‘Of course it matters,’ Tino said. ‘You need a plan to win her back.’
‘Or another beer.’ Dante pushed a fresh glass in front of him. ‘Here, have this one.’
‘I didn’t win her in the first place and it would be pointless to try again. I told you, it’s finished. Finito. Terminado. How many languages do you need me to say it in?’
The truth was, Ruby didn’t need him. Not the way he needed her, and he wasn’t going to grovel. Nor was he going to talk about it endlessly. ‘How’s the hotel business, D? Bought any new skyscrapers lately?’
‘Forget Dante,’ Tino instructed. ‘We’re not finished with you yet.’
‘Maybe we should talk about me,’ Dante noted. ‘Because I don’t know what the hell has happened to the both of you. You meet a pretty face, she plays hard to get and next thing you’re—’
‘Careful, Dante,’ Tino warned. ‘Your time will come.’
‘If it ever does, promise me you’ll nail me inside a coffin and plant an oak tree over my body.’
‘With pleasure,’ Sam growled. ‘And Ruby’s not like that. She didn’t play hard to get. Well, actually she did.’ He gave a rough laugh. ‘If you knew how hard I had to work to... The trouble is, she’s so damned prickly and defensive and argumentative. She overthinks everything and she’s an absolute control freak.’
‘She sounds like a real peach,’ Dante drawled.
Sam shook his head. ‘You have no idea. The woman is impossible.’
‘Glad you worked it out.’ Dante downed his beer. ‘Women are trouble and we lone bachelors need to stick together.’
‘Right,’ Sam agreed, taking another pull of his beer and thinking that it tasted like dirt. Why couldn’t anyone make a decent beer any more?
‘You are so screwed, Samuel,’ Tino noted.
Sam glared at his brother. ‘Just because you’re married doesn’t mean it works out for everyone. I’ll be fine.’
‘I get it, bro—it’s hard to talk about your feelings. I know. I nearly made the same mistake with Miller.’
‘You’re wrong, Tino. I’m fine with expressing my feelings. I was very expressive when I turned up in her office. I nearly...’ He’d nearly dragged her across her wide desk and kissed her until she told him she wanted no one else but him. Told him that she’d never leave him. ‘Anyway... It’s not me who can’t express myself, it’s Ruby. She’s as closed as a clam and as soon as you get close to her she throws up an unscaleable wall.’
‘So what did she say when you told her how you felt? When you told her that you loved her, and wanted to be with her?’
Sam shook his head. ‘What are you talking about? I didn’t tell her...’ He glanced from one brother to the other, realisation dawning slowly. ‘Hell. I’m an idiot.’
‘The thing is,’ Tino began quietly, ‘our father didn’t leave us with a great legacy. All those times he shut us out he made it pretty hard for any of us to talk about our feelings, let alone embrace them.’ A muscle in Tino’s jaw worked overtime. ‘I remember how hard you worked to get him to notice you, brandishing your athletics trophies and academic awards whenever he came through the door, and then—it was just after your tenth birthday, I think—you stopped. It was like you just gave up. Closed yourself off.’
‘Ninth,’ Sam corrected, his gut knotted as he remembered being left at the track on his birthday. ‘I realised that giving up was easier.’
‘We all gave up. In our own way. But it didn’t make any of us happy.’
‘I don’t know—it felt pretty good to me,’ Dante said.
‘That’s because you’re thickheaded.’
‘Thickheaded?’ Dante spluttered indignantly. ‘No one’s thicker than Samuel here. And anyway, don’t make this about me! I’m not the one foolish enough to fall in love.’
Sam shook his head. He wanted to bop his brothers on the nose but he knew they were only trying to help. It was the way it had always been between them, and Sam had often wondered what he’d have done without them growing up.
‘Tell her how you feel,’ Tino urged quietly. ‘It will probably be the biggest risk you’ll ever take, but it’s worth it.’
‘Whatever you’re going to do, you might want to decide sooner rather than later,’ Dante murmured under his breath. ‘A gorgeous blonde just walked into the pub and if I’m not mistaken she has your name written all over her. More’s the pity.’
Sam swivelled around to face the main entrance, where three women stood, their eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, and one of them was his Ruby, looking like a vision.
* * *
‘Miller!’ Ruby growled, her eyes alighting on Sam sitting at the bar beside his two brothers as soon as she entered the pub. ‘Please tell me you didn’t know Sam would be here.’
When she’d called Miller and broken down over the phone her best friend had immediately called Molly and they had agreed to meet at their favourite bar. On the car trip over they’d pretty much heard the whole story. How she and Sam had agreed to a weekend-only affair, how she’d stupidly fallen in love with him and how she planned to move to London. Because what else could she do? Working in the same office as Sam was absolutely untenable under the circumstances. At least, it was for her.
Now she felt a sense of déjà vu tightening her insides because this was the exact same bar she’d met Sam in two years ago.
‘Don’t hate me,’ Miller began sheepishly. ‘But I might have known.’
‘I don’t hate you. But I might kill you,’ Ruby promised. ‘I already told you that he signed the transfer papers and told me that work was my favourite crutch. What did you think was going to happen by bringing us together like this?’
‘I don’t know. Something?’
‘He might have a point about the whole work-as-a-crutch thing,’ Molly offered.
‘Molly?’ Ruby gave her sister a furious look. ‘Whose side are you on?’
‘We’re on yours, sweetie,’ Miller soothed. ‘That’s why we’re here.’
‘You could tell him how you feel,’ Molly offered.
‘Tell him how I feel?’ Ruby looked at her sister, aghast. ‘Not everything turns out like a Disney movie, Molly. You should know that.’
‘I’m taking back what I said about you being scared of commitment,’ Molly muttered. ‘I’m inserting the word petrified instead.’
‘I wouldn’t say anything else if I were you.’ She jabbed a finger at her sister in exasperation. ‘Since you were no doubt in on this plan to sabotage me like this, I’m going to replace you with a cat. At least pets are loyal.’
Before Ruby could think about turning around and walking back outside, Sam rose from his bar stool and prowled towards her, the merry after-work crowd seeming to automatically part to make way for him.
Her heart very nearly stopped as he came to a halt in front of her, his tie askew and his hair rumpled as if he’d run his hand through it a thousand times.
‘I didn’t know you were here,’ she said, not wanting him to think that she had anything to do with this unwanted set up.
‘I have no doubt about that,’ he murmured in his black-velvet voice. ‘But now that you are I’d like to talk to you.’
Forget his sexy voice, Ruby told herself, and instead concentrate on how you’re going to get over him. Properly this time.
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
‘Ruby!’ Molly exclaimed, elbowing her in the ribs.
‘Will you give us a few minutes?’ Sam asked, smiling at the two traitors beside her.
‘Of course,’ they readily agreed, rushing over to join Tino and Dante at the bar and leaving them alone together.
Sam frowned as he took in the boisterous crowd. ‘Let’s take this into the beer garden. It’s most likely quieter than in here.’
Wanting to ask him what ‘this’ was, b
ut not sure she could speak without getting emotional, Ruby reluctantly let him take her hand and lead her outside. Whatever he had to tell her, she vowed to listen and say nothing. Then she’d walk away and never see him again. It would be better that way. There was really no need for him to know how badly she felt about how things had ended between them.
‘You look pale,’ he said, stopping beside a large potted fern that softened the brickwork on the building. ‘Do you need to sit down?’
No. What she needed was him. She just couldn’t tell him that. ‘I’m fine, just...just say what you want to say. I’m ready.’
Or not.
‘Hell, Ruby, you don’t make anything easy for a man, do you?’
She didn’t know what he meant by that because she was trying to make this as painless as possible for both of them.
‘Look, Sam, we complicated things by having an affair and now we have to uncomplicate it. I get it.’
‘Affair?’ he said with quiet menace. ‘Is that what you call it?’
‘I don’t know. Affair...fling...’
‘Don’t you dare say hook-up,’ he warned. ‘I hate that term.’
‘I wasn’t going to but I think I understand why you want to talk to me, and you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to harass you, or cry all over you, or tell anyone what happened. Well, other than Miller and Molly but they won’t say anything to anyone. I promise.’
‘I’m not worried about office gossip, Ruby.’ Frustration etched his tone. ‘That was always your issue.’
‘Well, if you’re worried I’ll make a nuisance of myself and want more from you, I won’t. I would never do that. I would never behave like that.’
‘Why not?’
Ruby frowned. ‘Why not? Because who would want someone like that? Someone clingy and needy?’
‘Sweetheart, I feel clingy and needy every time you get within two feet of me.’
‘What?’ She blinked up at him as if she hadn’t heard him right. ‘How...? You can’t be serious.’
‘I am.’ And as if to prove it he leant down and kissed her, taking her mouth with a savage hunger that incited her own.
Ruby’s hands fisted in his shirt as she melted against him, the chemistry between them immediately hitting combustion levels, as it always did when they were this close. Sam groaned as he thoroughly explored her mouth, reluctantly drawing back and grimacing as he glanced at the small round tables filled with people pretending not to notice them.
‘I don’t know what it is about you and public places, but you’re hell on my self-control,’ he complained. ‘You always have been.’
Ruby didn’t know whether to be insulted or thrilled by the admission, the after-effects of that kiss still messing with her brain. ‘It’s only Wednesday night,’ she said. ‘Friday night is the one we usually muck up.’
‘Actually I’d say Friday night is our best night so far. Along with a couple of Saturdays and Sundays thrown in for good measure.’
‘Sam,’ she implored huskily. She wasn’t in the mood for him to tease her, or try to get her to relax.Her emotions were too fragile to cope. Too raw. ‘Please hurry up and tell me what you want.’
‘Well, that’s easy,’ he said simply. ‘I want you.’
Ruby felt slightly dizzy at his words. She knew he meant in bed and her heart broke a little because she wanted that too but she also wanted the rest. She wanted the fairy tale Molly was always spouting on about. The one that didn’t exist. ‘I’m sorry but I can’t go there again,’ she said on a rush, unconsciously wrapping her arms around her stomach. ‘Please don’t ask me to.’
Sam took a step back, his eyes dark. ‘Is that because of the way I responded to your transfer to London? Because if it is I know I didn’t handle it well.’
‘It’s not that.’ She swallowed hard. ‘I don’t blame you for being upset about the transfer. You’re my boss and I should have told you earlier.’
‘I didn’t get upset because I’m your boss, Ruby. I was upset because, while I had been sitting in my office trying to work out how to tell you that I love you, I imagined you were sitting in yours picturing how you were going to escape to London.’
Sam’s words sent a shockwave through Ruby, turning her eyes wide. ‘What did you say?’
‘I love you. But I don’t blame you for doubting me,’ he said softly. ‘I feel like I’ve been dancing around my feelings for you ever since we met. But I do love you, Ruby. With all my heart.’ He took her trembling hands in his. ‘It took me a while to recognise how I felt because I learned at a young age that it was easier to turn away from these kinds of feelings than it was to face them.’
‘Because of your father.’
‘Yes, and every time I thought you were putting work ahead of me it was like facing his rejection all over again. It made me want to protect myself. But I don’t care about any of that now. I’ve had time to think about what it would mean to let you go and I don’t want to. Ever. If you want to go to London then I’ll go with you.’
Not expecting him to do anything like that for her, Ruby stared up at him. ‘You’d really do that for me?’
‘Ruby, don’t you know by now that I’d do anything for you?’ His eyes were full of love and heat as he looked at her. ‘I love you more than I thought it was possible to love anyone. That day at the beach house when I asked you to marry me—’
‘You were trying to get a rise out of me.’
‘I was.’ A wry smile tugged at his lips. ‘A little, but as soon as I said it part of me knew I was also serious. I want you, Ruby. I want to be the man who makes you smile first thing in the morning and last thing at night, I want to be the one who makes you happier than you ever have been before and I want you beside me. Day and night. I want to know that when I get home from work you’ll be there, and I have to believe that you want that too or I’ll go mad.’
Ruby bit her lip, hardly daring to trust that any of this was real. ‘Oh, Sam, I do. I do want that too, but—’
‘You’re scared.’ He gently smoothed her hair back from her face. ‘I get that, angel. I get that you have little faith in men and that I’m partly responsible for that, but let me make it up to you. Let me spend my days proving to you that men do keep their promises. That I keep mine.’
‘That wasn’t just your fault, Sam. You were right when you said I use work as a crutch. Work has always been my safety net. It was my vehicle to independence and self-sufficiency and it could never surprise me by wanting to move on when I least expected it.’
‘You don’t need a safety net with me, Ruby, because I’ll never want to move on from you.’
‘Oh, Sam, I love you so much.’ Unable to contain her joy a moment longer, Ruby threw her arms around his neck. ‘I think I fell in love with you right here two years ago because I could never forget you no matter how hard I tried.’
Sam shuddered against her. ‘And thank God for that because I couldn’t forget you either. Now, about London—’
‘I don’t really want to move to London,’ she interrupted.
‘You don’t?’
‘No. I put in for a transfer when you joined the firm because I didn’t think I could see you in the office every day and not want you. I didn’t think I could cope if you turned up one day with another woman on your arm.’
‘Little fool,’ he admonished softly, kissing her so tenderly Ruby’s heart felt as if it might burst out of her chest. ‘Once I saw you again there’s been no one but you. I love you, Ruby. Only you. I even bought the beach house near Miller and Tino because you loved it. It’s in your name. I wanted to give it to you tonight.’
‘What? That’s crazy.’
‘That’s how you make me feel most of the time. Crazy and happy and... Why are you crying?’
‘Am I crying?’ Ruby swiped her fingers across the tears she hadn’t realised were rol
ling down her face. ‘Oh, Sam, I’m so happy. I had no idea I could ever feel like this!’
‘As long as you only feel like this with me. For ever.’
‘I do. I will.’
‘Hold that thought.’ He gathered her closer and pulled a small box out of his pocket. ‘I saw this in LA and I can tell by the look on your face that you want to say no, but I want to marry you, Ruby. I want to marry you and prove to you that relationships are worth banking on. I want to show you how good we are together, and I want everyone to know that you’re mine.’
‘You’re wrong, Sam—I don’t want to say no, I want to say yes so badly I know that I shouldn’t.’
‘You definitely should.’ He flipped open the box to reveal an enormous diamond ring sparkling inside.
‘Oh, my...’
Sam cupped the nape of her neck and tilted her head back, his eyes full of a possessive heat that made her giddy. ‘Oh, my, yes? Or oh, my, no?’
‘Oh, my, yes,’ Ruby whispered on a laugh. ‘Oh, my, a thousand times yes.’
‘Thank God.’ Sam kissed her soundly and slid the ring onto her finger to a rousing applause from everyone around them. ‘Because we belong together. We always have.’
Embarrassed to realise that she’d been so lost in the moment nothing else had existed except Sam, Ruby buried her face against his neck.
‘I think I’d better get you home before I ravish you against an outdoor wall again,’ Sam murmured, tucking her in against his side.
‘Promise?’
He turned her in the circle of his arms and looked down at her. ‘Sweetheart, I hereby promise to ravish you and love you for the rest of your life, no matter where we are.’
Ruby grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘Then I promise to love you and ravish you right back.’
‘God, I hope so.’
Ruby laughed at the hungry desperation in his voice. ‘Do you think we should go inside and tell the others what’s going on?’
Sam glanced over her shoulder and Ruby turned to see their small party raising a toast to them through the pub window. ‘I think they’ve probably already guessed, love, and if I know Miller she’s already been on the phone booking us a wedding venue.’
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