Five Star Temptation

by Jacquelin Thomas

  “No apology is needed.”

  “We’re going to Pacific Palisades this weekend,” Sage announced. “It’s time my family had a chance to see another side of you.”

  Ryan smiled. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Yes. I love you, and I want them to understand why I love you so much.”

  * * *

  After making love, Sage watched Ryan as he lay sleeping.

  He was in her blood.

  She eased out of bed and went downstairs to call Meredith. She had called Sage earlier. This was the first chance that Sage had to return the call.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Dale and I had a long talk. I was honest with him. I told him that I didn’t want to wait much longer to get married.”

  “How did it go?”

  “First he said that he needed to get some air to clear his head. He was gone for almost an hour. Sage, I wasn’t sure if he was coming back.”

  “But he did come back, right?” Sage inquired.

  “He did,” Meredith responded.

  “When he came back, he told me that he loved me and didn’t want to risk losing me. Sage, he pulled out this tiny box and then asked me to marry him.”

  “Really? That’s wonderful, Meredith.”

  “Can you believe it? I’m engaged, and we’re going to get married next June.”

  Sage’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy for you, Meredith.” She wiped her eyes. “This is truly good news. We’re going to have to celebrate.”

  Meredith laughed. “I know. I’ve wanted this for so long that it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. I’m still waiting to wake up from this beautiful dream.”

  “It’s not a dream, sweetie. You are getting married, girl.”

  They talked for a few minutes more before ending the call.

  Sage went back into the bedroom.

  Ryan was still sleeping.

  She gazed lovingly at him for a moment before removing her robe.

  Sage eased into bed with Ryan, who stirred slightly, and then snuggled up against him.

  Smiling, she closed her eyes.

  She was thrilled for Meredith. She and Ryan were closer than ever; this was one of the happiest moments in her life. It could only get better from here, she decided.

  * * *

  Ryan and Sage drove out to Pacific Palisades.

  He was not nervous about the visit but decided to proceed with caution. He did not want to inadvertently validate their suspicion.

  Apparently, they were the last to arrive, because Ari and Natasha were in the house. Blaze was out on the patio with Malcolm, and Drayden was in the kitchen with his mother and a young woman who Ryan assumed was his girlfriend.

  He and Sage greeted everyone and then headed outside.

  Blaze pointed to a basketball. “Ryan, if you are going to start coming around, we need to see if you can play b-ball. I hope you bought balling clothes with you. Since Kellen’s not here, we need a fourth, but you have to be worthy.”

  Ryan chuckled. “I’m always ready to play basketball. I keep playing clothes with me—at least I used to before things changed.” He chose his words carefully.

  Blaze eyed him. “You and I look about the same size. You can change into some of mine.”

  “I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but I’m watching this game,” Sage said when Natasha and Barbara joined them on the patio.

  “So am I,” Drayden’s girlfriend contributed.

  “Looks like we have a game,” Malcolm said. “Everybody to the court. As usual, I’m the referee, and I’ll accept no heckling from the fans.” He glanced over at his wife.

  Sage laughed.

  They all walked over to the basketball court. The women sat in the stands while the men got ready.

  “Can Ryan play basketball?” Natasha asked in a low voice.

  Sage shrugged. “I have no idea. I’ve never seen him play.” She realized that there was still more she had to learn about Ryan. She had no idea what sports he played, if any.

  The men walked out on the court. Ryan had changed into a pair of red Nike shorts with a matching shirt. He had a pair of brand-new Nike shoes on his feet.

  Sage glanced over at Blaze, who smiled and winked at her. Her brothers were making an effort with Ryan, which pleased her greatly.

  They all whistled when Malcolm strolled out to the court dressed in a striped shirt and black shorts. Back home in Georgia, he used to referee youth basketball games.

  Seconds into the game, Ryan scored three points.

  “Yes,” Sage screamed. “That’s how you do it, baby.”

  Natasha grinned. “I had a feeling that he could ball.”

  Ryan scored another three points.

  “So what do you boys think now?” Sage yelled. “Looks like my man is dominating on the court.”

  “He’s made all of six points,” Ari yelled back. “I wouldn’t say he’s dominating anything.”

  Ryan then scored two more points.

  “I can’t hear you,” Sage teased. “Ryan, show them how it’s done, baby. Take it to the hoop.”

  Blazed scored off a rebound.

  “He’s got skills,” Ari responded after trying to catch his breath. “I’ll give him that. The man can play some ball.”

  The game was almost over with the two teams tied.

  Natasha screamed when Ari scored the winning shot. “That’s it, baby.”

  “Lucky break,” Sage said with a chuckle.

  Sweaty, the men walked off the court.

  Sage wrinkled up her nose when Ryan made his way to her. “Good game, sweetie, but talk to me after you shower.”

  Natasha did the same. She sent Ari straight to the showers.

  As soon as the men showered and changed clothes, they gathered in the family room.

  When Ryan entered the room, Ari walked over to him and said, “We can see how much you make our sister happy. It’s clear that she loves you, Ryan. It’s also very clear how much you love her, so there’s really only one thing we can say and that’s ‘welcome to the family.’”

  Sage wiped a tear from her eye. She was touched by her brother’s gesture and told him so.

  “We just want to make sure that you are loved as much as we love you, sis.”

  Later that evening, they headed back to Beverly Hills.

  “I am so blown away by what happened today,” Ryan said in the car as they drove along the freeway. “I really enjoyed hanging out with your brothers and your parents.” He chuckled. “Your dad takes his refereeing seriously, doesn’t he?”

  Sage nodded. “I’m so glad that we did this. I love my family, and I want them to love you as much as I do. They made the effort to get to know you outside of work. I’m so proud of them.”

  “Today really meant a lot to you.”

  “It did. We are a close family. I was beginning to feel as if we were growing apart, and I didn’t like it.”

  Ryan reached over and took her by the hand. “I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about something like that. Your family adores you, Sage. I can see how much they mean to you. That’s why I would never come between you and them.”

  “I’m so glad that I don’t have to worry about choosing.”

  As far as Sage was concerned, today had been perfect. She meant what she had told Ryan. She was very proud of the efforts made by her brothers. They were willing to put aside their own misgivings about Ryan for her happiness.

  They would soon come to realize that she had been right all along about Ryan.

  Chapter 16

  Sage opened her door to find Ryan standing there looking quite handsome in a black suit she helped him pick out when they were out shopping e
arlier.

  He openly admired the strapless black dress he had chosen for her. It hugged her curves in all of the right places, as if it had been custom-made for her body. “Sage, you look beautiful.”

  “So do you,” she responded with a smile.

  He had rented a car for the evening. When the valet brought it to them, Ryan escorted her to the car and then opened the door to the passenger side. He walked around to the driver side and got in.

  He drove them to Marina Del Rey where they had reservations at an oceanfront restaurant.

  They ordered drinks while they waited for their food to arrive.

  Sage ordered an apple martini while he decided on a glass of iced tea. “This place is beautiful.”

  Ryan agreed. “But it doesn’t come close to your beauty.”

  “How did I get so lucky?” Sage wondered aloud.

  “I’m the lucky one, Sage,” Ryan interjected. “My life was crazy until you came along. You literally changed my circumstances and my life in general. Until I met you, I never thought I could love a person as deeply as I love you.”

  “I keep waiting for the other shoe to fall,” she confessed. “Things are just so perfect between us. Do you think it is going to be like this forever?”

  “I will do everything I can to make sure that you are always this happy.”

  Their food arrived.

  Sage had ordered the grilled salmon while Ryan chose the steak and lobster entrée.

  She sampled her salmon. “This is delicious.”

  He sliced off a piece of his steak and stuck it in his mouth.

  “How is it?” she asked. “It looks good. I’ll have to try that the next time.”

  Ryan sliced off a piece and placed it on Sage’s plate. “You can try it now,” he told her.

  “I’ve been thinking that since you are at my place most of the time—why don’t you move in?” Sage wiped her mouth on the edge of her napkin. “It’s just a thought.”

  “I appreciate the offer,” he told her. “Sage, I love you, and as much as I enjoy waking up with you, I think it’s too soon for me to move in. The truth is that I would rather wait until we had a more permanent union.”

  “Permanent…like marriage?”

  Ryan met her gaze. “You seem surprised. Sage, I am not dating you just because. I would like to have a future with you. At least, I’m assuming that we are both thinking along those lines.”

  “Definitely,” she responded. “I do want to get married.”

  “Just a few short months ago, the last thing on my mind was getting married. It was not in any of my future plans, but you changed that, as well.”

  * * *

  After dinner, they returned to the penthouse.

  When they entered the master bedroom, Sage turned around to face Ryan. She kissed him, her curves molding to the contours of his body. He savored the warmth of her kiss, leaving him burning with fire and sending his body in a wild swirl.

  She kissed him hungrily.

  “Sage…I love you so much.”

  The anguish she heard in his voice caught Sage unaware. The love they shared was passionate and intense. They were a part of each other.

  For a brief moment, she silently considered, How can I ever give my heart to another man if my relationship with Ryan does not work out?

  She did not want to ruin the moment, so she forced the thought to the back of her mind. Right now, all Sage wanted to do was give herself to Ryan, mind, body and soul.

  * * *

  Sage and Ryan strolled into the private dining room of Le Magnifique for a family dinner. Several guests had come into town a few days early for Ari and Natasha’s wedding on Saturday. Her younger siblings, Zaire and Kellen, had arrived earlier in the day, and Sage could not wait to see them. She hated that they were three thousand miles away. She was used to seeing them at her parents’ home on the weekends when they were in Georgia.

  She broke into a grin when she spied her sister across the room with their father. Taking Ryan by the hand, she said, “I want to introduce you to my sister.” Sage led him over to where her father and Zaire stood.

  “Zaire, I’d like you to meet Ryan,” she said, making the introductions.

  Her sister smiled. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Zaire glanced at Sage and then added, “He’s cuter than you said.”

  “Zaire, he can hear you,” Sage uttered. She gave Ryan a tiny smile in embarrassment.

  They were soon joined by Kellen, who introduced himself to Ryan without preamble.

  The two men shook hands.

  Kellen embraced Sage. “You look beautiful, sis.”

  “Thanks. You look quite handsome yourself.”

  “You sound surprised,” he responded with a grin. “You know how I do.”

  Sage shook her head. “Kellen, you will never change.”

  “Why should I?” he responded. “I’m perfection.”

  Zaire groaned while Sage pretended to gag.

  “I love the closeness that you share with your family,” Ryan told her as they settled down in the family room.

  Sage raised her eyes to his. “Ryan, are you close to your family? You never really talk about them.”

  He shook his head no. “The only time we really get together is when there is a death in the family. We always talk about getting together, but it never happens.”

  “I guess someone in your family needs to make the first move,” Sage suggested. “You know…to get together.”

  Ryan seemed to consider her words. “You may be right. We’ve all been waiting on that person to initiate the gathering. In the end, no one has done anything about it.”

  “You could be that person,” Sage suggested.

  He gave a slight nod. “You’re right.”

  Standing beside Ryan, Sage openly admired him. He stood tall and regal, looking very handsome in a black tux that embraced his body as if it had been designed just for him. It was hard to believe that he was the same man who was homeless just a few short months ago.

  There was no doubt in Sage’s mind that Ryan was the best-looking man in the restaurant. She wove her fingers through his, a warm contrast against the coolness of his copper-colored skin. Sage realized with certain clarity that she loved Ryan more than life itself and never tired of looking at him.

  Zaire strolled toward them. “Ryan, do you mind if I borrow my sister for a moment?”

  He smiled. “Not at all.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Sage promised.

  “He’s very handsome,” Zaire told her sister. “And you are glowing up something. I thought Natasha was supposed to be the one walking on clouds. Well, she isn’t alone.”

  Sage chuckled. “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re in love with Ryan,” Zaire announced. “Girl, it’s written all over that face of yours.”

  “Really?”

  Zaire nodded. “I’m happy for you, sis.”

  “Thank you,” Sage murmured.

  They embraced.

  Sage glanced over her shoulder to where Ryan and her father stood. They appeared to be engaged in deep conversation.

  Turning around to face Zaire, she asked, “Do you think I need to rescue Ryan?”

  Her sister shook her head no. “He looks like he can handle himself just fine. Besides, Daddy likes him a lot. Everyone has nothing but good things to say about Ryan. Sage, you have nothing to worry about.”

  Sage broke into a grin. “Zaire, you’re absolutely right. I don’t have a thing to worry about where Ryan is concerned.”

  She spotted Meredith at the door and walked over to greet her. “I’m so glad you came.”

  “Dale came with me. He wanted to meet everyone.”

  Sage’s
mouth dropped open in surprise. “Really?”

  Meredith nodded. “He went to the men’s room, but he’ll be right back.”

  Dale joined them, and Meredith introduced him to Sage.

  “I’ll introduce you to the family,” she told them.

  Ryan stood back and watched Sage as she went around the room with Meredith DePaul and her fiancé. He was impressed with the way that she had set aside her own feelings and given Meredith a chance to prove herself.

  She was the angel of second chances, he decided.

  My sweet angel.

  “What are you doing over here by yourself?” Zaire asked. “Are you having a nice time?”

  He nodded. “I am. I have to confess that I am a people watcher. I tend to stay in the background.”

  “I’m glad. I was hoping my family hadn’t run you away with a million questions.”

  Ryan laughed. “They haven’t. Actually, they really haven’t asked me anything outside of my intentions toward Sage.”

  “We’re very protective of one another.”

  “I can see that.”

  “However, we do not interfere in each other’s relationships—at least we try not to do it.”

  “It’s clear that you all have accepted Natasha into your family.”

  Zaire nodded. “Ari loves her, and she loves him. I want him to be happy. I want the same thing for Sage.”

  Ryan nodded in understanding.

  “I’m going to see if I can rescue your girlfriend. It will give me a chance to get to know Meredith. Sage is way more forgiving than I am, but she is usually right about people, so I’m going to trust her instincts.”

  “Meredith is good people,” Ryan told her. “She really wants to get to know this side of her family. She’s not like the rest of the DePauls.”

  “I’m willing to give her a chance,” Zaire said. “But I won’t withdraw caution until I’m a hundred percent sure that she isn’t trying to play us.”

  “Zaire, I’ve told you that Meredith is nothing like her brother,” Sage said as she joined them.

  “I said I’ll give her a chance, and I mean it.”

  Sage glanced over her shoulder to where Meredith was sitting with Dale. “You’re going to like her.”