“Ruby, you’ve gotten yourself into a pickle,” she whispered as she slowly headed to the house. Once inside, she stood in the great room that she took such pride in, and glanced around at all the nice things she’d accumulated over the last few years. Expensive furniture. Artwork. Décor. Her closets were filled with clothes, some she’d never worn and still sporting their price tags. She had jewelry and name-brand bags she barely used. When had she become that girl? When had she decided those things equated happiness?
Of course, the nagging question, the one she refused to acknowledge or think about, was the one she needed to ask the most.
What would it take for Ruby Montgomery to be happy again?
Chapter 21
The crap mood Travis had been in since he left Ruby’s followed him to his brother’s place. He tried to shake it, Lord knows he’d tried, but alcohol and the darkness he felt didn’t mix, and he was smart enough to know it. Neither did people for that matter, but he was here now and couldn’t leave. Zach was back at the cottage with some girl he’d met on the golf course, and unless he left town, there wasn’t anywhere else he could go and be alone. Travis was stuck here and would make the best of it.
Regan’s bungalow was beautiful, and though the yard was not nearly as impressive as Ruby’s, there was more than enough space to host a get-together. The two-tier deck was something out of Better Homes & Garden, and Travis watched from inside as Wyatt barbecued up a storm, while Regan kicked back with Gwen and Brad. Their son, Patrick, was at a sleepover, leaving Travis the odd man out.
He frowned and reached for the garden door, his hands full of the condiments he’d been asked to grab, when the doorbell went off. No one could hear it outside, and with a halfhearted curse, he set down the condiment tray and headed for the foyer. The place was open concept, bright and sunny from an abundance of windows, but Travis noticed none of this as he walked to the door. It must be Hudson and his wife, Becca. The oldest Blackwell had called earlier to say he’d be late—something about a dirty diaper.
He yanked open the door and froze. Ruby stood in front of him, a bottle of wine in one hand, a mixed bunch of summer flowers in the other. She wore a baby-blue sun dress that left her shoulders bare, and white slip-ons. Her hair was left loose, the soft, silky waves spilling down her back, and the only makeup she sported was light pink gloss on her lips. She looked so damn beautiful, and if he was feeling in a generous mood, he’d have planted a kiss on her so fast, her head would spin.
But he wasn’t in a generous mood. In fact, he was still mad as hell. He arched an eyebrow questioningly. “You lost?”
She was surprised, that he could see, but like always, she recovered quickly. “No, Travis, I’m not lost.”
At that moment, a car door slammed shut, and they both had a look over Ruby’s shoulder. Hudson and Rebecca made their way up the steps, the baby and all the necessary paraphilia associated with said baby in tow. Rebecca had that flustered I hope I remembered everything look, and might have said something more, but one look at Travis and she offered a quick hello before heading inside.
“Hudsy,” Travis said, offering his hand for a shake and settling on a diaper bag in return. His brother grinned and nodded to Ruby before following his wife.
“You sure you’re not lost?” he asked.
“I didn’t realize it was a dinner party.” She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
“Brad Bergen and Gwen are here too.”
“Oh.”
“That all you got?” He watched her closely, his anger held in check—barely. She looked uncomfortable, which made him feel pretty damn good. Childish, he knew, but there you had it. His tone must have set something off, because her eyes fired up and her chin jutted out.
“Are you going to let me in?”
“Not sure. Depends.”
She looked like she wanted to throw a punch. “On what?”
“On how effectively you convince me to move out of the way.”
She said something unintelligible, and her eyes narrowed. “I could move you if I wanted to.”
“I’m sure you could. A well-placed jab with your fist…and knee to the groin. But I’m looking for words.”
Travis was starting to enjoy himself. He leaned on the door and waited. He knew he’d won at least a small victory—she was standing in front of him. But a part of him needed to hear the words, and damn if he was going to feel bad about it.
Ruby’s chest rose and fell rapidly. Her cheeks were flush and her eyes flashed bloody murder.
“What do you want me to say, Travis? That I acted like an idiot before?”
“Sounds about right.”
“That I’m sorry?”
“I’ll take that too.”
“That you drive me freaking crazy, and I lose my mind when I’m around you?”
He waited a heartbeat. “Why?”
“Why what?” she snapped.
“Why do I make you lose your mind?’
It was Ruby’s turn to pause. For a moment, he thought she might throw the flowers and toss the wine, but then she sighed. “Travis, I’m here. And that’s a big step for me. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to do the family thing because we’re not family anymore. But then I realized I don’t know what the hell we are, so I’m here. Let me in.”
Travis leaned forward. “What’s the password?”
“What?”
Okay, now he was being a dick. “Password?”
She studied him for a few seconds and then reached up, pressing her lips against his in the sweetest kiss he could remember. She was soft and pliant, and his heart pounded so heavily, he was sure she heard it. He opened his mouth, and it was all she needed. Her tongue slipped inside, and she nipped at him, deepening the kiss until both of them were breathing hard. Slowly, she extracted herself.
“Will that do?” she asked, voice throaty with that hint of rasp that drove him crazy.
Travis nodded. “That will do.” He stepped aside, and she walked by, her scent surrounded him seductively. It wasn’t fair, really, the arsenal of weapons this woman possessed. And all of them warheads with his name emblazoned on them. The thing was, he’d take every single one of them because she was here.
She’s here.
Travis followed her into the house and plopped the diaper bag onto the island. He scrounged around in the kitchen, found a vase and handed it to her, and then waited until she’d added the flowers and water. Once that was done, he grabbed the tray of condiments and pointed to the sliding door.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, giving her one last out.
“No.” Ruby opened the door and headed outside.
Hours later, after Hudson and Rebecca had excused themselves and Brad and Gwen had left, Travis and Ruby found themselves alone in the backyard with his brother and Regan. They’d had a great meal—his brother grilled up a mean steak—and a lot of laughs. There’d been no awkward moments, no questions asked that were intrusive, and the evening seemed to be a success. He settled back in his seat, his hand loose on the chair behind Ruby’s head, though a part of him was tense. The part that was waiting for something to happen.
“When do you leave for training camp?” Regan asked, settling back against Wyatt.
Yeah. Here is was. That something waiting to happen.
“A couple of weeks. I have to get back to the gym, and then we’re on the ice for training camp mid-September.”
“Gosh, summer has flown by,” Regan said with a smile. “And so much has happened. I think it’s wonderful the two of you found your way back to each other. It’s like a movie or something.” She laughed. “True love always wins.”
Ruby moved and hunched her shoulders. She didn’t reply, and Travis didn’t know what the hell to say. But Regan was unaware and, still smiling, looked at Ruby. “I suppose you guys are going to do the long-distance thing? Or are you headed to the city with Travis?”
Silence met her words, and Regan looked at Tr
avis. “You guys have talked about this, right?”
Wyatt cleared his throat. “I think we should mind our own business, don’t you?”
“I can’t move to the city,” Ruby replied coolly, pulling at the edge of her dress. “The spa takes up a lot of time, and my brother lives here, so……”
“Oh, right. I’ve been meaning to book a treatment. I’ve heard it’s an amazing place to visit. I just don’t have a lot of time between the hospital and my practice.”
“That’s okay, baby.” Wyatt nuzzled her neck. “I’ve got magical hands.” His brother’s hand was under Regan’s top, and that was enough for Travis. He jumped to his feet.
“I think it’s time for us to head out.”
“You sure?” Wyatt didn’t look their way, even when Regan slapped his hand.
“We’ll see ourselves out.”
Travis and Ruby walked through the house and paused on the street. Fog curled along the path, glowing from the moon’s reflection. It was eerie and somehow fit the mood. Gone was the ease of the evening just passed. There was something between them now, something thick and dark, and it made his gut clench. He hated not knowing where he stood with this woman.
“My truck’s parked down the way,” he said, eyes on Ruby.
“I see that.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She started walking toward her car. “Are you coming to my place?” She turned to look at him.
“Do you want me to?”
She didn’t answer right away, but then nodded. “Yes. I think we need to talk.”
He watched her for a few seconds, hating the distance between them. A distance that hadn’t existed twenty minutes ago.
“Okay.”
She nodded, got into her car, and he walked to his truck. They could have been strangers on the street, the divide between them was that big. By the time he revved up his engine, she was gone, her taillights small embers of red in the dark. He sat in the truck for a good long while, listening to the engine rumble, listening to the doubt that crowded his mind.
Today had been wrong pretty much from the get-go. Something had shifted, and it wasn’t anything good. Ruby was right. It was time for a talk. He took his time on the drive over, thinking of the things he wanted to say. Things that had been on his mind for a while now. Things she didn’t want to hear.
It was then he realized a big one. Something life changing. Something that was probably going to kick him in the ass.
Travis Blackwell loved Ruby Montgomery. This wasn’t just about making things right or exploring an intense physical attraction. He’d given his heart to her over ten years ago. A heart that still belonged to her. There was a reason he’d never found someone else. Hell, he hadn’t even looked.
Because there was no one else.
He pulled into her driveway and was up her steps before the last rattle of the engine was heard. He didn’t bother to knock. He strode inside, absently patted Tasha on the head, and called for Ruby. She didn’t answer, and then he spied her sandals in the middle of the foyer. A few feet farther, her dress.
Travis followed the trail like Hansel after breadcrumbs, picking up the items as he headed to the great room at the back. Her bra was tossed onto one of the wing chairs near the garden doors. Pink and delicate. He glanced up. Her silky, barely there underwear hung from the door handle.
The door was cracked open.
Like a bloodhound, Travis headed outside. The moon hung low over the lake, spilling soft light over the entire yard. She was there, in the shadows near the edge of her deck. He saw the curve of her cheek, the soft swell of her breast.
“Come here.” Her words were spoken slowly, a hint of seduction coating them like candy.
Travis swallowed hard. His body responded immediately, and it took some effort to override the desire coursing through his blood. They needed to talk. He couldn’t do this anymore. Not until they cleared the air.
“You come here,” he commanded, hands fisted at his side, jaw clamped so tight that pain radiated up the side of his face.
She didn’t hesitate. Ruby walked like a cat, long, lithe limbs and soft, padded feet. Her body was slowly revealed to him, the shadows receding as she moved into the moonlight. A breeze lifted her hair, and it billowed around her, a moonbeam halo that made her look like a goddess. Was she aware of the effect?
She stopped in front of him and licked her lips, her eyes on the bulge between his legs. He was so damn hard and filled with an urge to possess. It made it difficult to concentrate. To organize his thoughts and get the words out. The ones he needed to say. The ones she needed to hear.
“Ruby, we need to talk before we…”
But her hands were at his waist and she went for the zipper. “We’ll talk tomorrow,” she whispered.
“I really think…”
She was on her knees, her soft, warm hands on his cock. She looked up at him, her eyes in shadow, her mouth glistening as her tongue slowly swept across her lips. She was killing him. And she knew it.
His hands found their way to her head, his intention to push back—to take a second and clear his head—but she closed her warm mouth over him.
And he was done.
Chapter 22
Ruby was dreaming the kind of dream you didn’t want to let go of. She was floating. Weightless. Riding the midnight sky. Languishing under a tropical sun. Awash in warm sensations and hedonistic thoughts. The dream was so real. The colors vibrant and alive. The images incredibly erotic.
She shifted slightly and gasped. A slow smile curved her mouth, even as her sleep-heavy eyelids struggled to open. That sweet ache, the one that started deep within and pulled hard, made her moan. It had a rhythm. A cadence that was older than time. Her hips began to move, and slowly she became aware. Mr. Sandman let go, and she realized a few things.
First off, she wasn’t dreaming.
Secondly, Travis was inside her.
His hard, warm body was pressed against her back, while his hands cupped her breasts, his fingers making music, his touch driving her crazy.
She said nothing at first, just let her body rock with his, fighting not to whimper when he withdrew and then slowly eased himself back inside. He stretched and filled her completely, his body so in tune that words weren’t needed. This was sensory overload.
This was all a woman could ask for.
Ruby bit back a groan when his hand left her breast and settled on her hip, pulling her back into him. He nipped her shoulder, a love bite that hurt—the good kind of hurt—and then he stopped.
Her eyes flew open. It took a bit to focus. Then even more time for her brain to unravel what her eyes saw in the mirror that hung over her dresser.
Blankets tangled around their legs.
His tanned body a contrast to her honey gold.
A possessive hand on her hip.
Muscles that strained.
Bruised lips and flushed cheeks.
Skin on skin.
“Good morning.” Travis nipped her shoulder again, eyes on hers in the mirror. His jaw was dark and unshaven, his sensual mouth curved into a grin. He flexed his hips slightly, and she gasped at the sensation.
“Morning,” she managed to say, watching him, anticipating his next move.
“Lift your leg.”
“What? I…”
His hand left her hip and grabbed her knee, gently moving her leg up and open. Sweet Jesus. She saw herself. Saw him inside her. He held her knee and pressed his mouth against the side of her neck as he began to move. In and out. In and out. Slowly. Methodically. And then he picked up the pace.
She’d never seen anything as hot and sexy as this. Their bodies intertwined intimately, taking and receiving. The pleasure was intense. It was a miracle, really. How the human body worked. How desire and want and need shaped the dance. How one man’s body could make her feel as if she were coming undone.
He growled into her neck, his whiskers scratching along skin already raw from the previous night. “You like that?�
�� he asked roughly, angling his body a bit and hitting that sweet spot deep inside.
She couldn’t speak. Hell, she was barely able to manage a nod. Her head fell back against him. His tempo increased. Their bodies were slick with sweat, and she arched her back slightly, a guttural, animalistic sound escaping as she felt her muscles tighten.
“That’s it,” he whispered. His long, measured strokes elicited whimpers, and when he increased the rhythm, the fire inside Ruby erupted tenfold. She was coming apart. Her orgasm was building. It swelled and pressed against her. It clawed at her, and she squeezed hard, smiling when he grunted.
“Open your eyes,” he said roughly. “Look at us.”
Ruby watched them in the mirror. The muscles on Travis’s neck strained with his effort to control himself. To draw out the pleasure for as long as he could. She placed her hand on him. Felt his strength as he stroked in and out. When she began to rub herself, to increase the pressure, the look on his face was something she knew she would never forget. It was feral. Possessive.
He was as lost in their coupling as she was.
“Now, Trav,” she said, her voice catching. “I can’t wait.”
Travis thrust harder and faster, his hand holding her in place, his eyes capturing hers in the mirror and not letting go. Her mouth opened, and she began to buck as her orgasm ripped through her body. They watched each other climb as high as they could go, before crashing back together.
For a long while, they stayed like that, joined in the most intimate way a man and woman could be. When their breathing slowed and their heartbeats lessened, he rolled onto his back, taking Ruby with him.
There were no words. Just his arms around her, and his head resting against hers. Her body still tingled from the aftershocks of her orgasm, and though she was warm and languid, a part of her was not. A part of her was remembering the day before. It was burrowed deep, held captive at the back of her mind, and it wouldn’t let go.
You Rock My World (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake Book 3) Page 18
