by Stone, Anna
Of course, Yvonne’s idea of a perfect marriage probably involved handcuffs and collars, but Ruby was starting to feel like that was her idea of a perfect relationship too. What was more romantic than surrendering oneself to someone as deeply as Ruby was to Yvonne? What was more intimate than trusting someone so completely?
“Wow,” Brooke said, once Ruby was finished. “That’s like something from a movie. Your family must be so happy. I’m surprised your mom hasn’t mentioned it.”
Ruby murmured a vague excuse. She hadn’t actually told her mother about her marriage yet. Ruby hadn’t spoken to her, or her father and brothers, since she’d left Vegas. She rarely spoke about relationships with her family, mostly because of her job. Even when she’d been with her former client, she hadn’t told them about him. She’d hidden him from them, so they wouldn’t know the truth about how he treated her.
Ruby made a mental note to call her family. She missed them, and she hoped they’d forgive her for falling out of touch. What would happen when she told her family about Yvonne? Would they all want to speak with Ruby’s ‘wife?’ Ruby was certain her brothers would try to intimidate Yvonne, threatening her with all kinds of outrageous things if she dared to hurt Ruby. They were grossly overprotective, which Ruby had always found sexist and patronizing.
She smiled to herself. Perhaps letting her brothers talk to Yvonne would be a good thing. Yvonne wouldn’t be intimidated by their posturing. She would put them in their place in no time at all.
Ruby shook herself. She was doing it again, thinking about her marriage to Yvonne as if it were real. She couldn’t deny the appeal of this fantasy they’d created together. Perhaps it was simply the extravagant lifestyle she was living with Yvonne that appealed to her.
Although, she found Yvonne herself appealing in every way. The way she walked and moved. The luscious timbre her voice would take on when she issued Ruby a command. The way her eyes would shimmer as she tormented Ruby with all kinds of pleasures.
But that intense draw Ruby felt toward her was purely physical and mental. It was the thrill of surrendering to her Mistress that Ruby was addicted to. The alternative was that she was falling for Yvonne, and that was out of the question. Ruby couldn’t fall for a client. Not again.
Brooke stretched out her arms, yawning. Ruby hadn’t even noticed she’d stopped talking.
“So,” Brooke said. “So, now that you’ve got a rich wife and you’re not waitressing anymore, what are you doing with yourself?”
Ruby shrugged. “Not much, really. I’m still settling into my new life. I haven’t figured out what I want to do with it yet.”
That much was true. Even after the year was over, she’d have five million dollars. If she was smart, she wouldn’t have to worry about money ever again. She could do anything she wanted.
But she was no closer to figuring out what it was that she wanted .
“I’d kill to have some time to do my own thing,” Brooke said. “I’m working two jobs right now, and I’m thinking of picking up a third.” She sighed. “Does Yvonne have any rich friends you can set me up with?”
“She does, but they’re all women,” Ruby replied.
“That’s too bad.” Brooke closed her eyes. “You have no idea how lucky you are.”
Brooke had a good point. Ruby was lucky. She had everything she could ever need, along with the freedom to do whatever she wanted, yet she was wasting all her time lounging around the apartment, feeling lost and hopeless. She was free of her old life. She had to take advantage of that. She had to start living again.
What did that involve for her? What kind of life did Ruby want to build? What did she want to do with herself? Lately, she’d been spending half her time baking. She’d been making the most of all the supplies she’d bought, attempting more and more extravagant creations. Her skills were improving. Perhaps she had a knack for it after all.
Could she take a few classes, learn from a professional? She could even go to culinary school. She had the time, and the money. And once she was done with that? She could even open her own bakery like she’d dreamed about as a girl. It was a silly idea. Then again, Ruby would be a millionaire soon. What else was she going to do with all her money?
Her future held so many possibilities. For the first time, Ruby had total control over it. Why was the idea so overwhelming?
Ruby closed her eyes and sank deeper into the spa. She could worry about the future later. For now, she wanted to enjoy the present.
When Yvonne returned home that night, she was hit by the most delicious scent. Vanilla, mingled with coffee. Ruby had to be baking again. She’d been spending lots of time in the kitchen lately.
As Yvonne passed through the apartment, she found Ruby curled up in an armchair in the living room, her nose buried in her phone. After a few seconds, Ruby noticed Yvonne and smiled.
“You’re home,” she said. “I have a surprise for you. It’s in the kitchen. Come on.”
Before Yvonne could react, Ruby got up and headed for the kitchen. Yvonne followed her, the delicious scent stronger. They reached the kitchen. Sitting on the island in the middle was an elaborately decorated cake.
“I wasn’t sure what you like, so I had to make a guess,” Ruby said. “I know you like coffee, and everyone likes cheesecake, so I made a coffee-flavored one. I used real coffee beans and everything.”
Yvonne stared at her. “You baked me a cake?” She’d never had a lover do anything like this before. Yvonne’s habit of ditching her lovers before they could get too comfortable probably had something to do with it.
“I wanted to do something nice for you. To show my appreciation. And, well-” Ruby hesitated. “I thought you could use some cheering up. You didn’t seem like yourself this morning, but I didn’t want to pry. ”
Had Yvonne been that much of a wreck in the morning, or was Ruby simply getting better at reading her? They’d been living together for almost two months now. It was no surprise that she’d picked up on some of Yvonne’s quirks.
“So, is everything okay?” Ruby asked.
“Yes,” Yvonne said. “Everything is fine.”
“All right. How about you go sit down in the living room? I’ll bring you a slice. Just put your feet up and relax, Mistress.”
Yvonne went into the living room and took a seat. She could get used to having Ruby wait on her. She could already feel the cloud that had been hanging over her all day receding. Perhaps Madison had been onto something.
And Yvonne hadn’t even had to ask Ruby for anything. Ruby had simply taken it upon herself to look after her Mistress’s needs.
Ruby entered the room and handed Yvonne a slice of cake, before sitting down next to her, watching intently as Yvonne took a bite.
“Well?” Ruby said. “How is it?”
Yvonne put the plate and fork down on the table before her. “This is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.” She was exaggerating, but not much. Ruby’s baking skills had improved.
“I’m glad you like it.” Ruby kissed Yvonne on the cheek.
Yvonne felt a surge of warmth. Clearly her emotions were still all over the place. Or had Madison been right about something else too? Was Yvonne developing feelings for Ruby?
Yvonne pushed the thought aside. “Madison’s wedding is coming up. How would you like to be my plus one? I should warn you, it’s a big event. There will be hundreds of people there. It’s a lot of pressure. Think you can handle it?”
“Sure,” Ruby said. “I like a good party. And I like playing wife.”
“Then you’re going to need something to wear. I’ll have my stylist come by during the week. I already have something in mind.” Yvonne looked Ruby up and down. “You’re going to look irresistible.”
Ruby smiled shyly. God, that smile. It was the perfect antidote for Yvonne’s dark mood.
Yvonne stretched out, draping an arm loosely over Ruby’s shoulder. “Why don’t you tell me about your day? How was catching up with your cousi
n?”
“It was great,” Ruby said. “She was really impressed by the fact that I bagged myself a hot, rich wife.”
Ruby nestled against Yvonne’s shoulder and began filling her in on her day. Yvonne nodded along. Perhaps she felt more toward Ruby than she’d let herself admit, but that didn’t mean those feelings were serious.
Was there any harm in indulging those feelings? It would make it far easier to keep up the pretense that they were a happily married couple. And Yvonne hadn’t forgotten that it was all just an arrangement. One with an expiration date.
It could never become anything more.
Chapter 17
“ R uby?” Yvonne called from the master bedroom. “I need you.”
“One second.” Ruby had just gotten out of the shower. She hadn’t even heard Yvonne come home.
She wrapped a towel around herself and headed to Yvonne’s bedroom. It was the day of Madison’s wedding, and Yvonne had left early in the morning to deal with maid of honor business, with the plan to return home to get dressed before the wedding itself began in the afternoon. Ruby wasn’t going until later when the ceremony started.
Ruby reached Yvonne’s room. Inside, Yvonne was standing in front of a full-length mirror. Her hair was gathered up in an elaborate bun, adorned with sparkling hairpins, and the sunlight streaming through the window made her eyes shift to a mesmerizing shade of green. She wore a strapless gown in an enchanting midnight blue, with a long skirt that flowed down to the floor.
Ruby’s lips parted slightly. The dress was unlike anything Yvonne normally wore. She favored sleek, fitted clothing, usually in black. The blue bridesmaid’s dress was almost princess-like.
But it made Yvonne look like a queen.
Yvonne spied Ruby in the mirror and pointed toward the zipper at her back. “I need your help with this.”
Ruby blinked. “Sure.”
Ruby walked over to her. Yvonne’s bare back was smooth and toned. Ruby yearned to draw her hand up it, to wrap her arms around Yvonne and pull her close, to kiss her way down her Mistress’s naked shoulders…
Pulling herself together, Ruby took the zipper and drew it up Yvonne’s back, fastening the dress closed.
“Thank you.” Yvonne smoothed the dress down, then squared her shoulders, standing regally before the mirror as she inspected herself. Her eyes met Ruby’s through the mirror. “How do I look?”
“You’re going to upstage the brides,” Ruby said.
“All eyes will be on them, I’m sure.”
“Not mine. I know who I’ll be looking at.”
The tiniest smile crossed Yvonne’s lips. “I’m looking forward to seeing you in your dress too.” She turned to face Ruby. “I need to head back for now. I might not see you until the reception. I’ll have my hands full with maid of honor duties.”
Ruby nodded. “I’ll see you there.”
Yvonne grabbed her purse from the nearby chair, put a hand on Ruby’s waist, and gave her a soft, brief kiss on the lips before leaving the room.
As Yvonne’s footsteps receded, Ruby brought her hand up to her mouth, where the echo of Yvonne’s kiss remained.
Had Yvonne just kissed her goodbye?
Yvonne stood by as Madison and Blair said their vows before the watching crowd. The hours leading up to the ceremony had been punctuated by one disaster after another. Naturally, Yvonne had handled them all while making sure both the brides didn’t realize anything was amiss. It hadn’t been easy. Now that the ceremony was in motion, Yvonne finally had a chance to breathe.
Her eyes wandered over the sea of faces before them. It was impossible to spot Ruby in the large crowd. Yvonne couldn’t stop thinking about that casual kiss she’d given Ruby earlier. It had been a reflex, something she’d done without conscious thought.
Clearly, pretending that she and Ruby were a married couple was getting to her.
Yvonne focused her attention on Madison and Blair. They slipped the rings on each other’s fingers. The celebrant pronounced them married. They shared a tender kiss.
Yvonne couldn’t help but feel moved by it all. She wasn’t usually the sentimental type, but for a fleeting moment, she imagined herself at the altar, standing before her bride. Had she caught wedding fever from helping Madison plan her wedding? She had no interest in getting married, at least not for real.
An hour and what felt like thousands of photos later, Yvonne headed to the reception with the rest of the bridal party. After dealing with some minor issues, she got stuck in conversation with various acquaintances before finally making an excuse to slip away. Then she began searching the ballroom for Ruby .
There.
Standing by the bar was a woman even more stunning than the one Yvonne had met at the bar in Vegas. Her long blonde hair flowed over her bare shoulders and her neck was adorned in a diamond and ruby necklace. She was dressed in a floor-length gown in a deep, rich crimson with a low-cut back. It was the perfect balance of elegant and sexy.
Yvonne had chosen the dress, but she hadn’t dreamed Ruby would look so incredible in it.
Ruby spotted Yvonne and headed over to her.
“Ruby.” Yvonne looked her up and down once more. “You look wonderful.”
“What can I say? You have great taste.” Ruby gave her a coy smile. “You know, I was wearing a red dress the night we met.”
“How could I forget? You looked so tantalizing that night.” Yvonne didn’t miss the flush that crossed Ruby’s cheeks at her words. “Let’s go mingle. We need to keep up appearances.”
“Come on, Yvonne.” Ruby stepped in close and gave Yvonne a sultry look, speaking under her breath. “We both know this isn’t about appearances.”
Yvonne frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I think you were lying when you said you don’t care about showing me off,” Ruby teased. “I think you like walking around with a pretty woman on your arm.”
Yvonne let out a small chuckle. “You’re right. There’s certainly something satisfying about being here with the prettiest woman in the room.” She held her arm out to Ruby. “Come on. Let’s go show you off. ”
Ruby took Yvonne’s arm. They grabbed some champagne and made their way through the hall. By now, the party was in full swing, the packed ballroom bustling with activity. Yvonne introduced Ruby to various friends and acquaintances. Most of them couldn’t hide their surprise at Yvonne’s newlywed status and began probing them both for details.
Yvonne shouldn’t have worried that the wedding would be too much for Ruby. Ruby handled it all with poise. She was utterly convincing as Yvonne’s wife.
After a conversation with a particularly nosy college friend of Yvonne’s, she and Ruby wandered off to find Madison. It had been some time since Yvonne had checked in with her, and as maid of honor, she felt obliged to keep an eye on everything.
They found Madison nearby, talking with Lydia, the only one of Yvonne’s friends who hadn’t met Ruby yet. Although Yvonne and Lydia weren’t close, Yvonne had a certain respect for the woman. They were similar in a lot of ways.
“Lydia, this is my wife, Ruby,” Yvonne said. “Ruby, Lydia. Lydia joined Mistress recently as our CFO. And you’ve already met Madison.”
Ruby greeted them both.
“Nice to meet you,” Lydia said. “I was just telling Madison how lovely the ceremony was.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Ruby let out a wistful sigh. “This is all so romantic. It makes me wish Yvonne and I had had a real ceremony.”
Yvonne gave her a sharp glance. What was Ruby doing? Perhaps she’d had a few too many glasses of champagne .
“That’s right,” Lydia said. “Your wedding was a spontaneous affair, wasn’t it?”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Ruby replied. “There were no bridesmaids, no reception, just a priest dressed as Elvis and two cheap gold-plated wedding bands.” She slipped her hand into Yvonne’s. “But it was romantic in its own way, don’t you think so, honey?”
H
oney? It was clear that Ruby was enjoying playing wife far too much. But two could play at that game.
Yvonne gave Ruby her best longing gaze. “It was. But perhaps one day we can have a do-over. A real wedding.”
Ruby beamed. “Really?”
“Why not? Whatever you want, it’s yours. How about on our anniversary? A year, or two, from now, perhaps?”
Ruby leaned over and planted a kiss on Yvonne’s cheek. “I’d love that.”
As the conversation moved on, Yvonne noticed Madison staring at them both, a slight frown on her face. Yvonne had thought Madison had gotten over her disapproval of Yvonne and Ruby’s arrangement. She let go of Ruby’s hand. Perhaps it was a sign they were laying it on too thick.
But Ruby didn’t notice. She was happily recounting the story of how they’d ‘met’ to Lydia. Somehow, it had gotten even longer and more elaborate than before.
When the conversation finally lulled, Madison glanced toward the other side of the room, then grimaced. “Christ, my uncle is showing Blair photos on his phone again. I need to go rescue her.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Yvonne said.
“Yvonne, you’ve been putting out fires all evening. I can handle this. Just relax and enjoy the party.” Before Yvonne could protest, Madison turned to Ruby. “Thank you for coming, Ruby. Enjoy the rest of the night. And make sure your wife here has some fun, will you?”
Ruby grinned. “I’ll try my best.”
Madison shot Yvonne a knowing look before walking away.
Lydia took the cue to head to the bar, leaving Yvonne and Ruby alone. Yvonne turned to her ‘wife.’
“So,” she said. “You wish we had a real wedding, do you?”
Ruby gave an innocent shrug. “If I’m going to get married, I want to do it properly. What happened in Vegas wasn’t exactly my idea of a dream wedding.”
Yvonne raised an eyebrow. “So you were one of those girls with the scrapbook full of cutouts from wedding magazines?”
