A/N: I still don't own the Twilight universe or characters.

This story is rated M for a reason. It contains adult language, themes, content, and lemons. If you are under 18, please don't read.

Thanks to RemyKilday and Siobhan2006 for pre-reading.

Love, hugs, and all things fluffy for my awesome Schwoogie-Muffin, HammerHips.

***This chapter contains lemons. Again, if this makes you uncomfortable, please don't read.

Chapter 36: Bless the Broken Road

But now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

-"Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts

Sage POV

We spent six hours at the Napa Police Department.

Six.

Fucking.

Hours.

And I thought I'd have to mutilate Alice in the process.

All they'd wanted from us was to corroborate our stories and identify Alice. That, we could do.

But Alice was refusing to speak to anyone but Jasper… and it made me uneasy.

"So let me speak to her." Jasper sighed, leaning back in his chair.

Detective Marcus gave him a hard look. "You're sure?"

I grabbed Jasper's hand before he could respond and turned to him. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"Darlin', if I'm the only one she'll talk to, then I need to do it…"

"She tried to kill you!"

"And she's not gonna try again… she's been searched… there are orderlies and police officers in there. I'll be fine." He tried to assure me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You need to let me do this."

I sighed and released his fingers as he stood up and followed the officer into the other interrogation room.

"You can watch, if you'd like." Detective Marcus motioned for Peter and I to follow and we did, leaning against the back wall so that we could watch the "private" conversation.

Alice stood as soon as Jasper entered the room, a huge smile splitting her face. "Jasper! I knew you'd come for me!" she jumped at him and managed to get her handcuffed wrists around his neck, pulling him down so that she could plant a wet kiss on him.

Before I knew what was happening, Peter had me by the arm and was tugging me out of the monitor room.

"Come on, Sage. We don't need to watch this."

I hadn't realized I'd been halfway across the room and nearly ready to pummel Alice until Pete grabbed me. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down, then I followed Peter outside the precinct and gratefully accepted a cigarette from him when he offered.

I crouched down with my back to the brick wall and sighed. "You ready to tell me what the mondo-bitchout was about, Peter?"

He groaned and rolled his head back against the wall. "Nothin'. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." He deadpanned.

"Bullshit." I replied, standing again. He glared at me. "Pete… talk to me."

"They're not your people." He said simply.

"Pete, yes, they are! Just like when I come to visit, you and Char are my people; and when I'm at home, Jasper is my people. They have a part of me, they see a part of me that I'm afraid to show everyone else. And whether or not you believe it, I do need to be there. My problems may not be as bad as theirs… but they help me. They listen to me. And I don't think you can get a better group of listeners than people who want to hear that others have problems too. Everyone just wants to feel like they're OK because other people are just as screwed up and there is nothing wrong with that. So if you can't be OK with them being my people for a while… then you can't be my people."

Peter looked as though I'd slapped him. It truly pained me to say it, but it was the truth. If Peter was going to give me shit about the people I was surrounded with during my recovery, then I couldn't have him around. He'd be a detriment. I'd worry too much about what he thought and not enough about getting better. And I owed it to Jasper to get better.

Finally, he sighed and asked, "Do I have to like them?"

"No." I snorted.

"Do I have to pretend to like it?"

"You have to keep your dislike to yourself." I replied.

"But I don't have to act all happy and shit?" I shook my head. "Alright then. They can be your people. But they're only temporary people." He pulled me into a hug. "Because we're the permanent people."

I hugged him back. "Thank you, Peter." When he let me go, I crouched back down and he crouched next to me.

He sighed again. "I had a friend… in high school…" he shifted his weight around and cleared his throat. "He was depressed… a lot. He couldn't hide it like you could… couldn't flip that switch sometimes like you do."

"I don't flip a switch, Pete… I have good days and bad days." I murmured as I took the last drag of my cigarette and stubbed it out.

Peter nodded and lit me another before continuing. "He killed himself… no warning… nothing…" he sighed again. "But he was in a… a…" he twiddled his index finger in the air as though that would make the words easier to say.

"Psych Ward." I said for him.

He nodded. "Yeah, that. He was in that for a few weeks… and everyone thought he got better." He took such a long drag on his cigarette that he pulled it from halfway all the way to the filter. "And then one day he just strung himself up." I cringed at his term, but he didn't seem to notice. "I found him… Got worried when he didn't show up to school, so I went over to his house and found him."

"I'm sorry, Petey." What else was there to say?

"But see? That's why I know you don't belong there. You're not as bad as that."

"But I have been, Pete. You know that." He shrugged. "Peter, I may not be suicidal or Chronic, but I have a problem… and I'm getting help."

"What if they can't help you?"

I was taken aback by that. "Is that what you think? That the therapists on the ward failed your friend?" he shrugged noncommittally. "Pete, I'm sure they did everything they could." He rolled his eyes. "Peter…" I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking. "Part of my problem is that I don't know how to deal with problems that arise… stuff with Emmett… arguments with Jasper… They're teaching me to deal with those problems."

"That why you didn't invite him today? His feelings are hurt, you know?"

"That's between him and I… and I know I'm gonna have to answer for that later." I took another long drag. "Thanks for getting him to calm down… even if it's only temporary."

"Yeah, what are people for." He smirked.

Jasper POV

She didn't want me at Group with her…

Is she afraid I won't like what I hear?

Or that I won't want to be with her?

"Jasper," Peter murmured quietly. "Jasper, seriously." He nudged my shoulder. "I mean it, Jasper, fuckin' pay attention! I'm telling you right now: don't fight with her now or you'll regret it. At least wait 'til you're home and settled for the evening."

I knew I needed to calm down. I was shaking in anger and upset and Sage was afraid to get too close. I took a deep breath and reached for Sage's hand. I needed to feel her skin on mine in some fashion or I'd never be able to calm down.

How ironic that the one person who can put me in this state is also the only person who can fix it.

I kissed her knuckles and led her out to the truck.

"Jazz, about—"

"We'll talk about it later." I answered quickly. I'd meant for it to come out as a more heated assurance, but it seemed I couldn't… not when she'd just come from therapy. Sage had always seemed so raw and on edge after therapy.

In a way, I was kind of happy that Peter had taken the time to yell at her about her so-called People, but her reaction upset me more than I could vocalize and I immediately felt bad for letting Peter get away with it… especially when she scooted over to the passenger seat and refused to speak for the rest of the drive. At one point, she even started hunkering down in the seat and shifting her body as close to the door as she could.

Hiding…

I'd come to recognize the signs of her hiding.

I dropped Peter at his truck and we followed him back to Napa.

After that, I tried to be better. I held her hand and put an arm around her, anything I could to reassure her, but she wasn't having any of it until I'd volunteered to speak to Alice.

"I don't think it's a good idea." She whispered, grabbing my fingers and squeezing. Unfortunately, she grabbed me with her left hand and I could feel the raised flesh of the burn on her palm, which only solidified my resolve.

"Darlin', if I'm the only one she'll talk to, then I need to do it…" I answered.

"She tried to kill you!" she looked so scared, and I knew she wasn't meaning to throw off that emotion, but it was clear as a bell in her voice.

"And she's not gonna try again… she's been searched… there are orderlies and police officers in there. I'll be fine." I murmured, kissing her forehead. "You need to let me do this."

She'd reluctantly let me go and I reluctantly kept my mouth shut when Detective Marcus told them they could watch; I wasn't sure I wanted her watching or listening. Who knows what Alice would say? But I didn't want some bullshit Alice spouted to set Sage off or send her over the edge, and I silently swore to any and all Higher Powers that as long as Sage stayed my Sage after this encounter, I'd swallow my anger and fuckin' deal with the fact that she didn't even tell me about the about the Group agenda for the weekend.

Alice's eyes lit up as soon as I entered the room and before I could even process the movement, she was crying, "Jasper! I knew you'd come for me!" and yanking me down to kiss me.

I did my best to pull away, but with her cuffed wrists around my neck, it was a tall order and it took a minute to extricate myself from her grasp. When I did, she seemed so sad.

"Sit, Alice. We need to talk." I commanded and for the first time, I noticed that her eyes were glassy. "Is she medicated?" I mumbled to an orderly in the corner behind me. He shook his head as Alice burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.

"Silly, Jazzy! You know I don't take any medicine!"

Wow. She's gone completely Sack of Hammers.

Yup… that's twenty pounds of crazy in a five pound bag.

I sat down across the table from her. "Alice, why'd you try to kill me?"

She blinked at me, confused. "I wasn't trying to kill you, Jasper! I was trying to cleanse you… You have nothing because you don't have love… all you have to do is love me, Jasper. James says—"

"James sent his brother here to rape and kill my sister!" I hissed and she stopped immediately. "James was going to rape Sage!"

She blinked. "Well… It's his right to take that."

"What?" I asked. "Alice, do you hear yourself? What happened to your faith?"

"I have my faith. James is my Lord and Savior… he guides the Children of the Moon."

"The Children of the Moon?"

She nodded happily, probably because I'd never paid too much interest to her faith before. "That's the name of our Church… Silly… Didn't I ever tell you that?"

"No…" I felt my eyes going wide. The times I'd gone with her to Bible study, it had been held on the top floor of the Berkeley library. I'd never seen this side of Alice before and was silently thankful for that; she was downright freaky.

"Silly!" she laughed again, shaking her head. "But it's OK, Jazzy… Once James cleanses Sage, it'll all be OK! He'll probably take her for one of his wives and then we can all be one big, happy family!" she was bouncing excitedly. "Won't that be wonderful?"

I looked at one of the officers and stood. "I'll be back." He escorted me back into the monitor room and I was slightly relieved that Sage and Peter were nowhere to be found. "What the hell are the Children of the Moon?" I asked Detective Marcus once the door closed behind me.

He sighed. "Some kind of religious cult… apparently they've been functioning for quite some time… at least five years. Miss Brandon here… she broke out of a sanitarium in Biloxi about three years ago and completely disappeared from the grid…" he shifted uncomfortably. "She managed to get herself a new Social Security Number and changed her appearance enough to not set off any red flags when she applied to the University… We can only assume James King helped her with that."

"But how'd she get mixed up with him?" I asked, watching as Alice sat serenely at the table, waiting patiently for my return.

"He was visiting her… apparently they'd met on some internet site before she was committed. From what she says, she, and I quote," he flipped open a file and read from a statement sheet. "gave herself over to her Lord and Savior freely and willingly." I choked on bile. I knew what that meant.

Disgusting.

"The doctors at Fairview Sanitarium reported that Alice frequently described the encounter in great detail… and that she was convinced James had cleansed her."

"You're not supposed to tell me that. That's privileged information." I told him, not bothering to take my eyes off Alice.

"Not when it came from Alice. Apparently she stole her files when she broke out…" he sighed. "We don't know much about Children of the Moon, though… not as much as we need to."

"Can't you get a warrant? Search her place?"

"We're working on that, but there aren't any guarantees. We have to get her to name James specifically… then we can do a more thorough search and include his residence."

I nodded. "Alright then." I opened the door and strode back in, sitting down across from her. "Alice," she watched me expectantly. "Who leads the Children of the Moon?"

"James."

"Does James have a last name?"

She made a tsht noise and smiled. "Of course, Silly. Everyone has a last name." she reached across the table and took hold of my hand.

"Well… what's James' last name?"

She giggled. "King! Because he's the King. Get it? He makes everything so much better, Jasper, just wait! I can't wait to get you Saved, Jazzy. We'll be so happy together. We'll get married and have babies and James will Save them too!" she was gripping me so tightly now that her sharp little nails were digging into my palm, but I refused to flinch.

"No, Alice." Her smile disappeared to be replaced with a blank look. "I'm with Sage now."

She rolled her eyes. "No you're not." She laughed again. "I know I went away for a while and I'm sure you were lonely, but I'm here now and we can be together and—"

"No, Alice." I said again, pulling my hand away.

Her eyes went wide. "You love me." It was insistent, as though by saying it out loud would make it true.

"No." I shook my head. "I love Sage."

Holy fuck!

I just said that out loud! Fuck!

I hadn't meant it to come out at all, least of all to Alice… and certainly not when I didn't know if Sage was back in the monitor room listening and watching… and certainly not when I remembered what happened the last time those words had been said to her.

FUCK!

"No you don't! You love me!" she slammed her fists down on the table, her face contorted with rage. "You love me! You love me! You love me!" she screamed and I immediately stood and walked out.

I closed the door and turned to Detective Marcus. "You got what you need?" he nodded. "Fan-fucking-tastic." I left after that and wandered outside when I saw Sage and Peter through one of the windows at the front of the building.

When I joined them, Peter offered us our room at the ranch, but I wanted to go home and curl up with Sage, whether or not she wanted to, though I wouldn't push her. We climbed back into my truck and Sage immediately buckled herself into the passenger seat.

"You don't want to sit with me?" I asked her quietly. She stared at me for a moment before slowly unbuckling herself and sliding over to fasten herself into the middle. I put my arm around her and hugged her to me, kissing her hair.

We drove in silence for about twenty minutes before she finally said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you they were doing Family Group this weekend."

Funny… She's sorry she didn't tell me about it.

"But not that you didn't invite me?" the words left my mouth before I could stop them and I immediately regretted them. She didn't need me on her case. I was almost positive the reason she'd left the monitor room was so that she wouldn't have to watch Alice kiss me.

She took a deep breath and replied, "I wish I could say that I was… but I'm not." My stomach dropped at that. "Jas, there are things I'm not ready to talk to you about… and if you'd come… well… that's what Family Group is for… and I'm just not ready yet."

"What do you need to square with me?" I asked and she shot me an incredulous look. "I know you said you're not ready to discuss them… does that mean I can't know what they are?"

"Yes."

I sighed. "Sage, it hurt that you didn't even tell me."

"I know… but you'd have wanted to come. And I've said I'm sorry."

I nodded. "Would you have invited Emmett if he was in town?"

She snorted a laugh. "One good session does not a breakthrough make." I smiled. "I think I should start small… and when the time is right, I'll be able to talk to you or… I don't know… something."

There was something in that something that gave me pause. What else was there but to talk? But I pushed those thoughts aside and kissed her hair again.

"I figured you'd be yelling or something." She murmured as she snuggled closer.

"I was going to." I admitted, ashamed. "But you don't need it from me… You get enough from Emmett… Mostly I'm just hurt that you didn't tell me, but I get it and I won't push." She snuggled even closer at those words and smiled into my shoulder.

"I missed you… that's stupid, isn't it? I was gone only a few hours."

"I missed you too." I admitted sheepishly and then I heaved a sigh. "But you cannot just not tell me stuff like that…"

She peered up at me for a moment before saying, "Jazz, it's my recovery." I opened my mouth to argue, but she rushed on. "And I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. I can only go at my pace, no one else's… and I know that sucks and I know it probably makes you feel powerless when all you want to do is help but—"

"But," I cut in. "You are not the only one with a stake in your recovery. I have one too…" I took my arm back long enough to pull into my parking spot in front of the house and unbuckled myself. Sage followed suit and we turned to face each other. "We're in this together, Sage. You need to remember that. If something's wrong with you, that means something's wrong with me…" I ran my thumb over her cheek and kissed her quickly, knowing she'd never allow the neighbors to catch us in the event they might tell Emmett. "Come on. Let's go inside and forget this shitty day ever happened."

"Not fucking likely." She grumbled as I tugged her out my door and set her on her feet. "Watching Alice kiss you was sort of like watching a rhinoceros hump a giraffe. Disturbing and fucked up."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "OK… am I the rhino or the giraffe in this scenario?"

"Pick one! Does it matter?" she asked as I grabbed her bag and led her inside.

"No, I don't suppose… but if it's any consolation, I didn't want her to kiss me… and I tried my best to get her off as quickly as possible."

She snorted. "I guess I missed that."

That hurt.

"You… did see me push her away, right?" her eyes fell and she leaned against the basement door. "Right?" I pressed, but she refused to look at me.

"Peter kinda… took me outside… 'Cause I was… maybe gonna beat Alice to within an inch of her life." She mumbled.

I blinked.

Is she saying…?

"Sage, are you trying to tell me you were jealous?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes! OK?" she cried. "It's not like when you were jealous over Benjamin because there was absolutely nothing happening there."

I cocked an eyebrow. "But you knew there was no reason to be upset."

"And you knew there was no reason to be jealous over Benjamin. Didn't stop you." She stuck her tongue out at me, opened the door, and headed downstairs with me hot on her heels. "I need to call Emmett. If he finds out I left O and E, I'll never hear the end of it."

When we got to the basement, I caught her around the middle and lifted her as she squealed and laughed. "And then you'll come hang out with me?" I asked, kissing her neck.

"Yes…" she closed her eyes and let her head fall back against my shoulder as I nipped and sucked and then she smacked my cheek lightly. "Stop! You'll leave a mark!"

"I wanna leave a mark." I held her tighter as she tried to squirm away. "Come on… It'll fade… eventually."

She smacked me again. "No!" she wriggled away. "Jas, stop… No marks." I groaned into her neck. "Go… I'll be with you in a bit." She pushed me away and I chuckled as she disappeared into her room and closed the door.

My phone buzzed and I grabbed it, not even bothering to check the ID.

"Fucker."

I rolled my eyes and walked into my room and closed the door. "Hey, Pete."

"It's gonna suck the first time."

"What?"

"You know…"

I groaned. "We're not having this conversation."

He snorted. I'm just sayin'… don't be offended… you may wanna take some extra precautions and give her a little somethin' beforehand."

"Fucking A. I'm not talking about this, Pete!" I hung up just as Sage stepped through my door.

"What conversation aren't you having?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at me.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. "Nothing. Peter just being Peter." She rolled her eyes and laid down on my bed. She smiled up at me and I sighed and picked up a CD. "You wanna hear something?"

What the fuck am I doing?

The song I'd just offered to play was one I'd known how to play since it was released by the Artist… it was beautiful, and possibly the only song I knew of that summed up my relationship with Sage… even the fact that I was in love with her, though I didn't think I'd ever have the guts to admit it to her. In a way, playing my recording of it was the only way I'd ever be able to tell her, but she'd never realize it.

Sage propped herself up on her elbow and nodded. "Is it you?" I nodded, ducking my head out of shyness. "When did you find time to record?"

I sighed as I slid the CD into the CD-ROM on my laptop and hit the media player. "When you were in O and E the first time… I was climbing the walls and I figured it'd be a good time to get distracted with something." I shot her a look. "You have to swear not to laugh… this… It isn't my song… and there are studio musicians playing with me to round it out." She quirked an eyebrow. "Just don't laugh."

"When have I ever laughed at you?"

I smirked. "Every chance you get."

She rolled her eyes. "Only about stupid stuff… you and your music… not so much."

I managed to climb onto the bed and settle myself beside her as the opening notes to Rascal Flatts' Bless the Broken Road began playing. She knew the song, it was one of her favorites, and one I'd played for her often since we'd moved in with Emmett and Rose. Her smile widened and she pulled me into a kiss just as my own voice played out from the laptop speakers.

"I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you"

I rolled onto my back, pulling her on top of me as I did, and sliding my hands under the hem of her black T-shirt and up her back until I reached the spot where I should've met her bra.

"Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true"

I pulled away just long enough for her to grin sheepishly at me, bite her lip, and say, "Not allowed to have it on the ward… and since I was supposed to go straight to Group, it was just easier to not wear it than have it confiscated." Before I pulled her back to me, smiling as she immediately opened her mouth for me.

"That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Yes He did

I think about the years I spent, just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there, you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true"

She moaned into my mouth as I began sliding her shirt further up her body, curling my fingers over her shoulders to keep her pressed against me. She was grinding down on me, making it hard to keep my concentration.

"Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

But now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms
This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you"

Sage sat up, forcing my hands back to her hips as she adjusted on top of me and began yanking at my shirt. "Off. I want this off." She whispered breathlessly.

Fuck!

She's seen them.

ONCE! She's seen them ONCE!

I shook my head. "No… No, it's OK." She stilled immediately, her brow furrowed.

Fuck!

She rolled to the side, away from me, and sat back on her heels, staring at me for a while. Finally, she opened her mouth, closed it, thought, and whispered, "You won't take your shirt off for me?" I squeezed my eyes shut and felt the blush stain my cheeks again. "I've seen them, Jazz, why won't you take your shirt off?" I couldn't answer. How could I tell her I didn't want her to have to look at them? Didn't want her to have to touch them? I shuddered. "Unbelievable." She sighed and I felt the bed shift as she climbed off.

"Sage," I sighed, standing up and going after her. I caught up with her in the bathroom as she opened the shower stall and hit the water on as cold as it would go. "Sage, please just let me—" she grabbed me by the front of my shirt and used the momentum I already had from my approach to swing me into the shower before she slammed the stall door shut and leaned against it. "Sage!" I pounded on the glass. "Dammit! Let me out! The water's fucking freezing!"

"Then turn it off, Brain Trust." She called over the rush of the water.

Duh.

Dumbass.

I turned the water off and stood there dripping and shivering as she waited several minutes for who knows what. Finally, she sighed and opened the stall, but blocked my exit.

"Do you feel like an idiot?" my brow furrowed in confusion. "You're fully clothed and completely soaked. Do you feel like an idiot?"

"Y-y-yes." I whispered through chattering teeth.

"Good. Now you feel the way you're acting. At least you're body's on the same page now." And she reached in and tugged at the hem of my shirt again. This time, I raised my arms and let her pull it off over my head. I didn't dare shrink away as she grabbed me by the belt and pulled me out of the shower. "It's just me." She whispered, placing a tender kiss over my heart.

"I know… I just—" my breath hitched as her lips found my collarbone and I grabbed her by the rear and lifted her, smiling as she wrapped her legs around my hips and her arms around my neck while I slowly walked us back to my bed.

"You're perfect, Jazz." She whispered into my neck as I set her down at the end of the bed. I closed my eyes as her lips found each of the scars across my chest and shoulders while her fingers caressed the ones on my back. "Stop thinking." She commanded me.

I groaned and hooked her chin with my finger, tilting her face up so that I could kiss her mouth again. Before I could stop her, she was undoing my belt and fumbling with the button on my jeans. I pulled away, but she simply smirked.

"You're soaked, Jasper… you're freezing." She tried to pull me back to her, but I grabbed her shirt and pulled it up and over her head, smiling as I kissed her again while her hands continued to fumble with my zipper. I smiled when she finally got my pants undone and slid them down my legs so I could step out of them.

When her hand grazed my erection, my brain seemed to kick-start.

Beautiful girl…

Stripping me…

Duh, Fucker!

I reached down and began undoing her belt, relieved that she made no move to stop me, only pulling me closer, kissing me harder; and then I was fumbling with the button and my hands were shaking so bad we both laughed as she took over and rid herself of her jeans.

I stood back a minute to take her in, completely naked but for a pair of blue lace cheekies. Apparently, I stared too long because she became uncomfortable under my gaze and tried to cover her breasts, but I pulled her arms away.

"Don't." I whispered. "God, you're so beautiful." I kissed her once more before pushing her down to sit on the bed while I kneeled between her legs. She leaned down to kiss me as I ran my hands from her knees to her hips and back again.

"Jazz…" she murmured, pulling me closer. "Jazz, I don't want any more secrets between us. I want to know everything about you… every inch of you."

And my brain just died.

For real.

I pulled back, searching her eyes for any hint that she wasn't positive. "Are you sure?" I whispered hoarsely.

She bit her lip, but smiled and nodded. "Everything. I want to know everything."

It's gonna suck the first time… that's what Peter said.

Fuck Peter!

I pressed Sage back and she took the cue, crawling backwards up the bed as I stalked after her. As I reached her mouth again, I cupped her sex, smiling as her hips bucked into my hand. "Can I taste you?" I whispered against her lips. I heard a small gasp, but she nodded and I immediately began sliding her panties down her legs. I kissed her lips once more before trailing kisses down her neck and over her breasts, stopping to swirl my tongue around each nipple. She tasted so sweet, I almost hated to leave her breasts, but I continued kissing down her stomach before stopping to nip her hipbone, smiling as she thrust her hips upward.

I kissed the juncture of her thighs, but bypassed her most intimate area entirely to kiss my way down one leg, smiling when she let out a disappointed whine, but I shot her a look and her head fell backward against the pillows as I placed a quick kiss to the inside of her ankle before ridding myself of my boxers and kissing my way back up the other leg, stopping again at the juncture of her thigh.

Her breathing was already ragged as I settled myself between her legs and I watched her eyes snap shut and her mouth pop open slightly as I leaned my head down and lightly stroked her clit with my tongue. Taking that as encouragement, I thrust my tongue inside her and smiled as her hips bucked and she moaned. I slipped two fingers inside her, focusing my tongue on her clit while I thrust with my fingers, curling them upward.

Fucking score!

She cried out my name and her inner walls immediately contracted around my fingers. I removed my fingers and thrust my tongue inside her again, relishing the sweet essence of her release. When she came down from the high, I slid my fingers back inside her and spread them, stretching her just a little. I wasn't as egotistical as Peter to say I was huge, but I knew there was a big enough difference between having my fingers versus my cock and I wanted Sage to enjoy this.

She bit her lip and stroked my hair as her breathing returned to normal and I climbed back up her body, moaning as she pulled me into a passionate kiss.

When we broke apart, I whispered, "Are you ready?" she nodded breathlessly and I grinned wickedly. "I wanna hear you say it…"

Instead of answering me, she smirked and pulled me into another kiss before slipping her hand between us and taking my length in her hand. I groaned as she pumped me a few times before guiding me to her center, pressing my tip against her warm entrance.

I groaned and closed my eyes for a moment before kissing her again and pushing slowly into her. I stopped when I reached her barrier and gave her a minute to adjust again. Sage took a deep breath and nodded. I captured her lips again and thrust in to the hilt, swallowing her whimper.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers. "I can stop."

"No!" she whispered. "I don't want to stop. I want this. I want you." She took a deep breath and I waited for her to adjust to the intrusion, smiling slightly when she began thrusting her hips against me.

I pulled out slightly and thrust back in, letting my head drop and a moan escape at the sensation of being fully sheathed inside her. I continued slowly, tentatively, until I found a rhythm and then I kissed Sage again, moaning into her mouth as she wrapped her legs around my hips and met me thrust for thrust.

At one point, I looked down and watched as my cock slipped in and out, but I had to bite back a moan and close my eyes.

So close…

"Oh, God, Sage…" I murmured quietly before increasing my speed and feeling her walls clench around me. Three more thrusts and I fell over the edge, spasming inside her as I climaxed.

As our breathing evened out again, I rolled off to the side, smiling as Sage immediately draped herself across my chest and kissed me tenderly. "Can we do that again?" she asked when she let me breathe.

I laughed and kissed her. "As much as you want… but you're gonna have to give me a minute." I sighed and closed my eyes as her lips pressed against my chest. "What happened to going slow?" I murmured.

"Are you complaining?"

I snorted. "Not a chance… just curious."

Her lips found mine again for a slow, sweet kiss. "I figured seven years was pretty damn slow." She murmured, and something in her tone shot straight to my dick. "Minute's up." She whispered, kissing me again before climbing off the bed.

"Where are you going?" I whined, frowning when she snickered at me.

"To take a shower." She answered, pausing in the doorway. "I never said you couldn't come with me."

I scrambled out of bed and chased her into the bathroom and straight into the shower. As soon as the water was warm enough, we stepped under the spray and I immediately wrapped my arms around her, pulling her back against my chest.

"Do you feel what you do to me?" I whispered, pressing my erection into her backside. She nodded, letting her head fall back against my shoulder as I leaned down and kissed her neck, bringing my hands up to cup her breasts and squeeze. "You feel so amazing. You taste amazing." I let one hand trail down her stomach and between her legs, teasing her as she pressed into my hand. Her mouth popped open, but no sound came out and I grinned before gently biting her shoulder. I slipped my fingers inside her again and pumped her.

"Fuck… Jasper…" she hissed, turning her head so I could kiss her.

"You like that?"

"Yes!" She gasped and I smiled as I felt the light squeezing that meant she was close.

All at once, I pulled out and pressed her against the tile, bracing her hands and scooting her feet apart, bending her at the hips before I thrust into her. She cried out and gasped at the same time as I found my rhythm, using one hand to work that sensitive bundle between her legs while I pinched and rolled her nipples with the other. She pressed back into me, crying out as I thrust into her.

"Jas… God! Ah!"

Her muscles clamped down on me again and I immediately came, grabbing onto her hips to keep us joined as we rode out our orgasms together.

We were both breathing heavily as I pulled out of her, and she turned and gave me a lazy smile before pulling me down for another sweet kiss.

We washed each other off, taking longer than normal because we kept getting sidetracked kissing each other, and then we dried off and climbed into my bed.

"Jazz?" she mumbled sleepily as she rested her head on my chest.

"Mmm?" I asked.

"I get why Peter and Char had sex in the club now…"

I smirked. "You do, huh?"

"Mmmm…" she smiled and lifted her head for one more kiss. "That was fucking amazing."

End Note: Leave me a review, I'll send you a teaser! I love to tease (*evil grin*).