Rules 34 Back in the Saddle

Things were different with Jeremy back. Not better. Not worse. Just changed. He still moved like himself, and Sage kept to her routines, but the rhythm between them was an entirely different frequency. Something had shifted, subtly enough that Sage would have missed it had she not been paying attention.

She sat at the kitchen table, bare legs folded beneath her, morning light dancing against the tile floor. Her tea had gone cold an hour ago. She hadn’t noticed until she brought the mug to her lips passively. Upon tasting the cold liquid, she set the mug down slowly, her eyes still fixed on her backyard. Staring past the fence, staring into David's home. She could see the corner of his deck, the grill cover fluttering in the breeze, but no sign of him.

He hadn’t called or texted since their last talk. Hadn't opened his living room blinds, hadn't even left his home as far as Sage could tell.

She wasn’t sure if she was relieved, disappointed, or insulted by that. But what bothered her most was the disappointment. She couldn't believe he hadn't attempted another follow-up, hadn't come up with some elaborate, stupid idea to get her back. Did he really think she wasn't worth fighting for? Had he given up so easily? Regardless, David's passive response bothered her far more than she wanted to admit.

She pressed a thumb to her lip as she became lost in thought.

She really had beaten him. She had stopped a man she thought was unstoppable.

Sage sighed when that reality hit her.

Theo was another story, however. Despite being told directly it was over, he hadn't given up. She glanced at his latest message, the third he had sent this week. His careful language grated Sage.

Theo: Hey, just checking in. Hope you're alright. Thinking of you.

He might not cut off contact, but he also had been crushed by her. Theo was no more than a lapdog who would do anything she asked. His lack of dignity was just as disappointing as David's retreat.

She hadn’t replied to him, in part because she knew it kept him around her finger, and also because her focus was currently on Jeremy, who was now sleeping in their guest bedroom.

Two men defeated... But the same couldn't be said for Calden.

Sage's stomach twisted at the thought of him. It was surreal having a man of his stature focused on her. But Sage had made it a point to avoid him for the time being. A polite email to HR requesting a leave of absence had bought her a month under the guise of stress. And it was true, she was stressed. But that wasn’t why she was avoiding him.

Sage was afraid of Calden. Of what they might become, of what he would be capable of doing if she went back.

The sound of footsteps on the hardwood made her spine straighten. She turned and found Jeremy smiling politely. Sage smiled back, admiring the baggy T-shirt and jeans he wore. They looked good on him.

Jeremy didn't say a word as he strode into the kitchen. But that was normal for him now. He was quieter than he used to be, calmer too.

She watched as he rounded the counter and grabbed the coffee pot. His face looked a little thinner than before Maine. Chisled, sharp. There was a fire in his eye that Sage thought she would never see again.

“Morning,” he said.

Sage matched his nonchalance with a half-smile. “Morning.”

He moved to sit across from her, dropping into his seat smoothly.

"You sleep okay?” Sage asked, eyes flicking up from her mug.

“Yeah. Guest bed’s not bad, actually.”

“That’s good…” She nodded, trailing off.

The silence that followed was clumsy. Stuffed with the weight of unspoken emotions that needed time to resolve on their own.

Jeremy drummed his fingers on the table, then stopped as he took another sip of his coffee while looking out the kitchen window.

“So,” he said calmly, “Calden.”

The name hit like a sharp knife. Sage looked at him curiously.

“Yeah,” she said. “I figured we’d talk about him eventually.”

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Jeremy said, leaning back in the chair. “And if I'm being honest, I don’t think that situation was your fault.”

Sage exhaled through her nose. “It kind of was. I should never have let Dave into the office like that. I should never have given him access to those videos. And Calden just pounced on the opportunity...”

Jeremy raised a brow. “You’re calling David Dave now?”

She winced. “Sorry. David.”

He waved it away. “How serious is it with Calden?”

Sage rubbed her thumb along the rim of her cup. The porcelain squeaked.

“Nothing’s happened since he invited me to his office. I blew him, he was getting ready to fuck me… but we didn't get there,” she said, voice low. To her relief, Jeremy didn't recoil. There was barely any pain on his face as he calmly listened.

“So, we can safely assume he wants more."

She nodded. “He made that pretty clear.”

"You think he'd fire you if you don't play along?" He asked. Sage shrugged.

"I honestly don't know. He suggested it, so it's safe to assume he would do something with the video he has. But I don't think it would go beyond firing me."

Jeremy stared at her for a moment.

“Do you want to quit?” He asked.

It wasn’t accusatory. He asked as if he were offering her his jacket in the rain.

Sage froze, sensing a trap in Jeremy’s question, even if he hadn’t meant to set it. No answer felt safe. Or rather, the honest one didn’t. But maybe that was the point.

“I don’t know," Sage said softly.

Jeremy nodded slowly. The answer didn’t seem to surprise him at all.

“Do you hate me for that?” She asked. Doing her best to stop her hands from trembling.

“No.”

“Not even a little?”

“I chose to come back, Sage. I know what I signed up for.”

“You’re being too nice."

“I’m just… trying to be honest. I think that’s the only way we get through this.”

Sage looked down. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to do whatever you truly want. I’ll support you either way,” Jeremy said. “I just don't want you feeling like you have to stay at your job. I make enough for us both. You're not trapped, and you don’t have to prove anything. You can walk away if that's what you want.”

She closed her eyes for a second. That was the right answer. That was what any good man would say, and that was the opening for her to reply as any good woman would.

Of course I want to quit. I love you. Let’s end this and start over. Just the two of us.

But instead, she looked up and told the truth.

“I think I want to stay.”

Jeremy exhaled softly, a smile forming on his face.

“Is it crazy that I knew you’d say that?” He asked.

Sage bit her lip. “You don’t have to go along with this, Jeremy. You can tell me to stop or walk away. I don't want to drag you into something you'll resent me for."

“I know I can,” he said. “And I know you would stop if I asked. But I’m not asking, and I never will.”

There was a long pause. Her chest ached. She wasn’t sure if she was more relieved or aroused by his answer.

He shifted in his seat. “I think we'll need some new ground rules though.”

“Because that worked out so well last time.” Sage couldn't stop her laughter. Jeremy joined in.

“Well, we've had some practice.”

She gave a wry nod. “Older and wiser, huh?”

He chuckled. "Something like that."

Sage took a moment to take in her husband. She examined the lines of his face, his warm smile, and his relaxed posture. He was, truly, a catch. Jeremy could have any woman he wanted. She knew this. She had always known this. And it left a burning question she wanted to ask since the day he returned.

“Why do you still want this?” She asked.

Jeremy didn’t answer right away.

“It's simply in me, and I would regret not seeing this through, wherever it might end.” He finally responded.

Sage smiled and looked away. Equal parts sad and turned on.

“Fair point.”

Sage sat forward slightly, elbows on the table, her voice low.

“Alright, well if we are doing rules again, then a few come to mind. First, no one else comes into this house. Ever. I've had my fill of overassuming men invading my space,” she said.

Jeremy raised a brow.

“What, you didn't like living with David?”

Sage let out a bitter huff. “That man is a fucking pig.”

Jeremy laughed.

“I could’ve told you that.”

“You did. I just didn’t listen.”

A quiet passed between them. More comfortable now. More honest.

Sage took a deep breath and continued. “Ok, second rule. You have to be ok not being there for everything, and I’m not recording encounters or sneaking pictures anymore. It's just not sustainable and way too risky.”

Jeremy nodded. “Makes sense, that tripped us up a lot last time. But I want honesty and details.”

Sage’s cheeks flushed. “You’re still into that?”

“I want to know everything. Not just what happens physically. I want to know what you felt. What was going through your head." Jeremy leaned forward. "And no more teasing on my end, if I want to fuck, we fuck. I'm not one of them, I am your husband."

Sage licked her lips. There was something about the way he spoke now that captured her attention. There wasn't an ounce of insecurity in him. Just… invested interest. A man she respected, who saw her, and wasn't flinching.

“I can absolutely do that. Also, it's probably worth mentioning I don't plan on sleeping with Calden anytime soon,” She said.

“No?” The statement seemed to genuinely surprise Jeremy.

She shook her head. “No. I've realized what I love most about this whole thing is the fight." Sage paused; it was strange saying the words out loud.

"Go on," Jeremy encouraged.

Sage took a deep breath. "I like the power games, and Calden wants to conquer me. I can see it in his eyes.”

Jeremy leaned in, intrigued.

“You want to see if you can win against him?”

Sage smiled, lips twitching at the corners. “Is that bad?”

“I don’t know. Is he in on that part of it?”

She gave a small shake of her head. “No. And that’s the fun of it.”

Jeremy sat back in thought.

“Part of the fun,” he said, echoing her. But the edge in his voice gave him away. There was a hint of pain beneath it.

Sage noticed.

Her voice softened. “I never did that with you.”

“I know.”

“And I mean that in a good way. You never had to chase me. You already had me. You always will.”

Jeremy looked down. He pressed his palm to the table, fingers curled slightly.

“I know,” he said again, quieter this time.

Sage swallowed. She hated that she could feel both love and guilt in equal parts. She reached out, tentatively, and touched his hand. Jeremy didn’t pull away. He laced his fingers with hers. The gesture was simple. But it was the first time they’d touched like this since he came home.

“Promise me something?” Jeremy said. Sage’s chest went tight.

“Anything.”

He looked at her, his face unreadable.

“No matter how dirty or uncomfortable things get, I want the truth. I'm not just talking about lying. Don't omit anything, ever.”

“I can do that.”

“And…" Jeremy continued, "You never say those words to anyone else ever again. Not as a joke, not as a game.”

Sage flinched. She knew what he meant. "I wish I had never said those words to David, Jeremy. It was stupid of me. You have no idea how much I regret—”

Jeremy squeezed her hand gently. “It’s okay. One step at a time.”

The tension in her chest loosened slightly as she leaned back and exhaled.

"So, we have our Rules. Again," Sage said, the two of them smiling knowingly in unison.

"We take it slow. We talk a lot. And we speak the truth. I don’t want to feel like we’re performing for each other.”

Sage nodded. “Agreed.”

“And I want you to remember that you can stop this at any time. You don’t have to do it for me.”

"The same goes for you," Sage answered.

"Agreed," Jeremy stared at Sage for a moment, examining her as his eyes softened. She laughed warmly as his familiar loving gaze found her.

"What?" She asked.

“Nothing, I just missed you."

"I missed you too," Sage confessed. It felt good to get it off her chest, and it brought her hope that Jeremy felt the same.

"So, are you excited to start this all up again?" Jeremy asked. Sage felt her body jolt at the question.

“Honestly, yes. I miss the game, I miss being desired, I miss the battle for control."

“Well, Calden will give you that for sure. You think it'll be different from David?" Jeremy asked.

Sage paused. “You want the truth?"

"Always."

“Calden is different. Very different. He’s not some sleazy neighbor jerking off behind the blinds. Calden’s… dangerous. Actually dangerous. He's polished. Sharp. Succesful. He’s a high-functioning predator in a tailored suit. Someone who always gets what he wants. And now he wants me.”

Jeremy's eyes lit up, as if he was understanding what she was saying for the first time. “So this why you kept going along with all of it. Why you even started pushing me for a while, isn't it?"

"I shouldn't have done that without asking…"

"No, it's fine, really. I think I'm finally getting it. You want to take him apart like you did David?”

“Or let him take me apart,” she said, too fast. Her breath hitched as Jeremy's eyebrow raised. “That’s… the part I’m still working through.”

Jeremy didn’t blink. “Honesty. That’s good.”

“I hate that I want to play with fire. Hate that I fantasize about it. About pushing him, about making him unravel. Or letting him push me, and seeing who will break first.”

“Do you want him to win?”

Sage was quiet.

“No,” she said eventually. “But he might, and I want him to try.”

Jeremy looked at her for a long time, not with jealousy or revulsion. He seemed fascinated, as if she’d just revealed a hidden side of herself he had been searching for.

“You really are one of a kind,” he said with a half-smile.

Sage smirked. “That makes two of us."

They both laughed. And for a moment, it felt like the air was light again. Then Jeremy stood and walked around the table. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was brief, but it landed with all the tenderness Jeremy had ever held.

She looked up at him. “What was that for?”

“Just a reminder,” he said. “That we’re still us. Whatever we become.”

Sage nodded and gently caressed his forearm. “Thank you.”

Jeremy grabbed a glass of water from the counter, and before heading out of the room, he turned.

“Oh, and Sage?”

“Yeah?”

He grinned. “Give him hell out there.”

Sage blinked, caught off guard. Then she laughed. It was real, sharp, and stupidly sweet.

“I plan to,” she said, brushing her hair back over her shoulder with one smooth motion. She stared into Jeremy's eyes, allowing him to see her. All of her, in a single moment.

Jeremy winked. “He doesn't stand a chance, does he?”

“No, he doesn't.”

As he disappeared up the stairs, Sage sat back in her chair as her heart thudded back into a steady rhythm. She felt dizzy and awake at the same time.

Not because of guilt.

Not because of Calden.

But because her husband had just given her permission to be herself. For once, she didn't feel like she was hiding. She was Sage, fully and completely.

And she wasn’t sure which part excited her more. Facing off against someone like Calden, or knowing Jeremy would be with her every step of the way.

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