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He nodded, but instead of heading down the corridor to get dressed, he stared at her for the longest moment then said. ‘I’m sorry, Ruby.’
‘What for?’ she asked, hoping he wasn’t going to apologise for giving her the best sex of her life again.
‘For not being able to save the theatre,’ he said, surprising her, especially as she could see he meant it. ‘You and Matty deserved better.’
She could see the regret and the guilt shadowing his eyes and she realized that if she pressed, she could easily guilt him into investing in The Royale. Because he felt responsible now, in a way he hadn’t before.
But the fleeting thought passed almost as quickly as it came …
Saving Matty’s dream, saving her dream, keeping The Royale open had never been Luke’s responsibility, any more than being born made him responsible for the break-up of Matty and Falcone’s love affair. And she felt even more ashamed now she’d tried to make it his responsibility.
Tears clogged her throat as she touched her palm to the stubble on his jaw, felt the muscle bunch and flex. ‘Don’t be sorry, Luke.’
She would just have to come up with another plan … one which didn’t involve Luke.
He dropped his forehead to hers and grasped the back of her neck. His thumb drew tantalizing circles on her nape, making sensation ricochet down to her core. She could hear his breathing, syncing with hers. Even though the hunger twisted and burned in her belly, the yearning all but consuming her, she drew away first.
‘You better get going, before Jacie turns up,’ she said. ‘I’ll see you on Monday.’
He nodded, then left her standing in the living room.
She made herself busy, gathering up their empty plates. She could hear him getting dressed in the bedroom, then the soft pad of his footsteps as he walked down the corridor and climbed on to the fire escape. Once the sound had faded away, she stopped rinsing.
Last night had been her and Luke’s Brokeback moment, and it had been exciting and wonderful and devastating all at the same time.
She still had at least a month of him working in the theatre and she just hoped their Brokeback moment wasn’t going to ruin the time they had left together.
Because she was definitely Jack Twist in this scenario. And he was Ennis. Trying to make this more had the potential to hurt her a lot more than Luke – because she suspected he was a man used to denying his emotional needs. And she was a woman who had always yearned to indulge them, with the right guy.
She had to get it through her head that Luke wasn’t that guy.
She went back to washing their breakfast dishes.
‘So what’s occurring between you and the man of steel buns?’
Ruby jumped and spun round so fast she dropped one of the plates back into the dirty dishwater, splashing her robe. ‘Jacie! Give me a clue before you do that,’ she said, placing her hand over her racing heart and hoping to change the subject.
‘I would have needed a foghorn to wake you up from day-dreaming about you know who.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Forget it. I just saw him walk out the back alley, wearing the same clothes he had on when he left yesterday morning to go who knows where. And you have beard burn on your chin.’
Ruby cupped her palm over the sore spot and her cheeks warmed.
Bollocks. Jacie missed nothing. ‘Umm.’
Jacie’s grin split her face. ‘Oh. My. God. You shagged him, didn’t you? This is perfect.’
‘I did not shag him,’ she remarked, trying to sound indignant.
‘Ruby, you are the worst liar that ever lived. You do know that, right?’ Jacie shot straight back.
Ruby swallowed, trying to dislodge the thickness in her throat. ‘It was just a one night type of thing.’
‘How do you know it’s just a one night thing?’ Jacie asked. ‘Did he say that? Already? That’s so not classy.’
And there it was again, the anti-Luke sentiment Ruby thought had been tamed. ‘Jace, could you do me a big favour?’
