by Avery Gale
Tears streamed down her wind-burned cheeks, catching small rays of light in the dimly lit room. Sage doubted she realized how long she’d slept, and he was glad she was awake now. “Come with me, Pet. I have something I want to show you.” Wrapping her in a blanket, he picked her up and stepped close to the balcony windows. When he set her on her feet, he saw her eyes widen in surprise. “Before you make a decision about leaving, I want you take a long look at everything being laid at your feet. Look closely, my love because God has painted a personal invitation for you to stay.” He moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her and just enjoyed the feeling of her in his embrace.
Knowing his dad’s penchant for details, Sage didn’t doubt for a minute he’d deliberately positioned the master suite to offer views as any in the world. The afternoon sun was just dipping behind the mountains painting the sky in golden shades of amber and the darker hues of orange and red. Before long the colors would cool to violet before settling into a deep midnight blue bedazzled by millions of brilliant diamonds. Even as a child, Sage had known he’d never be able to leave Montana, the sky alone anchored him to the only home he’d ever known. The mountains and valleys might be a feast for the eyes, but the Montana sky fed his soul.
“I don’t want to go, but I’m afraid to stay. You’re everything I’ve always dreamed of, and even though losing you now will hurt…losing you later will destroy me.” There was a part of Sage that was proud of her—damn she’d laid it right out there. He was humbled by the fact there was still a part of her that trusted him enough to let herself be vulnerable. The Dom in him surged to the surface, but this time it was all about nurturing her transparency.
“Your heart is safe with me, love. It will always be safe. I’m not saying I won’t make mistakes—because I will. But the one thing you can rely on above all else is the fact I’d never intentionally hurt you.” The most beguiling green eyes he’d ever seen searched his own dark eyes, her gaze so intent Sage knew she was trying to see into his soul. He sent up a silent prayer to whoever might be listening—please let her see the love in my heart, the sincerity of my pledge, and depth of my soul’s desire to join with hers.
Coral looked deep into Sage’s eyes, pleased to see nothing but sincerity. Growing up surrounded by deceit had trained her well, she’d prided herself on her uncanny ability to spot deceit in others…that is until she’d fallen in with Donny Sanders. Her ex-boyfriend hadn’t made her any promises beyond a safe place to stay, but knowing she’d misjudged his character had shaken her confidence. How could she be certain she wasn’t making the same mistake this time? How could she be sure her heart would always be safe?
During her conversation with Josie, her sweet friend had asked if she had a man in her life. When Coral hesitated, Josie had laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes…and either he is sitting nearby or you’re holding back to protect your heart.” Josie had always been intuitive and Coral hadn’t been surprised how quickly she’d read her emotions. “I promise to come see you soon, I think we could both benefit from a long overdue movie marathon and margarita night. But until then, please stop holding on to all those pesky insecurities about your parents. Take a chance, you can’t soar sitting on the ledge. Take it from a person who’s made a career of taking risks—even though some of those have been more beneficial than others.” Josie’s giggle let Coral know she’d have plenty of entertaining stories to share.
They’d made plans to call one another again soon and as strange as it might sound, it was Josie’s encouragement that made all the difference now. Typical, Josie…her ability to pre-empt fate had always amazed Coral. She took a deep breath and decided to take a leap of faith. “I love you, Sage. In a lot of ways it feels like I’ve loved you forever, even though for so long it seemed like you were only a creation of my imagination.” She shook her head when he started to speak, she needed to finish or she might never find the courage again.
“But I’m warning you, I’m stronger than I look. In just a couple of days you’ve shown me parts of myself I’d never known existed, and I won’t sell myself short again. I deserve a man whose heart belongs only to me.”
Sage nodded before he pulled her into his arms. Pressed against his chest she found comfort in the warmth of his embrace and the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. Coral was self-aware enough to recognize her deep seeded need to feel safe. Sage had pushed her too close to the edge last night. She wanted to believe he wouldn’t hurt her, but rebuilding the tenuous trust would take time.
“I can almost feel you pulling back and it’s killing me, but I’ve got no one to blame but myself. I’ve never lied to you—and I won’t start now. I don’t know why Mackenzie was here, heaven knows she wasn’t invited, nor was she welcome. My entire family detests her—hell, Kip was almost apocalyptic and Brandt vowed to help him hide her body should she come near you again.”
She was so surprised she pulled back, blinking up at him in surprise. “Oh, pet, you have no idea how protective they’re going to be of you. They love you already, it’s nothing short of a miracle I’m still allowed in the house. I shudder to think of the digital hell Phoenix will rain down on her.” He shrugged nonchalantly before continuing, “But all things considered, she’s brought it all on herself.”
“She’s not a nice person—not at all. What did you see in her?” Coral was genuinely curious since the two of them seemed so different. She couldn’t imagine how Sage could be attracted to them both.
“No she isn’t nice, but she was very good at masking it for a long time. Honestly? I might have seen it sooner, but I was too stubborn to listen to my brothers. I was so used to being the big brother I’d failed to notice they’d all become my equal. Instead of listening and seeing things from their point of view I dug my heels in, refusing to concede I might have made a mistake. It wasn’t until I realized Brandt had been willing to sacrifice our relationship to save me from her that I finally came to my senses.”
Coral could tell the conversation was painful for him…but the pain didn’t stem from the fact he’d lost a woman he thought he’d loved. This was the anguish of a man who’d nearly walked away from a member of his own family because he’d refused to admit he was wrong. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it had to be for a man as successful as Sage Morgan to admit he’d made such a huge mistake in judgment. And suddenly she realized how familiar his story sounded. She’d done the same thing with Donny. She’d accepted a second date despite the fact she hadn’t really enjoyed his company in large part because one of the girls she’d worked with had warned her against him. It had been her own stubborn pride that led her into a life-threatening situation—hell’s bells and cottontails, we have more in common than I thought.
It was unreasonable for Coral to hold Sage to a high standard she hadn’t been able to meet herself. She’d always prided herself on not being a hypocrite, and judging him when he hadn’t judged her for her mistakes would be hypocritical to be sure. Realizing she’d made her decision, Coral wiggled out from beneath the covers to settle in his lap. “Let’s rewind to the moment when you said all those sweet things to me and slid this beautiful ring on my finger. I didn’t even get an engagement kiss.”
She could feel his shoulders relax as he enfolded her in his embrace and smiled. “I’ll be happy to correct the oversight, pet. But first I want to warn you—your new brothers are planning to take you to task for endangering your sweet self. I know you didn’t have any siblings growing up, but you are definitely getting thrown in the deep end of this pool, love.” Coral knew he’d wanted to say more, but she was tired of talking so she decided to take matters in her own hands. Leaning up, she pressed her lips against his. Wrapping her arms around his neck trying to plaster herself against him, the cotton of his shirt brushing against her tight nipples reminded her of the disparity in their states of dress.
“Why are you dressed and I’m not? It’s not fair.” She’d only pulled back far enough so she would speak the words before slant
ing her mouth over his again. Even though she was controlling the kiss, she knew it wouldn’t last long. He was letting her play but she knew his need for control in the bedroom was bubbling beneath the surface. Their tongues stroked one another in a slow seduction reminding her of all the stories she heard in high school about couples necking under the stars. She smiled against his lips and then wanted to groan when he pulled back looking at her in question.
“Care to share what’s got you smiling while I’m trying my best to seduce you?” Sage sounded amused and she was relieved he hadn’t taken offense at her distraction.
“I was thinking about all the times I listened to my friends talking about their necking sessions under the stars—and I realized I’d love to do that with you.” When he didn’t comment, she started to worry she’d sounded like a lovesick teenager.
Using his thumb to brush the worry lines between her brows he smiled. “So much worry, pet. I love hearing about things you’re anxious for us to do together. Remember, your passion feeds mine. I want to hear everything…and I hope to fulfill all of your dreams, even those you haven’t had yet.”
Chapter Seventeen
Five Weeks Later
Coral still couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in such a short period of time. All of the excitement during the New Year’s Eve party fed the local gossip train for a couple of weeks before it finally settled down. Charlotte swore her business had practically doubled as people used any excuse they could to visit the store and chat about Coral’s narrow escape from old man winter. She’d been scolded by many, coddled by most and been given so many coats and boots she’d already made donations to two nearby charities.
After Donny was arrested, she’d made the trip to Georgia to give her deposition. The information she’d given backed up the taped confessions Brandt had wrung out of the two men he’d finally arrested several days after the party. Sage made the trip with her and the authorities down south even allowed him to sit beside her, lending his moral support while she’d answered all of their questions as openly and honestly as she could.
She’d hugged Brandt when they’d returned home and thanked him for preparing her so well, before smacking him on the arm warning him that being right all the time was an annoying trait. Sage, Colt, Phoenix, and Kip had all groaned, telling her not “feed the beast” of Brandt’s ego. Brandt had just smiled and kissed her on the forehead before whispering, “Don’t listen to them sweet sister-to-be, you just keep on telling me that and maybe someday the real Brandt will come home.”
His words nearly shredded her composure, but they’d also given her hope that maybe…just maybe, he was on the road to healing. She’d always felt a deep sense of gratitude for every veteran’s military service, and wished the government would do more to help those returning home. She’d been sending up prayers that Brandt found the peace he deserved. And after seeing him chatting with Joelle over lunch today, Coral wondered if her sweet friend might be just what Brandt needed.
The wedding was planned down to a gnat’s ass and would take place at the ranch on Valentine’s Day. Coral had been disappointed Josie’s tour schedule was going to keep her from attending, but she’d also understood. God above, she was proud of her friend—as a kid, Josie had lived and breathed music, it was the core of who she was. During their last phone conversation, Coral detected a note of fatigue in her voice and reminded Josie she could always visit if she needed a break.
Damn, it was great to have Josie back in her life, and she could hardly wait to introduce her to Tobi West. Coral and Tobi had bonded immediately during their Facetime calls, what was supposed to be one call had turned into several over the past few weeks, and Coral was looking forward to meeting the tiny blonde dynamo in person. “Make Sage stop by here on your way back from the honeymoon. I’ll round up the Pussy Posse and we’ll have a margarita night.” Coral heard a man shout her name from off-screen and Tobi’s grin told Coral she’d made the outrageous statement intentionally. Winking at Coral, Tobi said, “I gotta go, Kyle’s eye is twitching. I might have gone a little over the line with that one. Later!” Coral hadn’t even able to disconnect the call she’d been laughing so hard. That woman is good for my soul.
For the first time in her life, Valentine’s Day was going to mean more than a day of torture when she was forced to watch friends and co-workers receive romantic gifts and listen as they recounted the special dates and dinners their significant others had planned to celebrate. Now she’d have every reason to celebrate the holiday dedicated to love and romance. The past five weeks had been the happiest of Coral’s life. She was settling into her new life on the Morgan Ranch, she’d helped Patsy with the wedding plans when she could, truthfully none of the pretty trappings meant anything to her. As long as she and Sage ended up married, everything else was just a bonus.
Coral smiled to herself as she put away the last of the freight that had arrived at the hardware store that morning. God, she loved this little store, its wide variety of merchandise and eccentric owner somehow managed to make each day different from the one before. She had been shocked to learn Charlotte wasn’t the struggling small business owner she’d always assumed her to be. Sage had spilled the beans one evening during dinner and the other four Morgan brothers had howled with laughter when they’d heard how she’d worried about the older woman. Rat bastards.
She’d been ecstatic when Charlotte had agreed to be her Matron of Honor, having the feisty seventy-three year old as her only attendant was going to make their wedding even more special. Coral stood up straight, arching backward in an attempt to work out the kinks in her back, strong hands spanned her waist. She’d been so startled she almost dropped the box-cutter she was holding. Coral had never liked being scared, anyone jumping out from behind doors to frighten her usually got punched before she even realized she’d reacted. It looked like she was going to have to remind Sage again. “Hey, lover, did you forget? I really don’t like being scared like this.” She had barely spoken the words when the hands tightened so tightly she knew she’d have bruises from the punishing grip.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you like, bitch.” Coral felt as if her blood had suddenly been replaced with ice. She’d prayed she would never hear his voice again and knowing Donny Sanders was in the store terrified her. “Don’t make a sound—not one. Did you think I wouldn’t make bail? Or that I couldn’t find you myself? Although I have to admit, that the blonde bimbo Mackenzie, saved me a lot of time.” Blonde bimbo? Sage’s ex helped Donny find me? Her mind was scrambling trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. How on earth had Mackenzie Leigh connected with Donny?
As his hands tightened even more at her hips, Coral sucked in a deep breath to keep from crying out. She was determined to deny him the satisfaction of knowing how much he was hurting her. Movement in the small decorative mirror above her caught her eye. Coral blinked in surprise as Charlotte peered around the sights of her hunting rifle. Her elderly boss grinned before she winked. Coral knew Charlotte and her husband had been accomplished hunters because the evidence was all over town. Their mounts were displayed in many of the local businesses, Charlotte had regaled her with dozens of hunting stories.
Coral saw Charlotte mouth the words, “on three drop,” and she steeled herself for what was about to happen. Donny leaned over her shoulder and sneered, “You know if I kill you I’ll walk right? Those jerks that rolled on me will never live to testify, and their confessions aren’t shit now that my lawyer knows you’re fucking the Sheriff’s brother.” The vehemence in his voice assured her he had no qualms about eliminating anyone who stood in his way. How had she ever fooled herself into thinking she was safe with him? Why hadn’t she trusted her instincts?
“Now turn around and walk your ass right out the front door and maybe…just maybe, I won’t kill the old bat you work for.” His words made her breath catch, just thinking about how she’d endangered the people around her threatened to make her knees fold out from unde
r her. Before she’d taken a step, she saw Charlotte mouth three, Coral tried to spin quickly to dislodge his hold so she could drop, but his grasp was too tight. Something in her mind snapped, a blazing hot fear for not only herself, but for Charlotte too, sent the world around her spinning wildly out of control as pure rage filled her.
Coral slashed him with the box cutter she still held, his fingers released just enough of their vice-like grip she was able to drop to the century-old wood plank floor. Before her mind even registered the cool boards pressing against her cheek the room was filled with the deafening crack and the world seemed to explode in a shower of shattered crystal. Gasping, Coral’s mind was clouding quickly as she tried to pull in oxygen, but the black edges of her vision were closing in so quickly she finally surrendered, letting it carry her into a warm, peaceful abyss.
Sage was at the diner with Brandt when his brother received Charlotte’s text. Help! That one word was enough to send them both into a blind panic. Charlotte had never asked for help—ever, and knowing that one word had been all she’d had time to send spoke volumes. In the short time it had taken them to run the half block to the small hardware store Sage was certain each step he took forward moved him further from his goal.
