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I laugh. “See? The kiss was amazing, fuel-injected, and inspiring.”
A laugh bursts from her, and she smacks my chest. “Fuel-injected is the worst way to describe a kiss.”
I shrug. “Or maybe it’s the best. And that kiss was absolutely the best.”
“Yeah?”
“No doubt.” I inch away, meeting her gaze. “But everything you said—those are all the reasons to wait and be sure this is what you want.”
And to be sure this isn’t morally sketchy, whispers a soft voice in my mind. Sure, she seems cool with a casual thing before I leave town, but that doesn’t track with the Ruby I’ve known. She’s a relationship girl, not a fling girl, and the last thing I want to do is take advantage of her at a vulnerable time in her life. Especially if it’s the list that’s making her vulnerable.
Flings might be easier for me than her.
I’ve done serious, but I’ve also done no-strings casual. I’m not sure Ruby has dipped her toes into the waters of the latter.
“Okay,” she says after a beat, “but I don’t see myself changing my mind. And if you change yours, fuel-injected and inspiring kisses notwithstanding, I might be too mortified to take you painting with me tomorrow.”
My brows lift. “Painting?”
Her lips curve up on one side as she opens her purse and pulls out a familiar piece of paper. “I have an idea. About number four—something ugly we can make beautiful again.”
“That one kind of stumped me,” I admit. “What have you got?”
“I’m not sure we can completely resurrect this particular beauty, but we can make it beautiful in a different way than it was before.” She shrugs before adding in a whisper, “But it’s a little bit illegal. So if you don’t want to, I understand.”
Color me intrigued.
“A little bit illegal,” I echo, shaking my head. “Who are you? And what have you done with Plays by the Rules Ruby?”
“I have new rules now,” she says, lifting the list between two fingers.
The words make my stomach clench, but I ignore it. This is good. The list is shaking things up and putting Ruby on a path to a more exciting, fulfilling life.
That’s what the list is about—Ruby finding her mojo. It isn’t a shortcut to getting her to sleep with me. I’m leaving. I sold the shop. I need to do the list and say goodbye like a friend.
Sleeping with her is a conflict of interest.
A big one.
It’s time to set the rules of breaking the law. Because I’m a good friend who looks out for her. I raise one finger. “This new scofflaw side of you . . . if I’m going to embrace it . . .” I trail off, playfully letting the word stretch between us.
“Yes?” she asks with twinkling eyes.
“I need to know our signal. What’s our plan if the cops show up? Do I leave you behind, or toss you on my shoulder and run like hell?”
“You better not leave me behind,” she protests, matching my tone. “But I’m not sure I’ll need carrying. As I’ve proven tonight . . . I’m very fast.”
“Yes, you are,” I murmur, offering her a hand so she can hop down from the O. “And I’d never leave you behind, my criminal friend.”
But I am leaving her behind.
Only, I have to stop thinking of it that way. Ruby’s trying to live her best life. I’m trying to live mine.
It just so happens, mine will be across the country.
And that’s going to have to be okay.
As we walk away from the museum, I rub my palms together. “Okay, renegade. Tell me the plan.”
She spins around, walking backward. “The plan is to meet me in SoHo tomorrow afternoon,” she says, then gives me the cross streets.
“And what will we do? Break into an art gallery? Steal a bowl of overpriced oats at a café? Jaywalk?”
She shrugs like a sexy imp. “You’ll see. It’s a surprise.”
Considering the kiss was something of a surprise, I have a feeling I’ll like this one as well.
Maybe too much.
10
RUBY
Dear Claire,
Tonight . . . I kissed Jesse. Yeah, that Jesse. Your Jesse. Our Jesse.
And it was amazing. Mind-blowing. Take the best kiss you’ve ever had, multiply it by five and raise it to the sixth power, and you’d still fall short of just how high he ranks on the kissing scale.
And yeah, I know. He’s your brother.
I can hear you gagging and swearing me to silence on all things Jesse’s-lips-related as I write this.
But I think you’d be laughing too.
At least, I hope you would be.
I hope you’d be happy for me and wouldn’t mind that I added something unexpected to your “something new” challenge.
You were so right, Claire. I needed this.
I needed a shove out of my comfort zone. I was so scared of that list at first, but now it feels right. And so does kissing Jesse, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to more-than-kiss Jesse the first chance I get.
