Ruby's Choice (Ditch Lane Diaries Book 1)

by D. F. Jones

  He moaned when he kissed her, as Ruby trailed her fingers along the solid muscles of his arms. He adjusted his body slightly to have more room and she felt the hardness of his arousal pressed against her and couldn’t resist arching her back in response.

  “Sugar, you’re so sweet.” He nuzzled against her neck and then gently bit the bottom of her earlobe. When he placed his tongue inside her ear, she practically convulsed underneath him. His hands slowly went around to cup her bottom and her thighs scissored between his. He ran his hand up her leg toward the edge of her shorts and his fingers slipped inside her panties. His fingers pressed against her soft delicate skin and she nearly came on the spot.

  “I want to taste you, Ruby.” His voice dripped with honey as he began to pull her top off, and she stilled his hands.

  Razor sharp desire clutched her insides making her tummy flutter. “Reed, as much as I want to make love to you, I’m not ready.”

  “Hmm, point taken. It may not happen tonight, but, Ruby, I am going to make love to you.” His words made her want to faint. She felt light-headed and dizzy. He reached up to touch her face and then angled his head to press light, feathery kisses along her neck. He murmured, the words vibrating against her neck, “I won’t make love to you, honey, not until you tell me to.”

  The high beams of a car pulled up behind Reed’s car and stopped. Then Ruby saw the blue lights. “Shit, shit! Get up, Reed, the sheriff’s here.” Ruby scrambled quickly to adjust her clothing and opened the car door. She walked back to meet the sheriff’s deputy. She couldn’t tell who was working tonight, because a flashlight was shining in her eyes.

  “Ruby Glenn, is that you, young’un? I didn’t see your car.” Deputy Gilley turned off his flashlight and crossed the driveway to meet her.

  “Hey, Dan, I’m sorry. I needed some privacy and I thought this place would do the trick.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and heard Dan chuckle.

  “Yeah, privacy, right, Ruby. Y’all need to move along. I had a call come in and wanted to make sure no one was up here vandalizing the cemetery. Tell your mama I said hello.” Deputy Dan turned and made his way back to the sheriff’s car, turned off the blues and backed down the driveway.

  Ruby sighed and felt Reed’s warm breath on her neck as he pressed a kiss on her skin, so light and feathery chills ran up her spine. Her head fell back against his shoulder. It couldn’t be wrong to need Reed’s touch. She longed for his touch. Ruby wanted to give herself to him, physically and emotionally. Ruby longed to feel like a woman and experience the rush of pleasure that came with making love to a man. Deputy Dan probably saved her from losing her virginity in the backseat of her car tonight.

  * * *

  Reed and Ruby lingered by the driver side of her car watching the deputy pull down the long driveway. Reed sizzled from the touch of her skin. She had yielded, opening herself and inviting him to take more. And he wanted more, much more. Ruby smelled of the summer sun and wildflowers. Her skin was so soft, like velvet. Ruby had overwhelmed him with emotions. Reed stepped away from her.

  Ruby blinked and shook her head. She stammered, “Why did you stop kissing me?”

  “Ruby,” he said in a different tone. “I won’t make you promises I can’t keep.” He looked at her with a pained expression. He was fighting hard not to show he desired her.

  “I don’t want to hurt you. I…” He stopped speaking. Reed was fighting himself, an inner struggle—he wanted to make love to her, but he was falling in love with her.

  “I’m a big girl, Reed. I can take care of myself.” She took a deep breath. “I guess that’s enough kissing for one night, anyway.”

  He laughed. “You think?” He linked his fingers with hers.

  Ruby’s brown, doe eyes were wide and offered him a promise of love. “Yeah, this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

  Reed’s head fell back in laughter. But when his fingers ran across her silky skin, all he could think about was how good she would feel with him deep inside her, sending a wave of desire crashing over him. She was pretty damn sexy too. He had dated plenty of women, but Ruby was different. He actually liked her and enjoyed her company. They were friends. They laughed at the same jokes and loved the same music. He would take his time with her. He wanted this, whatever this was, to last longer than his typical tryst. He had cut it off with Tammy when Brent dropped them off today. Tammy had cried, but she didn’t love him. Tammy only liked having Reed as her eye candy to flaunt in front of her friends.

  Ruby had told him tonight she loved him. He knew she meant it, he could feel it, too. That made the stakes higher for both of them. He cocked his head to the side and said, “So, you wanna go out with me?”

  Ruby jumped up, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss. She lifted a brow and said, “What do you think?”

  Reed held her in his arms with his fingers cupped under her ass. He gave her a devilish smile and said, “I think I’m going to regret ever meeting you, Ruby Jane.” And then he hugged her tightly.

  Ruby tried wrestling out of his grip. She furrowed her brow. “What the heck?”

  He picked her up and sat her down on the top of her car hood and then touched the tip of her nose with his finger. “You’re trouble, with a capital T.”

  She slid down off her car and pushed him away, playfully. She pointed to the cemetery and said, “Digging yourself a grave here, Reed, and I don’t have to go far to bury you.”

  The moon and the stars were out now, and insects could be heard rustling in the grass around them. The scent of pine and cedar mixed with the old rosebushes planted around the gate to the cemetery filled the air.

  Ruby smiled up to him. “I have to work until eight o’clock tomorrow night and then I’m meeting Anna and Sandy at Ditch Lane. Why don’t you meet me there?”

  There was a wild man inside of him when Ruby’s curves were pressed against him. Reed grabbed her by her buttocks. “Oh, I plan on showing up. I plan on being your shadow. I don’t want you out of my sight.” Ruby kissed him senseless again.

  * * *

  Ruby pushed away from him before she lost her head again. Her mouth had gone bone-dry feeling him next to her. She rested her hand on his chest and gazed up into his dark eyes framed by those gorgeous lashes. “I need to go. I have to get up early to help Mom in the garden, before I go to work. I need my beauty sleep.”

  He playfully added, “Honey, you don’t need any beauty sleep. You’re so pretty you could stay up all night.” Reed kissed her one more time and then walked to his car. Before he stepped inside, he tossed her one last glance. Reed started his car, blinked his headlights at her and then backed out of the driveway.

  Ruby drove up the driveway to her home. She had planned on ending her relationship with Reed before it had started. It was funny how life decided those things for you. She entered the house quietly. Everyone was in bed. Ruby locked the doors and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and combed her hair out before slipping on an oversized T-shirt to sleep in. She slipped between the cool, clean cotton sheets and ruffled her pillow next to her cheek. As she closed her eyes, she could see Reed’s beautiful face. She would have good dreams tonight.

  * * *

  The next night, Ruby arrived at one of the last summer parties of the year. Everyone she knew was at Ditch Lane. She was working her way through the crowd toward the bonfire, talking and laughing with different people, when Jerry came up behind her and grabbed her bum like he had done at least a thousand times before.

  “Hey, sweet pea, what’s up? No Brent tonight?” He gave her a questioning look. It was weird how easily Jerry could read her sometimes.

  “Nope, I broke up with him yesterday.” She linked her arm through his and walked to the bonfire to meet up with Sandy and Anna.

  Jerry grabbed Anna’s bum next, and she squealed with delight. He said, “Ruby broke up with Brent.”

  Sandy turned to face her. Ruby shrugged. “It was t
ime.”

  Sandy bent over to the cooler and tossed Ruby a cold beer. “I know, I know, you hate beer, but tonight I think you need one.”

  Ruby reluctantly popped the top and scanned the area for any signs of Reed. He had not made it yet. She took a big gulp and grimaced. “See, I’m drinking, for crying out loud. Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Sandy nudged her shoulder. “So, who are you looking for since you broke up with tall, dark and trouble?”

  Ruby whispered into Sandy’s ear, “Reed.”

  Sandy spit out her beer. “Dang, girl, you jump right out of the frying pan into the fire.”

  “Hardy, har, har, you’re so funny.” Ruby loved the smell of the bonfire and she looked around, smelling something else. “Someone’s burning a joint.”

  Sandy sat down on the log next to the fire and crossed her ankles, motioning for her to follow suit. “Sit by me. Maybe they’ll pass it around. Spill the beans. What happened at Opryland yesterday?”

  Ruby told her everything that had happened at Opryland and by the time she had finished, Ruby was on her second beer. She was feeling slightly intoxicated and giddy.

  Sandy whistled loudly and several people turned around. “You’re going to rip their friendship apart, you know that, right?”

  “Sandy, you don’t know the whole story,” Ruby said. She told Sandy about the game, Tap It, and about the first time she met Reed and Brent in the store, about the pool, the first ballgame and the lake. Tap it had come to a head yesterday at the park. She also talked about her breakup with Brent and the steamy night with Reed, afterwards.

  Sandy’s eyes widened. “Holy cow, why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could have given you some pointers. I’m not sure if I like them more or less, gutsy sons of bitches, playing women. Almost wished Tap it had been my idea.” Sandy laughed and threw her arm around Ruby’s shoulder. “But it looks like you fell in love with Reed in the process. I’ll kill him if he hurts you.”

  Sandy and Anna opened a couple more beers. Ruby was on the verge of being drunk. She rarely drank and three was always her limit. “You’re right, Sandy. I’m in love with Reed. I got it real bad.” Ruby’s eyelids dropped.

  Sandy pulled her closer and then pushed her playfully. “My advice to you is to keep the upper hand, man.” Sandy snorted. “Upper hand man. Sounds like the name of a good band.”

  The music was cranked to a song by Kool and the Gang. Ruby and Sandy began to dance “the bump,” and then Ruby began to freestyle. Ruby closed her eyes, grooving to the tunes. As she danced, she felt someone’s arm drop around her waist, pressing her bum to his buckle. Ruby turned, expecting to see Reed, and instead found Brent.

  Ruby wriggled away from him. “What are you doing here?”

  Brent looked at her with a wicked grin. “Ruby Jane, you’re drunk.”

  Ruby straightened her back and squared her shoulders. “I am not. You need to go harass some other girl. Remember, I broke up with you yesterday.” She glanced over and saw Reed walking toward them. When Reed saw her talking to Brent, he stopped dead in his tracks.

  Brent tried to pull her into his arms and she used her hands to push off his chest. “Stop it, Brent. I mean it. I told you yesterday I didn’t want to see you anymore.” He held her chin as he bent over, trying to kiss her. She shook her head back and forth.

  Jerry walked over to them and said, “Ruby is there a problem?”

  Ruby, being a little drunk, said, “Hell yeah, there’s a problem. This asshole won’t leave me alone.”

  Jerry’s face flushed red as Anna walked up beside him, placing a hand on his arm. She looked over at Ruby. “Honey, what’s the matter?”

  Brent let his hands drop away as Ruby pointed at him. “He’s the matter.” But as she turned to walk away from Brent, he grabbed her arm, squeezing it tight. Ruby yelled, “Let go of me!” People began to turn around, and several had moved closer to check out what was going on.

  Brent spun her around to him. He jerked her up against him and shouted, “Why don’t you shut the hell up!”

  Ruby narrowed her eyes at him. “What did you just say to me?” She heard the people chattering around her and felt faintly nauseated. “Brent, please let me go. You’re hurting me. I know you’re mad at me. Don’t be stupid.”

  Brent noticed Reed and then turned to back Ruby, shouting at her. “Damn it, Ruby, did you meet Reed last night? Did you?” She tried to jerk away from him, but he held on tighter.

  Reed stormed over to them and grabbed Brent’s shirt. “Let her go. Now.”

  Brent turned to Reed, still gripping Ruby’s arm as she tried to wriggle away.

  Reed said, between clenched teeth, “This is the last time I say this, Brent. Let her go.”

  Brent let Ruby go and pushed her so hard Ruby lost her balance and landed in the grass, very hard on her rump, with an “Oomph” escaping.

  Ruby looked up as Reed bent down to check on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brent’s right fist as he landed a punch to Reed’s jaw. She screamed, “Stop it! Stop it!”

  Reed twisted around swiftly and threw a counter punch to Brent’s gut, which landed with a thud, and then Reed tackled him to the ground. They were punching each other when Ruby began to feel violently sick. She rolled onto her hands and knees and puked. Sandy and Anna rushed over to her.

  Sandy said to Anna, “Look in one of those coolers and see if you can find her a Coke.” She pulled Ruby’s hair off her shoulders, as she got sick again. “It’s okay, pumpkin. Let it all out.”

  Ruby felt weak in the knees as she looked over to see George and Jerry pulling Reed and Brent apart. They were staring each other down. She heard her brother tell Brent to leave.

  Brent spat on the ground next to Reed’s feet. “This ain’t over, you son of a bitch.”

  Reed squared his shoulders. “Anytime you’re ready, brother.” He turned and ran to Ruby.

  * * *

  Ruby and Reed walked slowly over to the creek and sat down. He placed his hand on her thigh. “Are you okay?”

  “No, I feel terrible, Reed. I don’t want to ruin your friendship with Brent.” She looked up at him with sadness.

  “Brent should have never touched you. It’s his fault. You broke up with him. He hates to lose. He’ll either get over or he won’t. My only concern right now is you.”

  Ruby leaned against Reed’s shoulder. “I don’t drink. I kinda lost my cool. I started it.”

  Reed stroked her hair, which hung loosely down her back. Then he turned his head toward her and replied in a clipped tone, “There is never a cause for a man to hurt a woman. Ever.”

  Ruby lay back on the grass and looked up at the stars. They were so close she could almost touch them. She listened to the water as it rushed through the creek, and in the background she heard laughter and “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young being played on someone’s car stereo. Reed lay down beside her, staring up at the sky.

  Ruby turned on her side toward Reed, placed her hand gently on his cheek, still red from Brent’s punch. Her breath hitched. “Thank you for taking up for me tonight.” Ruby never thought about the consequences of playing the Tap It game. She certainly never intended for Reed and Brent to fight each other over her.

  He linked his fingers with hers and then raised her fingers to his lips. “Silly goose, you don’t have to thank me. I wanted to kill him for hurting you.” With a half laugh he said, “I’m pretty sure he wanted to kill me, too. Thank God, Jerry and your brother pulled us apart. Now, come here and lay your head on my chest. Let me give you some loving.”

  Ruby laid her head on his chest and she relaxed in his arms while he stroked her hair. She was right where she needed to be.

  Chapter 8

  Strange Magic

  Ruby spent the last two weeks of summer with Reed. They went swimming, and she took him hiking up to Campbell Ridge. They spent many evenings on the porch at Everglade Farms. Reed had met her parents playing ball with George. She introduced Re
ed to her grandfather, and Granddaddy seemed to like Reed. Her grandfather told her after one of those visits that Reed seemed to be good people.

  By the middle of August, Ruby, Sandy and Anna began moving into their rental house on Bell Street. The house had been built in the 1950s. It was a one-story brick house with hardwood floors and three bedrooms.

  Ruby, Sandy and Anna cleaned it thoroughly and applied a fresh coat of paint on the interior walls while their fathers worked on the lawn. They found lawn furniture at a yard sale that worked perfectly on the covered front porch of the house. Anna’s daddy had arranged for a man to do the yard work, but it was the girls’ responsibility to maintain the interior of the house.

  From their three homes, they managed to find enough furniture to fill the rental, including a new color TV Ruby got for her birthday. Ruby’s parents bought them a kitchen table and chairs, while the rental company furnished their appliances. They each had their own bedroom, but they had to share the only bathroom.

  Moving into the house with her best friends was just what the doctor ordered. Ruby’s new classes would be starting soon, and living with her two best friends was going to be so much fun.

  After their parents left, the girls rested for about five minutes and then screamed a chorus of “Woo Hoo!”

  Anna ran to the portable stereo located in the den. She flipped through their albums and selected Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and placed the album on the record player. As the music started, Anna threw her hands up in the air and shook her butt. “It is time to crank the jams! We have our own crib!”

  They cranked up the music, danced, and then began to cook supper together. Ruby stood at the butcher block table, chopping up tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions, while Anna was at the stove browning the beef and Italian sausage. Sandy had bought the ingredients for margaritas and was making a pitcher for them to drink.