He leans over and picks up the blue dress and hands it to me. “No buts. You’re going to this rehearsal and being the good friend you are. But when you come back, all bets are off, Ruby. I can’t wait any longer. Tonight, you’re going to be mine.”
My whole body vibrates. I would skip this in an instant, but I know I can’t. I grab the dress from his hands and start tugging it on. “I’ll be quick. As soon as it’s over, I’ll be back.”
His hand goes to mine. “There’s no need to rush, Ruby. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be waiting on you.”
I let out a whoosh of breath. “Okay.”
Chapter 9
Austin
As soon as she’s ready, I walk her to the back of the hotel where the wedding rehearsal is going to take place. I can’t resist kissing her before she makes her way to her friends. I should go back upstairs to the room and give her some space, but instead, I lean against the wall and watch from the shadows.
Ruby is beautiful. She’s laughing with her friends, and they all hug when the rehearsal is over. I watch from afar as they go in another door to go to the small event room where the dinner is being held.
It’s crazy, but I sit down in the lobby and wait for her. She lives in New York, and I have no doubt that she can take care of herself, but I can’t get over the thought that she doesn’t have to. From now on, I want to be the one to take care of her.
I call my cousins to check on my ranch. I check my emails and waste time looking at my phone. As if I sense her being near, I lift my head, and she’s walking out of the event room. I stand up, and her eyes light up when she sees me.
“Have you been here the whole time?”
I nod, speechless. She’s absolutely lit up, and her beauty is too much for me.
She puts her hands on her hips. “Did you eat?”
I stare into her eyes. “I’m not hungry... for food.”
It takes a second, but she finally gets my meaning. “Oh,” she mutters, her mouth forming a perfect circle.
I reach for her, and she walks straight into my arms. I kiss her as if I haven’t seen her for ages, but I’m quickly finding out that any time apart from Ruby is too long.
She pulls back and grabs on to my hand, pulling me toward the elevators. We both stare at the numbers, and when it dings its arrival, we walk on, hand in hand.
I pull her to me, her back to my front, and wrap my arms around her. The elevator seems to take forever.
“Uh, Austin, I probably need to tell you something.”
The hesitancy in her voice has me freezing up behind her. “What is it?”
She turns in my arms. She’s still holding the box of food, and she puts her free hand on my chest. “I think... I mean, I’m guessing you’ll find out anyway, but I should probably...”
I lock my hands at her back, prepared for anything. “Spill it, Ruby. You can tell me anything.”
“Uh, this is my first time...” she blurts in a hurry.
I thought I was prepared for anything, but the truth is, I wasn’t prepared for that. I haven’t let myself think of her with anyone else, and now knowing that she’s saved herself for me has the blood roaring in my ears.
The elevator dings, and I pull her down the hallway with me. I pull my key from my pocket and let us in. I pull the box out of her hand and toss it onto the desk before lifting her up in my arms and moving to the chair in the corner of the room.
I sit down with her in my lap, and she curls up like she belongs there. “Say something,” she mutters, her face flushed.
“Do you want this, Ruby? I mean, do you want me to be your first?”
I hold my breath and wait for her answer. Truth is, I’ll be her last too. I’m never letting her go.
She leans in. “Yes. I want you to be my first, Austin. You... are what I want.”
I exhale roughly.Keep it together, McCoy.
