“Cash—” Sage warned, but I sent him a subtle shake of my head and he fell silent.
Daisy’s eyes held mine, her expression more serious. “They weren’t the ones I wanted to ask me.”
I let my fingers toy with the ends of her long hair as I asked, “And what would you have said if the right guys had asked?”
She swallowed hard and shifted her gaze to Sage before returning it to me. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
I saw her shiver, but I wasn’t certain if it was just from the cold or something else. I forced myself to step back. As much as I wanted to feel her out a bit more, I’d already pushed the borders of decency by getting her to admit more than she probably would have if she hadn’t been still feeling the effects of the alcohol.
“Why don’t you come wait in our room while we try to call the manager to get him to come unlock your door?” I said.
“Can’t you pick the lock?” she asked.
“We don’t have the tools we’d need with us,” I said. “Sage and I were traveling light and we didn’t really want to explain to TSA why we had the tools of our trade in our carry-on, if you know what I mean. If we can’t reach the manager, we’ll see if someone’s still at the party and can bring some by.”
Daisy seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding. “Thank you.”
Her tension was a steep reminder that she was, in all likelihood, an innocent. I nodded and turned away from her so I could get our door open. Sage stayed by her side, but he kept his hands to himself when he saw that she wasn’t overly unsteady on her feet.
Once inside the room, I said, “Daisy, why don’t you go shower? It’ll help warm you up faster.”
The young woman watched us both for a moment as if waiting to see if we were going to grab her or something. I closed the distance between us and was pleased when she didn’t step back. “Daisy,” I said softly even as I forced myself not to touch her. “You know us,” I said as I glanced over my shoulder at Sage who looked both hungry and uncertain at the same time. He was clearly in the same boat as me – being around this girl and not being able to touch her was a unique form of torture. “We would never hurt you in a million years. You’re safe with us.”
My words seemed to relax her enough to where she nodded and then hurried to the bathroom. When I turned around, Sage lookedas on edge as I’d ever seen him. I knew it was a mix of his lust and his confusion over the feelings she stirred in him that were messing with his head.
“We need to go call the manager to get him down here to unlock the door. Do you want to go or should I?”
Sage just shook his head and I realized he was struggling above and beyond the norm. I snagged his hair in a none-too-gentle grip and tipped his head back. “Sage, go to the manager’s office and get the number. Bring it back here.”
The simple order was enough to get Sage focused. His eyes glazed over with need as he nodded. I leaned down to seal my mouth over his. His kiss was desperate and needy, and it fell to me to stop it with another sharp tug on his hair. “Go now.”
As he left the room, I heard the shower come on. I used the time to strip off my suit jacket and work my tie loose. Sage was back within a matter of minutes. He handed me his phone, which showed the number already dialed, so I hit send and put it to my ear. I wasn’t overly surprised when it went straight to voicemail.
“Voicemail,” I murmured before leaving a message telling the owner of the motel to contact us.
“Fuck,” Sage whispered, and then he began to pace. I watched him for a few moments before I grabbed his arm to stop his movement. If I didn’t distract him, his anxiety would continue to mount.
“Talk to me, Sage.”
He shook his head. “I can’t,” he admitted.
I sighed and pulled him over to one of the two beds and sat down. I tugged him down until he was straddling me.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of. I’m not angry.”
“How can you not be?” he snapped.
“Because I know you and I know what you’re feeling right now. I’m feeling it too.”
Sage shook his head. “But she’s not like one of our thirds.”
I nodded. “Because you have feelings for her.”
He tried to climb off my lap, but I wouldn’t let him. “I’m sick,” he whispered. “You deserve better.”
“Why do you think you’re sick?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
“Because you’re perfect in every way… you’re perfect for me. But instead of that being enough…”
