Especially while I finish my book—this one exploring the deconstruction and reformation of finding yourself outside of a strict religious upbringing. It doesn’t have a name yet, although Sage still insists that Church Boy has a nice ring to it.
But her name ideas have always been terrible.
This is why the club is not called Sex Church, but a much more appealing and equally apropos— Sinners and Saints.
Because everyone who enters is both.
When the line dies down, I take a moment to glance around the room, taking stock of our first big event, and so far,
it seems like a success. The rec room is full. Everyone looks happy, sated, and at ease.
In the corner, Briar set up a craft station with Abigail, where the neighborhood kids are making thank-you cards and place mats. On the opposite side, Gladys set up a free book library, a familiar copy of The Rake and His Reluctant Bride sitting untouched on the top.
When I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist, I smile.
“Watching you serve those mashed potatoes is getting me hot,” she whispers, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Caleb snicker to himself before pulling off his gloves and walking away.
I peel mine off as well, turning to face the pink-haired beauty trying to dirty talk me in a church. Although…I guess we’ve done worse here.
“Oh yeah?” I ask, looking down at her and biting my bottom lip. Reaching behind me for a spoon, I scoop up a dollop of the creamy potatoes. “Open, Peaches.”
With a sultry expression on her face, she parts her lips and tilts her chin up for me.
“Good little slut,” I mouth before sliding the spoon into her mouth. She closes her lips around it, letting out a hum as I pull it out. “Lick it clean,” I whisper, and with a mischievous smile, she does.
“I think we need something out of the storage closet,” she says with a wink.
Laughing, I lean forward and take her mouth in a kiss, trailing my hand over her jaw and holding it delicately around her throat. This girl makes me crazy.
“And what is that?” I hear my mother’s voice from just a foot away, and it’s like ice water over my quickly growing dick.
Clearing my throat, I pull away and glance down at what my mother is staring at in horror.
“Busted…” Sage teases.
That’s when I notice the sleeve of my shirt has rolled up enough to expose the black-and-gray tattoo covering most of my forearm.
My mother approaches, practically ripping the buttons off my sleeve to see the artwork there. As far as I know, I’m the first of her sons to get a tattoo.
“What is it?” she asks, as her fingers run over the ink.
“It’s a snake wrapped around a peach tree,” I reply, glancing up at Sage, who’s biting her bottom lip and smiling back at me.
“Why on earth did you get that?” my mother asks with alarm.
“The snake represents fresh starts and rebirth since it’s always shedding its skin. And the peach tree…is personal.”
At first, my mother’s expression is loaded with emotion, staring up at me as she touches my cheek. Then her gaze tracks over to my girlfriend, looking more and more mischievous by the second. My mother narrows her eyes at her before wrapping an arm over her shoulder.
“You’re a bad influence,” she says with affection as she squeezes Sage to her side.
“Thanks,” Sage replies, taking that as a compliment. “We can get you one next.”
“Nice try,” my mother says with a laugh.
After letting go of Sage, she wraps a hand around my arm and squeezes it. Then we gaze out at the crowd, eating the meals we provided. For a moment, the emotion is thick between the three of us, my mother at one side and the love of my life at the other.
As Sage tucks herself under my arm, nestled in with her arms wrapped around my torso, my mother smiles. Then she looks me in the eyes as she whispers, “I’m so proud of you.”
And those five words alone make everything worth it.
Sage’s Epilogue
Later that night
“E verything looks good,” I say as I hand the expense report back to Sadie. “It’s so nice to have things actually add up.”
She laughs as she takes the packet and drops it on the desk.
The decision to keep Sadie around as manager of the club was the best decision I’ve made. She’s clearly dedicated to making it the best it can be.
“Check this out,” she says with a proud smile, pulling something from her back pocket. “Look who’s officially enrolled.”
My jaw drops as I stare at the college ID with her photo on the front.
“Oh my god, Sadie!” I say, snatching it out of her hands and pulling her in for a hug. “I’m so proud of you.”
With a bashful shrug, she takes the ID from my fingers and stares down at it with a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks. Hopefully, with a business degree, I can really make this place even better.”
“I have no doubt you’re going to do amazing things,” I reply, feeling so proud and excited for her. After only meeting her a few months ago, it’s amazing how right it feels having her here with me. She cares about this club and this industry.
Unlike Brett, who only really looked at the figures at the end of the day, Sadie shares a vision with me of what this place could be and how valuable it would be for a lot of people.
“Your boyfriend is here,” she says, nodding toward the security camera. On the screen, Adam is strutting across the floor of the club, looking fine as hell in that black long-sleeve button-down and tight black slacks.
A moment later, there’s a knock at the door of the office, and I bite back my smile as I open it.
“Can I help you, sir?” I ask, teasing him as I peek my head out.
He leans in, stealing a kiss like he couldn’t go another minute without it. As he pulls away, he flashes me the camera.
“We have work to do,” he says.
“Well, let’s give the people what they want,” I reply.
I wave back at Sadie, who shoots Adam a quick wave before we slip out of the office. “Happy Thanksgiving,” he calls after her before the door closes.
My hand links with his as we walk together toward the Blue Room at the back of the club. While I’m unlocking the door with my master key, Adam crowds me from behind, pulling my hair to the side to kiss along the constellation tattoo on my neck. Goose bumps prickle every inch of my skin and my blood starts to warm up from his tender touch.
Continuing to film our videos has actually been great for the club too. After our account reached nearly two million followers and we had more fame than we anticipated, we had to decide if this was what we really wanted to do. It feels like we’re too far to turn back now and I still worry that this has ruined any chance of Adam achieving his dreams. Especially after the internet proudly proclaimed him the Porn Star Preacher.
He’s promised me he’s not worried about his future—that being the Porn Star Preacher doesn’t bother him. He wants to carve his own path instead of walking down one already paved by someone else. And he seems to really think that even being a quote, unquote “porn star” hasn’t entirely ruined his chances of standing at the pulpit. If he does, I can’t wait to see the congregation that flocks to listen.