It Happens in Threes

by Denise Robbins

  “What exactly did Jake step in and do in my absence?”

  “Oh, this and that.” She waved a hand.

  He shook his head at her flippant response. He expected her to jump in his arms when she saw him. Instead she made him suffer with the jabs of jealousy. He deserved it, he supposed.

  Hands shoved in his jean pockets, Michael stepped toward her, watched as she retreated, then held her ground. His heart flip-flopped at her stubbornness.

  “Tell me about the place.”

  She smiled at his question, glowed, a beam of sunlight filling the room with warmth as the sky darkened outside. She appeared surprised by his interest.

  “It’s an historical cotton mill building and I own all of it,” she exulted as she spun around, arms open wide. Her good humor infectious, Michael grinned back.

  “The top floor is home.”

  Home. He liked the sound of that. It had a poetic ring, heating him from inside out. He wanted that. He wanted a home—with Ruby.

  “The main floor is my business. I’m going to be opening Sweet Retreat, a café that serves the best desserts and candies, and offers a relaxing refuge for reading.”

  He stepped closer to her, could smell her, the tangerine and lavender soap she used mixed with paint. It was hypnotic.

  Taking another step, Michael took her hand in his, wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her to him, fitting her body snug against his. Her enthusiasm was intoxicating. He wanted to taste her, sip at her, get drunk on Ruby.

  He kissed her lips, just a light touch, but enough to know he had to have more. But, he could wait.

  “You did it, sweet cheeks. You got out of technology, away from the government in one piece, and into something you’ve always dreamed about. I’m proud of you, happy for you.”

  The smile she beamed at him was wicked. Her eyes gave away the blow before he felt the punch.

  “Oh, didn’t I tell you? I’m still working for the government.”

  Stunned into silence, his mouth agape, Ruby continued.

  “You see, the night we found this building, I called George.”

  “M...My George?” he stuttered.

  She giggled. “Yes. We decided that since I liked being a contract agent, and I’m pretty damn good at it, that we’d use my store as part of my cover.”

  His grip loosened on Ruby as his intoxicated mind processed what she just announced. It jarred him, shook him. Then he shook his head and came back full force.

  “No.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. No. N.O. It was temporary, not permanent. You said you wanted this. Now you have it.”

  “And now I want more.”

  Just like a woman. Raking fingers through his hair, Michael wanted to scream in frustration. She barely survived this assignment and she wanted to do it again. Was she crazy? Did the poisoned air kill too many brain cells? He would not risk her life. His heart couldn’t take that torture again. Didn’t she get it? He loved her.

  “I want more too. I want you. I want you in my life. But I don’t want my wife being a field agent.”

  “Wife?” Ruby shrieked.

  Michael thrilled at seeing Ruby’s cat eyes bug out. About time he gave back a little of what she dished out.

  “Yes, I want you to be my wife.”

  Ruby stared at him. Wife. Michael said wife. Her heart tripped, sputtered, and righted itself. It was there in his eyes, like the night he came to her room at Nicolas’s. He hadn’t said the words, but she read them on his face, in his actions. But she wanted the words. Closing her eyes, she silently wished, “Please, Michael, say the words.”

  “I love you, Ruby Goodman.”

  Yes! He said it. She wanted to do a little jig. Okay, mentally she danced the ‘happy feet’.

  She sidled up to him, flirting. Sliding her hands up his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her body to his and asked, “You love me?”

  “I said I did. I only say what I mean.”

  “Say it again.” She waited so long, she wanted to hear it again, know for certain it wasn’t a fluke, a slip of the tongue.

  Michael pulled her to him. Every soft curve of her body met every hard plane of his and a thrill of sexual tension needing release screamed through her.

  “I love you, Ruby.”

  “I love you, too.” And she kissed him. She kissed him with sweet, gentle lips, enticing him, inviting him to her. He kissed her back. He kissed her hard, deep, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, kissing her with a fervency she’d never felt.

  Ruby leaned away from Michael, still in his embrace, her heart fluttered in her chest, breasts heaving as she tried to recapture the breath he had stolen.

  She smiled at him, brushed his lips with a tentative kiss, and bit her own lip. “We’re going to make a great secret agent spy team,” she proclaimed in a half whisper. Then pulled his head down for another kiss and covered his mouth with hers.

  The End

  About Author Denise Robbins

  Denise Robbins, born and raised in the midwest, migrated to Florida, and finally settled down to her home in New Hampshire. From her back deck she sits outside and listens as the old roller coaster from the local amusement park inches its way up the wooden structure on its clanking chains and waits to hear the kids scream in terror and delight. The best mental therapy a girl could ask for.

  Always a lover of writing and books, true crime and mysteries, Denise never even read a romance novel until five years ago when she was out of work from her day job as a software engineering manager. During that time she not only discovered a love for romantic-suspense, she started her first novel. At that same time she started her own chocolate business. Some say Denise found her passion.

  Denise pursues her passion for learning by writing more romantic-suspense, delivering pixie dust and cocoa powder to chocolate lovers, and going back to college. She’s back at her day job of managing software engineers and is grateful for the story ideas she gets from it.