Page 77 of The Flame of Carson
––––––––
Stacey let out a contentsigh slinging the fluffy towel around her nude body.She and Gage had been home for maybe an hour.On the drive home, he filled her in on what Ethan had told him when he handed in the paperwork from Dennison.He would remain working with Bravo team and managing the political front, but he was no longer stuck on desk duty.She had not missed the relief in his eyes when he told her that part.
Stacey could relate to that.Several years ago, she herself had sprained her ankle in a tournament and Walt had made her work from home.For her, that was the equivalent of being chained to a desk.She had hated every moment of it and was so thrilled when she got the all clear from her doctor.Smiling a little, Stacey set about drying herself off and prepping.
When she picked up Gage, he had informed her that when they got to her house, she was to go straight upstairs, take a shower while he took care of dinner.It had not escaped her notice when he climbed into the truck he had been freshly showered and dressed in a fresh set of clothes she suspected he kept at the office.The whole drive, his scent invaded her senses.
He had been wearing the cologne she bought him for his birthday.It was a masculine scent that she had fallen in love with, the moment she smelt it at SAK’s.It reminded her of leather, smoked oak, and bourbon.Stacey knew he didn’t wear cologne often but had hoped he liked it.He told her he did and would wear it for her often when they went out.
After finishing drying off, she reached for the lotion.Stacey had a feeling what would be happening tonight, or rather what she hoped would happen, given the comment Gage made at Dennison’s office.Her body was now in a heightened state.A state that shoot through the roof when Gage got in the truck and that cologne hit her nostrils.Stacey applied the lotion, one that Gage had bought her ironically, to her body.With every brush of her hands over her skin, she shivered.Gage had been right, a month without their regular sex sucked balls.
Taking slow breaths to calm herself, Stacey replaced the lotion and walked into the bedroom.Something on the bed caught her eye.Stepping closer, she felt herself smiling when she saw what it was.A dress.Not any dress though, it was the dress she had worn the first night she and Gage met after Krista’s book event.That weekend had been the start of their journey together.The spark to the flame that encompassed them even now.
––––––––
––––––––
Gage hummed along withthe song wafting through the recessed speakers in the kitchen.He smiled remembering how Stacey had informed him of the addition not two weeks after moving in.Gage knew his woman loved to cook with music in the background.Stacey’s musical taste was as eclectic as the woman herself.She could go from listening to a haunting classical piece, to the throbbing base and blaring guitars of a hard rock song in the blink of an eyes.
Gage himself was more of a classic rock or country guy.Yet, thanks to her, he had come to appreciate diverse types of music.At the moment, a sultry instrumental Latin song filled the kitchen.As he had worked that day, he planned what would happen when they got home.He would pamper his woman tonight.Tonight, they would rediscover themselves.As if sensing her, he looked toward the door.
“Damn.I love that dress on you.”
“I was a bit surprised that you picked it.”
“Why?”Gage asked, pulling the baked ziti from the oven.“That was the dress you wore the first night we went out.I told you then you looked delicious in it and that statement remains true.”
Stacey giggled moving further into the room.“Most guys don’t remember what us ladies wear for them.”
“I would hope that after all this time, you’ve realized that me and my boys are NOT most guys.”
“Oh, I knew that from the first time I met all of you.Especially when I saw you at that convention hall.”
“Good.Why don’t you grab the wine then take a seat.”
From the corner of his eye, he watched Stacey comply.Another thing he thought about through the day was HOW he was going to pamper her.The last month, Stacey had been a God sent.She had taken care of him, a novel experience for Gage.He was used to being in charge.Tonight though, he would take that back, and hoped that Stacey would enjoy it.
“This looks delicious Gage.Smells delicious too.”She commented, pouring them both a glass of the wine she had chosen.
“It’s my mom’s recipe.”He replied, scooping a portion onto her plate, before repeating the move with his own.He picked up his wine glass, lifting it.“Here’s to you.Stacey, you have been my angel these last few weeks.Thank you, babe, I love you.”
Tearfully, Stacey smiled at him as their glasses clinked.He saw she tried to speak a few times, but nothing came out.He had thrown her for a loop with his toast.Good.That’s exactly what he wanted.Tonight, he would be changing the rules a little bit in their dynamic.But hey, wasn’t spice the food of life?
