Ruby removed her hat and stuck it on a knob on the wall. With a flick of the wrist, she unleashed her mane of dark hair, and it tumbled down her back. It was the little uncensored, unknowing moves that made Ruby so damn appealing. She was pretty without trying and as free a spirit as the horse she’d just trained.
“What?” she asked, catching Brooks staring.
“Nothing.” He stepped closer. “No, that’s not true,” he said. “I’m standing here, looking at you and wondering how the hell I’m going to keep from touching you again.”
She got a look in her eyes, one he couldn’t read, and bit down on her lip. “We, uh, w-we can’t.”
But it was what she said with her eyes, and her stutter when she denied him, that gave him hope. “It’s hard for you, too. You like me.”
“I like a lot of things. But I love Beau. And I don’t want to—”
“Ruby.” The bucket and brush fell from Brooks’s hands and thumped to the ground. She gasped as he approached. He took hold of her arms gently, and her chin tipped up. He gazed into defiant eyes. Was she telling him to back off or daring him to kiss her? There was only one way to find out. “Ruby,” he rasped and walked her backward against the wall. There was no way anyone could glimpse them from outside. They were alone but for dozens of horses. “You want this, too,” he whispered, and then his mouth touched hers, and the sweetest purr escaped her throat. He deepened the kiss, tasting her again, her warmth, the softness of her lips burning through him.
She threaded her arms around his neck, tugging him forward, making him hot all over. She was a dynamo, a fiery woman who kissed him back with enough passion to set the darn barn on fire. Their bodies melded together, a perfect fit of small to large. They’d made it work one time before, and it had been heaven on earth. He wanted that again. He wanted to touch her and make her cry out. He wanted to strip her naked and watch her body move under his.
One kiss from Ruby had him forgetting all else. It was crazy. It was the middle of the day and they were in his father’s stable. But none of that mattered right now. Brooks couldn’t stop. He couldn’t walk away from Ruby. He grabbed thick locks of her hair, the shiny mass silky in his hands. He gave a tug and gazed down at her, so beautiful, so full of passion. “Is there somewhere we can go?” His voice was rough, needy.
Her eyes closed for a second as she decided, the pause making his heart stop. But then she whispered, “My office behind the tack room. There’s a lock.”
Relieved, he gave a slight nod of his head and then gripping her bottom, lifted her. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and he carried her to the office. He maneuvered them inside, turned the lock and then lowered her down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she moved to the window and twisted the lever to close the blinds.
It gave him a second to do a cursory survey of her office. Warm tones, a wood floor, a cluttered desk and a dark leather sofa were all he needed to know about the decor before he turned to Ruby again, taking her back into his arms and claiming her mouth.
It wasn’t long before their desperate whimpers and growls filled the room. He stripped Ruby of her vest pretty quickly and then worked the buttons of her blouse. She helped, and then he pushed the layers off her shoulders and undid her lacy black bra. Her breasts spilled out, and he simply looked at her in awe for a few seconds before filling his hands. He flicked his thumbs over both nipples. She sucked in oxygen and squeezed her eyes closed, the pleasure on her face adding fuel to his fire.
As he bent his head and drew her nipple into his mouth, she moaned low and painfully deep. Her hands were in his hair, holding him there, as if he needed the extra encouragement.
“Galahad,” she whispered softly.
“Hmm?”
“Get naked.”
She was impatient, and maybe he was, too, because if he stopped to analyze this, to really think about what was happening and where, rational thoughts would intrude and possibly kill the moment. He couldn’t have that. He was too far gone, and so was Ruby. He could tell by the sounds she was making and the desperate look in her eyes.
This was dangerous in so many ways, and yet neither of them could put a halt to what they were doing, so he quickly unfastened all the buttons on his shirt.
And then Ruby’s hands were on him, pulling his shirt off and tossing it aside. Her fingertips began grazing his skin, probing his chest as she planted kisses here and there. She reached for the waistband of his jeans and pulled his zipper down. “You’re right,” he murmured. “You are feisty.”
“Determined,” she corrected him, and he actually chuckled through the flames burning him to the quick.
“Your turn,” he said, dipping into the waistband of her jeans. Within seconds, he had her naked and trembling. He couldn’t blame her; he was equally turned on. All the secrecy and danger might have added to it, but it could simply have been Ruby. She was a man’s dream. Maybe she could’ve been his dream in a different life.
She was feathery light in his arms as he lifted her and carried her to the sofa. He laid her down and gazed at her for a moment. Her hair, her skin, her body, everything that was Ruby made him shiver and want to please her. He came down next to her, squeezing in beside her on the sofa. He kissed her hard then, crushing his mouth to hers while moving his hand to her sweet spot. She bucked as he began to caress her. “Enjoy this, Ruby. Don’t hold back. You understand?”
She nodded eagerly.
And he worked up a sweat pleasing her, using his kisses to muffle her whimpers and moans. And when her final jolt released her ultimate pleasure, he was there with her to press his mouth to hers and swallow her soft cries.
It was a heady thing, satisfying Ruby, but they weren’t through yet. He rose up immediately, and she helped him take off the rest of his clothes. He grabbed for the packet he carried in his pocket and sheathed himself before coming up over Ruby. She stretched her arms up, reaching around his neck to pull him down and kiss him again. He was ready, so ready, and when Ruby invited him into her warmth, he joined them together in one breathtaking plunge.
Aw, hell. It was better than he remembered. He stilled, absorbing the feel of her, loving the body that so readily welcomed him.
“Don’t hold back, Galahad. You understand?”
Good God, Ruby was something. He kissed her again and again, and as he moved deeper, filling her body, she moved with him, keeping pace, rising and lifting and enjoying.
It happened swiftly, neither one wanting to wait, both desperate to find that place that would unite them on the highest ground. She called out his name, and quickly he muted her with a powerful kiss. Then her hips bowed up, and he propelled her even higher with one final all-consuming push. The rush made her convulse around him, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He came as close to heaven as any mortal man could.
Afterward he lay holding Ruby in his arms. “You all right?”
She nodded, unable to speak.
He kissed her forehead, stroking her arm and grazing his fingers over the peaks of her lush breasts. Then he slid his hand down to her legs. He caressed her there, taking in the smooth, soft skin under his palms, not knowing when he’d have the privilege of doing this again.
He heard the thud of footsteps coming toward the office. Voices filtered in.
Ruby’s eyes rounded, and she gasped. “It’s Sam and one of the boys,” she whispered. “He may be looking for me. I left Spirit in the corral, and the grooming equipment is all over the ground. Damn it.”
“Shh. Don’t panic. I locked the door.”
“But Sam knows I never lock the door when I’m working. If he knocks on the door, I won’t be able to look him in the eye. Not with you in here. I’ve got to go.”
She rose and donned her clothes hastily, then wove her fingers through her hair to tame the messy locks. “Get dressed, Brooks. And don’t come out of the office until I get them out of here.”
“Ruby, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they saw me in your office.”
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“Are you insane? I’d never be able to pull that off. Sam will know something’s up and it’s the last thing either of us need right now. Stay until it’s safe for you to leave.”
She opened the door and was gone.
Leaving him locked in the office, buck naked.
What the hell?
Six
Ruby sat down in front of her flat-screen TV and began eating cold chicken salad. She’d deliberately not gone to dinner at the main house tonight. How could she possibly have faced Brooks across the table, eaten a meal with her family and pretended there was nothing between her and Brooks? She was still at odds with herself for what had happened in her office this afternoon. They’d come very close to being discovered. Sneaking around wasn’t in her DNA. She didn’t like subterfuge.
But wow. And double wow. When it came to Brooks, she didn’t seem to have much resistance. Just a look, a word from him, tied her into knots. She had trouble fending him off and found that most times, she didn’t want to. She enjoyed his company a little too much.
A nighttime soap opera played on the screen, a story about oil and country music and cowboys who were too much trouble. She stared at the TV as she forked lettuce into her mouth, trying to concentrate on the story and not the city dude with the deep sky-blue eyes who had turned her simple ranch life upside down lately.
A familiar voice sounded and she blinked. Trace Evans walked into the picture and her spine straightened as she sat up and took notice. Trace was on television?
He had a bit part; he spoke a few words before he disappeared again.
Now, this was news. Trace hadn’t told her anything about it. But then, she hadn’t spoken with him in ages, except for that one phone call a few days ago. Funny that he didn’t mention anything about being on Homestead Hills, even if it was only a small role. She continued to watch, finishing her salad and waiting for him to appear again.
He didn’t.
A knock at her door made her jump. She clicked off the TV and rose from the sofa. Her mind still on Trace, she walked to the door and looked through the peephole. It was Brooks. Seeing him on her doorstep caused her belly to stir immediately. He always made her forget all about Trace and the heartache he’d put her through.
She opened the door and stared into smiling, deep blue eyes. He held a bunch of flowers in one hand and a lavender box from Cool Springs Confections in the other. “Hello, Ruby.”
“Brooks, come inside.” She ushered him in before someone spotted him with date night goodies in his arms. She scanned her yard before closing the door, thankful that no one was in sight. She had no business being alone with Brooks, but she wasn’t about to throw him out, either.
He stood just inside her cottage and grinned. “You look uptight, Ruby.”
If it wasn’t for the light in his eyes, she might have been offended. “Thanks to you. You really shouldn’t be here.”
“I do a lot of things I shouldn’t do. These are for you.” He handed her a dozen beautiful white roses and the box of chocolates. “Listen, I’m not courting you. Well, not in the usual sense.”
“Not in any sense,” she pointed out.
“Still, we’ve been thrown together and it’s been...amazing.” He pushed his hand through his blond hair as he struggled for words. “I don’t know. I had to come. To give you something nice, something you deserve. The way you had to run out from the office after we made love didn’t sit well with me.”
“Thank you, Brooks. But you don’t owe me anything. As you said, we’re not dating. We never could be, and I did what was necessary.”
“I’ve learned never to say never, Ruby.” He glanced at her arms loaded with his gifts. “You want to put those flowers in water?”
“Uh, sure. Follow me,” she said, leading him into the kitchen. She set the box of candy on the table and then opened a cupboard door. “They really are gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you like them.”
“I don’t remember seeing such perfect white roses this time of year in Cool Springs.”
“They’re not from Cool Springs. I had them flown in from Chicago.”
She craned her head around. “You didn’t.”
He shrugged and gave her a simple nod. Her heart beat a little bit harder.
“My florist is known for his perfect roses. Cool Springs didn’t have anything that comes close.”
She kept forgetting he was a zillionaire. He probably did this kind of thing all the time for the women in his life. Though that might be true, the sweet gesture and the trouble he’d gone through weren’t lost on her. “It’s nice of you, Brooks.”
She found a crystal vase, an heirloom from her grandmother, and filled it with water. Arranging the flowers, she placed the vase in the center of her glass-top kitchen table. “Here we go.”
“It’s a nice place you have here,” Brooks said.
“It was my father’s house, and I’ve sort of made it my own.”
Once Ruby was old enough to make changes, she had redecorated the place, adding modern furniture and window treatments that aligned more with who she was. The cottage wasn’t rustic anymore but had a bit of style and flair. She enjoyed living here when she wasn’t at her apartment in town.
“I can see your personality here,” Brooks said.
Why did he always know the right thing to say?
“Then I’ve succeeded. It was a labor of love decorating the cottage.”
Brooks looked down at the box of candy on the table. “I hear Cool Springs Confections makes a pretty good chocolate buttercream candy.”
“That’s what they’re known for. Want to try one? I can make coffee, or—”
“Sure, I’ll try one. And coffee would be great.”
“Have a seat. I’ll get the coffee going.”
“Can I do anything?”
“Grab two mugs from the cupboard above the stove.”
“Sure thing.”
A few minutes later, she poured two cups of coffee and sat down with Brooks at her kitchen table, realizing this could be dangerous. Spending time with Brooks always seemed to be, yet he was easy company and someone she truly liked. She opened the box and glanced at a dozen luscious candies. “It’s going to be hard to choose. Here’s a buttercream for you.” She pointed it out and he grabbed it.
“I think I’ll try the raspberry chocolate,” she said.
“Is that your favorite?” he asked.
“It is.” She didn’t wait for Brooks. She took a big bite and let the soft, creamy raspberry center ooze down her throat. “Oh, yum.”
Brooks grinned and then downed his candy in one giant swallow. “Wow, that was good.”
“Have another,” she said. “I’m going to.”
They sipped coffee between bites and managed to polish off half the box of chocolates. Brooks took a last swallow of coffee and then set down his mug. “We’re not going to talk about what happened in the stable?”
She replaced the lid on the box, stalling for time, and then finally replied, “No. I don’t think so.”
“So we just pretend there isn’t this thing between us.”
“We don’t have to pretend anything.”
“All right,” he said, rising and reaching for her hand. “No more pretending we’re not hot for each other, Ruby. The truth is, I can’t stop thinking about you.” He gave her hand a tug, lifting her from her seat. He was deadly handsome, but more than that, he wasn’t playing games with her the way Trace had. With Brooks she felt special and cared for, and maybe he was what she needed to get over Trace. She’d protected her heart and would continue to do so, but she had Brooks on the brain lately. She knew he would eventually go back to Chicago. He belonged in the city, and her place was here. Maybe they could keep things light. “I came here only to give you the flowers, Ruby,” he said. “I had no ulterior motive.”
“Really? I thought you needed a good reason to down half a box of candy.”
“That, too.” But the truth was in
his eyes, and her heart did that thing it did when she was with him. It spun out of control.
She lifted herself on tiptoe and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “You’re sweet.”
He growled from deep in his throat, a desperate sound that resembled exactly how she was feeling right now, and then his gaze fell to her mouth. His eyes darkening, he backed up a step and put some distance between them. “It really was about the flowers, Ruby. I’d better go.” He turned and headed toward the door.
Seeing him retreat put thoughts of the lonely night ahead in her mind. “You don’t have to go,” she blurted the second he reached for the doorknob. “I mean...you don’t have to rush off. I was just going to pop a movie in and kick back. If you care to join me, I have popcorn.”
“That was the deal breaker,” he said, his lips twitching. “’Cause if you didn’t have popcorn, I was out the door.”
“Go sit in the living room, Galahad. I’ll be right in.”
“Thanks—and oh, I like lots of butter.”
She rolled her eyes, and he laughed. “Anything else?”
“No, just you and the popcorn make it a perfect night.”
Ruby hummed her way into the kitchen and grinned the whole time the kernels were popping.
* * *
Ruby sat cross-legged on the sofa next to Brooks, the fireplace giving heat and a warm glow to the room. They’d emptied the popcorn bowl a long while ago, and the movie was ending, but she wasn’t ready for him to leave. She was nestled comfortably in the crook of his shoulder, and neither one of them made a move to separate when the credits rolled. There was a sense of rightness when they were together, which should have scared her off. She wasn’t looking to get her heart broken again. But it was harder to see him leave than it was to have him here. She didn’t know what to make of that.
“That was good,” she said of the classic Western they’d just watched. “I’ve seen it half a dozen times, and it never disappoints.” What wasn’t to like about horses and range wars and white hats against black hats? It was clear who to cheer for, who were the good guys. If only life was that easy to figure out.
The Texan's One-Night Standoff Page 8
