, the sea of thousands within arm’s reach as we rock our way through Anything but This—I’m reminded that we’ve had worse goodbyes. We’ll survive this one, just like she said. It’s all part of the chase, part of the journey, part of the climb. The distance between us is a mountain we both have to face—but it sure as fuck won’t stop us. It won’t stop me. Right here, right now, in this place, with these people, it’s where I belong.
This is the life I want.
This is what I’ve been waiting for.
This is what I’ve been fighting for.
This is the dream.
“UH, MILLIE?”
I suck down a deep breath, opening my eyes as I right myself in my chair. When I look over at the entrance to my office, I see Lindsey with her knuckles still touching the door. It isn’t until I register her stance that I realize she must have knocked, rousing me from sleep.
She never actually knocks.
Then again, I never fall asleep at my desk.
“Oh, my god.” I reach up and run my fingers through my hair, gathering the long strands to drape down my chest. “I meant to rest my eyes for just a second—literally a second—but I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?”
“It’s just after five. I was stopping in to see if you wanted to grab a bite for dinner, tell me about your spring break—but we could always go another time. You seem pretty tuckered out.”
“Yeah,” I start to say as I stand to my feet. “I think maybe I’m coming down with something. I’ve been really drowsy and a little nauseous for the last week, but I figured that was just my body responding to the tour bus. I thought it would go away as soon as I got home.” I shake my head, reaching for my tote bag so that I can pack the work I need to take home with me this evening. “I’m sure I just need a couple nights of really decent rest. Maybe we could do dinner Friday night?”
“Sure, okay,” she mutters distractedly. I look over at her and see that she’s staring at me, her arms folded across her chest. “Did you say that you’ve been tired and nauseous?”
“Yes. But I—”
“Millie,” she interrupts, taking a couple steps further into the room. “By any chance do your—” she pauses, looking over her shoulder before she leans toward me conspiratorially. “Do your girls feel especially tender?” she asks, pointing at my breasts.
I look down at my chest, and then scowl at her in confusion. The truth is, they have been a little sensitive to the touch—but it’s nothing I thought I should worry about. Now, I’m not so sure.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Uh, Millie,” she continues to say, ignoring my question. “When’s the last time you had your period?”
“What?” I mutter, my head still fuzzy from sleep. I mean, it must be. She’s not making any sense.
“My sister, whenever she’s growing a human, she sleeps, like, all the time. She could fall asleep anywhere. You do not fall asleep at your desk. Ever. And you don’t look ill, but you say you’re nauseous. If your boobs feel sore and you can’t remember the last time Aunt Flow came to town, you might want to head to the drug store and pick up a pregnancy test. Just an idea.”
My stomach drops and my pulse begins to race as I replay her words in my head. For a second, I’m absolutely certain that she’s wrong—but then I remember that my period is late. It’s two weeks late. I didn’t think anything of it because I thought it was stress. It’s happened before! I figured the reality of Sage’s leaving was taking a toll on me, nothing more.
“I’m on the pill. I never forget to take my pill,” I blurt out, my voice airy and not as confident as I wish it was.
“Please don’t tell me we have to have the sex talk,” Lindsey says, arching an eyebrow at me. “The amount of action I’m sure you see with Sexy McHottington as your personal boy toy is probably enough to make me want to disown you as a friend because I’d keel over from envy if I really knew. You can’t possibly need me to tell you that the pill is not super-sperm proof.”
“Shit,” I sigh as my hands start to tremble. “You think he has super sperm and I’m pregnant?”
She laughs as she closes the distance between us. She gives my elbow a squeeze and says, “You won’t know unless you take a test and find out. I’ll come with you, if you want?”
>
“No. No—thank you, I’m okay,” I insist, willing myself to calm down.
“All right. Well, you know how to get a hold of me should you need a friend.” I offer her a smile and she pats my shoulder before she starts to make her exit. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Millie.”
“Yeah. Tomorrow.”
Once I’m alone, it takes me a few minutes to gather my wits about me. I stand over my desk simply concentrating on breathing in and out, combating my unsettled stomach. Then I finish gathering my things and hurry to my car. I decide not to panic until I know for sure what my body is telling me. Though, I can’t stop my thoughts from crowding around the concept of a baby as I head to the nearest drug store and purchase the most expensive at-home pregnancy test I can find.
When I get home, Maestro greets me at the door. I know that I need to take him out for a quick walk and then feed him, but my nerves have readied my bladder, and I decide to take the test first. I slip out of my jacket, discarding my things on the couch before I grab the small box and make my way to the bathroom. I don’t look at myself in the mirror as I close myself in. I don’t need to see the evidence of my anxiety on my face.
After I’ve done my business, I set the stick on a piece of toilet paper on the counter and wash my hands. In an attempt not to stare at it while I wait for the results, I let my eyes wander around the sink. Sage isn’t here, but the evidence of his presence still remains. He left behind a bottle of cologne and forgot his aftershave, both of which sit next to my small collection of body spray and perfume. Suddenly, I wish he was here.
Then again—I have no idea how he’ll react if this test is positive.
Feeling like I might throw up, I leave the bathroom and head for the door. I grab Maestro’s leash, calling him to me, and then hurry outside. The cool breeze alerts me to the fact that I left my jacket inside, but it doesn’t matter. The chill does me good, and I breathe deeply while I watch Maestro trot a little ways ahead of me. Now, no longer confined within the four walls of my bathroom, I try again to imagine the possibilities that just might be in my future.
The truth is, Sage and I haven’t been together for that long. Six months is nothing to scoff at, and we are living together—when he’s in town—but we’ve never discussed children. He’s twenty-one, almost twenty-two, and while I’m flirting with twenty-seven, I’ve never really been afraid of my biological clock running out of time. In fact, I’ve never really thought about my biological clock at all.
I have no idea what kind of mother I would make. I didn’t have a very good example. Not to mention the fact that after I’d had my heart broken one too many times, I hadn’t planned on falling in love or settling down with someone. Then Sage happened. I know that neither of us are promised tomorrow—nobody is—but he is the man I want to be with forever. Violet said it best: as long as she and JJ are still on this earth, she doesn’t want to be with anyone else. I feel the same way about Sage. I know what it’s like to be without him, and I don’t want that—I don’t choose that. So, if we did make a baby, if a human being is going to tie us together forever…
My thoughts instantly shift to my own parents. I was supposed to tie them together, but I didn’t. We were never really a family. Sure, my father stuck around until I was six, but you don’t abandon your family, no matter what.
My feet slow to a stop as I realize that I’m aware of this truth for no other reason than that I’m in love with a man who has welcomed me into his family. And when I think about that family—when I remember my time with them, and the way they make me feel—I realize that I want that. I want something beautiful like that. I want to be a mother who loves like Abriella and Pepper do; and I want a man by my side, a man who won’t leave, but who will stay and be a father like Ewan and Harry. A man like Sage.
I turn back toward my apartment, the anxiety that makes my stomach knot up in fear now laced with a hint of excitement. I can’t explain the hope that I feel. Logically speaking, Sage and I aren’t ready to have a baby. Not even close. But in my heart, I somehow know and understand that no one is ever ready to have a baby.
It’s entirely possible that I’ll walk into my bathroom and find a negative result. In a way, it would be a relief. Regardless, this false alarm might just be the catalyst to an epiphany I’ve been waiting for. It’s as if my eyes have been opened and there’s a small seed of hope that may take root and grow into a dream.
I scoop Maestro into my arms as I hurry up the steps that lead to my door. Once inside, I set him down and let him off his leash. Sucking in a deep, calming breath, I make my way back to the bathroom. I remind myself that one stripe means not pregnant and two stripes means I am. As I reach for the stick, I notice that the tremble in my hands is back and my nausea has returned. I seal my eyes closed tight, in this very moment no longer sure what I want it to say. Then, when I can’t handle the suspense any longer, I open my eyes.
“Holy shit,” I breathe.
I’m pregnant.
Look for the conclusion of Sage and Millie’s story in book three of the Mountains & Men series,
Worthy of the Melody—coming spring 2017!
Also by R.C. Martin
Mountains & Men Series
Encore Worthy
Worthy of the Harmony
Worthy of the Dissonance
Worthy of the Melody (Spring 2017)
Made for Love Series
The Promises We Keep
Reckless Surrender
The O’Conners
So Much More
The Holloways
Fool for You
Chasing After Me (Summer 2017)
Acknowledgments
Nothing that I do would be possible if not for the grace of God. To Him, I give the greatest thanks and all the glory. I’m continuously humbled along this journey that I’ve chosen, but always grateful that He’s made a way for me to do what I love. And I do love to write. So. Freaking. Much.
Hayley, thank you for always listening and encouraging me, even when I don’t want to hear it. Thank you for brainstorming with me and reading my words when they’re far from polished. Thank you for always believing in me—it means so very much. You’re such a fabulous lady, and your friendship is absolutely priceless.
Tammy, I’m so incredibly thrilled that I’ve gotten to share this leg of Sage and Millie’s story with you. Your input helped shape this novel in ways I never imagined. Thank you so much for all of your support and your seemingly bottomless amount of Sage love!
Crystal, your steadfastness and your reliability are out of this world. Thank you for being a part of my writing journey. Thank you for cheering me on and encouraging me with your demands for more. I promise I’ll keep writing—and I hope to share tons of new stories with you!
Cassy, this is probably my favorite cover of the series so far. Thank you for continuing to deliver such stellar work. The face of this series is so important, and I couldn’t be happier with the ways in which you have wrapped up my words!
And to every reader who dared to take a chance on me and dive into the saga of Sage and Millie—you’re amazing. Absolutely amazing. Thank you SO MUCH for reading.
About the Author
I'm a born and bred Coloradan. While I now reside in Virginia, the land of the Rocky Mountains is where I've left a piece of my heart and where my characters come to life. When I'm not writing I'm reading; when I'm not reading I'm writing...you know how it goes! I also enjoy cooking, baking, crocheting, and jigsaw puzzles. Basically, I'm an old soul with a young heart, nonchalantly waiting for my prince to come.
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