by D. Kelly
“You too, and Sage, maybe you should think about giving Gabe another chance. You might really regret it if you don’t. He’s always been the one who got away; maybe now he doesn’t have to be.”
“We’ll see. I’m still pretty pissed at him, too, but a hate fuck might be nice.”
She laughs. “There’s my girl. I’ll see you soon.”
After I hang up with Holly, I immediately call my mom.
“Sage! I was just thinking about you, Mija. I have the perfect date lined up for you.”
“No.”
“Oh but he’s perfect—”
“Mom, stop. No more dates, not now and not in the future. If and when I find a man it will be someone I choose. You lost the right when you ran Gabriel off.” She gasps, and I can picture her clutching her heart, being overly dramatic as usual. “So it’s true? You threatened him?”
“That boy was no good for you, Sage. I did you a favor.”
“Is that what you think? You let me cry on your shoulder for weeks. I was so broken I lost my virginity in the back of someone’s car. Do you think that was better than being with someone I loved? Someone who loved me back?”
“No, I-I … I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t. You don’t know half the stuff I did all because I lost Gabe. Why didn’t you tell me?”
I can hear the kitchen chair slide across the floor, and she sighs. Knowing my mom, she’s sitting at the table, clutching her rosary beads in her hand. “Because I thought I was doing the right thing. I’m honestly surprised it took Baxter this long to tell you.”
“Baxter doesn’t know. Gabe just told me.”
“He’s back?”
“He will be soon. I’m in Nevada helping him out for the weekend at a friend’s restaurant.”
“You should stay away from him, Sage. He’s trouble.”
This woman will never learn. “Stop it, Mom. You don’t know him, and he’s not an eighteen-year-old kid you can intimidate anymore, and neither am I. He’s a thirty-year-old man, and if you ever want grandkids, you better think about apologizing to him.”
“You’re not going to date him again!”
“I might, and you know what? Knowing how much you dislike the idea makes me want to date him even more.”
“You’re being foolish.”
For some reason, those words bring a smile to my face. It’s not often I can put my mom in her place and be right. “No, you were the foolish one. Instead of running him off you could have just talked to me. I can’t say I wouldn’t have been pissed, but at least I wouldn’t have spent years doubting my self-worth.”
“Mija, that was never my intention. I was trying to keep you young for a little while longer. I guess I made a mess of things.”
“You can say that again. You intimidated a kid. One who had a horrible upbringing and had finally settled into a good home where people loved and cared about him. Out of all the men I’ve been with over the years, he’s the only one who ever loved me. Let that sink in until the next time we talk. I gotta go, Mom.”
Without waiting for a goodbye, I hang up. That felt good, and I don’t think I was too hard on her either.
**
AFTER TALKING TO MY MOM, I head downstairs to borrow some clothes from Aurora. If she doesn’t have anything, I’ll have to wash what I wore last night because shorts aren’t going to cut it.
Aurora greets me with a genuine smile. “Hey, Sage, come on in. Did you have fun on your picnic today?”
I bet it’s hard for her to live all the way out here; there’s nothing around for miles and miles.
“It was … eye opening if nothing else.”
“Want to talk about it?” She motions to her sofa, and we take a seat.
“There’s not really much to say. I found out why Gabe was a jerk all those years ago, and now I’m letting it all sink in.”
“Are his sins the forgivable kind?”
“I think so. I’m not sure how I feel about it all yet. I’m angry at him, but now I’m not so much angry about what he did but because he kept it a secret.”
Aurora leans back and yawns. “Sorry, it’s been a long day. I’m not yawning at you, I promise. People keep secrets for lots of reasons. The question you need to ask yourself is, was he being an asshole by keeping the secret? Or was he keeping it for what he thought was an honorable reason? Gabe doesn’t strike me as the asshole type of guy.”
I think about my clients and how most of the time I can tell if they’re shady or if they’re truth tellers. Gabe is definitely a truth teller.
“You make a good point. Gabe has been here a few weeks, what do you know about him? Aside from what I knew in high school, I’m going in blind here.”
She smiles. “If you asked him that it might give you guys a starting ground to get to know each other again.”
“Another good point. Are you sure you aren’t a therapist?”
“I’m sure if I were I could probably afford to fix this place up a bit faster. The way the restaurant is hopping, I might get another couple of rooms updated sooner than I thought though.”
I look around her apartment. It’s clean and tidy but still a bit old school. It’s obvious she’s taking care of the property before her personal wants. Except for her books; she’s got tons of those. “You weren’t kidding about your book collection. You could open up a small library with all of these.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea. I could offer books when people check in. Charge a fee if they don’t return them and get something new. Might even be a cost-efficient way to grow my collection.”
“You should do it! I bet it would be helpful for people who don’t expect to be here and give them something to do to pass the time.”
Her eyes are shining brightly. “I think I might. Thanks for the idea. And to show you my appreciation, I’ll fill you in a little bit about Gabe.”
“Thanks.”
“He and Max went to school together until Gabe moved in with Baxter. Max said Gabe’s parents were real assholes and didn’t seem to care one bit when he moved away.”
That pretty much matches Gabe’s version from when we first met.
“I didn’t realize they’d known each other that long, but it’s nice to know he’s had a long-term friend.”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but maybe it will help somehow. When Gabe went on his travels after high school, he ended up in London and loved it. After visiting a few more countries, he went back and did an apprenticeship under some well-to-do cook who took a liking to Gabe.”
“Really?” It seems so unlike the guy I used to know, but after watching him last night, I can understand.
“Yup. The guy wrote him a glowing recommendation letter, and Gabe got a scholarship into cooking school. He’s been running his own restaurants ever since. I think he had a couple of them but recently sold them to come back to the States and start something new. That’s about all I know other than he makes better pancakes than me and that’s saying something.”
We both laugh at her joke, but I can’t stop thinking about Gabe being a chef. Imagining how his hands must look when he’s dicing vegetables, how his biceps would flex as he pounds out some dough—he’s so precise in his movements, I bet he’s sexy as fuck when he prepares a meal.
“Earth to Sage.”
“Oh, sorry.” I can feel my face flushing, and she gives me a knowing glance.
“I know that expression. I usually wear the same one when I think about Max detonating bombs.”
“That’s …”
“Totally insane. He’s a complete badass, but I love him. Come on, let’s find you something to wear tonight. Do you need underwear? I might have some I’ve never worn.”
“Nope, I underpack everything else, but you never know how many pairs of panties you might need. I usually pack at least five to be on the safe side.”
“Me too! Besides, you don’t want to get caught without some sexy ones in case you meet a hottie.
Am I right?”
“You are so right.” I follow her into their bedroom. It’s bigger than I would have thought. At least she has her own space and doesn’t have to live in one of the rooms. Ownership has its privileges. “Aurora, are you happy here? Taking on your parents’ legacy? Sorry, I’m too nosy for my own good sometimes. You can tell me to shove it.”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind talking about it. At first, I was conflicted. I gave up school to come back here. But I miss them, and I want to do this. I know my little motel isn’t something to rave about, but it’s mine and it was a part of them.”
“I can respect that. I don’t think it matters what you do as long as you’re happy doing it. You seem truly happy.”
She holds out some clothes for me. “I am happy, much more so now that Maggie is taking on more hours.”
I’m confused, and my expression must show it.
“Oh, sorry. Maggie is kind of my right hand. She helps clean the rooms, and she’s been taking on more hours at the front desk. Today she’s even helping for a bit in the restaurant. She lives nearby, so I’d really like her to learn it all in case I’m ever in a bind.”
Aurora motions me to the bathroom, and I leave the door half open, unsure if Max will be home anytime soon. “That’s nice. Gabe mentioned maybe you guys could do a trial run of keeping the restaurant open overnight after the construction to see if it’s a fluke you’re getting so many more customers, or if you’d get good traffic even without the road work.”
She motions for me to turn around in the outfit I just tried on and then hands me a different shirt. “That’s not a bad idea. I’d have to find some more help if it were a success. Gabe will be missed around here. He’s a people pleaser.”
“He’s an Agnes pleaser too.”
“That’s the outfit. Borrow that one. You can work and let the clothes hug all your curves. Make that man work for it. As for Agnes, I love her to pieces, but she’s all flirt and no strike. She derives all her pleasure from the jokes, but if you see her when she first comes in, she usually pulls out a picture of her husband and stares at it for a few minutes before sitting at the counter and giving everyone hell. He passed away a few years ago.”
“That’s a shame.” My heart aches for her.
“It is, but she’ll tell you they had fifty blissful years knocking the boots.”
Now that throws me into a fit of laughter which I sorely needed. Aurora laughs so hard she collapses onto the bed, and I follow. We’re trying to catch our breath when Max walks in on us.
“Did I miss anything? If not, I can be naked in a hot second and catch up.”
“You wish.” Aurora throws a pillow at him, and he ducks.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying. I mean, there are two gorgeous women in my bed.”
Aurora rolls her eyes at him. “One of which your best friend would kick your ass if you touched.”
I sit up and shake my head. “Gabe has no claim here, but I’ve been over threesomes since college.”
“Don’t tell Agnes that, you might break her heart.” Max chuckles as he leaves the room.
I’m going to follow his lead. “And on that note, I’m going to try to take a nap before heading over to the restaurant. Gabe goes in at midnight, right?”
Aurora nods. “He does, and if you want some dinner, come down in an hour or so. I’ll make you a killer steak.”
I reach for my clothes and get off the bed. “Thanks, but I’m still full from lunch. I might eat around eleven before my shift though.”
“Sounds good. I’ll still be there. Since Maggie worked the day shift today, I’m working six to midnight with Max. You know, you could always go work off some of that tension and get in a nap if you pop by Gabe’s room on your way up.”
My mouth widens as I feign outrage. “What kind of woman do you think I am?”
Aurora wears a serious expression. “The same kind I was a few months ago. One who could desperately use a good fucking.”
She’s a riot. “I like you. Remind me to give you my number before we leave tomorrow.”
“Absolutely. It’s a shame you just got here and have to leave so soon.”
“Yup, that’s what happens when you work for someone else, you have to conform to their schedules. After the late night tonight, and twelve hours in the car tomorrow, Monday is going to hurt.”
She hops up and walks me to the door. “The least I can do is pack you guys some food for the road. No crappy drive-thru meals for you.”
“That would be amazing. Thank you.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
GABE
“FUCK!” I CRY OUT AS the blade pierces my skin. Whoever is pounding on my door needs their ass kicked. “Hold on!” I grab a tissue and press it to my cheek before stalking to the door and flinging it open.
“I’m mad at you,” Sage spits out as she storms inside my room. She looks hot in a pair of curve-hugging, black denim jeans and a red off-the-shoulder top.
“Right back at you. Why’d you have to cop knock?”
She looks up at me for the first time and snickers. “You look like a thirteen-year-old who just learned how to shave.”
“Haha, funny. Maybe if you knocked nicely, that wouldn’t have happened.”
She comes closer, bringing her hand to my cheek, and pulls the tissue away. “It’s not even bleeding anymore,” she says softly, still touching my face.
“Good. Look, Sage, I know you’re mad at me and what happened was messed up. I’m truly sorry for hurting you. What I’m not sorry about is you being here now. I feel like—”
“Like we’re getting a second chance.” She carefully caresses my cheek, and I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer.
“Exactly, but I’m not a saint. I like women, I love sex, and I’m not sure I want to fall back into a relationship with you because if I did …”
She peers up at me with her big brown eyes, and I lose myself in them for a moment.
“If you did what? Tell me.”
“If I did, I don’t think I could let you go a second time.”
Standing on her tiptoes, she kisses me. It’s just a short, sweet kiss before she backs away.
“Well, that’s not an issue. I don’t have boyfriends, I have fuck buddies. Some long-term, some short-term, I don’t have the time or patience for relationships, and frankly, they’re exhausting.”
Her statement bothers me—a lot. I did that to her. I made her afraid to love, and that was never my intention.
“Because of me.”
She sighs. “Because of life. I’m busy, Gabe. Between the years I spent in college, law school, and all the hours I put in studying, not to mention my internship, there wasn’t time for frivolous activities. I don’t need a relationship, I need to get off. Preferably with a hot guy. During my college days, a hot girl worked in a pinch. These days, I’m happy with my vibrator most nights. At least it’s reliable.”
The thought of her masturbating is hot as fuck and irritating as hell. I want to be the one getting her off.
“Why don’t we table this for now. Thinking of you that way makes me want to fuck you ten ways till Sunday until you realize your vibrator won’t ever cut it for you again.”
Laughing, she takes a step back. “You’re still a cocky fuck.”
“And you’re still a sexy bitch.”
“Damn straight. And this bitch is pissed you didn’t come clean sooner. What happened between us changed the course of my life. I’m not sure if it was for better or worse, but it happened regardless.”
Sage pauses and takes a seat at the small table by the window. When she looks at me again with narrowed eyes, I can’t help but feel like I’m a hostile witness in her courtroom.
“Would it be accurate to say you loved me back then?”
Great, now I’m being cross-examined.
“It would.”
“And would it be accurate to say you thought I loved you.”
“Not thought. You did
love me, so that is also correct.”
“Mr. Ross, would it be safe to say you had a moral obligation to tell me I was being fucked over by my own mother?”
I wonder if her sex appeal helps her win cases. It’s obvious Sage is smart and good at what she does, but any man up against her has to be hard-pressed to keep his train of thought.
“I would say what was clear to an adult might not have been as clear to a kid.”
The corner of her lip tips up into a smirk. “I’d argue you were eighteen at the time.”
“And I’d argue I was still a senior in high school,” I retort, moving closer to her as my cock begins to harden.
As if she realizes this banter between us is causing me some serious sexual frustration, she stands and moves closer to me. “I’d say you were an idiot for not fighting harder for me. For us.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I reply, moving so close to her that we’re only a half inch apart. “But you know what they say, men’s brains mature at a slower rate than women.”
“So not an excuse.” She gasps as I wrap my hands around her waist and drop my lips against her neck, pressing my length against her.
“Maybe I was scared. What she said to me was terrifying and made sense. I was leaving, and I knew once I’d felt your warm heat pulse around my dick, I’d never be able to go.”
As I pepper kisses from her neck to her mouth, Sage moans in delight. Her body molds to mine as she throws her arms around my neck.
“Would that have been so bad?” she whispers, lifting my shirt. The seductive way she trails her fingers up and down my abdomen has me hard as a rock already.
“Why don’t we find out?”
I walk her backward until her back is against the wall and slide my hand between her legs. She moves against me purposefully, trying to find her pleasure. “Please tell me you have condoms.” I love how she sounds when she begs.
“I’ve got condoms.”
She hitches her leg up around my thigh, and I easily lift her so she’s completely wrapped around me. Sage has always fit against me as if she belonged there like a second skin. Our lips meet, and she opens to me immediately. Her mouth tastes like cinnamon, and I want to devour her.
