At least, he hoped so.
Chapter 12
Ruby didn’t look up when Jaylene walked into her office, because she’d been expecting her assistant. It was nearly five o’clock and had been hours since she’d grabbed a muffin and a coffee. When Jaylene offered to get her a bowl of butternut squash soup from The Blue Elephant, she’d happily agreed. Of course, she could have had someone from the restaurant run the soup up, but Jaylene had been flirting with Steven, one of the kitchen staff, for weeks now, and who was Ruby to stand in the way of that?
Besides, she had other things to worry about. She was nose-deep in catalogs and samples, trying to decide on a color scheme and “look” for the new bungalows being built adjacent to the main building. The painter needed her decision ASAP, and how could she offer the right choice when she was still unsure if she wanted a fresh Nantucket beach feel, or sultry Caribbean? She’d been finding it hard to concentrate all week. The reason was obvious. All six feet three inches of him.
Trying to block Travis Blackwell from her mind was exhausting.
On top of that, she had exactly twenty minutes until she was expected downstairs for Lisa Booker’s massage.
Her nostrils flared as the aroma of sweet butternut filled the air, and she tossed her reading glasses onto her desk when Jaylene set down a generous bowl, along with a spoon and two large biscuits.
“Your brother’s here,” Jaylene said and stepped back.
Great. Another distraction.
She was trying to decide between a blue-based gray and a green-based gray. Then there was the clay color she liked. Or maybe she should stick with an earthier tone. She bit her lip, concentrating, and reached for the bowl. Right now, she didn’t have time for Ryder and his problems. Lord knows she had enough of that stuff in her own life.
“Tell Ry I’m busy. Tell him to grab some dinner in the restaurant, and I’ll stop in after I’m done with the massage.”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Ryder slid into the leather chair in front of her desk and grinned.
Shit, was Ruby’s first reaction. Her second? Surprise. Her brother looked—she blinked, just in case there was lint or something in her eyes. But when her vision cleared, her first impression was the same. Ryder looked damn good.
“Thanks, Jaylene,” she murmured, pushing the catalogs aside. She opened her drawer, searching for the aspirin bottle she kept handy. Stress and lack of sleep had finally caught up to her. The headache that had been threatening all day was knocking on her door, and she just needed to get through a few more hours until she could kick back with a glass of wine and try to forget it all. She grabbed two small white pills, popped them in her mouth, and swallowed them down with a big gulp of water.
“You look like shit,” Ryder said, leaning back and threading his hands behind his head. He was dressed casually. Plain white T-shirt, beige khakis, and tan deck shoes. His hair was clean, the russet waves thick and curling around his ears. His blue eyes were bright, and his handsome face looked rested. He was still on the thin side, the sharp cheekbones and jawline attested to that, but there was definitely something different about him.
“Thanks,” she replied. “For once, you don’t.”
He laughed. And for one moment, Ruby’s heart melted because it was a genuine, full-bodied laugh—a sound she hadn’t heard in a very, very long time. She found herself smiling as she watched him, her hectic, stressful week fading away as she caught a glimpse of the brother she used to know. The one she missed so much, it hurt to think about. She couldn’t help it. The hope she kept buried deep inside burst to life and warmed her from the inside out. It made her smile wider, her eyes misty and her throat tight.
But Ruby wasn’t stupid. They’d been down this road before. Many times, in fact. Such was the cycle of an addict. They got clean. They got better. They went to work. Had relationships. Good relationships. Some that even lasted a significant amount of time. But then something gave way. A small crack no one noticed until it was too late. The crack split open, swallowing everything good and whole until there was nothing left but a shell. They were back using, and all the they’d accomplished slid into the gutter.
“What’s up?” she asked lightly, watching her brother closely. The siblings stared at each other in silence until finally Ryder shrugged, that small smile still tugging on the corners of his mouth.
“I got a job.”
Again, that small fire inside Ruby flared. He’d been without work for over a year. Ever since he’d been fired from his last job—working for her. She tried not to be too gushy—her brother didn’t like that. She leaned forward. “Ryder, that’s amazing. Where? What? Give me the details.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“It is, and you know it.” When was the last time he’d done something without her pushing him into it? Without her making the phone calls and scheduling the appointments? She’d been carrying his load for so long, she forgot what it felt like to have him take the initiative.
Something flickered in the depths of his eyes, and she could tell he was nervous. Who wouldn’t be? He had a checkered past. There was no getting around that. A lot of ups and downs. In and out of rehab. Booze, pills, weed, and who knows what else. Her brother had had so much potential. So much to give this world, and it hurt her heart when she thought of all he’d lost. Especially the things he didn’t even know he’d lost.
He held her gaze and then looked away, clearing his throat a bit, and brushing imaginary lint from his shirt.
“It’s in the city.”
“Traverse?”
He nodded. “I’ve been fooling around with my portfolio.”
She was surprised. “You’re taking pictures again?”
“I, ah…” He rolled his shoulders and settled back in the chair as if biding time, searching for the right words. “I was organizing the back room and came across some of my stuff. It got me thinking about how much I loved photography. I don’t know. Maybe it’s fate or something like that, but I saw an ad for the tourism board in Traverse City. I spent the last few days taking shots around here and emailed them in. They called this morning with the offer. I didn’t even have to interview, which I guess is a good thing. They must have been desperate.”
Ruby was up and out of her chair before Ryder had a chance to say anything else. She wrapped her arms around her brother. “They’re not desperate,” she whispered fiercely. “Your talent, your eye behind the lens is incredible. You’ve always seen things no one else does.”
Blinking tears from her eyes, she exhaled and then slowly untangled her arms from around Ryder.
“There’s just…”
“What?” She frowned, her heart sinking. There was always something, wasn’t there?
“It’s Traverse City. There’s no bus, and I don’t…well, the old Civic is on its last legs, so I was kind of hoping we could work something out. I thought maybe you could cosign so I could get new wheels. My credit’s not so good.” He looked away in embarrassment.
“Of course.” She didn’t need to think it over. Didn’t need to ponder the pros and cons of signing her name on the dotted line for him. This was her brother. She would do whatever it took to make sure that this time, he made it. “Whatever you need, Ryder. We can go to the dealership tomorrow.” She checked her watch. “Tonight, even. I have a massage—“
“Hey, slow down.” He cracked a grin. “Tomorrow is good.” Ryder frowned. “Since when do you give massages? I thought that part of your job was over and done with. You know, since you own the place.”
“I offered a personal massage for the fundraiser last week, and Nash’s mother is booked for five twenty.” She glanced at her watch. “Shoot, I gotta run. Lisa must be here already, and I still have to change.”
Ryder got to his feet, and she slipped her arms around him for one last hug. God, even the feel of him was different.
“I had lunch with Sid,” he said slowly.
Ruby wasn’t expecting that. She p
ulled away and looked up at him. “You still have the power to hurt her, Ry. You know that, right?”
He nodded. “She’s a big girl, Ruby.”
“Ryder.” There was a warning in her voice, but she wasn’t so sure Ryder heard it. He might see things not everyone did, but in other areas of his life, he was clueless.
“Relax. It was just lunch. And it was her that called me, just so you know.” He paused, looking a bit sheepish. “Actually, it was Sidney who showed the me the ad, and the lady who did the hiring knows her.”
Ruby filed that information away. She’d been so busy trying not to think about her personal life that she’d closed herself off from everything. She hadn’t talked to Sidney or Ryder. And she definitely hadn’t talked to—
“Travis came to see me to.”
“What?” Eyes wide, she took a step back. “Why? What did he want?”
Ryder watched her for a few seconds. “I didn’t ask. I told him to go screw himself.”
Good. That make her happy. Kind of.
“Are you two…”
“What?” She shook her head. “No. Never.” Her denial sounded lame. So lame, in fact, that Ryder’s eyebrows narrowed and he frowned.
“He drove me home a few weeks ago. From the Coach House. I’d had one too many, and he took my keys and drove me home. Put me to bed too.”
“Oh.” It was the only word Ruby managed to get out.
Ryder took a step toward the door and shrugged. “Maybe I should have asked what he wanted.”
“No. I’m glad you didn’t. Whatever it is, doesn’t matter.”
“You sure about that?”
“Positive.” It was Ruby’s turn to pick a piece of invisible lint from her skirt.
“If you were positive, you’d be looking me in the eye.”
The door closed behind her brother, and she took a step after him—Ruby liked to have the last word—but then turned and headed to her private bathroom. She would get her last word in the next time she saw Ryder. She grabbed the bag she’d brought to work and changed into black yoga pants, a plain white V-neck T-shirt with the spa logo above her right breast, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. It had been a long time since she’d given a massage, and she was looking forward to it. She would let the atmosphere; the soothing music, and scents take her to another place. One where she could forget all about the man who kept infiltrating her life.
She slipped her feet into comfortable flip-flops and grabbed a water bottle on the way out. It didn’t take long to reach the spa area, and she spied Megan, the receptionist.
“Is my client in?” she asked, smiling at the lady paying for her services. Mrs. Avery was the local florist and a woman Ruby had known her entire life. She gave Ruby a sly smile and turned to Megan, who looked a bit uncomfortable, which made Ruby frown.
“Room three,” Megan replied.
“Great.”
“Ruby, um…”
She’d taken a few steps and looked back at Megan. “Yes?”
The phone rang, Mrs. Avery was still grinning, which should have set off a few alarm bells, and Ruby tapped her foot impatiently. Nash had paid a lot of money for his mother’s massage.
“Can it wait?”
Her receptionist still looked uncomfortable or weird or…well, she definitely looked like something, but Ruby didn’t have time to dig into the problem. “We’ll talk about whatever it is tomorrow. I’ll lock up since Lisa is the last client tonight.” She winked at Mrs. Avery. “Have a great weekend.”
“You too, dear.” The woman’s words echoed down the hall as Ruby made her way toward room three. She paused, realizing she didn’t have the release form all clients were supposed to sign. Megan would have looked after this, and considering she knew the client and it was for the fundraiser, Ruby let herself in.
“Hey, Lisa.”
The smell of peppermint and eucalyptus filled the air, while soft music and muted lighting set the tone. Ruby set her water bottle on the shelf just beside the door, noticing a large pair of flip-flops on the floor, and neatly folded clothing on the chair.
She smiled. Wow. Nash’s mother had some big feet. She turned toward the table, and her grin slowly faded away. The naked back, muscled shoulders, tapered waist, and round ass definitely didn’t belong to Lisa Booker. Hell, it didn’t belong to any woman she knew. It was too masculine. Too damn perfect. It wasn’t just any ass.
It was a hockey ass, and it was one she knew well.
Her eyes traveled back up until she spied the tattoo on the right shoulder. A vine with the initials R & T. She had the matching one on her lower back. To this day, it was an embarrassment Ruby was too chicken to have removed. What a cliché. The girl from the wrong side of town and the tramp stamp to show for it. Travis thought it was hot. He used to rub it when he was behind her and they were—
Cheeks warm, Ruby didn’t know if she should yell or scream or turn around and leave. Like an idiot, she stared at Travis, silent, holding her breath, wondering if he’d fallen asleep and maybe didn’t know she was there.
Maybe she could sneak out and get one of the other girls to come in. She took a step back, her mind racing. All the RMTs were busy with their last clients of the day, and that only left Megan, who wasn’t certified to massage anything other than her own feet.
She clenched her hands together, her fingernails making crescent shapes in her palm as she inched toward the door. Travis was asleep. He had to be. If not, he would have hit her with something as soon as she’d opened the door.
She didn’t know what game he was playing, but she had no desire to join in. She reached for the door, gently turned the handle, but then his voice cut through her body like a hot knife through butter.
“You’re late.”
Ruby froze, and every muscle in her body tensed. She took a moment, waiting for him to say something else. When he didn’t, she relaxed a bit and slowly turned around.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came for a massage.”
“I had Lisa Booker down as the fundraiser client.”
“Nash sold me the bid.”
“He did.” Mental note. Kill Nash next time you see him.
“He did.” Travis angled his head to the side.
“Why?”
“I tripled what he paid.”
“No. I mean why would you think this is okay? Seriously. On what planet did you think I would be okay with this? What do you want, Travis? Just tell me, and let’s get this over with.”
“My back’s a little tight from shoring up Dad’s dock, and I pulled my quad lifting yesterday. My shoulders—”
“That’s not what I meant,” she snapped, moving toward the bed. He rolled over and nearly took the blanket with him. “Why are you here?”
He pushed himself up onto his elbows, and shadow caressed skin and bone and muscle. He looked like a god. Of course he looks like a god.
“I told you. I need a massage, and Nash was willing to take the cash for his winning bid.”
Red-hot anger hit her. He looked so damn sure of himself, and she wanted to wipe the look off his face more than she cared to admit. A strange sort of exhilaration fell over her, and she found herself engaging him when she probably should have ignored him and marched her butt back out of the room.
“You want a massage,” she repeated carefully.
He nodded.
“From me.”
“You think you’re up for it? I mean, I heard you’re the best.” He was playing her, and she was having none of it.
“Actually, Darnell is the best. He’s not in today, so I would suggest you come back tomorrow or Monday, and he would be more than happy to work out your knots.”
“I want you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why’s that exactly?” A ghost of a smile touched his mouth and drew her gaze down. She realized her heart was nearly beating out of her chest, and it would be a miracle if he couldn’t
hear it.
His smile widened, and she tore her gaze from his mouth to settle back on his eyes. He’d just challenged her, and Ruby had actually considered leaving. Crawling out of this room and letting him win. In the words of one very wise and talented Tom Petty, no way was she backing down. A thought struck her then. A devious sort of thought that maybe, on another day when she was thinking clearly and not sleep deprived, would never have popped into her head. But it was there, taking hold and making her feel bold.
“I don’t think you can handle me,” she retorted softly, not bothering to hide the dangerous edge to her voice. “I’ve had clients leave, barely able to walk, depending on the type of massage they requested. What kind are you looking for?” Her words were light. Almost clinical.
“You know. The deep-tissue kind.”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”
Travis held her gaze, and she didn’t back down. She watched him, breath held, anticipating…what? What the hell was she doing?
“Let’s get started and see,” he replied, voice so low, she barely heard him. “Do you want me on my stomach or back?”
Her heart lurched, and she swallowed thickly. She had to take a moment because she didn’t trust herself to speak. Was she really going to do this?
“Stomach.”
Yep. She was really going to do this.
Travis didn’t hesitate. He turned over, and this time, the blanket slipped so low, his damn hockey ass was on full display. Hell, yeah, he was definitely naked. She yanked the blanket back in place and then reached for her oil. She could do this. She would rub the warmed liquid over every single inch of Travis Blackwell’s body and get him so worked up, he wouldn’t know what hit him. She would teach him a lesson. He thought he was seducing her, but she knew the score. She would bring him to the edge and then kick his butt out the door. She would make him regret ever coming back to Crystal Lake.
Ruby was in control here. Not him. Sex wasn’t on the table. She could resist the pull.
Liar.
The word whispered through her brain, but it was so soft and low, she didn’t hear it. Which was too bad, because as soon as Ruby’s hand slid up Travis’s back, she knew she was in trouble. But it was about three seconds too late to do anything about it.
You Rock My World (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake Book 3) Page 11