Page 6 of Called to the Mountain

Sage harrumphs in the dark at my side and I wonder if there's more to the story than she's telling me.

"We'll see," she says quietly into her wine glass.

"So, what happened with Jackson's dad and you?" I'm not sure I want to hear this, but I need to know she's not still in love with the guy. "You've never really told me how you two ended up here on the ridge. Alone."

"I went back to get my license," she says simply. "Turns out, he didn't thinkdoctorwas an appropriate profession for a woman."

"Girls are nurses, boys are doctors?" I know that type. Fucking idiots.

"I was already in medical school when we met," she continues with a nod, "he knew what my plans were. Turns out, he thought medical school was just a way to get--"

"Your MRS degree?" Now I do turn toward her, desperate to see her face and I'm not surprised to see the look of disgust twisting her pretty lips.

"Pretty much. He love-bombed me from the beginning-- my apartment was wall to wall flowers for months. Fancy dinners, jewelry...but the thing that fooled me was that he acted like he actually supported my career goals. Till we got married."

"What changed?" If she tells me hit her, I'll kill him.

Sage must hear it in my tone because she quickly assures me that wasn't the case.

"No, nothing so overt. That would be have been easy to catch. I was so close to finishing everything and getting my medical license. He talked me into postponing it for the wedding, insisting on a big, fancy event that took over a year of planning.

"My plan was to go back and take my exams when we got back from the honeymoon but then he started talking about starting a family."

Sage sighs deeply and it's plain as day that that was something she wanted badly.

"I wanted to wait a year, but Arnold knew I wanted a big family. He kept pointing out that I was already in my late twenties and we needed to get started if I wanted a family and a career."

She sips from her glass again and stares into the night beyond the circle of light from the dim lanterns.

"He thought I'd change my mind once I had a baby. When I went back for my license when Jackson started preschool, everything fell apart. Arnold moved out, we split up, I got the job working for the medical group in one of their urban clinics. When the opportunity for this post came up, I felt called to take it. I thought it would be a good chance for us to start over."

"Well, you've been here a year. How do you feel about the ridge now?"

God knows I want her to tell me it feels like home for her. I want to hear her says she never wants to leave this pile of rocks I was raised on. Because I need her with me for the rest of my life and if she’s planning on moving away there are hard choices that are going to need to be made.

Sage dips her head and I can see the curve of a sly smile on the corner of her mouth.

"It was a really good decision to come up here," she confesses. "Jax loves it here, he's got friends in school. He's got you..."

She turns to look up at me and her eyes shine in the moonlight with gratitude but I wish it was with the same desire I feel for her.

"What about you, Sage? You think you'll ever try again? Do you still want more kids?"

My glass is empty and so is hers. She takes them both and hops off the swing, heading toward the house.

"I wouldlovemore kids," she tells me. "Jackson's always asking me for little brothers and sisters, but I'd have to meet the..."

She turns around and collides with my chest when she didn't realize I was right behind her. Hazel eyes find mine, her pupils blown out wide-- from sitting in the dark or from desire I'm desperate to see there, I'm not sure.

"...right man." She finishes her sentence on a breathless note that has my hands moving to cup her face.

ChapterThree

Sage

Rapid's lips burn against mine. Firm and commanding, he silently begs me to open for him. His tongue sweeps past my lips and claims my mouth with a heat I didn't think he felt for me.

His hand rests gently against the side of my face at first, but as our kiss deepens, it trails downward and brushes over my body.

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