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With a nervous glance, she went past him into the guest bedroom.
Of the many rooms in the house, he’d chosen this one because it was close to his, with a fine view of the city through high windows. The decor was spare, just like in the rest of the house. The center of the room held a large four-poster bed, covered with a plain white bedspread. An angular metal lamp was set on the black nightstand, which had a hidden intercom and electric plug for her phone. A hard-edged metal chandelier hung from the sculptured plaster ceiling.
She looked around her uncertainly.
“You have your own bathroom here,” he said, nudging open a door with a brief smile. “Anything you might need has been provided. There’s even scented bubble bath, if you’re so inclined.”
She looked at the dark floor.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded.
Ruby looked back at him. “I just figured out what’s bothering me about this place.”
“My house?”
“Yeah. This whole mansion of yours. It’s not just empty. It’s cold. And I don’t mean temperature. Other than the ballroom, there’s no color. It’s all black-and-white.”
“Those are my favorite colors.”
“They aren’t colors. I have more color on my body than you do in this whole house.”
Ares looked at her. It was true. Ruby was a vivid slash of color in a sea of black-and-white. She was wearing the same clothes as when she’d left Star Valley, a vintage rainbow T-shirt pulled snug over her full breasts and slight bump, and bright purple cut-off shorts. A bright yellow ribbon tied back her long dark hair. Her canvas sneakers were embroidered with flowers.
He looked down at his own well-tailored clothes. Black shirt. Black trousers. Black socks and shoes. He fit in here perfectly.
“So you hate my house,” he said.
“Um. I guess I do.” She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Suppressing his disappointment, Ares went toward the closet door. “Maybe you’ll approve of this.”
Curiously, she followed him into the enormous walk-in closet, with four walls of clothing, handbags and shoes, and a center island for lingerie and accessories.
Ruby looked around in shock. “What is all this?”
“I told you I’d arrange new clothes,” he said. At last, she seemed impressed by something.
“This closet is bigger than my bedroom and Ivy’s put together,” she said in awe.
“Maternity clothing from the best boutiques in the city.” He motioned toward one wall. “You have ten different bags for every occasion. This particular one—” he touched a ladylike black bag “—is by Hermès. My executive assistant told me Princess Grace used a bag just like this to hide her pregnancy from photographers.” He smiled, turning back to Ruby. “So I bought you five—”
His voice cut off. Ruby didn’t look pleased, as he’d expected, at such thoughtful extravagance. She didn’t touch anything, not the clothes or shoes or bags. She just stood there in her ridiculous rainbow shirt and purple shorts, her expression troubled.
“You don’t like them?” he said.
“The clothes—they’re just like your house.” Her voice was strained. “No color. Just black-and-white.”
“That’s not true,” he said, stung. “There’s also gray. And beige!”
“Beige.” She gave a visible shudder, then her shoulders tightened. “And how much did it all cost?”
“Cost?” he said blankly.
“Yes, cost. Enough to buy my trailer back home? Enough to send Ivy to college for a year? Enough to pay medical expenses for our baby’s birth? Enough to put something by, in case something bad happens? Because it always does!”
Instead of being pleased, Ruby looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Ares looked around the closet he’d asked his executive assistant to arrange for her. Dorothy had spent much of last night organizing it. He thought of all the trouble and expense. He’d thought it would delight Ruby. That it would make her comfortable in the city, that it might even help him seduce her.
She’d thrown it all back in his face.
