“Sometimes,” she says, her eyes moving over me slowly. I can feel her taking me in—my face, my torso, down to my boots resting on the rung of the stool. It’s like she’s assessing, teasing me with every glance. And damn, I’m hoping she’s thinking about the same thing I am—her, spread out beneath me later tonight, that dress hiked up around her hips as I bury myself deep inside her in my bed.Correction.Inourbed.
My thumb brushes against her cheek, and her eyes flutter closed, her lashes casting soft shadows on her flushed skin. Her hair is thick, the strands slipping through my fingers as I push my hand into the back of her head, tugging just enough to make her shiver.
I turn, clasping her hand in mine and leading her to the pool table. I pause, handing her a pool cue before lining up my shot. One stripe down, then another, but my focus isn’t on the game. It’s on her, standing there, watching me like I’m the only thing in this bar worth looking at.
“My turn?” she asks, her voice playful as she steps up beside me, downing her drink in one swift motion before setting it aside.
I hum in agreement, putting my hand on her hip as she moves around the table, her body brushing against mine. She bends over, lining up her shot, and the way her dress pulls tightacross her ass has me gripping the edge of the pool table, my knuckles turning white with restraint.
She sinks the solid and straightens up, twisting the cue between her fingers as she throws me a wink, her lips curling into a smirk. “Guess I’m not as rusty as I thought.”
Fuck me, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. The way she holds herself, the confidence, the way she looks at me like she knows exactly what she’s doing—it’s driving me wild. Every part of me wants to pull her close, push her up against the wall, and kiss that smirk right off her ruby red lips.
But instead, I smile, stepping up behind her as she lines up another shot. My hand moves from her hip, sliding down her waist to rest just below her breast. She inhales sharply, her back arching into me, and I can feel her trembling, even though she’s trying to keep her cool.
“Take your shot,” I whisper, my lips brushing against her ear as my hand moves lower, fingers grazing the soft skin at the inside of her thigh. Her breath catches, but she doesn’t move away. She stays there, bent over the table, the cue in her hand shaking slightly as she tries to focus.
She releases the shot just as my fingers inch higher, teasing the edge of her panties. The ball bounces off the table, missing its mark, and she spins around, glaring at me with a fire in her eyes that sends a bolt of heat straight to my cock.
“That’s not fair,” she pouts, but I can see the way her lips tremble with barely contained desire.
“Neither is underestimating your game,” I reply, my voice rough as I step closer, our bodies almost touching. Her hands come up, resting on my chest as she looks up at me, those green eyes daring me to make a move.
“You’re playing with fire, precious,” I growl, my fingers pressing harder against her thigh, inching closer to the heat between her legs.
“Maybe I like the burn,” she whispers back, her breath hot against my neck as her hands slide lower, down to the waistband of my jeans.
God, I’m in so deep with this woman.
Two more balls drop into the pockets. Ruby’s on a roll. She’s got that confident swagger as she lines up her next shot, and I can’t help but admire the way she moves, completely in control. I step up behind her, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off her body.
“You underestimated your experience,” I murmur, my breath hot against her neck.
She doesn’t miss a beat, pressing her ass back into me with a teasing smirk. “I’ve got a feeling you did too.” Her words are a challenge, one I’m more than ready to meet.
I groan softly as my hand travels up her waist, stopping just near the curve of her breast. Her body reacts instantly, her breath hitching in her throat, but she doesn’t pull away. “Never,” I growl, and before she can respond, I dust my fingertip across her nipple through the fabric of her dress. I feel it harden under my touch, and she moans, leaning back into me.
“Take your shot,” I whisper, pinching her nipple just hard enough to make her gasp. She pulls back the cue with trembling hands, but it’s no use—the ball ricochets off the table, nowhere near its target.
Ruby spins around to face me, her bottom lip jutted out in the cutest pout. “That’s not fair,” she says, eyes flashing with playful defiance.
“Neither is underestimating your game,” I shoot back, grinning at her as I lean closer.
She narrows her eyes but doesn’t back down. “Oh, it’s on now, playboy. You don’t know who you’re messing with.” Before I can respond, her hand is sliding down the front of my jeans, palming my cock through the fabric. The pressure of her gripmakes me suck in a sharp breath, the sensation nearly knocking me off balance. Damn, this girl knows exactly what she’s doing.
I step back, needing a second to regain control. The way her wild hair falls in loose waves, the gleam in her eyes—it’s all too much, and I know I’m in deeper than I thought. “Fuck me, precious,” I mutter under my breath, eyeing the table as I circle around, trying to focus on the game.
I bend down to line up my shot, but as I do, her breasts come into view, barely hidden beneath that dress. My focus wavers. “Problem, playboy?” she taunts, licking her lips as she reaches up and tugs the neckline of her dress just a little lower, revealing more of her cleavage.
“Not at all,” I grit out, determined to get through this shot. But then she trails her finger up her chest, slowly, teasingly, and that’s it. My control snaps. My arm jerks, and the cue ball bounces off the table, completely missing its mark.
“Jesus,” I groan, standing upright and hooking my thumb into the pocket of my jeans as I watch her. She’s a vision—a damn sexy devil meant to test every ounce of my self-control. She knows it too, that smug smile playing on her lips as she straightens up and takes another sip of her drink. I don’t know how I resisted her for so many weeks while we built the new library together. And then I remember: because she deserves it, and my only goal now is to be the man that she deserves.
“You’re quite the distraction tonight,” I say, moving in close again. This time, my hand slides up the inside of her thigh, pushing the fabric of her dress aside until my fingers find the soft satin of her panties.
“Mmm…” she hums, her hips instinctively shifting toward my touch.
We’re in the back of the bar, not entirely private but tucked away enough that no one’s paying attention. I block the view with my body, angling myself to shield her from anyone whomight look over. “Next time I see you, I don’t want you wearing these,” I growl in her ear, tugging the satin to the side and feeling the slick heat of her arousal against my fingers.
