“I forgive you. I
love
you, Crimson. I love you. And, I’m not letting you go. Ever.”
I kissed him. Slowly, carefully, deeply. Reveling in the feel of his mouth on mine again. Savoring it, savoring him. I needed to show him how sorry I was. I wanted him to forgive me, needed him to show me that he did. Climbing further onto his lap I straddled him and wrapped my legs around him, enjoying the feeling of his warm, hard hands as they found my legs, my thighs. Soon we were both shuddering, desire pulsing strongly through us.
Josiah growled and then pulled back, pushing me away. “I said I forgave you, Crimson.”
“Maybe I just can’t forgive myself,” I said, not meeting his eyes. “Maybe I need to make it up to you.”
Josiah gently pulled my chin up and caught my gaze. “I nearly killed those three fools back there for simply being with you, knowing you had broken up with me. I understand fear and passion. I don’t blame you. And you don’t need to make anything up to me, especially not like this. It’s over with. Just let it go.”
“How
did
you find me?” I wondered suddenly.
“Gracie,” he said. “She called to chew me out. I was able to explain what had happened, and she helped set this up. She swears those three are in on it, that I had nothing to worry about, but… it was hard. Seeing his hands on you.”
“
Gracie
called you? When? When did you get here?”
“My flight arrived just after eleven this morning. After I got the rental car I drove straight here. She told me what time you’d all be here and where to meet you at. I’m very thankful to her. I didn’t even think she liked me.”
“She told me I should give you a chance to explain. I’d planned to talk with you when I got back to Idaho.”
“I know, but I couldn’t wait. I had to see you. These last couple weeks have been hell.”
“The guys were in on it as well?” I asked him after several minutes of silence in which we just held each other.
“Gracie said they were. Though
I
think they took their role a little too serious. There was no reason for his hands to be all over you.”
“Fynn’s hands weren’t all over me, Josiah. We danced together. That’s all. He’s like a brother to me. Gracie and I practically grew up with them.”
“Don’t kid yourself. If you were to ever give him the green light, he’d leap.”
“Fynn?” I laughed. “No, definitely not. You’re mistaken, I promise.”
“Call them over.”
“Josiah…”
“Call them over.”
“Will you be nice?”
“I’m always nice.”
“No fights. Promise me.”
“I promise not to start any fights.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. They mean a lot to me. I don’t want to see them hurt.”
“You think I’d hurt them? There are three of them, Crimson. Just one of me.”
“You mean to say that you couldn’t handle them?” I gently teased him.
Josiah looked over his shoulder at Cam, Fynn, and Rafe. His blue eyes narrowed as he studied them for a brief moment. “I’d handle them, no problems.”
I nodded. “That’s what I figured. Please don’t
hurt
them.”
Josiah looked at me, his deep blue eyes gazing boldly into mine. They travelled across my face, studying me, before focusing on my mouth. His gaze stayed there for a minute, so long in fact, that I began to anticipate his mouth on mine. I drew in a slow silent breath and carefully licked my lips, waiting.
Josiah flicked his gaze back up to meet mine. “I love you, Crimson. I won’t hurt them.” Then he lowered his mouth to mine. This kiss said so much. It said he’d missed me, that he loved me, that he needed me, that he forgave me.
Josiah’s lips were dry and warm; he moved them gently across mine, tasting and teasing. His whiskers scraped lightly against my skin, the abrasive nature more a caress than not. His teeth nipped my jaw and moved down to my neck. It’s like we couldn’t get enough of each other. Each kiss, each touch, just led to a greater longing and need for more.
“Seriously?” Gracie questioned us loudly, startling me. “You guys
still
do this?”
I pulled back from Josiah and looked around, trying to calm my breathing down, my pulse. Gracie, Cam, Fynn, and Rafe had joined us.
“I take it you two have made up? Everything was explained?” she continued as she sat down beside us.
“Everything has been explained, and we have made up. Thank you, Gracie,” Josiah said mildly then he looked to the guys and said, “And thanks to you as well. Gracie tells me you were instrumental in tonight’s events.”
“Well, Josiah, if Gracie hadn’t convinced us that you really do love Sage, we wouldn’t have let you get anywhere near her,” Cam said, his gaze firmly on Josiah, playing the role of big brother.
I felt Josiah as he stiffened under me. He chuckled softly, darkly and looked up at the three brothers; his blue eyes travelled over them before settling on Cam again. “Well, Cam is it? If Gracie hadn’t convinced
me
that you were actually helping her tonight, trying to help her get Crimson to talk with me… if I hadn’t known that… it’d have taken
way
more than the three of you to stop me.”
Silence spread between us as Josiah stared the brothers down. I took a slow, deep breath preparing to speak, when suddenly Rafe burst out laughing. “I like this guy. He’s got guts.”
Rafe stepped forward to shake Josiah’s hand. Josiah stood, me still in his arms, and took Rafe’s hand in his firm grip. I slid to my feet, but stayed glued to Josiah’s side, mainly because he was still gripping me tightly around the waist. Cam also stepped closer to shake Josiah’s hand, and then Fynn stepped forward. Rather than reach out to shake hands, he reached for me, for my arm, attempting to pull me slightly away from Josiah. I think he just wanted a hug and to be sure that I was all right. His brown eyes assessed the reaction from Josiah who growled low under his breath.
“Fynn,” Cam warned his brother. Rafe and Cam stepped closer, ready to step in should the need arise.
“It’s good. I’m just testing the waters,” Fynn replied, never taking his eyes off Josiah.
I’d stepped back, pressing further into Josiah’s chest, more to stand as a block between the two than anything else. I was very fond of Fynn and I didn’t want to see him get hurt. Though why he thought it’d be a good idea to poke the wolf was beyond me. My eyes tried to convey to him that he needed to stop, but Fynn stayed focused on Josiah.
He reached for me again and this time Josiah planted a hand in his chest. The warning was clear. “While I’m thankful to you for your… help… this evening, I’m going to thank you for keeping your hands off my girl.” Josiah’s voice was level, controlled, and yet so chock-full of meaning, that I expected fists to start flying.
“You sure about that? Maybe Sage has changed her mind,” Fynn taunted.
“So sure that if you touch her again, you won’t be good for much for quite some time.”
“Fynn,” I said quietly. “Stop, please. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”
“You got hurt. Maybe I don’t like seeing you hurt. In fact, I hate it,” he replied, anger in his voice, finally looking at me. The look in his eye was one I’d never seen before. I saw longing, fear, desire, and pain. I struggled with the idea that he was this emotionally involved, that he cared this much about me.
“It was a misunderstanding. I was lied to, but not by Josiah, Fynn.”
“Do you love him?” he asked me. “Really love him?”
“I really do. Very much,” I assured him.
“All right. That’s what I needed to hear,” he told me before switching his gaze to Josiah’s. “Consider this a warning. Sage comes back here again because she got hurt from something in your world, and I’ll do everything within my power to see she stays here with me. We clear?”
“Crystal,” Josiah told him.
Fynn stepped back then and held his hand out to Josiah who took it and gave him a firm grip. I breathed a silent sigh of relief that things had stayed calm. Josiah tightened his fingers along my stomach before releasing me. He placed a kiss on my forehead and then Rafe claimed his attention for a moment. I walked over to Gracie and hugged her, “Thank you so much.”
“What are best friends for?” she asked as she wrapped her arms around me. “I could see how miserable you were and The Kid texted me and told me all he’d been able to find out and what Josiah had learned. He said Josiah was chomping at the bit and desperate to get to you. So I helped them get all this planned. You’re not mad?”
“
So
not mad. I’m relieved and happy. The Kid was in on this, too?”
“Yeah, he’s matured quite a bit and he’s very protective of you.”
“And our boys?” I asked looking at Cam, Fynn, and Rafe.
“Them, too. Though Fynn kind of threw me there at the end.”
“Me, too,” I agreed as I looked them over. Fynn caught my eye and came over to me.
“You all right?” he asked, nudging my shoulder with his.
“Yeah, I am.”
“I meant what I said, Sage. Give me one chance and I’ll never let you go.”
“Fynn… I don’t know what to say. You know I love you, but…” I shook my head helplessly, unsure as to how to continue.
“Yeah, I know, but only as your brother. Guess I played that card a little too close to my chest. I just thought I’d always have time.”
Gracie had walked away from us, to talk with Cam, Rafe, and Josiah, leaving me alone with Fynn. I didn’t know what to say to him. I’d always thought the three brothers were attractive, and I’d admit to having a crush on them when I was still in high school, but they’d never treated me with anything other than sibling-like affection. Fynn’s declaration had just caught me completely off-guard.
I saw a light flicker in his eyes then he grinned, nudged my shoulder, and said, “Hey, no worries. I love you just the same as I always have and I always will. Just know that if things don’t work out with your wolf, I’m here.”
I grinned up at him and then he held his arms out to me. “May I?” he asked.
I glanced at Josiah, who nodded with a wry grin and exasperated humor, before stepping into Fynn’s arms. He hugged me tightly, gently, brotherly with maybe a bit of emotion thrown in for good measure. I didn’t linger in his embrace, knowing how Josiah would take it. Just long enough for Fynn to know that I appreciated him. He released me then, taking a deep breath, I turned and made my way back to Josiah.
He wrapped an arm around me and leaned over to kiss my temple. “I love you, Crimson,” he breathed into my hair.
Cam and Rafe headed back to Cam’s truck where they’d stashed some firewood. They dragged a couple smaller logs over to our area, and soon had a warm and comforting fire going. We gathered around it, grateful for the heat, and just relaxed. Josiah wrapped his arms around me, the flames before me, him behind me. I settled into his embrace, the tension just draining out of me. The fire continued to snap and sizzle before us and the surf crashed upon the shore, and Josiah held me. I was whole again.
We Belong
Crimson Sage
THE BEACH HOUSE WAS
quiet; the sound of the surf and the wind, our breath, the only noise around us. I estimated the time was somewhere near two in the morning. The moon spilled into the room Josiah and I were sharing. Tanner and Sawyer had shown up just after midnight when we got back to the beach house. Thankfully Sawyer treated me like an old friend and not like an old flame. I didn’t know how much more Josiah could take.
Gracie told us to take her parents’ room at the back of the house, figuring we’d want some privacy. She and Tanner took the spare bedroom and Sawyer took the loft. The brothers went home before we left the beach, but not before we’d promised to come by Pete’s in the morning so Josiah could be properly introduced.
Josiah and I weren’t sleeping. We lay together in silence, fully clothed and fully awake. The balcony door was open, spilling fresh air into the room. The rest of the house was silent. It was almost like Josiah and I were the only two people in the world. He shifted a little, the arm he had wrapped around me, across my stomach tightened, dragging me a little closer to him. I felt his breath against my shoulder, then his whiskers, then his lips. Josiah skimmed his mouth along my skin making me shudder. Slowly he moved up to my ear and breathed me in. “I hated being separated from you, Crimson — it was hell. Never again,” he breathed against my overheated skin.
I turned toward him, my eyes searching his, seeing the pain there and the relief, the love. I leaned forward and nuzzled his mouth with mine. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“I’m sorry you were hurt, sorry you were scared,” he said against my lips.
He kissed me then, slowly, deeply. Taking his time. My hands wrapped around his neck pulling myself closer, needing to be closer to him. Josiah’s hands framed my face, slid one down my neck, my shoulder. Trailed heat down my ribs to my hips, my thigh. He wrapped his big, work-hardened hand around my thigh, tugging me closer to him. Suddenly he rolled and I was on top looking down at him, enjoying the way the moon played across his features, the way it highlighted his skin. My breath caught in my throat as he gripped my hips, my thighs, and held me to him. Breath was a struggle and time seemed to stand still. I was lightheaded and I felt my desire for him build.