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“Daddy— mmph— Daddy… fuck…”
She collapsed onto his chest, both of them breathing hard, hearts hammering against each other. His release was sticky and warm between their bellies, and Sage let out a breathless little laugh because she liked it. Liked the mess. Liked belonging to him like this.
Cal’s strong arms came around her slowly, one big hand stroking up and down her back while the other cradled the back of her head. He pressed a soft kiss to her hair.
Morning chickadees sang outside their window. Their heartbeats gradually slowed, syncing in the quiet golden light.
After a long, lazy moment Sage murmured against his chest, “Baby?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
She lifted her head and smiled up at him—cheeks flushed, eyes shining. “You definitely need to sleep in more often.”
Cal laughed, deep and warm, and hugged her tighter. “I’ll see what I can do, love.”
Sage snuggled back down, cheek pressed to his chest, tracing lazy circles through the mess they’d made while the sun climbed higher and the world outside stayed far, far away.
39
CAL
Cal leaned back in his chair at the big rustic table, a quiet smile playing at the corner of his mouth as he watched Sage move through the sun-drenched kitchen.
Late-morning light poured through the tall windows, turning everything soft and golden. Sage wore nothing but his oversized flannel shirt, the worn plaid brushing the backs of her thick thighs and barely containing the sway of her full hips. Every time she reached for something, the hem rode up just enough to tease the curve of her bare ass. Her heavy breasts moved freely beneath the soft fabric, nipples occasionally brushing the inside of the shirt and making the material shift in the most distracting way.
The kitchen smelled like childhood memories they both should have had; crispy bacon sizzling in the cast-iron pan, perfectly fried sunny-side-up eggs with edges just turning lacy, golden hash browns crackling, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and his own mug of dark, spiced hot chocolate steaming gently in front of him.
“Okay, walk me through this again,” she said, voice warm with amusement. “We’re going camping somewhere near here because you need to show me something?”
Cal smiled at her with his boyish grin. “Yeah. Pretty much.”
She grumbled something under her breath about “mountain men and sleeping outside,” but the way her hips rolled as she moved made it sound more like foreplay than complaint.
They’d left their bed much later than usual. While she’d taken a long, decadent shower, he’d gone out for his cold plunge and training. Now he sat in just worn jeans and a tight white thermal that clung to his chest and shoulders, watching her hum softly as she cooked.
Sage paused, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hey… what’s the deal with the hot chocolate?”
Cal rubbed the back of his neck, a little sheepish. “That’s actually a long story, princess.”
Before she could press, he continued, “Michael’s housekeeper and cook got me hooked on it when I first got out of government work. It helped calm me down. Been a habit ever since.”
Sage turned toward him, curious blue eyes soft. “I see.”
Cal laughed quietly. “You probably don’t. But over the next couple months, I’m gonna slowly tell you everything.”
The words settled between them.
I’m going to tell her everything?
He took a deep breath.
Yeah. I am. I don’t want to hide anything from her. I trust her. I trust us.
Sage’s expression turned serious as she studied him. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” he said softly, cutting her off. He stared down at the mug in his hands while sunlight streamed through the windows, catching on the tree line outside. Brutus was chasing chickens again, a massive shaggy blur barreling through the snow.
It was quiet for a moment—just the sizzle of bacon and the low hum of the fridge. Cal looked up at her, raw vulnerability in his eyes. “I’ll never do it again. I’m never gonna hurt you. You’re the most important thing that I…” His voice trailed off as his eyes watered.
