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“It’s all right,” Tank assures her. “I’ve had my share of nightmares over the years. Nothing to be sorry about.” She sniffs, and her breath stutters as she tries to take a deeper breath. She swallows, and her eyes widen as she stares at his bare chest. The look in her eyes is full of desire as she studies his body. Tank’s never taken much notice when women have ogled him at bars. He knows he has a nice body, but most of the time, people find him to be too large, too tall, and hulkish. Oftentimes women have shied away from him because of his size, but his Ruby doesn’t look afraid at all. She’s liking what she sees and it’s turning him on. He can feel his cock hardening under her intense stare.
26
RUBY
Ruby’s heart is pounding in her chest, partly from the nightmare that brought Tucker to her bed, but mostly from the half-naked man holding her. When she first woke, she’d been so frightened, still inside her dream. She’d thought Tucker was Russo, Jr. for a moment. She’d tried to fight him off, but when she realized it was Tucker all she’d felt was relief. He’d wrapped her in his arms, and she’s never felt safer in her life.
However, now that she’s calmed down, she can’t tear her eyes away from Tucker’s bare muscled chest. It’s streaked with her tears. Her trembling hands reach out to wipe them away. He sucks in a breath as her hand skims over his flesh. Desire like she’s never known shoots through her. She wants this man so badly, but her dream just serves to remind her why she can’t have him. There’s no way she can put him in that kind of danger. Just being with him this weekend could possibly have placed him in danger. If Russo Jr. or any of his thugs find her while she’s with Tucker, she has no doubt they would kill both of them without any remorse whatsoever. Ruby jerks her hand away as she glances up at Tucker. Her heart breaking at the thought of him being hurt because of her.
“I’m sorry to have soaked you.” Ruby tries to put a teasing tone to her voice, but it falls flat with all the fear and desire raging in her body. Tucker’s eyes are glued to her. She can see his need for her is as great as hers for him. She drops her gaze in an effort to break the intense emotions flooding her, but that is an epic mistake. Tucker’s pajama pants are tented from his erection. Ruby gasps at the sight. He follows her eyes. Then shifts in an effort to hide it, but it’s not possible. The man is huge. Ruby’s mouth waters just thinking about what he would look like without those pants blocking her view.
“Sorry about him.” Tucker dips his head toward his crotch. “I can’t get him to behave when I’m around you. Especially when you look at me like you want me as much as I want you.” Ruby is shocked he’s talking about his dick as if it’s a separate entity. It suddenly strikes her as funny, and she laughs. Tucker frowns at her.
“I’m not seeing the humor in this,” Tucker grumbles again shifting his position on the edge of the bed. Ruby laughs even harder at his grumpy tone. It takes her a minute to get herself under control.
“I just found it funny you’re talking about your…you know, like it’s a person.” Ruby blushes. She never imagined she’d be talking to Tucker about his anatomy. He grins at her in his sexy way. She can see the wheels turning in his mind and knows he’s about to embarrass her even more than she is already.
“My what, Ruby?” Tucker stares at her. She feels her face heating once more. He inches toward her. “Are you talking about my cock?” He quirks an eyebrow at her in question. She bites her lower lip, then nods a yes. “Hearing you talk about him isn’t going to help his situation. He wants your attention as badly as I do, maybe even more so.” Tucker’s face is so close to hers. She wonders if he’s going to kiss her again. God, does she want him to kiss her. She licks her lips in anticipation, feeling her desire ramping up once more. Her embarrassment over discussing his cock forgotten.
Tucker closes the last few inches between them, pressing his lips to hers. Ruby eagerly opens to him. His tongue surges into her mouth and thoroughly explores every bit of her. His kiss is warm and sweet, not the heated kind they’ve shared before. Tucker seems to understand she’s still a little shaken from her dream. He’s truly the most thoughtful man she’s ever known. He’s making her feel things for him she shouldn’t, but she can’t help herself. As he ends their kiss, he leans his forehead against hers as they catch their breath. Ruby realizes, in this moment, she is falling in love with Tucker. If only she wasn’t on the run from the mob. She pulls away from him, knowing getting closer is only going to make it worse when she has to leave. She can’t settle down. Russo is always on her trail. Staying on the move is the only way to keep him from catching her. She doesn’t want to think about what he’ll do when he does catch her.
“You want to talk about your dream?” Tucker asks her after a few moments of silence. Ruby looks up at him. She wishes she could share her fears with him, but she won’t. She knows he will want to make her safe. She loves that about him, but she refuses to put him at risk. So instead of seeking solace in voicing her fears, she just shakes her head to the negative. Tucker frowns. His jaw ticking in irritation. He studies her a minute then sighs and gives her a nod. He moves to get up, but she grabs his hand. He stills his movement, half standing. His eyes find hers in the dim light of the room.
“Will you…will you stay with me?” Ruby asks quietly. Her heart is pounding in her chest. She doesn’t want to be alone not after she dreamed of Russo catching her. Tucker’s expression softens.
“Yes, I’ll stay if that’s what you want,” Tucker replies. Ruby scoots over making room for his massive frame in the bed with her. Tucker slides under the covers and reaches for her. Ruby has a moment of fear and excitement when his hands clasp her, pulling her body flush with his. He tucks her body into the curve of his with her back to his front. He surrounds her completely. Her head is cradled on the pillow with his arm under her neck. His other arm is thrown across her abdomen. They are touching from top to bottom, and it feels so very good. She feels safe and warm. She wiggles a little getting more comfortable in their position. Tucker grunts a little. She can feel his erection pressing into her ass. She moves again, letting out a cry of surprise when Tucker smacks her right buttock with his massive hand. It doesn’t hurt, but she raises up to glance at him over her shoulder.
“Be still and go to sleep,” Tucker’s voice sounds strained. “I’m only human, beautiful. I can only take so much torture.” Ruby giggles and settles her head on the pillow once more. She’s certain she’ll never get back to sleep with Tucker so close, but soon sleep over takes her. This time when she dreams, it isn’t about running from the mob, Russo, or her brother. This time she dreams of Tucker and the life she wishes they could have together.
Hours later Ruby wakes warm and toasty wrapped up in Tucker’s arms. She eases out from him a little turning so she can look at his handsome face. She’s never gotten to see him this close without worrying about him seeing her staring. His face has multiple little scars scattered all over. Some might say it takes away from his beauty but not to Ruby. Her eyes trail down the arm he has draped over her noting other scars here and there. She wants to know how he got them. Every one of them. She needs to know everything about him. She continues to let her eyes rove over his muscled body.
“You enjoying the view?” Tucker’s husky voice startles her. She jerks her eyes up to meet his, but they’re still closed. She shifts a little, but he holds her tight in his embrace.
“What makes you think I’m taking in the view?” Ruby asks, trying to deflect the attention from her perusal. He smiles and chuckles before opening one eye to peer at her.
“I feel your eyes on me, beautiful,” Tucker responds. “As surely as if you are touching me with your delicate hands.” He scoots closer to her letting her feel his erection brush against her thigh. She shivers as goosebumps erupt over her skin, and an intense heat builds between her legs. She bites the inside of her lower lip. Oh, how she would love to rub herself against him, have him kiss her and bring her all the pleasure she knows he would freely give her. Damn her life! If she hadn’t been born into the mob, she could explore all of this, but if she hadn’t been, she might have never met Tucker. She sighs and relaxes into his embrace. For a moment she’s going to allow herself to pretend. Pretend she isn’t on the run. Pretend they are just a couple on vacation enjoying each other’s company.
27
TANK
Tank wakes to the feel of a warm female body snuggled up to his. He breaths deeply, taking in Ruby’s scent. He can feel her eyes on him. He opens an eye to see her looking over his body. She’s inched a little bit away from him, just enough she can look over his chest and abdomen. The look in her eyes makes his blood heat and his cock get even harder than it normally is in the morning. He closes his eye back, letting her look him over a little longer before he calls her out. He knows she’ll be blushing at being caught checking him out.
He wonders once more about her past and what could have led her to live on the streets. From what he’d learned yesterday, she has a family, a brother and a father even though her mother has passed. He wishes she could trust him enough to share her fear and what she’s running from, but she doesn’t yet. She holds herself at arm’s length, never fully trusting him with her secrets. He decides to call her out and just has he knew she would, her face blooms with color when he brings attention to her staring at his chest. She resists and argues at first, but then something changes in her eyes.
Ruby suddenly sinks into his embrace, burying her face in his chest. He tightens his arms around her, holding her close. He can feel she needs the reassurance of safety and security. They lay in each other’s arms for a while, but nature calls. Ruby pulls back to look up at him. It’s the most beautiful sight he’s ever seen. Her auburn hair spread out on the white pillow is in stark contrast to one another. Her hazel eyes are full of wonder as she studies his face.
“I’ll be right back,” Ruby says as she moves to get out of bed. Tank watches her all the way to the bathroom door. The latch clicks softly as the door closes. Tank throws his arms up behind his head as he blows out a breath. He’s here with Ruby. They’ve shared a bed. Not in the way he’d like to share one, but it’s a start. He needs to remain patient, keep showing her she can trust him with her secrets, her life, and her body.
Ruby exits the bathroom, a few moments later, and Tank takes his turn. Emptying his bladder, he wills his wayward cock to soften. Just thinking about Ruby out there waiting for him has it stiffening again. She isn’t ready for him to make love to her, not yet anyway. Make love. Tank has never thought of sex that way, but with Ruby he knows it’ll be so much more than sex. He washes his hands and face before exiting the bathroom.
Ruby is sitting on the edge of the bed looking out the window. He stands a moment, studying her beautiful profile. She turns toward him. Her face lights with a shy smile. He heads over to sit next to her on the large bed. She shifts as if suddenly uncomfortable at their closeness in this intimate setting. Surely she knows he would never try to take advantage of her. He just slept in the same bed with her for a few hours. If he was going to make a move, it would have been then.
“So, what would you like to do today?” Tank asks. He has a few things in mind, but as she’s been here before, she might have something in particular she wants to do. She looks up at him. A slight smile tugging at her lips.
“First I want some coffee and breakfast,” Ruby says. “After we eat, we can do whatever you’d like, but I’ve got to have some fuel before we head out.” Tank smiles at her. A woman after his own heart. He, too, would like some coffee and a big breakfast.
“Sounds good to me,” Tank replies. “I’ll run down and get the clothes out of the dryer. You can shower and get ready while I whip us up some breakfast.” Ruby grins at him.
