“Ooh! Those are good ones!” she replied, peering over his shoulder so that she could check on Minx and Xena, who refused to leave her side. They had been lying beside her while she reorganized Arik’s office supplies. But now they stood up, watching intently.
“What did you do my desk?” he demanded, his voice low and gravely.
Sage smiled, sliding her hands over his chest. “Did I mention how heroic you looked when you busted through the door earlier?”
He rolled his eyes. “Not that you needed my help.” He took her hand, grabbed the leashes, then nudged her towards the exit. “See you tomorrow,” he called to Simon, who was leading Jade out through another exit.
“I needed your help,” she pointed out, wanting to reassure him.
He didn’t comment. Instead, he led her to the parking lot, then lifted her into the passenger seat. He opened the back door and let Xena jump up, then reached down and, without even a sigh, put Minx into his pet harness. When everyone was strapped in, he started the engine and headed to his apartment.
Once inside, he released the dogs, both of whom raced across the room to jump onto his leather sofa, sighing contentedly now that their humans were safe.
Finally, Arik looked down at Sage with a look in his eyes that told her that he wasn’t in the mood for shenanigans. “I need you naked,” he snapped, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. But he didn’t do anything to make that happen. Sage understood. He needed a moment to stop thinking about this afternoon. She needed it too. It was still too fresh in her mind, the way Jade had hit the floor, the bruise on the side of her face. Thankfully, the doctor announced she didn’t have a concussion, but Sage still closed her eyes, trying hard not to think about the hit.
“I need a beer,” he decided and turned toward the kitchen.
“You’re out of beer,” Sage announced, then moved to scratch the dogs, checked that they both had food and water, then she quietly stripped off her clothes. “I need you, Arik.”
Arik slammed the refrigerator door closed, staring intently at Sage. For a long moment, he simply stood there, looking at her. His eyes moved up and down, lingering in certain places as he took in everything. “You’re beautiful, Sage,” he growled.
She smiled invitingly. That was all the invitation Arik needed. He pulled her into his arms and make love to her until they were breathless! It was one of those life affirming, spiritual, crazy and wonderful moments that they’d look back on and smile about in fifty or sixty years.
For a long time after that, Sage slept and Arik held her in his arms. Around midnight, he pulled away, slipped quietly out of his bedroom and…
Tripped over the sofa. “What the hell?” he muttered, then pursed his lips, not wanting to wake Sage. The dim glow of the moon warned him that his sofa was in the wrong place. Why the hell was his sofa moved against his bookcase?
Minx and Xena woke up and followed him, their tails wagging happily. “You were amazing today,” he praised them, as they tried their best to lick every inch of his face. “Tomorrow, you two are getting the biggest bones I can find!”
With both dogs trailing behind him, Arik opened the fridge and pulled out a can of beer but…oddly enough, it was empty. “What in the world?” He frowned at it for a long moment, confused. The top was still intact, but the can was obviously empty. Had the store sold him a bum beer?
He grabbed another, but it was empty too. He was baffled. The top hadn’t been opened on this one either. Unfortunately, he wasn’t thinking clearly yet, still too freaked out about the events of the day. Seeing Sage in pain, knowing that he and Simon might have been too late, he just…he couldn’t get it out of his head.
“You okay?” Sage asked. She wore one of his shirts, and nothing else, and she had never looked hotter.
“I should be asking you that,” he replied, pulling her close. He was still naked, assuming that he would make love to Sage again some time tonight. Why put clothes on when he desperately needed the comfort of her skin against his?
“I’m fine,” she grinned. “Actually, I’m more than fine. I feel…” she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. “Empowered actually.”
“How so?”
“Well, my father was always a jerk to me and Jade, but today he showed his true colors. For the past few weeks, I’ve been debating how I should handle the holidays. I mean,” she shrugged slightly, “I’ve always spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with my father and Jade. But those events have always been miserable, tense holiday periods. Still, I worried about how to handle things since I really didn’t want to spend the holidays with my father.”
“Why the hell would that even be an option?”
“Because up until now, he’s been hinting that he’d be all alone for the holidays and wondering what my plans were.”
He grunted. “Well, he has plans now,” he said. “I know the judge, and I doubt your father or your ex-husband will be allowed bail. They are from out of state, wealthy, and a significant flight risk. Plus the evidence against them is pretty substantial.”
“Good.” She pressed her cheek against his chest again. “Thank you for convincing me to get Xena and Minx. They were wonderfully brave.”
Another grunt, then she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. “I can’t believe I left you here alone, Sage!”
She smiled up at him. “You were here when it was important,” she replied.
“Marry
