by Sam Crescent
“Reminds me of home. The plumber is always busy,” Troy said, laughing.
* * * *
By Friday, Chris still couldn’t get the feel of Ruby against him out of his mind. She invaded all of his thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate. He’d not gotten the chance to talk to her since their moment together in her shop. Chris saw her pass the shop regularly, but neither time did she stop to look inside. Troy was in the storeroom putting the last of the stock up on the walls while he was finishing the banner, ready to pin outside. They were going to let the barbeque come first for them to do some mingling and then on Monday, they were opening Pleasure Palace to the public. The website was set up, with several thousand visitors already. He’d contacted the organizer of the website so when Monday came, the public could order from them.
This was his future and he felt the thrill of doing something sinful, yet busy. From the interest he’d gained in the last few days, he knew Pleasure Palace was going to be a success. It gave him something to do to fill his time.
“Do we have to wait till Monday? We’re ready now,” Troy said, walking back to the main front of the shop.
“We’ve got to get everyone in an anticipatory mood. I’m not going to ruin a perfectly good opening because of your impatience.” Chris grabbed the sign, which had dried. This was their last stage, putting up the sign and the banner. “Help me organize this.”
He opened the door of the shop, aware of all the curious gazes directed their way.
“Everyone is watching. We could make a killing today.”
Rolling his eyes, Chris grabbed the ladder and aligned it up with where the sign was going to be. Troy stayed behind him, holding the ladder firmly in place. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a lot of looks directed their way, including Ruby and her sister.
Once the sign was hung securely, he began pinning up the grand opening sign. Getting down from the ladder, he stood back with Troy, admiring their handy work.
“We did it, Chris.”
The happiness on Troy’s face made everything worth it. He loved Troy like a brother. They’d been together through everything, primary school, high-school, college and then through work together. They’d dealt with Sandra together and Chris knew he couldn’t face the future without Troy by his side.
“Sandra can kiss my ass,” Troy said.
Chris chuckled. The woman was in their past and there was no way either of them was going to let her affect them.
Ruby moved to stand beside them.
“It looks great, Chris,” she said. Her arms were folded underneath her breasts. He looked down and admired the cleavage on display. Her tits looked so soft, firm, and perfect.
“Thanks.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
She didn’t pull away. Troy tugged her into his arms as well.
Chris wanted any excuse to touch her. She was damn sexy, with those waves of red hair. His cock tightened just from staring at her.
“Will there be a discount?” Daisy asked. “I need to stock up on supplies for when I go back to college.”
“Daisy!”
“What? Just because you’ve not had any in a long time doesn’t mean all of us can’t be doing it.”
Chris had forgotten about the conversation he’d overheard between the two sisters. Three years of celibacy. Three years of no man knowing what lay beneath her clothes. The temptation was too much for him to deny.
“How about we celebrate tonight?” he asked, cutting off Daisy as she was about to say something else.
“Excuse me?” Ruby asked, pulling out of his grip. He didn’t mind. He loved looking at her anyway.
“Go out with me and Troy to the Dancin’ Donkey. I’ll buy the drinks. All you need to do is show up.”
She stared at him for several minutes without saying a word. “This isn’t a date, is it?”
He saw the apprehension in her body. She looked nervous. “No, just a couple of friends getting to know each other, and while we’re doing that, we’re having a good drink.”
“Daisy, are you game for going out for a drink tonight?”
“I’m game,” Daisy said, walking toward the shop.
Chris watched her, looking through the window. “Is your sister always so nosey?”
“She takes after Daddy Charles. He’s always poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong,” Ruby said, glaring.
“Shall I pick you up from your place?”
“No, I’ll meet you at the bar.” She looked behind her. He followed her gaze to see her looking at her sister. Daisy was talking with someone else. Ruby tensed, but turned her attention back to him. “I’ve got to go. When Daisy’s finished, will you tell her to meet me back at the shop?”
Before he got chance to answer, she was moving away from him.
“Is it me or does that guy bug Ruby?” Troy asked.
“I don’t know who he is, but I don’t like her reaction to him.”
“At least you got a date out of her.”
“It’s not a date. She’s meeting us for a few drinks. Daisy’s coming along with her.”
He watched Daisy and the mystery man arguing before she stormed off, heading in their direction.
“Where’s Ruby?” Daisy asked.
The young woman looked tense and pale.
“She’s headed back to her shop.” Chris answered and looked at the other guy.
“Did she see me talking to him?” Daisy pointed behind her. The guy was still stood staring at them.
“Yeah, who is he?”
“It’s Brad Lawson. He’s the local plumber in these parts, and he’s Ruby’s ex.” Daisy left after leaving that bombshell.
Glaring in Brad’s direction, Chris felt a wave of jealousy overcome him.
“He broke her heart,” a female voice said.
He turned to see Tessie from the diner stood behind him. “What?”
“You’ve got nothing to be jealous of. Ruby won’t give Brad the time of day.”
“She’s got his business cards in her shop,” he said, feeling stupid for caring.
“Ruby helps everyone out, Chris. She’s not going to be going back to Brad. He hurt her too damn much.”
“What did he do?” Troy asked.
“He cheated on her with another woman. The place looks good,” she said, moving away from them.
Chris watched them go. He didn’t like Brad, and having him come to the ranch actually pissed him off. The problem he had was that he needed a plumber. Crap, at least he got a date with Ruby. His Friday was looking up.
Chapter Four
Ruby curled her hair out again as she listened to Daisy moan and whine about everything but what was clearly on her sister’s mind. She knew Daisy was the woman with Brad that day she’d caught him. What surprised her was how she wasn’t surprised by the fact Daisy was in his bed.
Shaking her head, she applied another layer of mascara to her eyelashes. Daisy and Brad kept their relationship secret. No one in town knew who Brad had cheated on her with. She knew, but neither her sister nor Brad knew that she knew. When she’d caught them together, she’d been outraged, but she’d not really been heartbroken by Brad’s betrayal. If anything, Daisy hurt her because of her silence. Either way, she knew Daisy was fucking Brad now like she was back then. Her sister’s daisy tattoo had been hard to ignore.
Even though her sister continued to do the nasty with her ex, Ruby couldn’t hate her. Daisy was Daisy, her younger sister, and she loved her. It would never have worked with Brad. They both wanted different things and the sex was lackluster between them.
She’d never really been in love with Brad. He was an only child and offered her something most of the guys couldn’t…a one-man relationship.
“Who else is coming tonight?” Daisy asked, coming into her bedroom.
“Tate and Darla are coming. Tessie might make an appearance if she gets off work early enough.”
“Then we’ve got the barbeque tomorrow at Mom
and Dads’.”
Ruby nodded. “The shop is closed this weekend.”
“After the barbeque, I’m heading back to college.”
“Is one of the Dads driving you?” she asked.
“No, I’m getting a lift with a friend.”
She knew what that meant. Brad was taking Daisy back to college. Maybe she should tell her sister the truth, that she knew it was her with Brad three years ago.
“Come on, we better go.” Daisy stood, tapping her foot.
Ignoring her younger sister, Ruby admired herself in the mirror. She wanted to look good tonight.
Running her hands down the skirt of the dress, she tried to think positively of herself. For three years, she’d been a dry fish, not testing out any of the male fishes in the sea. Tonight was not a date, but she wanted to look her best.
The deep-blue dress she wore didn’t clash with her eyes or her hair. Possessing red hair and green eyes made matching clothes difficult. She wore a pair of blue stiletto heels to complete the ensemble. Her arms were bare and the dress molded to every inch of her generous curves.
“You look stunning, sis. Can we go?” Daisy asked, looking at her watch. Daisy was a much slimmer woman. Her sister didn’t have the red hair or the green eyes. Daisy was a brunette with smoky grey eyes. She’d heard many guys call her a foxy kitten.
Whatever. Ruby worked what she had.
Daisy was dressed in hot pants and cowboy boots, which worked with her figure.
Grabbing her purse from the bed, she followed her sister out.
Her cell phone buzzed and she reached in to read the text message she received.
It was from Tate. Where the fuck r u?
Ruby responded with, On way!
She headed out to her truck. Daisy was typing away in her own cell phone. Ruby ignored the buzzing of her phone as she pulled out of the driveway of her home.
Her sister was quiet on the drive for the first ten minutes.
“Have you heard from Anthony?” Daisy asked.
“Mom and Dads received a letter three weeks ago. He should be home in a couple of weeks,” Ruby said.
“I miss him.”
“I do as well.”
All three of them were different and took after each of their Dads. Ruby knew Daisy was Charles’s daughter while Anthony was Darren’s son. Ruby didn’t know who her father was. She took after her mother, Angela, with the red hair.
None of them cared about who their father was. They were one big family. Part of her wished she knew the truth. Shaking her head, she drove the rest of the way in silence. Daisy abandoned her the moment she parked the car. Stepping out of the vehicle, Ruby stared up at the sky, wishing there were answers to her questions.
Pushing her troubled thoughts aside, she headed into the main room of the Dancin’ Donkey. The dance floor was packed and there was no band. The music playing through the room came from the large stereo system the Willis brothers kept.
She spotted Troy and Chris at the bar. Tate and Darla sat beside them, downing some shots.
The Willis brothers were tending the bar. She noticed all three brothers were watching Darla. Heading over to them, Ruby smiled at Luke.
“You’re here,” Darla said, smiling.
“It’s about time, honey. You look smokin’ hot.” Tate slammed her hand on the bar. “A shot for my good friend.”
“I’m driving,” Ruby said, shaking her head.
“No, you’re not. The guys can call you a taxi. There’s no way I’m letting you invite me to a night out and not drink.” A shot was placed in front of Tate. “Drink up.”
Taking the shot from her friend, she nodded at both her girlfriends and downed it.
Arms banded around her waist, pulling her close. She glanced behind her into Chris’s eyes. Turning her gaze toward Troy, she saw the other man was watching her.
“You look hot, baby,” Chris said, whispering the words against her ear.
“Now that guy is hot,” Tate said, and Darla agreed.
“Where’s Nathan tonight?” she asked.
Darla scrunched up her nose. “My angel is with my mother. She felt I needed a night out. I’m taking advantage of her generosity and having some fun while I do.”
Another shot was downed.
“To reckless behavior,” Ruby said, lifting her glass. Their small group raised their glasses in the air.
Chris’s breath brushed across her neck, making her aware of how close he was. She sipped at her second shot, feeling heat fill her entire body. Her nipples tightened and the heat gathered in her pussy. She looked to the left in time to see Daisy and Brad dancing. Rolling her eyes, she twirled in Chris’s arms.
“Dance with me,” she said. The heels she wore made it hard for her to balance. His arms around her supported her on the heels.
“The shoes you’re wearing are a death trap.” He held her tight, moving her onto the dance floor. With the extra height of the shoes, she was able to look into his eyes without looking up first.
“The shoes do wonders for my ass and legs,” she said. The alcohol had gone to her head. She liked the buzzing feeling going on. No more shots for her.
His hand moved down her back to cup her ass. “You’re right, but shoes don’t work this ass well. You work this ass.”
Ruby sighed, moving against him. Wrapping her hands around his neck, Ruby pressed her body close to his. Chris made her want to feel so many things.
* * * *
Her ass was wonderful and plump. Glancing over her shoulder, Chris saw Troy watching them. The heat in his friend’s eyes made Chris thicken even more. He loved watching a woman lose herself in pleasure. They were dancing in a public place, but that look held a lot of promise.
“Do you want me, Chris?” Ruby asked, startling him.
“You know I do.” He wasn’t going to lie to her.
She forced him to turn her so they were facing the opposite direction. “Do you see that guy with Daisy?”
He grunted that he did.
“He’s my ex.” She let out a chuckle. “He’s the plumber you need to see, and he’s the one fucking my sister.”
Pulling back, Chris looked into her face. There was no hurt reflecting back at him, only boredom and acceptance.
“You’re not angry about that.”
“No. Everyone thinks I was upset about Brad’s betrayal.” She shook her head, scrunching up her face. “I wasn’t angry about anything. No one knows he was cheating on me with my younger sister. They’re still together and have been for the last three years.”
“You don’t care?” he asked.
“No. Is it wrong I don’t care?” She looked at him, waiting.
“I don’t know.”
“I thought Brad was perfect for me. He’s not got any siblings. He’s an only child. No risk of ménage for my future and yet, he wants my little sister. What does that say about me?” Ruby asked.
“Nothing. It doesn’t say anything about you. He’s the asshole for letting you get away.”
He stroked her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin against his palm.
“Do you know what it feels like to be rejected and humiliated?”
Chris nodded. “There was a woman back in London. She hurt Troy and me.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry about that. Shit, I shouldn’t have said anything like this to you.” She wiped under her eyes. The tears didn’t fall and he tugged her back into his arms, confused by her sudden outburst.
“No one knows about them. I feel like shouting it in the town square, and maybe they’ll stop being so secretive about it.”
“Shall I cancel him as my plumber?” Chris asked, wanting to do anything to make her happy.
“No. He’s the only guy in the area.”
“I’d gladly hire a book out of a library and do the work myself,” he said.
She shook her head. “What’s wrong with your plumbing?”
“We’ve got no hot water.”
“How have you been bathing?” she asked.
“With cold water.”
“You’ve been showering with cold water?” She looked at him and he saw the laughter dancing in her eyes.
“A redheaded vixen has been keeping me on my toes.”
“How dare she,” she said, teasing.
The song ended and another began to play. Chris wouldn’t let her out of his arms.
“Who humiliated you?” she asked. “Was she the one?”
“Troy and I thought she was the woman. She was a coldhearted bitch who wanted to tear us apart.”
“I’m sorry to hear about that.”
“Moving to Stone Valley is all about starting fresh. Troy and I are together. I love him like a brother.”
“Friends are good. Tate, Tessie and Darla are my friends.”
“Can I be your friend?” he asked.
“Is that all you want to be with me, friends?” Her body pressed against his.
“I thought you didn’t want to be in a ménage relationship?” This had to be the most confusing conversation he’d ever been part of.
“We’re not talking about a relationship. We’re talking about a little fun,” she said.
He frowned, looking down at her.
“What’s changed?”
Ruby leaned in close. Her lips brushed his cheek. “Three years, Chris. I’ve gone three years without a man and a proper orgasm. I want something more and I know you and Troy want me. I see it in your eyes. If I’m wrong, tell me now and I’ll back off.”
He stared back at her.
“We both want you.”
“Then tell me when you want me. I’m tired of fighting and for once, I want to do something about me.” She kissed his cheek and backed off.
He watched her approach her friends. There was a slight smile on her face as she looked back at him.
Going back to the bar where Troy was waiting, he ordered another beer. Troy was driving them tonight. He saw that Ruby held a bottle of water. What the hell just happened?
“Care to tell me why you’re frowning?”
“I’ve been propositioned by our woman,” Chris said.
“What do you mean?”