by Iris Bolling
Adam stood there a moment longer. "I...I think, I'll join the guys."
"You do that," Sally sighed, then looked at Joe. "Ruby," she gently rubbed her shoulder. "I'm going to check on the kids then I will be right back so we can talk." She gave Joe a talk to your daughter look, then left the room.
Ruby turned back to the sink. She watched as her father moved from the table, then stood. She knew he was waiting for her. She turned and walked right into his embrace. He rested his chin on the top of her head and held her tight.
"Daddy why do men have to be so stupid?"
"Because we think with our lower extremities rather than with our heart."
Ruby laughed. Joe rubbed her back, happy to see her smiling. He held her at arm’s length. "You want to talk about it?"
She stepped back and sighed. "You and mom raised me right. I'm a good person. Why can't men see that?"
"Men or a particular man?" Joe leaned against the counter as Ruby began to do what she does...take care of people. He listened as she checked the greens that were sitting on the stove. She turned them back on, then checked the turkey that was cooking in the oven. Then she picked up the bowl of potatoes and began preparing that. Yes, she was his first baby girl. In his eyes, she was beautiful, all his girls were. But Ruby, well she had a special place in his heart.
As he listened, it became clear to him that Ruby's problem wasn't the man. It was the people around him. "Does he have any idea you have feelings for him?"
Ruby finally stopped. During the entire time she was talking, she had been going from one dish to the next never skipping a beat in the conversation or the meal preparation.
"Oh, no Daddy," she looked up as she placed the now completed potato salad into the refrigerator. "He's my boss for one and for two the man is just...way to fine for someone like me. Now, Opal or Jade," she nodded. "They would catch his eyes."
"Why your sisters? You are just as beautiful as they are."
"Yeah, Daddy, to you. But men like him, they look at the young, slim women with everything in the right place."
Joe smiled. He knew better than to get into the topic. "If this man is worth his weight in gold as you say he is, he will see through all the outside glam and see your heart."
Ruby stared at him. "When did you start using words like glam?"
He glanced up. "Phire," they both laughed at the same time.
Her mother, who had been standing in the doorway listening walked back in. "This has certainly been a busy kitchen today. "Joe, the boys are ready to set up the football game."
"I'll join them," as he walked by, he squeezed Ruby's hand.
Sally put the apron around her waist. "I heard what you said to your father about Opal and Jade." She opened the oven and checked on the turkey. "All of my daughters are beautiful, inside and out. Look at you. You have that Janet Jackson, during the Nutty Professor 2, thing going on. Now that girl, she looks good during Rhythm Nation and Love Will Never Do Without You."
"Hey, Love will never do without you," Opal sang as she walked into the kitchen.
"Work it out somehow," Jade walked in dancing and soon all the women began singing.
Jade the dancer began doing the moves. "They said it wouldn't last."
The back door flew open and in walked her baby sister Phire. "Ohhhh, Love will never do, never do without you." She jumped in. Soon the kitchen was in full Thanksgiving mode as thoughts of Devin moved to the back of Ruby's mind.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Something was missing. It was the first time in Ruby's life that she felt that way at Thanksgiving dinner with her family. Everyone was home, Samuel, Cynthia and their children. Joshua and Roc, with Teddi who had to be a Lassiter, but she didn't ask any questions. Pearl and Theo announced they were having a baby. Luke, Mathew, Timothy, Opal and Jade were there arguing over the loss of the game to the women...again. Opal and Jade teased them unmercifully. But now they were all preparing to go dancing. The surprise of the night was from Adam her baby brother who brought a woman home for Thanksgiving. If that wasn't bad enough, Phire spent the evening talking about some boy from school. It seemed her younger brothers and sisters were moving on with their lives, yet she was stagnant. It seems she was still stuck in the same place. In the kitchen cleaning up, preparing plates for people to take home then putting the food away.
"Hey Ruby," Opal peeked into the kitchen. "We're going to the club. You want to go?"
Ruby looked over her shoulder as she washed the dishes. "No, you go. Have fun."
"Okay, you should drop by later."
"We'll see," she knew when she said it, the club was not in the plans for her. What did she look like going to the club with them? She was too old.
"Ruby," Cynthia called out. "Joe and Sally are keeping the grands. Samuel and I have are going to catch a movie, you want to go?"
Now they wanted her to be a third wheel. "No, thank you. Have a good time." She smiled and continued with the cleanup.
Sally walked in the kitchen as Joshua and Roc carried Teddi to the car. "She is an adorable little girl." She smiled while waving goodbye.
"An adorable little princess," Ruby replied.
The tone of her voice must have been sad, for her mother turned and stared at her. Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Why are you hiding out in the kitchen?"
"I'm not hiding out. I'm cleaning up."
"Grown people live in this house. They don't need you to clean up behind them."
"How well I know."
"Ruby?" Sally touched her arm. "What's going on?"
"Nothing...Mom," she shook her head then looked around. "Everything has been put away. So you should be good for the night." Ruby kissed her mother's cheek. "I’m going to the shelter to see if they need me there."
"Ruby, we need you. We will always need you."
Looking into the family room where Pearl and Theo sat. Her feet in his lap. "They're happy," Ruby gave a faint smile. "I missed out. Somewhere along the line I missed the dating, falling in love."
"I don't think you missed it at all Ruby," Sally hugged her. "You have always been the one staying home and helping with one thing or another while your brothers and sisters were out enjoying themselves. Now that they are grown, you feel like they don't need you anymore. Well, they still do. But I think it’s time for you to live for you."
Ruby walked out of her mother's embrace. "After you've lived a certain way for thirty years it's hard to change." She took her coat off the hook. "I'll see you later."
Climbing into her car, Ruby thought about what her mother had said. Live for me. How do you do that at thirty-seven? Ruby started the car and drove to the shelter. It hadn't snowed today, but it was still cold outside. She wasn't scheduled to be at the shelter. Thanksgiving was always family day at the Lassiters, so she never volunteered. It wasn't like she had anything else to do. Oh, she knew she could have gone out with everyone too. But why, when fifteen minutes in she would begin to feel out of place. Ruby parked her car. That's what she felt. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what her purpose was anymore. She turned off the motor and sat there for a while thinking. The new position would take up a lot of her time and that was good. It came at a good time. First thing Monday morning, she would give her job a two-week notice of her departure. For now, she would get a head start on selecting families from the files at the shelter. She nodded. "Okay, that's a start." She stepped out of the car and almost screamed.
Swinging her purse, she yelled. "Don't scare me like that."
"Ouch," Devin grabbed the purse and the arm attached to it. "What in the hell do you have in that thing?"
Ruby removed her arm from his grasp. "Something to knock out men who lie. Mr. I'll call you after dinner."
"I called you several times," Devin glowered. "Why aren't you answering my calls?"
Ruby stepped back. He was angry. Not one to mince words, she pulled out her cell phone, put the password in then held it out to him. "Show me."
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Knowing he called several times, Devin had no problem taking her phone. He checked the call log and was surprised to see there was nothing from his number. He returned her phone then pulled out his. He gave it to her. "Aaron is the password."
Ruby thought for a moment. Men didn’t give women their phones much less the password. She took the phone and saw where he had dialed a number similar to hers but it was off by one digit. "This is not the number I put in your phone." She corrected the number, then gave it back to him.
"When you did not answer I went to the address on your application. Sat outside your condo for hours. You never appeared. I figured this would be my best bet."
Hmm, Ruby thought. He is a little beyond mad.
"When we kissed I felt my world tilt. Women who can kiss are a dime a dozen. The woman who can turn your world upside down is the one you keep." He took a step closer to her. "I did not play games with women when I was young and I am certainly not going to start now. I've had five women in my life. One in high school, one in college and one while I was in Boston. My mother is number four and you are number five. I did not play games with women when I was young and I am certainly not going to start now. He pulled out his phone. She felt her phone vibrate. "I sent you my address. If you show up, I know you felt the same way I did." He walked to his SUV, got in then pulled off.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
There are moments in a man's life when he knows what he has at his fingertips. When the elevator doors opened into his living room, Devin was standing next to the fire place with a drink in his hand, dressed in grey slacks and a grey and black sweater.
"I wasn't sure you would come."
Ruby stepped inside allowing the elevator doors to close. "I’m here."
He sat the drink on the mantel, walked over to her and removed her purse and coat. He placed them on the sofa then took her hand. They walked through the vast open room from the area designated as the living room by the furniture, to the massive dining room table that could seat at least twelve, turning to the spiral staircase right before they reached the open kitchen area.
He didn't say a word until he reached what she was certain was the opening to his bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest as she glanced inside. She leaned against the opposite side with her hands behind her back.
"Once you step inside this room, there will be no games, no doubt, no drama about who I am and who you are to me," he gazed into her eyes earnestly. "Are you ready, Ruby?"
She had never been more ready for anything in her life. "I've never been in a serious relationship. I don't know why," she shook her head. "I just...haven't. I felt that kiss through every pore in my body. I've been going around in circles ever since. I don't know how to love you but, yes, I'm ready."
Devin closed the distance between them until he was merely a breath away. He put his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "We'll go slow, as slow as you need." He put her arms around his neck taking her lips with a softness that almost made her melt, right then and there. He ended the sweet torture by whispering a promise against her lips. "Wrap your mind around the fact that I am going to make love to you tonight."
"What about taking it slow?" she held him close, not letting go.
He slowly pulled her sweater over her head. "We are. We're going to slowly take a shower," he kissed her shoulder. He unzipped her jeans then slowly peeled them over her behind. He unzipped her boots, removed them one at time, throwing them to the side. He pulled her legs from each jeans leg, then sat back on his haunches staring her up and down. "Then I'm going to explore every inch of your body," He kissed her navel. Her body shivered as his hands roamed over her thick thighs, over her panty covered behind, up to her breasts covered in black. He stood and gazed into her eyes. "I promise to go real slow."
Her reaction to his touch was real. The shivers did not give her mind time to think about her body not being a perfect size six. She didn't think about the fact that a man hadn't viewed her naked in years. None of the insecurities she’d been worrying about as she drove to his house came to mind as his hands caressed her everywhere. His touch was electrifying, but that wasn't what ignited her juices to a boiling point. It was his eyes. The way he looked at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. That was what made her forget to be nervous, as she pulled his sweater over his head, throwing it onto the pile he created with her clothes. That was what made her hands roam over his wide shoulders and down his smooth chest. It's what made her kiss his nipples then trace a path of kisses down to the zipper of his pants. She unzipped them, and almost screamed as his manhood escaped, standing at full attention while his pants dropped to the floor. She gazed up at him. "Are you for real?"
He smiled. "I like being free." He stepped out of his pants then stood back. "I want to see all of you, Ruby."
Her breasts rose and fell from the breath she released as she unhooked the front of her bra, allowing it to fall to the floor. She then dropped her panties and stepped out of them. "If I’d known I was going to end up here, I would have worn something sexier." She blushed.
"There is nothing you could have worn that would make you sexier than you are at this moment." He lifted her into his arms. "Wrap your legs around me Ruby."
To her surprise, he carried her into his walk through shower turning on the lower heads as he stood her on her feet. Trails of kisses began at her neck then traveled to her breasts, where he captured a nipple between his lips, causing her to lean against the wall from the sheer pleasure. The warmth and moisture from his mouth, the pleasure from his sucking, caused her to moan. His hand covered the other breast, circling around the nipple, creating different sensations in each breast and causing pressure to build slowly through her body. He switched his mouth from one breast to the other, causing her to cry out.
"Devin." She didn't know if she should pull him closer or push him away. The fear and the pleasure she knew was to come had her conflicted. But he took that away the moment his hands moved to her waist. His lips traveled downward, kissed her navel, then his tongue licked between her thighs. That's when the damn broke. She could feel his smile against her thighs as he took every drop of her, ignoring the sharp cry of release that left her breathless.
He then reached for the free-arm showerhead, replacing his lips with it between her legs, putting it on pulsating mode. He held it in place as she stood and leaned into him. "Ruby, open your eyes."
When she did, he was gazing into them. "The passion in your eyes is the best aphrodisiac known to man."
"Devin," was all she could say as her eyes closed again.
"Let's get this first one out of the way. I'm going to protect us," he said as he replaced the showerhead then reached above her. She heard the wrapper rip. He covered himself, then slid slowly inside of her.
She was wet, tight and hot. He was willing his body to go slow, but her inner walls contracted. Her legs wrapped around his waist pulling him deeper inside.
He groaned, "Ruby," taking her hands into his as he began to move inside of her. The rhythm of their kissing and thrusting merged into one as both became frenetic. The pulsating from the showerheads pounding down on them, added to the heat that was rising, steaming the entire room. Their gasps for air were filling the room and soon turned to her scream of pleasure. The explosion that followed caused Devin to curse.
Devin's body was now crushed against hers. His head was in the crook of her neck. Her thighs still wrapped around his waist, her hands smoothing his shoulders.
"You just made me the proudest man in the world, Ruby Lassiter." He kissed her neck.
She began to laugh. Her head dropped to his shoulder. "I can't believe I just did this."
Devin eased her legs down. "And you find this funny?"
Ruby was still laughing when she looked up at him. "My sister told me to clear the cobwebs from between my legs." She bent over laughing. "Well I would say the cobwebs have been sucked, licked and washed way now."
Devin laughed as he kissed her then licked his lips. "They were rather tasty." He put her over his shoulder carrying her to the blower. Sitting her down, he held her arms up as they twirled around, drying their bodies. The two were like kids in a candy factory. They made love for hours as if they were discovering love making for the first time. When they had no choice but to rest, they lay entwined in each other’s arms talking about family. He shared his concerns about his mother being alone. He talked about the responsibility of fulfilling his father’s request for Aaron's House and the shock of discovering just how wealthy they were.
"We always lived so modestly." He shrugged as he played with her fingers. "I never wanted for anything. So I see no reason to change the way we live. I think my mother should move."
"Oh no," Ruby shook her head. "Don't mention that to her. There are memories of your father in that house. I just met her, but she shared stories about the two of them with that house as the centerpiece. She's not ready to let that go." Ruby nodded. "When she is, you'll know."
Devin pulled her under him, then settled on top. "How did you learn to read people so well?"
"I have six brothers and five sisters," she was circling the tip of her fingernail around his nipple. "Believe me, I had to learn how to read some of the best minds in the world."
He raised an eyebrow, as if disbelieving her. "I'm serious." She laughed. "You will understand when you meet them."
He smiled. "I'm going to get to meet the family?" He positioned the tip of him at her entrance and slid in. "That means I'm in." He moaned.
Ruby inhaled. "I would say that is a definite yes."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Ruby was in heaven. She was warm and cozy as she stretched. "Hmm," she groaned. Muscles were sore in places she didn't know existed. She pushed her hair out of her face and opened one eye then looked around.
"Good morning."
Ruby rolled over to see Devin dressed and sitting in the chair by the fireplace she hadn't noticed last night. She pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts then smiled. "Good morning," she brushed her hair down with her hands, certain it was wild and all over her head.
