by L. J. Wilson
Handing over Stefan’s credit card, Ruby didn’t look him in the eye.
The wise thing would be to go back to Abstract Enchantment and barricade herself in the suite. Everything had been so different in California. Everything wasn’t this. The newspaper peeked out from the paper bag. Buying it was an impulse, like scratching an itch. After idling for a time, staring at the bench, the Coke machine, and the almost extinct pay phone, Ruby continued on a compulsive path. She opened the newspaper and found the colorful ad for Incontro: romantic atmosphere in an elegant country setting. That’s what the town’s new restaurant was promoting. Then Ruby was on her way, just to see for herself. Could Nickel Springs really offer upscale dining in an elegant country setting?
At a glance, it seemed so.
The restaurant was dark. That was good, she thought, slipping onto an end-cap barstool and ordering a glass of red wine. The seat offered a covert view of the dining room. Incontro delivered what was advertised: romance and elegance. Good sense whispered in Ruby’s ear—note “check” and “check” and leave… But she couldn’t take her eyes off the cozy tables for two and a charming outdoor view. Incontro didn’t sit on Butterfield Lake, but a remote pool-like pond. Through a large window, Ruby saw strings of lights twinkling across a patio, perfect for moonlight dancing. Music played, and guests swayed with the sexy rhythm. Paper lanterns continued down a path to a distant dock. It was shadowy there, obstructed by the couples dancing. Ruby craned her neck to see. A lone man looked out toward the view. She looked back and forth, surveying the rest of Incontro. Ruby didn’t see anyone she knew.
She bowed her head. “What the hell am I doing?” Opening her eyes, she sipped her wine and breathed. “Well, I suppose I’m enjoying a glass of wine and a change of scenery before heading back to Stefan.” Her irrational behavior, it was one last glance at the past. And it was silly. All of it. She was engaged to a wonderful man. It was exactly as she’d told Alec. She was looking forward to their future. And this… this was nothing more than a foolish, albeit necessary, bump in the road. It was to be expected, returning to a place with so many memories, Aaron showing up on top of them. Through clearer eyes, Ruby looked around the stranger-filled room. She felt better—for a moment.
A feminine touch met with her shoulder. “Hi, Ruby. Wow. What, um… what are you doing all the way out here?”
Ruby jerked fast toward the sound of Shauna’s voice, knocking over her wine as she went. There was a flurry of action, the bartender swooping in to mop it up, Ruby apologizing. He waved her off and she turned, facing Shauna. She’d come from the ladies’ room behind her. The woman was exquisite in a figure-flattering emerald-green dress, a step up from her already appealing work wardrobe. “Shauna,” she said breathlessly.
“I, um… I’m surprised to see you here. Is Stefan with you?”
“Stefan… no. He had some meetings, said he’d be busy until late.”
A crinkle formed on her smooth dark forehead. “There wasn’t anything on his calendar. We talked briefly earlier. He asked me to let him know if I… Well, never mind.”
“Surely you just missed a scheduled meeting. He was adamant about his agenda. In fact, Stefan felt so bad he sent flowers.”
“I, um… I’m sure that’s it.” Shauna offered a blank look. “Did, uh… did you like the necklace too?”
“You knew about them, the flowers and the necklace.”
Shauna’s pearly smile deflated. “He… Well, Stefan… he just asked if I thought you’d like the necklace.”
Ruby nodded. “And the flowers… I guess it would make sense that you ordered them.” She sat up taller, wondering if Shauna had done Stefan’s jewelry shopping as well. There was a non-committal shrug from his executive assistant. Ruby let it go. She didn’t want to sound like the probing, insecure fiancée. “It’s the thought that counts, right?”
“Absolutely,” Shauna said. “Seriously, Ruby, he’s such a busy man. And I have to say, since the two of you met—well, it’s not really my concern, but I’ve never seen him so aware of another person.”
Ruby grappled for a change in subject. “So this place, it seems like Nickel Springs has come up in the world since I lived here.”
“Oh, yes! It’s perfect. Or maybe I’m having such a great time, it just seems that way.” As Shauna went on, Ruby felt her forced smile sag. “It’s a first date. You know how they can be, tense… uncomfortable. But this one’s going incredibly well. He’s a surprisingly good conversationalist, though it’s hardly his best asset.”
“A first date,” Ruby repeated, self-comforting with the notion that surely Shauna and her date hadn’t bonded.
“Aaron Clairmont. Do you… Oh, right. You do know Aaron. He mentioned that. You two knew each other when you lived here.”
Ruby blinked hard, her gaze bumping around the room. “You could say that.”
Shauna touched her arm in a girlfriend kind of way. “I don’t suppose you could give up any Aaron Clairmont tips?”
Like what? He’s a good dancer but great in bed, so either way, just let him lead… Or, on the other hand, be wardrobe wary. If you happen to wear a too short skirt to some “friends of his” barbecue, he may drag you off to the bathroom just to raise his objection… Of course, he’ll end up fucking you hard right over the sink, whispering in your ear… “Just a little demonstration of what every guy out there is thinking…” It will leave you breathless and shaking and feeling safe in some bizarre way you never imagined…
“Ruby?” she repeated, smiling anxiously.
“No… there’s nothing I can tell you.” Awkward glances passed, Ruby having to bite her lip to keep from asking, “Don’t you have a son at home you need to take care of…?” It was rude and none of her business. “Enjoy the rest of your evening,” she said. Enjoy it when Aaron takes you home to his bed…
“Thank you. I will.” Shauna sashayed through the dining room, Ruby watching the head of nearly every man turn.
“Miss… can I get you another glass of wine? Miss…?”
Ruby looked wide-eyed at the bartender. “Make it a double vodka, straight up. And keep them coming.” Small sips turned into bigger ones as Ruby watched Shauna glide out of the dining room and onto the patio. She kept going, heading toward the dock. When Shauna approached the lone man, Ruby sucked in an audible breath. Before, the distance, the shorn hair, and a sports jacket hadn’t connected. He turned. Shauna’s finely boned arm wrapped around Aaron’s waist as his arm slipped over her shoulder. In the time it took for Ruby to clear a few teary blinks, Shauna had coaxed him onto the dance floor where she swayed, carefree and comfortable, in Aaron’s arms. From there, crowds seem to part and Ruby was privy to a birds-eye view.
Wonderful.
They made a stunning couple, Aaron’s football-player stature and her runway-model figure. The woman had a Beyoncé head of hair, draped sleekly around her shoulders. Aaron held her close, his hand riding along her skin where the sexy keyhole dress back gave him good access. Ruby smoothed the dark skirt she wore, fussing with a simple cotton blouse—it was a stunningly basic composition compared to Shauna’s designer ensemble. Ruby watched them laugh, Shauna saying something that struck him as humorous. Aaron had an infectious laugh, though he used it sparingly, making it more special.
Ruby stared while her mind drifted. She knew how Aaron’s arms felt—the heat, the strength. She could imagine Aaron and his date skipping dinner and heading straight for the nearest bed. Or maybe he’d just fuck her in the Incontro parking lot. Damn, it had been seven years. In that time, Ruby had never been confronted by this reality because… well, because prison put a nice barrier between Aaron and a social life. But now… now things were different. Aaron was going to sleep with this woman. And he wouldn’t be doing it in any parking lot. Not if that part of Aaron had been honest. Not if those moments were real. It wasn’t his style. He might fall in love with her, or she with him. Surely his past sins wouldn’t cut into Shauna the way they did Ruby. Bef
ore long, Aaron Clairmont would belong to someone like her.
Ruby’s gaze veered. A tear dripped into her glass, setting off a ripple of tiny vodka rings. Her thoughts spiraled, remembering the most intimate moments she and Aaron had shared. Ruby wrapped her arms snuggly around herself and closed her eyes, stupidly indulging in the depth of each memory. She shook her head. There was no way Aaron could have faked that. It was inconceivable—no matter what else he had done.
Ruby’s attention jerked back to the live-action scene, which only bullied her imagination. She envisioned Shauna’s long painted nails unbuttoning Aaron’s shirt, how she’d look wearing the wrinkled cotton button-down the next morning—sexy and inviting all over again. Ruby’s stomach took a queasy tumble, and she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. But instead of pushing the vodka aside, she took an even bigger gulp. Tipsy started to overtake queasy, and Ruby decided she liked how it dulled things she wasn’t supposed to be feeling. The bartender had heeded her request, another drink was waiting. But it was another vision that was even more powerful. A flash of the immediate future was detailed and heated because Ruby understood exactly how things progressed in Aaron’s bed. She could see Shauna’s long legs wrapped around him—probably something he would appreciate—every inch of his hard body making love to hers.
Ruby drank like the vodka was water, a large mouthful followed by a solid burn. The room teetered, though Ruby’s focus was steady on its target. The music slowed to a velvety melody, the kind that instigated making out on a dance floor. Shauna’s lips brushed along the stubble on Aaron’s jaw, and Ruby’s hands locked around the brass rail that trimmed the bar. She braced for it, waiting for pre-pillow talk to segue into a passionate kiss.
She’d never felt so empty—not even in the years that they’d been apart. Not when the police toppled him, gun in hand. Not when she’d stood in a courtroom, assaulted by his crimes. The needy ache was everywhere, but mostly on Ruby’s lips. Aaron had touched her so intimately that morning, but he never kissed her mouth. The idea of his mouth meeting with Shauna’s was torturous. Maybe she deserved it—payback for her own betrayals. Ruby continued to watch as the intensity on Aaron’s face shifted. He stopped moving to the music. The lighthearted humor they shared vanished as he listened harder to whatever Shauna was saying.
Ruby captioned the covert scene: Seriously, no need to try too hard, sweetie. Didn’t you look in the ladies’ room mirror? A blind man wouldn’t think twice about taking you to bed…
But as Ruby raised the glass to her lips, Aaron looked up, looking straight through the window of the restaurant. There wasn’t eye contact. It was something deeper—a beam of energy. And Ruby felt… caught. She bolted from the barstool. Rushing past the large window, she could see that Aaron was on his way inside. She darted through the main entrance, steps ahead of him. But Aaron was too fast—not to mention sober—catching up as Ruby spilled like some 80-proof mess into the parking lot.
“Ruby, stop. Wait!”
She did because she’d passed by all the cars in the lot, because the sound of his voice was too much. But unlike that morning, Aaron kept a safe distance between them.
“What… what are you doing here?”
“Nothing.” She staggered back, alcohol sloshing through her stomach and head. “Out… I was just out walking… I mean driving.” She pointed to the cars, unsure if she could identify the one she came in. “I decided to stop for a drink.”
“Shauna said you seemed upset. She didn’t understand why you were here.” Ruby kept moving, Aaron following. “Neither do I.”
She shrugged, juggling the truth, a lie, and an excuse. “Aaron, just go back inside to your date.” Ruby pointed her clutch purse toward the door. “Really, you would have never done anything like that. Never left me standing in the middle of a dance floor to take off and talk to some other woman.”
“You’re not some other woman, and I’ll apologize to Shauna.” Ruby continued on a slow peel backward, stumbling as she went. Aaron moved in a steadier mirror-like motion. His hand, briefly, braced her arm. “Why are you driving around Nickel Springs in the dark, by yourself? I’m not sure I love that idea.”
“I’m not sure I give a damn what you think.” But it came out weak, insincere. “I can take care of myself, Aaron. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Maybe not, but it smells like somebody should be keeping up with your liquor intake. And what about Stefan? He’s cool with you sitting alone at a bar?”
“I told you, I was out driving. I needed to drink… I mean to think. I just had to see…”
“See what?”
Ruby didn’t have an answer. At least not one that didn’t cave into every improper thought she’d been thinking. She swiped at a runaway tear, the alcohol having a truth serum effect. “I had… to see you with someone else.” Ruby managed a stronger step away, but she was glad when her back made contact with a giant tree. She wanted its branches to swoop down and pluck her out of the situation she’d so foolishly crafted. “If you need to hear me say it, I wanted to prove that you don’t matter… that we mean nothing.”
“I see. And?” Aaron stood as close as he’d been that morning. Ruby watched him glance over his shoulder. They’d walked—or stumbled—a safe distance from the parking lot and restaurant, which bordered deep woods. “Tell me we’re nothing, Ruby.”
She could smell his aftershave, all man, just like Aaron. She gazed into his sea-glass eyes. Using the massive tree as refuge, Ruby slipped farther around the trunk. He followed, the tree eclipsing them both from the restaurant view. “I, um… this morning. I had to get it straight in my head. Get past it. Everything you did… to me.” She was losing all rationale, breathing him and the past in. Her gaze ran hard over his body and words tumbled out, uninhibited and raw. “Aaron, today… earlier. All that and you never once…”
“I never what?”
“You never kissed me. Not on the mouth. Seven years go by. Isn’t kissing the first thing that comes to mind?”
“Why, was it the first thing on yours?”
Ruby didn’t answer, her gaze moving fast from his.
“You can’t have it both ways, Ruby. Or maybe you think you can. Is that it? You came all the way out here to ask why I didn’t kiss your mouth this morning.”
“No. Not until I saw… Well, inside the restaurant, it looked like you were going to kiss her... Shauna.” It had to be the booze talking. Those weren’t the words Ruby meant to say or the emotions she wanted on display.
Aaron’s hands were shoved in his pockets. It made Ruby feel like, along with zero intention of kissing her, touching her had also faded from Aaron’s scope of interests. “Shauna. Now you’re wondering if I was going to kiss Shauna?”
Ruby realized how idiotic it sounded. Yet, she kept going. “It crossed my mind.” Her arms folded tight as if this might rein in the mounting need to touch him. “I… I’m just trying to be realistic, Aaron—for my own sake. Clearly a lot of old emotional… sexual baggage surfaced today.”
“Baggage?” he said. “Try a fucking steamer trunk—several.”
“That part of us, it was always powerful. I get it. And kissing…”
“Kissing,” he said, cutting her off, “was even more intimate. So to answer your question, it wouldn’t be the same thing if I kissed someone like Shauna. It wouldn’t have been impersonal—I hate to think I’m that kind of prick—but it wouldn’t have been you. That’s a different universe.” Aaron’s fingertips brushed through a runaway strand of her hair, fast, almost daring. “So let’s go back to what went down this morning—besides me,” he said, raising a brow. “It was pent-up instinct. Touching you like I did… Last time we were together, that night… I knew I’d never get the lifetime I wanted with you. So yeah, that was me, grabbing at something I never thought I’d have again. And not kissing you, I think I was protecting what was most vulnerable… or valuable. Going for the animalistic urge, it seemed less… less complicated. If that makes me
a fucking bastard, then I guess you can just add it to your list.”
Ruby blinked. “Fucking bastard” wasn’t exactly what she was thinking.
“Does it answer your question, Ruby? Are we done?”
It was a challenge. Ruby’s jaw slacked. Nothing came out. Her most basic thoughts would make the moment explode between them. But her hesitation was enough. Aaron came closer, his nose flirting with her hair. “Or maybe this morning wasn’t clear. Could be my message was muddled. Maybe you need me to kiss you so you can be sure of how you feel. Is that it, Ruby? Do we need something more intimate to happen? Kind of hard to believe that the reason you’re here is because my mouth—on just about every other part of you—didn’t tell you what you need to know.” His arms drew upward, but Aaron didn’t touch her. Instead he braced his hands against the massive tree on either side of her head.
The impulse was even stronger than that morning. But Aaron made no physical contact. Neither his hands nor his mouth fed a desire that consumed Ruby. “Please… ” she finally said.
Her eyes closed, but even the scent of Aaron was as intoxicating as it was unavoidable. Slowly, gently, Ruby felt Aaron’s lips touch hers. Her hands reached first, grasping the lapels of his jacket, quickly clinging to his shoulders. Her mouth opened wider, Ruby doing the coaxing. Aaron hung back, enticing her with flirtatious contact. She pulled away from the tree and burrowed closer to his body. That was it. Aaron gave in, offering Ruby what she so desperately needed. The embrace became shelter, the kisses traveling a fast path from unsure to passionate.
Aaron’s hands cupped around her face, but they didn’t stay there long, making a rapid descent down her body. Their tongues tangled before Aaron’s mouth trailed wistfully along the supple line of Ruby’s throat. His hand inched under her skirt, moving not so delicately between her legs. One way or another, Ruby knew he was intent on finishing what he’d started that morning. Ruby leaned back into the tree’s bracing strength, and the clutch dropped to the ground. This wouldn’t take much. The insanity of that morning had left her restless, miserably unsatisfied. Their thoughts were in sync, Aaron’s fingers remembering exactly how this worked. He was undeterred by underwear, a public backdrop, or inner conflict. The pressure was precise and intense as Aaron’s thumb moved over the swollen nub, his mouth on hers. “Aaron…” she said as her head came forward, nuzzling his neck. Ruby felt the heels of her shoes dig into the soft ground, her legs trembling with anticipation. Standing up while this occurred always presented a challenge.