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“I’m not. It’s the truth.”
She bit down on her lip, hard, if only to keep herself in the moment. “You’re not half bad yourself.”
“Now who’s the flirt?”
She shrugged. “I learned from the best.”
“Me? Am I the best?”
“Believe it or not, you are.” It felt as though she was perched on the edge of a cliff and something was telling her to jump. In truth, all she wanted was a kiss. It had been so long since she’d kissed a man. Since she’d been able to get lost in someone. But was she ready for that? Logic said that three years was more than enough time. But that was the funny thing about loss—logic didn’t matter. It was all up to the heart. And right now, her heart and body wanted Heath.
She leaned closer, closing her eyes halfway. She wanted to see the moment when he decided to give in, but she was also scared. Despite his flirting, she still felt so unsure of herself. Mercifully, one corner of Heath’s lips quirked up into a smile, and she felt as though she had the green light to go for it. So she did, grasping his shoulder and pressing her mouth to his. There was no hesitation from him, only warmth and strength, exactly what she wanted from a man. When his lips parted and his tongue met hers, heat prickled across her skin, so swiftly that it made her dizzy. Her heart made a happy flip and she used her other hand to pull him closer, until his chest was pressed against hers. His fingers threaded into her hair and he gathered it at her nape, gently tugging on it and causing her to moan with pleasure. She responded by deepening the kiss, their tongues winding in an endless circle, effortlessly. He shifted to his knees, a sure sign that he didn’t care at all about discomfort. She pushed her hips to meet his, relishing the moment when he got harder.
He eased them down onto their sides. She slept on this mattress every night, but it had never felt so luxurious, even though it was now supported by nothing more than the hardwood floor. Heath was all firm muscle and a capable grasp, and he rolled to his back, with Ruby on top of him. She really liked weighing him down. She liked the power of it. She liked knowing that this man who aroused so much fear and suspicion in the people of Royal wanted to be under her control.
She pressed harder against him, stomach, chest and lips. His fingers combed up through her hair, and he cupped the back of her head. His hand encouraged an even deeper kiss and the erasing of all space between them. She spread her legs wider, her knees slipping to the mattress so she was straddling his hips. She rocked into him and he groaned fiercely, slipping his warm hands up the back of her sweater and sending a brilliant and shiny thrill through her. This was not only escalating quickly, it was barreling toward somewhere she’d thought it might not go. She wanted him so badly that the need burned inside her, even hotter than the fire so nearby. Heath might end up making her spontaneously combust.
She sat up, looking down at him, marveling at how handsome he was. “I want to see you, Heath.” She slipped her fingers beneath his sweater as he raised his arms to let her push the garment past his head. Inch by inch, his incredible chest and shoulders were revealed. She spread her hands across his stomach, feeling the muscles twitch beneath her touch. Every inch of him was hard, chiseled and perfection. But then she remembered how soft his lips were, so she dropped down to seek his kiss again, just to see if it was as heavenly as she remembered.
“This really isn’t fair.” He broke the kiss and whispered into her hair with a hot huff of breath. “You saw me. I haven’t seen any of you. And it’s killing me.”
Ruby gnawed on her lower lip, filled with this implausible mix of desire and defensiveness. No man had seen her in recent history. Was she ready for this? She wasn’t sure, but she’d come this far and she wasn’t ready to stop. Not yet. She sat back and Heath followed. Then they shifted until he was leaning against the couch and her legs were wrapped around his waist. His hands curled under the hem of her sweater as she drew in a sharp breath, knowing what was coming...knowing how vulnerable she was about to be. He raised it slowly, lifting the fabric up and away, leaving her exposed to him. She was thankful for the soft glow of the fire. It made him look so amazing. He gently tossed her sweater aside, and then he reached around to the center of her back. He kissed the top of her breast, blazing a trail along the edge of her bra cup as he unhooked the clasp, then dragged the straps down her shoulders. They entered a new level of familiarity as he cast aside the bra and her breasts were left naked.
Their gazes connected as he lightly teased her nipple with his fingertips, rubbing up and down. The skin drew impossibly hard and tight, making her breasts feel warm and full and sending her body temperature spiking. He gripped her rib cage with one hand, pushing her breast higher with his fingers. Then he leaned down and drew her nipple into his warm mouth. She wanted so badly to watch him touch her like that, but it felt so impossibly good that her eyes automatically clamped shut. She rocked her center against his crotch, relishing the unbelievable tension between them. She wanted him. So badly it hurt.
“Do you have a condom?” she asked.
“I don’t.”
All the air seemed to escape the room. Just like that, her dream of letting go with a man disappeared and reality came back into sharper focus. “Oh.”
“I’m, uh, sorry. I...I...” he stammered. “I don’t exactly walk around with condoms in my pocket. I thought we were going to have a business meeting.”
Ruby wondered what in the hell she’d been thinking. This was Heath Thurston. He was practically her boss. And being with him was like playing with fire. Yes, he was sexy, but if she wasn’t careful, all that heat could get out of control and she’d be burned. “Right. Of course. That makes perfect sense. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It was a perfectly suitable question.”
“I feel like I started something with that kiss and now it can’t happen.”
Heath shook his head. “Look. We were having fun and now it’s time to be responsible about it.”
She reached down for her sweater and clutched it to her chest. She had a deep need to cover herself. Possibly to disappear. She was embarrassed by the way she’d been so forward with him, and then by the way she’d stomped on the brakes. “I shouldn’t have kissed you first. I’m not sure I was really ready for this anyway.” It was miserable to admit the truth, but she couldn’t be anything less than honest.
He reached over and picked up his own sweater, which Ruby took as her cue to climb off his lap. “It’s okay, Ruby. Really.”
She let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed her bra to put it on. “And now I feel even worse because you’re stuck here for the night. And there’s no heat.” With every passing word, she felt her frustration grow. What a mess. And it was all of her making. She threaded her arms through her sweater and pulled it over her head. “You’re just so damn handsome and nice. I’m sorry there’s nowhere for you to go to get away from me.”
He grinned and sat back, leaning against the sofa and shaking his head. “Ruby. I have had more fun tonight than I’ve had in the last several years. Please don’t apologize. Let’s just finish that bottle of wine, climb under the covers and say good-night.”
Four
Heath woke to the sound of a chain saw and the feel of Ruby in his arms. He remained impossibly still, waiting to see if the noise outside would wake her while desperately hoping this moment wouldn’t end. He closed his eyes, inhaling her smell, wishing the world away so he could have a little more time. He didn’t need much. Hell, he hadn’t realized he’d needed any time away from the stresses of his life at all, but now that he’d had a taste of setting aside bitter betrayal for something completely different, he wasn’t ready for it to end. They’d had a magnificent night, even without sex. Still, he didn’t know what to expect now that it was the morning after.
The power had come back on at some point—the house was warmer and what was left of the fire wasn’t throwing off enough heat to have accomplished that feat. Judging by what he heard coming from outside, someone was clearing the tree that was blocking the road up to Ruby’s cottage. Less than twenty-four hours ago, he would have been incredibly grateful for that. It would have allowed him to race off in his truck and hunt down his brother, all so he could resume his fight against the Grandins and the Lattimores.
Ruby stirred. “It’s warm in here,” she muttered into his chest.
“It is. Power came back on, but we both slept right through it.”
