She shrugs. “Why do you think I didn’t like you?”
I consider her question for a moment. “I actually don’t know. I’ve never known. You seemed to hate me on the spot?—”
“Because to me, you were like all the other player patrons. Rich, and a smug asshole telling me how to look after my own horse.”
My brows rise slowly. My wife certainly has a way with words. She gets to the point, and I have to admit, I like it.
“What about now?”
One shoulder jerks up, her mouth curves up one side, and I hear the amusement in her voice. “You’re growing on me.”
A laugh barrels up my throat. “That’s good to know. You’re growing on me too.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, Ruby’s cheeks flush, like there’s a weight to them, and my mind flits back to yesterday evening.
Her smile drops a little, and she sips her coffee. “So why’s it so different about people in the village believing you?”
“Because we’re going to be seen, and people will talk.”
“What people?”
My chin jerks behind her. “Claudia, for one.”
“It doesn’t sound like Claudia cares.”
I laugh, both at the idea of Claudia not caring and that Ruby’s convinced she isn’t paying any attention to us. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s probably put out an alert to the whole village by now.”
“No way?—”
I lean in. “She’s the biggest gossip you’ll ever meet.”
Ruby peers around dramatically to find her. She’s standing behind the till serving a customer and looks like butter wouldn’t melt. Until she catches Ruby’s eye and waves, because it’s obvious she’s been watching us.
When Ruby turns back, she’s got a look about her I’ve only seen once before—seconds before she turned the hose on me.
“Want to give her something to gossip about?”
My head tilts. “What did you have in mind?”
Crooking her finger at me, she leans across the table. In the time it takes me to register what’s happening, she’s fisting the front of my shirt and pulling me toward her.
And our lips crash together.
This isn’t like the kiss at the wedding. For one, Ruby’s tongue is in my mouth.
It’s not a lot, just a touch, the briefest sweep against mine, but when she moves to pull away, I decide I’m not done. She might have started this game, but I’m nothing if not an active competitor.
Gripping her chin to hold her in place, I kiss her back. As I nip her lip, she lets out a moan that zips straight down my spine. It’s nothing scandalous, but my balls tighten. My mind wandersto places it shouldn’t, like the feasibility of throwing her over my shoulder, taking her home, and locking the door.
I know there are eyes on us, I can feel them. I chose this table specifically for the window. But, with Ruby, I’m not an exhibitionist. I want her all to myself, in private. I want to continue this kiss, I want to experience that passion she exhibits when she’s riding.
And I want to find out what else makes her moan just. Like.That.
When we finally pull back, I stare into her glazed eyes, and just for good measure, I swipe my thumb across her bottom lip. “How d’you dislike me now?”
CHAPTER 12
Ruby
