Chapter Thirteen
“HURRY!” SALLY SAID the next morning as she and Gage rushed around the hotel room stuffing their belongings into their bags. They’d stayed up so late fooling around, they’d overslept and were in danger of missing their flight.
Gage threw the covers back, making a final sweep of the sheets. A wicked grin spread across his face as he snagged something from the bed, dangling her pink panties from his fingertips. “My favorites.”
Sally rolled her eyes, and he stuffed them into his bag and grabbed the framed wedding photo. She took it from his hands and wrapped it in one of her sweaters, packing it carefully.
“Do you have the baby gifts we bought?”
He lifted his suitcase. “Right here.”
“Then I think we’re ready.” Her eyes sailed over the room one last time. And she was once again hit by the magnitude of what he’d done for her. Planned their honeymoon, found a cheesy room with a lighted headboard, and even a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, while she’d been too caught up in their relations, their love—everything—to think ahead. She looked at her handsome husband, so patient and loving and loaded down with luggage, and she couldn’t stop smiling. She took his face between her hands and kissed him.
“Thank you for an incredible honeymoon.”
“You can thank me properly when we get home. Twice.” He gave her a quick kiss and headed for the door. “That is, if we make it to our plane on time.”
“Wait!” Sally ran back to the chaise lounge, grabbed the Naughty Sex Guide, and stuffed it in her purse.
Gage chuckled.
“What? You know you want it.” She hiked her purse over her shoulder as she reconsidered joining the mile-high club. “Do you have our ornament?”
“Yup. Let’s go, my beautiful bird.”
My beautiful bird. She looked forward to hearing that for the rest of her life. “This has been so fun,” she said as they left the room. “Maybe cheesy should be our thing.”
“Everything should be our thing.”
Gage drove fast but carefully toward the airport, but there was an accident on the highway and they missed their flight. Neither of them minded the delay, because even time spent sitting in an airport was extra time together. Several hours later, they finally boarded the plane. Gage laced their hands together and pressed a kiss to the back of Sally’s. She inhaled deeply, feeling as though she were breathing for the first time that day.
“You okay, bird?”
“Yeah.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “So much has changed, but we’re the only ones who know it.”
“For now. That’ll change in a few weeks when we see Rusty.” He brushed his thumb over her ring finger. “What kind of engagement ring and wedding band do you want?”
“I don’t know. I liked our inked rings.”
“Tattooed rings work for me. I’m not picky. I just want rings on our fingers so the whole world knows we’re all in.” He kissed her ring finger and said, “I actually hope to wear my grandfather’s ring.”
“The one who taught you about sports?” Over the years, Gage had told her many stories about going to sporting events with his grandfather and learning all about scoring and positions and being a team player.
“The one and only Trenton Theodore Ryder. He taught me about sports, and before he died he told me that the only goal that really matters in life is loving a woman so completely that she can’t wait to come home to you.”
“That explains why your family is so loving. Good roots.”
The plane taxied down the runway.
“I think I’ll text Rusty real quick and let him know we’re heading back home.” She sent him a quick text. Heading back to Colorado. Did you decide on the Jeep?
Gage eyed her phone and took out his, showing her a text from Rusty. Thanks for warning me about the inspection. The Jeep I wanted needed $1500 of repairs. I’m looking at another one next week. Taking the bus blows.
“At least he’s taking your advice.” She put away her phone, wondering why Rusty hadn’t texted her. “It’s weird being a mother to a twenty-year-old. When he first went away to college, it seemed like he called me for everything.”
“He did. I remember him calling to tell you about parties he’d gone to and you worrying about whether you should worry or not.”
She smiled, remembering those calls. She did worry. “I still worry about whether I’m worrying enough. I’m just not used to finding out things about him secondhand, I guess. I know it’s normal to ask a man about stuff like cars, but still. It’s like I’ve passed an invisible baton I don’t remember releasing.”
“At least you’re not passing it to a stranger.”
Takeoff was uneventful and when they turned off the seat belt signs, Sally whispered in Gage’s ear, “Your honeymoon present will be waiting for you in the bathroom.” She rose to her feet, enjoying the shock rising in his eyes.
She headed down the aisle with her heart beating so hard she was sure everyone heard it—and knew exactly why she was so nervous. Could they see it on her face? Did she look guilty? She stepped into the tiny lavatory and surveyed the confined space. It smelled like urine and cleaning products. Not a sexy combination. She flipped the top of the toilet down with the toe of her shoe. The door opened behind her and she moved back, straddling the toilet, giving Gage room to step in. He closed the door behind him and hauled her against him.
Her anxiety tumbled out. “Did anyone see you? Do they know we’re both in here?”
“I’m pretty sure everyone saw me walk past.” He lowered his mouth to hers, their bodies mashed together in the tight quarters.
“Then they know?”
He grinned. “All they know is that I went into one of the bathrooms, but if you don’t keep it down, they’ll know the rest.”
Their mouths came together, and she willed herself not to think about the rest of the passengers. Gage made it easy. His hands explored, bringing her every nerve to the surface, and he kissed her sensually as he worked the button on her jeans free. She backed into the counter, giving them more space as she fumbled with his zipper, and they both dropped their pants. Turbulence sent Sally flying into him, and he stumbled backward, falling onto his ass on the toilet lid with Sally leaning over him, laughing. He ground his teeth together.
“Christ.” He pushed to his feet, and in one quick move he lifted her up and set her on the sink. She braced herself with both hands, wondering why anyone would want to join this club in the first place. She had boots on, and there was no way they were coming off. With a look of fierce determination, he tugged her pants down to her ankles and pushed her knees apart.
“Condom,” she whispered urgently.
“Fuck.” He bent to grab his wallet from his pocket and hit his forehead on the edge of the sink. “Mother fu—”
“Are you okay?” came out with another laugh. She couldn’t help it. The whole thing was preposterous. Why did she think this would be a gift? It was like the gift from hell for him.
“Fine.” He tore open the condom and rolled it on.
She swallowed her laughter and cradled his face in her hands. “I’m so sorry. We don’t have to do this.”
“Oh, we are doing this. I will not let you down, beautiful girl.”
His arm circled her waist and he aligned their bodies as his mouth descended on hers, and they came together. Sally wanted her legs around his waist, but they were trapped at the ankles, making their lovemaking rough and even more exciting because they had to angle their bodies and fight for deep penetration. When the plane lurched, Gage clung to Sally, bracing them both with one strong arm against the edge of the counter.
“You okay?” he asked quickly.
The plane bounced and lurched, and the seat belt light came on.
“Yeah. Hurry.”
Gage picked up his pace, thrusting faster, holding her tight, using his powerful legs to steady them against the careening plane. Seconds later he was grunting out her name, his body shuddering as he came.
“Welcome to the mile-high club, sweetheart.” His devilish grin made the whole thing worthwhile.
The plane lurched and tilted. A knock sounded at the door seconds before it swung open, hitting Gage in the ass. He used his body to block Sally from the intruder.
A gasp. “Sir!”
Sally peered over his shoulder at the flight attendant, who looked as mortified as she felt. She rested her forehead on Gage’s shoulder and he put his hand on the back of her head.
“Shit.” Gage used his foot to try to kick the door closed.
“This is not allowed,” the attendant snapped, her eyes shielded by her hand. “You need to return to your seats immediately.”
“Shut the door and we’ll return to our seats,” he growled.
She closed the door, and Sally’s breath rushed from her lungs. “Did you forget to lock the door?”
“Shit. I don’t know. I guess.” He took care of the condom and helped her from the counter, both of them scrambling to get cleaned up and dressed, bumping shoulders and elbows while Miss Back to Your Seat was probably standing outside the door tapping her foot.
“Everyone knows!” Sally said as she buttoned her jeans.
“No one knows. Just be cool about it. Who cares what anyone else thinks anyway?” He lifted her chin and kissed her. “I adore you. That’s all that should matter.”
Maybe so, but when they left the bathroom, a twentysomething guy eyed her up and down with a knowing grin, and when Gage passed he said, “Welcome to the mile-high club, dude.”
So much for acting cool…
THEY STOPPED FOR dinner on the way back to Allure, and as they walked back to the car, it dawned on Sally that this would be the last time they could be openly affectionate in public until they told Rusty about their relationship. The pit of her stomach knotted.
She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and said, “I need you to kiss me right here, right now.”
In the next breath she was in his arms, melting against him as he made all the unsettled pieces of her come back together.
“I’m going to miss having the freedom to do that whenever I want.”
“Me too, bird. But soon we’ll be free to do it for the rest of our lives.”
Only a few more weeks, played in Sally’s head like a mantra as Gage drove through Allure traffic. Their small town was overwhelmed with tourists in the winter.
“I’m so glad I live in the mountains,” Gage said. “I don’t know how anyone stands this traffic on a daily basis.”
Sally loved Gage’s private mountaintop oasis. He lived on five wooded acres, with a big, gorgeous barn and a rustic four-bedroom stone and wood home that was built partially into a hill and looked like it had sprouted from the earth. The wide-planked hardwood floors, heavy wooden furniture, and stone fireplace made the house feel rugged and stable, like the man who owned it.
Gage squeezed her hand and turned off the main road toward her house. “Time away from this traffic is something to consider while we figure out where we should live.”
“Where we should live? I’m still trying to figure out how to tell Rusty we’re married. Have you thought any more about the idea of telling him we’re dating?”
He turned down Sally’s street and parked in front of her house, his expression serious. “For how long, Sal? Are we supposed to stay at separate houses until we’re married? Do we tell him we’re dating and then suddenly get married a week later? Isn’t it better to tell him the truth and let him deal with it all at once?”
“I don’t know. He lost his father, and he—”
“Baby,” he said compassionately, although also with a bite of irritation. “That was years ago.”
“Yes, but still.” She looked at the modest ranch-style house she and Dave had rented when she was pregnant, and purchased a few years later. It was the only home Rusty had ever known and the place she’d lived since she was eighteen years old.
“I didn’t think this through,” she said more to herself than to Gage. “How will Rusty feel about you sleeping in the house? This is the only home he has ever known, and in his mind, it’s…” She grasped for words that wouldn’t minimize her relationship with Gage but would clearly describe how difficult this might be for Rusty.
“It’s the house where he probably still sees his father walking in the door. I get it, Sal. Don’t you think I have the same reservations about how I’ll feel being with you in that house? How you’ll feel? That’s why I think we should live at my place, where the past won’t be a problem.”
“And just uproot Rusty’s whole world like that?” She opened the car door, needing air. “That seems harsh, and would probably make things worse.” She stepped from the car and paced.
He came around and reached for her, but she turned away. “Baby, he’s twenty, not five. He’s got a whole life, a job, an apartment, and friends out in Harborside. He’s hardly ever here.”
“But this is still his home, Gage, regardless of how often he comes back from school.” Her heart was being pulled in two different directions.
“And what about you, baby?” Gage asked solemnly. “Where do you want your home to be?”
Blinking against tears of frustration, she looked up at the house, memories flooding her. She shifted her gaze to Gage, and the last few days came slamming into her. “I don’t know. That’s an unfair question. I want my home to be wherever you are and where Rusty is when he comes back, but…” She glanced at the house again. “It’s also here, until I know it’s okay for it not to be.”
He pushed his hand through his hair, his jaw clenched tight. Without a word, he opened the trunk, unloaded her bags, and carried them to the front door.
“You’re mad?” Duh? Wouldn’t I be?
“No, Sal. I’m not mad. I’m just trying to figure out where we go from here. It sounds like we’re on hold until we see Rusty. I’m tempted to get back on a fucking plane and head out to Harborside to get this over with.”
She sank down to the front step with a heavy heart. “Why does it hurt to hear you say it that way? ‘Get this over with.’”
“Because you’re hearing my frustration. Do you think I want to spend one night apart from you? What if Rusty’s not cool with this? Then what? Do we back off?” He sat beside her and pulled her close, pressing his lips to the side of her head. “I’m sorry. I guess we’re both realizing we have a lot to figure out.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I thought telling Rusty would be the hard part, but until we see him, what do we tell our friends? Where do we sleep? I honestly don’t know how I’ll feel sleeping with you here. Maybe I should have realized that before, but I was so swept up in us, half the time I couldn’t think clearly. I still can’t.”
“I know, babe.” He dried her tears with the pad of his thumb. “What do we tell our friends? Nothing. You said you don’t want anyone to know until Rusty does, and I respect that.”
“Doesn’t that upset you?”
“I’m not a saint. Of course I’m upset, and a little hurt. But that makes me sound like a selfish pansy, so I’ll never admit it again.”
“No, it doesn’t.” She reached for his hand. “It makes you sound like a normal guy whose new wife is a head case.”
“Then figuring out our living arrangements should be easy.” A playful grin lifted his lips. “I can visit you at the insane asylum on a regular basis.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Seriously, what should we do? How do we go from spending every night together to living separate lives?”
“You can stay at my place, bird. Rusty will never know, and if anyone stops by, they know we’re close friends. It won’t strike them as odd if you’re there.”
“Maybe. I feel…” Scared to death. How did a person just walk away from their home of twenty-plus years? “Out of sorts. I think I need to stay here tonight and get my bearings and a good night’s sleep. Hopefully it will all be clearer in the morning.”
GAGE KNEW COMING home wasn’t going to be an easy transition, but he hadn’t expected to see so much hurt in Sally’s eyes when he suggested they consider living in his house. He drove straight to the gym to try to work off his frustrations, but a six-mile run on the indoor track barely took the edge off. Seeing an unfamiliar truck in his driveway and the lights on in his house brought his frustrations to the surface again. He jogged around to the back window and peered inside. His youngest brother, Jake, was sitting on his couch drinking a beer with his feet up on the coffee table. Jake stopped by unannounced so often, he had his own key. As relieved as Gage was not to have to beat the hell out of an intruder, he wasn’t in the mood for company. He threw open the kitchen door and Jake rose to his feet.
“Bro!” Jake closed the distance between them, arms open. “How was your trip?”
Gage embraced him. “Pretty damn good.” Until we got home. “What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t you get my message? I got called on a mountain rescue about two hours from here yesterday. We found the woman and her son late last night.” Jake had followed in their father’s footsteps as a search and rescue professional. “I thought we could hang out before I go back home tomorrow.”
“I’m glad the rescue was successful, but I never saw the message. How’s Addy?” Jake’s fiancée, Addison Dahl, worked for Duke’s wife, Gabriella, as a paralegal, and she was also training to do search and rescue.
“As hot as ever,” Jake said cockily.
“I’m glad you’re here.” It’ll keep me from driving over to Sally’s. “Let me grab my luggage. I’ll be right back.”
Outside, Gage sent a quick text to Sally. Miss you already. You sure you don’t want to come over? He didn’t care that Jake was there. Even if he couldn’t own up to the relationship, just having her in the house would feel better than the empty miles between them.
He grabbed his bags and carried them inside. Jake followed him into the laundry room, where Gage began pulling out his dirty clothes. Jake reached into the suitcase and picked up Sally’s underwear.
“Dude. You and Sally finally hooked up?”
Gage grabbed them from him and ground his teeth together. He wasn’t about to breach Sally’s trust and tell his no-filter brother about their relationship. “No.”
“No? You have some random chick’s underwear?” He watched Gage throw them in the washing machine. “And you’re washing them?”
“Christ, Jake.” He grabbed the panties and tossed them in the trash, then went back to tossing his dirty clothes into the washer.
“Dude,” Jake said sternly. “You and Sally are meant to be together. What are you doing sleeping around?”
“Leave it alone, Jake.” He threw another shirt into the washer.
“No, I won’t leave it alone,” Jake seethed. “What the hell is wrong with you? I get that you need to get laid, but you were traveling with Sally. Does she know? Because I’m pretty sure if she does, you’ve just blown any chance you had with her.”
Shut the fuck up. “Says the guy who saw Addy all the time and still left bars with other women.” He threw the rest of his laundry in the washer and grabbed the detergent bottle, wanting to throw it against the damn wall. He was this close to losing his shit.
Jake got right in his face, his eyes as angry as Gage had ever seen them. “I never hooked up with another woman once I knew it was Addy I wanted. You know it’s Sally for you. She’s it. Shit, it’s been Sally for years.”
“Back off, little brother. I’m not in the mood for this.” Gage’s chest constricted. Yeah, he’d known for years, and now she was his fucking wife, but here he was at a separate house feeling like he was second fiddle, which was really messed up. It was totally reasonable that she needed time to wrap her head around their situation and all that came with it. He had no business feeling anything but supportive. But hell if that came easily—especially when he had Jake breathing down his neck.
Jake held his ground. “I’m not going to back off and let you fuck up your life.”
Gage didn’t know what was worse, trying to keep a secret from his brother who was trying to protect the woman Gage loved, or the look in Sally’s eyes when she said she needed to stay at her place and find her bearings. Hurt and anger tore at his gut. What if Sally decided she’d made a mistake? What if she’d thought she was over Dave, but now that she was facing reality—a bigger reality than just wanting another man—she couldn’t make the break?
“I’m not kidding, Jake. I’m not in the mood for this bullshit.”
“Bullshit? Gage, we’re talking about Sally. How could you hurt her like that?”
Gage grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. All the emotions of the past week came racing forward. “It was her, you idiot. That underwear was hers. But goddamn it—” He released Jake and stalked out of the laundry room, rubbing the knot at the base of his neck. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a long swig. “I need you to keep this between the two of us. Sally doesn’t want anyone to know until we have time to talk to Rusty.”
Jake stood between the kitchen and living room, arms crossed against his broad chest, with a cocky, know-it-all grin on his face.
“Stop looking at me like that.” Gage pushed past him and dropped to the couch.
“This grin is not going anywhere, bro.” He sat in the leather recliner and leaned forward, elbows on knees. “So…?”
“If you think I’m dishing on Sally in bed, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Jake laughed. “I don’t want those details. I’m sure after all these years the sex was amazing, but what’s got your nuts in a knot?”
Gage took another pull of his beer, unwilling to divulge their marriage or the complications that went along with it. He shouldn’t have even told Jake they’d gotten together, but hell, it was too late now.
“Gage?”
The worried look in his brother’s eyes took his anger down a notch.
“It’s complicated,” he finally said.
“Aren’t all women? Shit, that’s why we love them. If they were easy, we’d get bored, right?” Jake sat back and clasped his hands behind his head. “Addy’s got me tied in knots half the time. She’s got a goddamn stubborn streak a mile long. Sometimes it’s all I can do to stare at her and wonder what’s going on in that gorgeous head of hers, but damn, man. Those times are just as awesome as when we’re in sync.”
“I know what’s going on in Sally’s head.” His phone vibrated and he pulled it from his pocket. Sally. Hope swelled inside him as he read her text. I miss you, too, but I need to figure out how I feel about this house before we see Rusty. Danica called. I’m meeting her and the girls for breakfast before work tomorrow. Are you okay?
“Is that from her?”
“Yeah.” Gage read the text again. She didn’t say anything about not being able to face her feelings. That had to be good. Wishing he could barrel into her house, sweep her off her feet like a caveman, and carry her back to his place, he sent her a reply. Have fun with the girls. I’m fine. Jake came by after a rescue. He’s here for the night. Otherwise I’d be on your doorstep. I’m here if you need me. Love you, bird. Always.
“Want to tell me what’s going on and why you’re not with her right now?” Jake asked.
Gage’s phone vibrated with Sally’s reply. Tell Jake I said hello and have fun with him. Love you too was followed by an emoji of a kissy face and two hearts. He set his phone on the table and felt himself smiling.
“I guess that means all is well again?”
“Getting there, but it’s going to take time.” Gage had thought that once they told Rusty, they’d move forward as a married couple and begin their lives together. But now he wondered if he had it all wrong. Maybe it wasn’t Rusty who needed Gage and Sally to date, then get engaged, and eventually get married. Maybe it was Sally.
“Why?” Jake pushed. “What’s the holdup?”
“Remember what Dad said to you about Addy when you didn’t want to let her go on that camping trip alone after you two got together?” Right after Jake and Addy had spent their first weekend together, Addy had gone on a camping trip in the mountains and Jake had just about lost his mind.
“How could I ever forget? He told me if I caged her in, I was liable to get bitten.”
“I’m starting to wonder if that might be the case with Sally, too.”