by Iris Bolling
“I get it, you are a direct man.”
The man stared at Devin as if taking his measure on how far he could go with him. He finally decided to walk away. There was something in the man's eyes that told Devin this was not the end. He looked at the father.
"I'll hang around for a while to make sure he stays away."
"Then what happens tomorrow, or the next day or the next?"
"Let's get your family settled and we'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow."
To Ruby's surprise Devin took a seat on the floor and sat next to the family and began talking.
"You think he's going to watch over them all night?"
Ruby smiled. "I think he is going to watch Mr. X. All night."
"That's pretty sweet," Cheryl stated.
"Yes, it is," Ruby, acknowledged. "What is his game?"
"Huh, you're his game. During intake, all he did was ask question after question about you." She turned and walked off.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lights were out at ten o'clock and televisions were all turned off by eleven. Ruby had watched him for a while as she checked on the other guests. Now, it was time for her to take a break.
During the night she saw Devin walk outside once. Twenty minutes later he was back with a laptop and a blanket. He retook his seat next to the family, powered up his computer and looked to be working.
It was around midnight, the place had settled down with the exception of one or two people milling about. She walked over with a cup of hot coffee and a container.
"Coffee?"
Devin looked up to see the angel smiling down at him. "Thank you." He took the cup.
"Did you eat anything?"
"I can wait until morning."
Ruby took a seat on the floor next to him. She opened the container of food she had just heated up in the microwave. The aroma hit his nostrils instantly. "I bet you didn't eat lunch, did you?"
Devin thought, then looked sideways at her. "Do you know my mother?"
Ruby smiled. "I don't think so. You just look like the type." She handed him a fork.
"What type is that?" He put the fork into the container and put a forkful of food into his mouth.
"The work at your desk through lunch, dinner and any other meals you can get away with type."
"Hmm, that's good," he dug in again. "What is it?"
"Beef sausage, potatoes, green and red peppers, onions and a little homemade sauce."
"Someone should patent this and sell it," he dug in again.
"You're not hard to please."
"I love good food."
"I think you are just hungry." She ate. "So tell me, what's your story?"
He stared at her. "What do you mean?"
"You come in here under the pretense to offer me a job. You stay. Help out and now you are acting as guardian angel over this family you don't even know? Why?"
"Are you the only person who can care about people?"
"No," Ruby shrugged as she ate. "But I plan to be here tomorrow. Can you say the same?"
"No," he dug in again. Ruby handed him the container. "I plan to go to work tomorrow. I'm taking Mr. Sanders and his family with me." he smiled. "I'm going to put him to work with a decent salary. Then I'm going to have my mother find them a temporary place to live."
Ruby liked his smile. It was genuine and she knew the intentions in his heart were good. But she had to give him a little reality.
"Then what?" Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What are you going to do when Mr. Sanders’ PTSD returns? See, that's how he lost his home and his job. He didn't receive the medical attention he needed to prepare him for his return home from Iraq. So he will have a job and a home. How is he going to keep it?" Devin stared at her. "What are you going to do when Mrs. Sanders loses another child because of his temper? You see Devin, money isn't always the answer. Some problems go deeper than what money can fix. In order to help some people you have to teach them to fish in life. That way they can survive once you are no longer a part of their lives. Do you understand?" She sighed. "You are like most people. You think the problem is simple. Throw some money on it. That will fix it." She shook her head. "Look, I know you meant well. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Take some time. Look deeper before you jump."
Devin was holding the last bite on the fork in mid-air. He wasn't sure why but he just felt like he was slapped. He chewed the last bite as he glanced at the family. It surprised him to see the wife's eyes were staring at him.
"Thank you for the job." She said while lovingly holding the children on one side and rubbing her husband's head with her other hand. "But he's needs help more than a paycheck."
The scene made his heart break. All the time he spent talking with the husband, he was thinking the man had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was trying to care for a growing family with no job or a roof over their heads. Now he could see the one carrying the burden is the wife. He nodded in understanding. He looked into the office where Ruby had laid on the sofa to relax.
He stood, collecting the container and the fork. "Time to remove foot from mouth."
Standing in the doorway the vision of Ruby Lassiter stretched out stirred more than his intellect. It wasn't just her eyes that were heavenly as he thought earlier. This woman was a total package. Intelligence, beauty and a heart, not to mention the alluring figure his eyes were scanning.
"Don't start something you have no intention of seeing through to the end."
Devin’s eyes jumped back up to her face. She was staring at him. Their eyes held. Neither had any thoughts of turning away.
"Are you married? Engaged? Committed?"
"No, no, and no. I'm also too old to play games with someone who is still trying to figure out where they fit in." She sat halfway up and rested her head on her hand as she watched him.
How in the hell did she pick up on that? It was true, he was trying to find his way through being the head person controlling so many lives.
"You are a beautiful woman Ruby Lassiter, inside and out." That was unexpected. Ruby flinched at his words. Devin raised an eyebrow. "I can't imagine you have never been told that."
"My father tells me that all the time."
"I'm not your father. I'm a man who appreciates beautiful things."
"You are also a man who has offered me a job. Which means you may be my boss in a few days."
He nodded. "Professional conflict." He thought for a moment. "Adversity is one of the most powerful motivators known to man. It has a way of making the most ordinary person do the most incredible things. It makes a man try harder for the things he wants. It's one of the reasons why I never give up on possibilities."
"Are you talking about you and me or the Sanders?"
He gave her a crooked smile. "Both."
Ruby liked looking at him. Even in the semi-darkness of the shelter he was a very nice specimen of a man. It was at that moment she felt a tingle between her legs. Cobwebs are awakening she thought to herself. She sat up in an attempt to keep herself from laughing out loud. "Whew," she shook her head. Trying to get her mind off the body's natural reaction to a fine man in a dark area. She glanced at him then frowned. "Where's your laptop?"
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"Is that code for I'm not interested?"
Ruby stood laughing. "No. It's just a question."
"I left it in the area where I was sitting."
Ruby started walking out the office door. "Lord rescue me from naive people."
"Naive?" He followed her to his spot.
She looked around, moved the blanket then turned to him. "Where did you leave it," she whispered, already knowing the answer.
"Right th..." he stopped then looked around. "I know I left it here."
Ruby held out her hand. "Your phone."
"You're not calling the police." He held it out but did not release it."
"No," she took the phone. "Your code?" He touched the screen with his finger. "You do have the locati
on app on here, right."
"I do," he continued to look around.
"Is your computer registered?"
"Of course," the response was a little clipped.
"Shh, we don't want to wake anyone." Ruby stated as she played with the app. "We simply want to locate your computer."
"I'm sorry. I'm frustrated with myself for not thinking."
"Well, it's here," Ruby looked around. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. Of course it was him, she wanted to smack herself. Instead, she turned back not realizing how close Devin was behind her. Their bodies bumped causing her to lose her balance. His arm circled her waist to keep her from falling.
"Whoa," he held her close. "I have you." He smiled down at her as he adjusted their bodies. "Do you feel that fit?"
Did she feel it? Hell yeah, she felt all of him right at the juncture with the melting cobwebs. The contact had Ruby's body tingling like it hadn't for a long...long...long time.
"Foul, foul on the play Mr. Upton." She stepped away. "Now." She took a moment to gather her senses. "I believe I can locate your device."
"Did you?" he gazed into her eyes."
Ruby swallowed. "Yes," she stared at his lips. Why hadn't she noticed how thick and smooth they were before. She pushed away. What was she doing out in the open about to maul a man. "Your computer," she walked past him then stopped where she saw the movement a moment ago.
"Mr. X."
The old man wrapped his blanket tighter around him turning his back to her. Devin started to grab the blanket, but Ruby's hand on his shoulder stopped him. She shook her head.
"He took what's mine, I take what's his." The old man huffed.
Ruby glanced at Devin then sighed as she bent down to the man. "Mr. X. It's Ruby. Now I know you can't see too well, but you can certainly hear me. I realize someone is in your spot tonight. You had to adjust to feeling your way from this new area. But you did it. I watched you all night and you did great. If you think about it, in a way the family helped you to grow. You can expand your choices now. That's a good thing...right?"
How big is this woman's heart? Devin thought to himself. He could feel her empathy towards the man and his situation. He could kick himself for not looking deeper as she said earlier. He had no idea the man had difficulty seeing.
"You gonna send me away?"
"If you want to stay, you have to apologize to Mr. Upton." She heard the man groan and smiled. "I tell you what. If you do it I'll give you a hug."
With a speed Devin did not anticipate, the man threw the blanket aside. He stood and turned to Devin.
"I sincerely apologize for securing your computer." Mr. X held the computer out.
It was now clear the man could not see where he was standing. He took the computer. "Thanks for securing it for me."
Mr. X held his arms out and Ruby walked right into his arms. Her hug was sincere as was Mr. X. The man settled back down and Devin could have sworn there was a smile on his face.
"I want to look deeper," Devin said as they walked back to the office.
Ruby yawned. "It takes time."
He leaned against the doorframe. "I’m not talking about the people."
She turned and glared at him. "It takes time for that too."
He glanced at his watch. "I have time. Let's take a walk in the snow."
"It's almost two in the morning."
"Then no one should be on the road," he smiled.
"It's not the kind of neighborhood you just stroll in."
He took her coat off the rack and held it out. "I'll protect you."
"A man with confidence. I like that," she replied as she slipped her arms into the coat.
The snow was still coming, now blanketing the area. The light from the lamp post glistened over the crystals, making a usually worn area sparkle.
"I love the snow," Ruby smiled as she pulled her hood over her head and stepped out.
"Why is that?" Devin asked as he pulled his gloves from his trench coat pocket. Once they were on, he moved to the outside of the sidewalk area as they walked.
Looking at the sky, she smiled then looked at him. "Something about leaving your footprints as you walk. Look behind you, those are your prints. You made a mark somewhere." She looked forward. "You can't do that in the rain. You can only see your existence in the snow."
"From what I've seen in the last eight hours you leave a print of your existence on a number of people."
"The people in the shelter only see a friendly face that changes into another when they move on."
"I think you are selling yourself short. It's hard to forget the face of a person who shows you kindness. Or someone who has touched your heart."
"Ha, I haven't touched a person's heart in a long time."
Devin stepped in front of her and began walking backwards. "Are you referring to a man or people in general?" he smiled.
"You have a rather disarming smile, Mr. Upton."
He stopped. "Devin," he held her eyes. "We had a moment inside the shelter."
Ruby inhaled. "We did."
"I've been known to let moments pass me by when I was younger. I'm now thirty-eight years old. There aren't too many more moments out there." He stepped closer to her and smiled when she did not step back. "You stepped away before."
"Eyes were upon us."
He nodded. "Is that the only reason?" He tilted his head. "There isn't someone your heart is longing for, your body yearns for, that I should know about?"
The intensity in his eyes had her speechless. All Ruby could do was shake her head no.
"Good," he lowered his head to hers. "Have you ever been kissed Ruby Lassiter?"
"Yes," surges of longing coursed through her from his closeness.
"I don't think you have been, not like this." Their lips gently touched with that first sweet kiss. Then they parted allowing their tongues to touch. Devin wrapped his arms around Ruby's waist, bringing her body snug to his. The blood in his veins awakened with an excitement he had not experienced in a long time. The heat from the kiss warmed their bodies as the falling snow simply melted as it touched them.
Delicious was the only word Ruby could bring to mind. The moment their tongues touched, she knew this was what she had been waiting for all her life. This moment when the fluids in her body began to come ablaze with wanting, longing to be released. The exuberance of finally being kissed to the very core of her soul urged her to move closer, to go deeper exploring all the recesses of his mouth.
Her arms circling his neck quickened the pace of the kiss to a point where he knew he had to stop. His tongue slowly retracted, as he left sweet kisses upon her lips. "You are indeed a precious gem, Ruby Lassiter," he whispered against her lips.
They stood there, in the snow at two something in the morning in a part of town where most people would not walk in the light of day, kissing, and Ruby had no desire to move. "My father says the same thing." She smiled, then lowered her head.
Devin used a finger under her chin to bring her eyes back up to his. "He must be a very insightful man." He pulled her arms from around his neck, then held her hand. "I'm taking you back inside before I strip you down to nothing and make love to you in the snow."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "I have a feeling we would melt a lot of snow in a short period of time."
"That was hot," Devin closed his eyes.
Ruby shrugged. "You got to the fifty yard line."
Really? Only the fifty? Hmmm." "I think you just left your foot prints back there."
Ruby looked behind them. "I see two sets of foot prints."
Devin stopped and looked back. Devin looked over the area with the snow falling in a new light. "I think I like the idea of your footsteps being next to mine." His eyes met hers.
She wanted to kiss him again, but they had reached the door. "You need to go home Mr. Upton."
"You kiss me and get me all stirred up then send me home." He kissed her gently on the lips. "You're a tease Ruby."
/> "You have no idea what's going on inside my jeans right now. Let's just say you are not the only one with something stirring."
Devin laughed. "I'm happy to hear that."
"Come inside and get your things."
"You promise to come tomorrow?"
They gazed at each other and laughed again. Ruby blushed. "That will be totally up to you Mr. Upton."
As Devin drove home the woman known as Ruby Lassiter filled his mind. He could not resist thinking about the many things he learned from her while at the shelter. But it was the kiss that not only filled his mind but continued to throw his body into a tailspin. Where in the hell had she been all his life? Moot point. She was here now and he had no intention of letting her go.
The people in the shelter concerned him. Ruby was right, money was needed, but a plan on how to identify and provide services to the individual families selected, was just as important. To think his father once lived that way, consumed him. If he could get out, others could do the same. The need was infinite. After tonight he believed he and Ruby could help. Yes, Ruby Lassiter was the woman for the job and for him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sleep never found its way to Ruby. So by six a.m. she was ready to turn over the reins of the shelter to the next shift. On the way home, thoughts of Devin consumed her. Who was he? She knew his name of course, but what was he about? Where had he been all her life? Did God send him to tempt her or was he the real thing? "Stop asking questions Ruby. Just...enjoy the moment. Don't read too much into it." She exhaled. With five sisters you would think there was someone she could talk to about this stuff. But her sisters always came to her for advice. They may not feel comfortable doing that anymore if she went to them with her problems.
As she pulled up into her cleared driveway she saw her father shoveling the snow from the sidewalk. He is going to work himself into an early grave, she thought as she shook her head. "Morning Dad," She kissed his cheek. "The sun isn't even up and you are out here working."
