by Jules Dixon
“Thank you for driving over here, Dr. Richter,” I managed. “What are you a doctor of?”
“Obstetrics and gynecology.”
I rolled over and mumbled, “I’ll never need you for that, but thanks.”
“Sorry?” he inquired with confusion.
“Nothing.” I closed my eyes and silent tears fell onto the grey pillow cover, causing a dark spot on the soft fabric.
“Laken, can you stay here and watch her while I walk them out?”
“No problem, Rahl.”
“I’ll be right back, Sage.”
I nodded into the pillow.
After they left the room, Laken’s voice squeaked, “Sage?”
“Yeah?”
She sat next to me on the bed. “I’m sorry for ruining your moment with Rahl. I heard what he said about you singing and I saw the birthday cake. Seeing that one candle…” Laken gulped a deep breath. “The way he looks at you, Sage, he’s never looked at anyone like that.” She cleared her throat. “Just please be patient with him. He’s coming back from hell, he needs—”
“An angel?”
“Yeah, I think he does.”
Chapter Eleven
Rahl
“Are you sure she’s going to be okay, Ty?”
He stopped in the living room and Fiona joined us. “Yeah, as far as I can tell, she’s healthy. She’ll recover. More than likely she won’t feel like working tomorrow, and if she has a manual labor job or is on her feet constantly she probably should take it easy. Give her acetaminophen. Other pain relievers can increase the risk for bleeding.”
“Okay.”
Fi grasped my arm in support. “Rahl, I cleaned up outside. The cake is in the fridge. Do you want me to stay and take care of her?”
“No, I can do it. Thanks for your help. I’m sure our little sister will be sleeping over. If we need anything, she can run out and get it.”
“Feeling better about that?” Fiona raised her eyebrows.
“No. But since I’ve heard it multiple times, I guess I’ll attempt to go with the prevailing assumption that they are adults. Right?”
“For now, but he hurts her, you keep your professionally trained mitts off him. I’ll want first crack at him and it won’t be his face that will be black and blue. It’ll be a lot lower and he may need a gynecologist after I’m done with him.”
I laughed at my sister. The nurse in her couldn’t hurt a gnat, much less alter genitals. “Thanks, Fi, I needed that amusing vision. Okay, I want to get back to Sage. Thanks again, Ty.”
“Anytime. And happy birthday!”
“Yeah, happy birthday, brother.” Fiona kissed my cheek.
After I saw them out, I jogged back to the bedroom.
“Thanks, Lake. I’ve got it from here.”
“Rahl, when you have a chance I’d like to talk to you about—”
“Maybe tomorrow.”
Laken sighed and her normal big smile wilted. “Okay. Good night, Sage. Night, Rahl.”
“Good night, Laken,” Sage’s voice replied through a choked sob.
“Later, Laken,” I added harshly.
What is wrong with you? She helped you, fucking acknowledge it.
I walked behind her to the door. “Lake, thank you for calling Ty and Fi.”
“Glad I was here to help. Happy birthday, Rahl.”
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and brought her in for a hug. “We’ll talk, but no matter what happens, I love you.”
She shook against my body, her long fingers digging into the back of my t-shirt as dampness saturated the fabric on my shoulder. I rubbed her back and gave a squeeze.
She collected herself. “Love you, too. Take care of Sage, she’s special.”
“I will and I think she is, too.” I released her and she kissed my cheek.
Vendetti women, how they could get to me.
“Good night, Rahl.”
I showed her out and closed the door behind her.
Back at the bed, I moved Sage’s hair from her face. “Do you want to change out of your jeans?”
She mumbled into the pillow, “Just leave something on the bed and I’ll take care of it.”
“I can help you.”
“Rahl…”
“Please, Sage, let me take care of you. I feel responsible for—”
She grumbled, “Turn out the lights.”
“Why? Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it will be, if you turn out the lights.”
I flipped the switch on the overhead light and in half a second it was new-moon black in the room. “Maybe just a lamp, Sage?”
“No, please.” The way her voice wavered halted me.
“Okay. No lights.”
At my dresser, I blindly chose something I thought would be suitable.
Sage giggled behind me and for a moment I prepared for another laughing fit that led to vomiting, then to an ambulance ride.
“What?” I asked, seeing only the outline of her body in the bed.
“Um … um…”
“What?”
“Can I borrow a pair of boxers, too?” She giggled through the words.
“Why?” I asked, turning back to the dresser. I chose a pair of boxer briefs and the thought of her wearing them had my crotch started on a one-way trip to Hardsville. “Commando?” I added quietly.
“Yeah.”
Her admission lightened the mood. I moaned out loud and Sage squeaked a delicate sound of amusement again. Carefully, I made my way in the dark to her and handed over the items.
“Thank you for staying, Sage.” I leaned over her small frame, caging her body in my arms.
“You really didn’t give me any other option, but I’m happy to be here, Rahl. Plus, I’m getting really tired.”
I dropped my head and even in the dark, like they were meant to be there, my lips found hers. Her mouth expressed that she was really tired. I broke the connection, realizing it was doing nothing for Sage’s fatigue or to reverse my below-the-belt issue.
“Want me to dress you? After all, I’ve had practice,” I offered.
“You dressed your younger sisters?” She tugged the clothes from her lap.
“No, from dressing you. On lemon-drop night, you stripped in your bed and told me to get you pajamas and without words asked me to dress you.” I straightened, kicked off my shoes, and moved them beside the nightstand.
“What?” she choked out.
“Yeah, you stripped to your underwear and bra and I put a shirt and shorts on you.”
I could see an outline of her body in the little light there was in the room. This time there were no bra or panties as her back faced me. The silhouette was soft with subtle dips and curves, like the breeze caresses a lake with rolling waves.
“I’m sorry, Rahl. That wasn’t fair to you.” She yanked the t-shirt on quickly and the bedsheets ruffled while she slid my boxers on. Her clothes dropped next to the bed. I picked them up and folded them before placing them on the nightstand.
“Sage, I’m not complaining. I’ve thought about you and your incredible body every day, and almost every night, since. Honestly, I never thought you’d ever be interested in me.”
Broken sobs covered the darkness in emotion.
“Sage, what’s wrong?” I kneeled next to the bed and stroked her hair.
Her crying slowed and she took in a cleansing breath. She started to say something but yawned—the sweetest noise escaping her, a cross between a cat’s meow and an exhausted sigh.
“I think it’s probably the bonk to the head. I’m not normally this emotional.”
“I’m going to get ready for bed. I’ll be right back.”
After I finished in the bathroom, I made my way to the other side of the bed and stripped down to my boxers.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I need to wake you every hour. I’m going to sleep next to you.”
“I don’t think—”
“Nothing will happen
, Sage. I promise. I can control myself.”
Barely.
“Okay.”
I crawled under the covers and rolled to my side to face her. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. Do you remember what happened last night?”
Small, warm fingers slipped under my outstretched hand, and I gave a light squeeze. “Not all of it. Why?”
“What do you remember?”
“I remember lying down on your sofa waiting for a beer, and I remember waking up with my arms around a beautiful woman, and not much else.”
“Rahl, what if I … what if I wasn’t beautiful everywhere on my body?” The snag in her voice was pained.
“What do you mean?”
“What if I was different and what I have isn’t normal?”
Different? Normal?
“What’s up, Sage?”
“Nothing. I’m just getting sleepy.”
There’s more to it than nothing…
Wasn’t the time to ask. She needed sleep.
“Okay, good night.” I placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
In minutes she was making sweet noises of relaxation. I drew in a deep breath of her. She smelled like moonlight and heavenly sleep.
When the hourly alarm sounded, I woke to Sage snuggling into my side.
“Sage?”
She nuzzled her head against my shoulder and mumbled, “What?”
“You doing okay?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s your full name?”
“Sage Karrae Whiteman.” She snuggled into a comfortable place against my body and headed back to sleep.
An hour later…
“Sage?”
She protested through a long exhale, “Yes?”
“How are you feeling?”
She rolled to her back and grunted. “My head really hurts.”
“Yeah, Ty said that might happen. You want some pain relievers?”
“Please.”
I collected a glass of water and pills. After I assisted her to sit up and she took the meds, I got back in the bed and without hesitation her warm body found mine again. I curled an arm over her waist and guided her softness into my firm body.
An hour later…
“Sage?”
“Yes, Rahl?”
“What day is it?”
She puffed air from her nose, raised her head, and squinted to the clock for the time. “Now it’s officially Thursday.”
“Okay. Get some sleep.”
She relaxed into me and I rubbed her back until she sighed deeply.
An hour later…
“Sage?”
“What?” Her attitude was a lot less pleasant—snippier.
“When’s your birthday?”
“You wouldn’t even know if I was telling you the right date!”
I chuckled. “I guess not, but still answer.”
“The second of February.”
“Okay, back to sleep.”
Her body melted half on me with her leg hooked over mine. Every inch of my skin pulsed in response to a female wrapping herself around me like rope. It took me almost the whole next hour to get back to sleep.
An hour later…
“Rahl!”
“Yeah, yeah, sorry.” I leaned back from spooning her and slapped the alarm off, resetting it blindly, then I rounded her stomach with my arm and tugged her back against my front. A melodic giggle floated through the darkness. “What?” I asked.
“Aren’t you going to ask me a question?”
“No, you seem fine.”
“Yeah, you seem fine, too.” She wiggled her ass and what she was giggling about became clear.
I retracted my crotch from violating her. “Just a good morning soldier salute. Sorry, Sage.”
She made the angelic noise again. “Good night, Rahl.”
“Good night, beautiful.” I kissed the nape of her neck and her body shivered as she backed against me and pulled my arm over her, winding her fingers in mine.
An hour later…
I was on my back and a small body slinked over me. The alarm was smacked off with her tiny hand.
“You’re not very good at this waking up every hour thing,” she mumbled crabbily but her nimble body remained splayed on top of mine, her forehead resting in the crook of my neck. I raised a leg and her delicate body naturally rested into the ridges and arches of mine. She rocked her fingertips back and forth, slowly, along the length of my bicep as my arm lay across her back.
“It’s because I had the best night’s sleep at your place and now my brain and body want more of that.”
“Sure, blame it on me.”
A few minutes went by with us just lying there.
My breathing shallowed from her lying on top of me, not from the weight but from her everywhere softness pressing into my everywhere hardness.
“Sage…” The name exited low and heavy.
Her lips barely feathered against my neck as she asked, “Yes, Rahl?”
“I’m questioning the amount of control I really have when it comes to you being in my bed.”
“It’s about time.”
Her head raised and her lips hit mine, and without hesitation I rolled her so she was under me.
Chapter Twelve
Sage
I’d waited for this moment all night long. His arms tightened around my waist and my back hit the firm bed. He covered me everywhere.
Thank God.
After he got into bed the first time and I reached out for his hand, I was hoping he would lose control of his self-control. Medication lessened my headache, and his sincere attention all night only increased my already excruciating attraction to him.
I’d wanted him for so long it was hard to believe I was here, under his body, the weight of him pressing me firmly against the bed. The morning pre-dawn glow slipped in through the shades, casting a warm pink tinge over both of us. Rahl’s eyes closed as his hand glided up my leg to my waist, under the t-shirt, holding me with a firm grip.
Taking my time and showing him how much I wanted to be here with him, I placed small kisses all over his face—his smooth forehead, his closed eyes (being extra careful but showing extra attention around the injured one), his defined cheekbones, his long nose, all along his strong jawline and into the dimple on his chin—then I slid onto his full mouth.
His kisses landed tenderly but exposed his passionate side. His teeth nipped at my lips, until a light throbbing would begin, then he licked across the same area. The move would soothe away any discomfort. My body quivered at his attention, heat clenching between my legs.
I raked my nails down his back. The sinewy, taut muscles skipped like stones across a pond. Rahl’s large hand explored down my body and cupped under my butt, lifting until our bodies were intimately meshed against each other. I moaned when his steel hardness notched into my pillowy softness, grinding against me with pressure that started a chain reaction between my legs. My body didn’t only desire him. I craved to save him without words, only with action.
His lips grazed down my neck, sucking and nibbling as they went. I raised a leg and trapped his body against mine. Moving against him, the two thin pieces of fabric between us were not enough to hide how excited my body really was and definitely didn’t hide how ready he was.
I arched my back when a spasm of approaching release zipped through my body.
He grunted his approval. “Sage, what do you want to happen?” His soft velvet-brown eyes gazed into mine.
I skimmed his face with my hands. “I need all of you, Rahl.”
I truly do.
He knelt between my legs, lowered his boxers, and slid them off. I sat up and trailed my eyes over his broad chest. A tattoo of three dog tags with scripted names inside was over something undecipherable in the glow of morning.
I gazed down his hard abs, stopping when I came to a large puckered skin area on his left side. I brought a hand to his face. His eyes spoke of a pain I wanted
to take away, whatever it took. I swallowed and reached out to touch the area. He shut his eyes, inhaled a long breath and held it, trapping the pain inside of him.
What could have caused that?
I skimmed my fingers lower and lower until I feathered along his rigid erection, long, thick, and throbbing with every heartbeat.
“Wow.” I grasped him in my hand, and the warmth of him radiated up my arm.
He grunted while I worked along his length. His eyes popped open, swirling melted chocolate with flakes of gold. “Now it’s your turn.”
Rahl tugged at the bottom of my t-shirt. I grabbed his hand in both of mine, stopping his movement.
My already hammering heart started triple-timing the beat. “I want to leave my shirt on and down, please.”
His eyebrows furrowed, “Sage—”
“Rahl, I want to be with you so badly. Please don’t make a big deal out of this, I’m still giving you me.”
He paused but yielded to my request and lowered me back to the bed. A hand teased inside of the boxers I was wearing and pulled them slowly down my legs, his fingers searing a trail of heat on my already steamy skin. The morning sun warmed the walls to a vibrant orange color, saturating the room in vitality and happiness.
“Sage, you’re beautiful in my boxers but seeing you out of them…” His eyes scanned my lower body. “It makes me crazy to be with you.”
He kissed me deeply as his bulky finger glided inside my soft folds, invading my internal heat and sparking a blazing fire. As he plunged his finger slowly over and over, his thumb rounded my clit, the pressure delicate and then firm, a delicious cadence that made my head circle in time to his movements. The pre-heaviness of my climax built rapidly, tissues firming and nerves sparking inside of me until I’d explode from only his hand working me.
I planted my heels and ground insistently up into his palm. I’d never been this worked up with a guy, never been this ready for anything in my life.
“Rahl, please, I need you.” The plea in my voice was pure and adamant.
One arm planted next to my head as the other used his warm hardness to part my softness, and in one long thrust he filled me to an uncomfortable comfort.
“Holy … shit!” I closed my eyes, grabbed his strong shoulders, and panted through the delightful and powerful invasion.