by Ruby Carew
To be touched by a man.
Oh, God, she wanted that so much. But she was too afraid.
Anytime her natural urges bubbled to the surface, like they had last night with Bryan, it wasn’t long before she started having dreams. Those dreams started off sweet and loving, then turned hot and steamy, searing her senses. Inevitably, however, they turned dark and terrifying and she’d wake up shaking, her whole body sweating.
If only she could just have nice, steamy sex dreams that helped her relieve her ache.
Her skin prickled and a heated awareness washed through her body, but it wasn’t from thoughts of having a nice sexual fantasy.
Someone was watching her.
She suddenly became very conscious of her situation. Wearing just a bikini. Her top undone.
Alone on the roof of the building.
She drew in a deep breath.
It was the middle of a sunny summer afternoon on a Thursday. Usually no one came up to the pool this time of day. Anyone who wanted to enjoy the warm afternoon and go in the water normally went to the beach a few blocks away.
But someone was definitely watching her and it must be from inside, because she would have heard the sliding glass doors open.
She sucked in a breath of air, calming herself. It had taken her a long time to build up her courage to make these outings to the pool and she wasn’t going to let herself slide back to the blinding fear. There were security cameras on the deck and she was in view of one right now. She always let Leandra know when she was going to sun herself on the deck, just with a casual message, as part of letting her know how her day was going.
If anything happened, it would be on the security film. Not that she’d let it get that far if she could help it. She wasn’t powerless. She had pepper spray in her bag, her cell phone handy so she could quickly dial 911, and she’d taken self-defense classes.
She reached around and fastened her bikini top, then slowly sat up. Casually, she reached for her silky, black floral cover up and pulled it on, carefully not looking toward the windows. She wanted to be covered and feeling a little more settled when she faced the intruder.
Before she had a chance, though, the sliding doors opened. She glanced up to see a man step onto the deck.
She sighed in relief when she saw it was Steve from the tenth floor. They had mutual friends in the building and had gotten to know each other and become friends of sorts.
He was a really nice guy. And good looking, with his broad shoulders, well-defined torso, and dark blond hair swept back from his handsome face.
Steve glanced over his shoulder at the open door. It seemed he was waiting for someone to join him.
When his gaze swept outside again, he saw her for the first time.
His face beamed with his warm, friendly smile. “Hi, Sonny. Nice afternoon.”
“Yes, it is.”
She wouldn’t mind chatting with him. She’d found she was always pretty comfortable around Steve which was nice for a change, but she didn’t know how to give out an inviting vibe.
She pulled her bag closer, and routed through it, just for something to distract herself.
Then another man stepped outside.
She glanced up and her heart thumped to life.
The man was…breathtaking.
His body was big and powerful. His arms and chest bulged with muscles and he had tattoos covering his body. She couldn’t tell what they all were since they were so dense, but she did make out a thorny rose vine coiling along one arm and around his torso, tendrils even coiling up his neck.
His hair was dark brown, shaved close to his head, and his ear glinted with piercings.
He glanced at her and smiled. Immediately, she dropped her gaze to her bag and she started sorting through it again, as if looking for something.
They started to walk and she was afraid they’d come over, but instead they headed toward some chairs closer to the edge of the deck.
Oh, God, the man was so heart-stoppingly masculine. Her body tingled as her hormones sparked to life.
Which she didn’t understand. She should be afraid, but the sensation pulsing through her was pure, unadulterated lust.
Unnerved, she grabbed her book and suntan lotion and shoved them into her bag, then pushed her towel in, too. She slipped on her sandals and surged to her feet, then hurried to the door. As she slid it open, she glanced over her shoulder and saw that the big man was watching her, a frown on his face.
Did he think she was running away from him?
She didn’t want any man to think she was afraid of him—showing strength was important—but right now, the threat she faced was her own unbridled libido. She didn’t understand her reaction to him and that unsettled her so much she had to escape.
She closed the door behind her and hurried away.
*
Tal watched the woman practically run off, his stomach clenching. All he’d done was smile at her. He hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t made a move toward her. Yet she’d up and fled.
He would have liked to have talked to her. Gotten to know her a little. There was something about her.
She was a beautiful woman, with her long, blonde hair cascading in waves over her shoulders. A pretty face with kissable heart-shaped lips. And he’d caught more than a glimpse of her curvy body through the glass when she’d sat up to pull on her cover up.
But what attracted him was more than that.
There was an aura of vulnerability around her. And a sadness in her eyes.
He sensed a need in her to have someone or something more in her life.
Or maybe he was just reflecting his own feelings onto her.
It caused him real pain that she would take one look at him and run away, as if he were some kind of threat.
“She’s pretty, right?” Steve said.
“Yes, she is.” He glanced at his friend. “Are you interested in her?”
“Well, yeah, what man wouldn’t be? But I don’t think we’d work out. We’ve talked a few times—she’s friends with my friend Meghan—but we seem to be developing more of a casual rapport rather than a romantic relationship. If you want to pursue her, don’t worry about me.”
“I might if she didn’t seem so terrified of me.”
“Hey, if you’re interested, don’t give up on her too fast. I think she’s been through something. She has these haunted eyes, you know? But I’m sure she’s trying to work through it. She’d need someone who’s willing to be patient and slow.” He shrugged. “But I think she’d be worth it.”
Tal glanced at the door she’d escaped through.
“Yeah, I think maybe you’re right.”
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Excerpt - A Fare to Remember
Opal Carew
Stevie has given up on love and just wants a simple life driving her taxi. But her plans are turned upside down when gorgeous billionaire Reid Jacobs steps into the back of her cab.
*
My husband suggested the idea for A Fare to Remember years ago and asked when I’d write it. At the time, I estimated it would be about 5 years.
Fast forward fifteen years and it’s finally happened!
One of the scenes in the book was inspired by the cover, which I saw before I’d finished the book. And it’s hot! I wanted to share that excerpt with you. It’s one of my favourites in the book!
Note: I should mention that there are two sexy billionaires in this story: Reid and his friend Dylan.
Excerpt
Stevie drove to the office tower, then pulled up in front. Dylan strode out the door and over to her cab.
“Hey, thanks for picking me up,” Dylan said with a smile as he got in the back of the cab.
She gazed at him in the rearview mirror and smiled. “It’s what I do.”
He laughed. “Yes, well, I appreciate it. It’s murder getting a cab on a wet night like this.” He pulled off his damp suit jacket and lay it down beside him.
“So where to, sir?” she
asked with a grin.
“Well, I have this great penthouse. How about you take me there and we both go up and I’ll show you the fabulous view?”
She caught his gaze in the mirror. “I might be persuaded.”
He opened his briefcase and pulled out a shopping bag from a designer store. “Would it help if I gave you a gift?”
She grinned. “I don’t know. Depends on what it is.”
She pulled off the main road and down a quiet street, then pulled over. She turned and took the bag he offered and peeked inside. She pulled out the tissue and found a lovely white shirred dress. It was very elegant, but at the same time, sexy, since the slinky fabric would cling to her every curve.
She gazed at him questioningly.
“We thought we’d dress for dinner.”
“Should I be insulted?” she teased. “My plaid flannel shirt isn’t good enough for you fancy penthouse dwellers?”
He chuckled. “Personally, I love your plaid flannel. It’s so”—he grinned—“soft to the touch. Especially with you inside it.”
The thought of him touching her shirt … stroking over the fabric … cupping her breast … sent her hormones spinning.
“The fact that you gave this to me now rather than when we reach the apartment … I assume that means you want me to put it on now?”
He nodded. “That way from the time you park the cab and we start upstairs, it’s like we’ve started a date.”
She smiled. “A date with two men. I could go for that.” She pulled away from the curb. “I’ll take us somewhere I can change.”
*
Dylan was looking forward to this evening. He and Reid had put their heads together to plan the perfect evening to convince Stevie that what Reid could offer her surpassed anything she could get from being with her ex-fiancé, in case she was having second thoughts. Reid felt his biggest weapon was Dylan—a second man to ramp up the excitement.
Dylan was thrilled to be a part of it.
Stevie turned down a quiet street, then into a dark alley. She pulled over and stopped the cab.
“What are we doing here?” he asked, glancing around.
She tossed the shopping bag into his lap, then she got out of the car, opened the back door and climbed into the backseat beside him. Then she started unbuttoning her shirt.
“You’re changing here?” he asked, his eyes widening as she slipped off her shirt, then tugged her navy tank top over her head, revealing her black lace bra.
“Sure. Why not?”
“I … uh … guess.”
She’d kicked off her shoes and was already slipping off her jeans, pushing them to the floor of the car. At the sight of her in her tiny bra and panties, his groin tightened. She held up the dress.
“Hmm. It’s off the shoulder, and I definitely don’t want a black bra underneath.”
She dropped the dress and reached behind her. His cock swelled as she peeled away her bra and dropped it on the seat. She grinned at him, clearly aware of the effect her perfect, round, naked breasts were having on him.
She pulled the dress over her head and let the slinky garment glide down her body. She pulled it into place, smoothing it down. It lovingly hugged every curve. And he couldn’t help noticing that her hard nipples were clearly visible through the thin fabric.
She pushed herself up on her knees. “Do you like it?” she asked, swiveling a little to give him different views.
“Oh, yeah.” His gravelly voice made it clear how much.
She smiled. “Can you see my black undies through the white fabric? Because I wouldn’t want that.”
His gaze jerked to her groin.
“I … uh …” Just say yes, a little voice shouted in his head.
“Better not to take any chances.” She tugged the hem up a little and slid her hands under the dress, then began to wiggle.
“What are you doing?” But he knew damned well exactly what she was doing.
Dylan almost salivated as Stevie sat down again, then glided her panties down her shapely calves and slipped them off her feet.
“Any shoes?” she asked. “My sneakers will just ruin the look.”
“Uh … yeah. In the bag.”
God, she was totally naked under that dress. His cock swelled some more.
She pulled out the shoes—white satin stilettos with rhinestone trim—and slipped them on.
“Nice.” She smiled at him and pushed herself onto her knees again, but this time she pulled up the hem of the dress enough to straddle his legs.
Her fingertips moved down his chest and he realized she was unfastening the buttons of his shirt. She pushed it open and smiled as she stroked his naked flesh.
“Thank you for the pretty gift.”
“It was from Reid, too,” he said absently, mesmerized by the glitter in her eyes.
She rested her hand so her palm cupped his nipple, keeping it warm, then she teased his other nipple with her fingertips.
“I’ll thank him later.”
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Also by Ruby Carew
Contemporary erotic short story series
Tempting the Boss series
#1: Tempting the Boss
#2: Tempting the Boss, The Arrangement
#3: Tempting the Boss, Obsessed
#4: Tempting the Boss, The New Partner
Tempting the Boss - Collection 1
Tempting the Boss - Collection 2
All He Wants series
#1: All He Wants: For Christmas Eve
#2: All He Wants: For Christmas
All He Wants – Christmas Collection
About Ruby Carew
Hi! I’m Ruby Carew. You may also know me as Opal Carew, a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance.
As Opal I write erotic love stories that push the limits, but as Ruby I don’t know what limits are. When you crave the titillation that only the fulfillment of your wildest fantasies can give you, look no further than my short, sexy stories.
Note: I started publishing my Ruby stories under the name Ruby Foxx, but I am republishing all of them as Ruby Carew. It’s going to take me a little time to get them all up, so please be patient. I hope to do a couple a month.
To learn more about Ruby, visit her at www.RubyCarew.com.
To hear when Ruby (or Opal) has a new release, join her Reader Group by clicking here.
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