Just like she had known her mother had medical problems.

Sage walked to the toilet and opened the lid, then poured every damn one of those pills in and flushed, leaving the empty bottle and the manila envelope on the counter in plain view.

With her head held high, she left her family’s house and drove straight home to wait for Joaquin.

Chapter Nine

Sage tackled Joaquin as he walked in the front door. He caught her up in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed, between kisses. “I’m so thankful and grateful and happy you’re alive; you’re healthy and home.”

He kissed her back, murmuring, “Stop it. We were both young and dumb. Well, you were. I was most recently dumb.”

A small bit of laughter escaped her lips and he drank it in. He only wanted laughter or happy tears with Sage.

“I forgive you,” she said, leaning back in his arms. “I should have known it was you in those last letters, but I was too stupid to realize it and the handwriting threw me off.”

“I had to improve my penmanship during officer school,” he teased, sitting on the sofa with her. She laid her head on his shoulder and he closed his eyes, sending up a prayer of thanks. “Got hazed for my chicken scratch.”

“Come to bed with me, Joaquin.”

His cock stood at attention with that softly uttered command, but his brain made him say no. He wasn’t sure what had changed her mind, but he couldn’t have sex with her, only for things to fall apart when or if her parents or his decided to go against them.

“We should wait.” He kissed the top of her head. “Let’s decorate instead.”

“Are you turning down sex?” Disbelief colored her words. “I thought it had been a while for you.”

“Oh it’s been longer than a while.”

Sage jerked up. “How long?”

“Since June twenty-second, two-thousand and—”

“Not since our wedding night?” Her eyes were round and full of hope.

Hope was so his friend right now.

“That so hard to believe?” He cupped her face. “We were still married and once I make a promise, I keep it. Although I will admit there were times I wanted to break that promise. Luckily, I got Rosie and her five sisters with me at all times.” He waved one of his hands at her.

Her brows drew together, then understanding dawned. “Ooooh.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t take care of business.”

“I prefer to call it my happy time.”

“You would.” He snorted. “Wish I could have seen you do it.”

Glancing away, she nibbled on her bottom lip. “Maybe tonight.”

Oh yeah, that would be perfect. Then she ground her sweet ass into his dick. “You’re killing me,” he groaned.

Her fingers tiptoed their way down to his zipper. “I can make it better.”

He grabbed her wrist. “No.”

She blinked. “No?”

“We need to talk first, spend some time together and—” She ran her free hand under and up his shirt, caressing his chest. He swallowed a moan. “Take things slow.”

“Like this afternoon?” Her tongue touched the base of his neck and he struggled to keep his hands from going to the hem of her sweater.

“About that,” he began.

“I’m all about that, Joaquin.” She kissed her way up his neck, then bit down on his earlobe, nibbling and sucking. “Let go of my wrist.” Taking a deep breath, he did as she asked and placed his hands on each side of her waist. She dropped back a little, looking him in the eyes. “Did you ever come back here, after you left?”

He nodded. “I drove up from Georgia the very minute I was able.” It had rained the duration of his ten hour trip. By the time he’d arrived at Sage’s house and she still hadn’t answered his calls or texts he had sent at every stop sign or light, he’d been pissed off and unreasonable. “Your mother wouldn’t let me in and she said you didn’t want to see me.” Hating the words that had damned her mother, he continued, “I sent you letters and called you every damn chance I got. Even after Virginia sent me away and I got stationed at Ft. Hood, I kept writing and calling, until, well, that day.” Hoping and praying that Sage would tell him to come get her. When he had finally gotten her new number from his cousin, Roberto, and had called, Joaquin had been a first-rate ass to her.

“I didn’t get the letters or any of your calls while you were at boot camp and officer school.” She rubbed her temples. “I’ve told you this a million times. The first call I got from you was in November and we fought the entire time.”

“I know. Being served annulment papers tends to bring out the beast in me.” He titled his neck to one side, then the other. “Doesn’t excuse my behavior. You didn’t deserve to be talked to that way. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

“Thank you.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “I’m pretty sure my mom kept me from getting your letters, and she’s the one that dropped my phone in a tub full of water.” She laughed bitterly. “And I thought she was being so nice for once, buying me a new phone and offering to pay for it, even though I had to get a new number.”

“Then you got another new number.”

“Who kept giving you my number?”

“Your neighborhood hairdresser.”

Sage made a face. “He would.”

“Hey, Roberto can’t help but be a romantic. It’s the Latin in him.” Joaquin smiled sadly. “Your mom doesn’t want you to ever leave Holland Springs. She pitched a fit over you going to college an hour away from here.”

“Still, if I was adult enough to decide to get married, I should’ve acted like a married woman.”

“And I should have acted like a man, instead of a spoiled brat who didn’t get his way. It’s called communication and I’ve been studying up on it.”

She sighed, her curious fingers roaming beneath his shirt and touching his stomach. “I hate that it took a war to bring us back together.”

“I love being here with you.” He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight. “I love you Sage.”

This time when she kissed him, he didn’t stop her. He kissed her back, hungry and eager for the taste of her.

Time seemed to slow as he undressed Sage. He lowered her to the floor, in front of the fireplace, where her capable hands had started a fire. Staring at the lovely vision as firelight played on her perfect skin, he debated where to start first. His memories of this afternoon not even doing justice to the body laying before him, all lush curves. Everything about her was sexy and feminine, from her tiny hoop earrings to her red and green toe nails.

Now this was a homecoming every hot-blooded man should have with his wife.

“You have on too many clothes,” she complained, her nipples tightening to hard peaks that begged for his mouth.

Leaning over her, he licked one and blew on it. “Better this way. Gives me time to have some fun. Studying what you like and what makes you hot.” Her nipple tightened even more and he gave a low laugh. “You still like being talked to during sex.”

“It’s an acquired taste since you’d never shut up,” she said on a squeal. “I can’t believe you just bit me there!”

Stroking the side of her firm breast, he traced a lazy path down her body and stopped right where the thin strip of curls began. “How much do you want to bet that you liked me biting you there ?”

“You are so—” His fingers parted her and she bucked her hips. “So not fair,” she gasped.

Touching her with the tip of one finger, he found her sleek and hot. “And you are so damn wet.” He slid two fingers inside of her, briefly closing his eyes as her tight inner muscles clenched. “In exactly five minutes, I going to put my cock right here and make you scream.” Curling his fingers inside of her, Sage let out a moan. “Then I’m going to come inside of you, marking you.” His dick pressed hard against his fly. If he didn’t watch it, all of his talking would turn five minutes into five seconds. “But first, I need to do things right by you.”

Lowering his mouth, he tongued her clit and teased the delicate folds that were open to him. All hot pink and wet and tasting like heaven. He feasted on her, until all he could taste, see and breathe was Sage. Until she was wild and pulling at his head while moaning his name.

Unable to take much more, he tugged off his shirt and shucked off his jeans and boxer briefs, before settling himself between her thighs. Placing his elbows on either side of her, he cupped her face and kissed her with a gentleness that he did not remotely feel. “I have to ask. Are you on the pill?”

Her legs parted and she coasted her hands down his back as she answered, “Yes and I’ve been faithful to you, too.”

He didn’t deserve her, not for one damn second. Not for the way he’d left her behind. But he would take her forgiveness, her apologies and work on making the next sixty years worth taking another chance on him.

One of her hands guided his erection to her sex. He sealed his mouth over hers, plunging his tongue and cock inside of her. Her body jumped, hands clenching at his back and her tight warmth surrounding him. She felt beyond wonderful, beyond anything. Being inside of her with nothing between them was a first for him. Hell, being inside of anyone without a condom was a first for him.

Rolling his hips, he kissed and held her close. He whispered to her in Spanish and English all the reasons why he loved her. He wanted, he craved to do the right thing, to speak of love and the future, but the more he thrust inside of her, the less he thought and the more he felt. The more he concentrated on her breathy sighs and sexy moans.

She didn’t have to say a word when she talked like that.

“Just like that, baby. Move your hips.” He kissed her jaw. “I feel you tightening around me and you’re so fucking wet.” Sinking deep inside of her, he pulled a thigh over his arm. “Know you like this. I know how you like your legs on my shoulders and me pounding that sweet—” He groaned as her ankle hit his shoulder, opening her up to him in the most amazing of ways.

“I can’t take much more,” she moaned. “Please…I need you.”

Reaching between them, he found her clitoris, pressing down and rubbing it firmly. She screamed his name. He joined her, driving deep and hard until he saw stars and shouted her name.

Sweat trickled down his back as he lowered himself beside her and enveloped her in his arms. He kissed her nose and watched as her eyes drifted shut. Then he did the same, thinking he could die a happy man right about now.

Chapter Ten

Over the next six days, Sage existed in her very own happy bubble. Not even a snowstorm could pop it. Oh no, being snowed in with Joaquin was pure joy, consisting of hot showers, making love in every room in the house—including the kitchen table—and decorating their tree.

Their tree.

She smiled dreamily out the window, watching as Joaquin gathered more firewood from the woodpile outside. Suddenly, he turned her way and gestured for her to join him. Dressing as quickly as possible, she ran outside and jumped into his waiting arms. He spun her around until she threw back her head and smiled up at the sky.

“Wanna build a snowman?” he asked, setting her on her feet.

“How about a snow family?”

“Husband and wife?”

“Maybe a baby or two.”

“Or three or four.”

“No way!” Scooping up some snow, she threw it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest. “I’ll be fat and tired.”

Brushing off the snow, he flicked some back at her. “You’ll be beautiful. And I plan on helping with the kids.”

“I know.”

They worked together to make a snow family, complete with two kids and a snow dog.

“You can’t put the carrot there,” Sage said, pulling the carrot out of the bottom of the snowman and placing it on the face.

“But how will people know he’s the guy?”

“I think they’ll figure it out.”

Wrapping a scarf around the snow toddler, he asked, “How would you feel about my parents coming over tomorrow? I asked them to spend Christmas Day with us.”

“You did?” Usually she spent Christmas Eve and Day at her parents. In fact she had planned on Gage spending it with them, but now she didn’t want to spend Christmas with her parents. Heck, her dad had called two days ago to check on her, since Virginia had told him Sage hadn’t been herself since that Morales boy had gotten back.

It had been all Sage could do to not give her dad the real story. Instead she’d asked how Virginia was doing and if Charles was going to fry a turkey this year. They avoided the big question of whether or not Joaquin would be welcome at their house.

Sage still felt like a coward for not bringing it up.

“Guess I should have talked to you first, but—”

“No! Your parents are more than welcome to come over. Just…I usually spend Christmas at my parents, and this year”—She shrugged.—“I’m all up in the air with my plans.”

Catching her hand with his, he laced their fingers together as they walked back to the house. Their boots crunched in the snow as they walked. A stiff breeze lifted the hair sticking out of the bottom of her knit hat.

“Let me take care of dinner tonight. I’ll grill some steaks. You know, manly stuff involving fire.”

“Have at it. While you do that I’ll finish decorating Christmas cookies and wrapping presents.”