Page 70 of A Tempting Seduction

“Ford.”

I turned back.

“Trust your gut. It's served you well so far.”

The drive to Ruby's duplex took less than twenty-five minutes, but it felt like two hours. My hands were steady on the steering wheel, but my heart was doing something irregular in my chest. Tonight felt different. Important. Like we were about to cross a line we couldn't uncross.

Ruby's neighborhood was quiet, most of the houses dark except for porch lights and the occasional flicker of a television through curtains. Her duplex sat at the end of a tree-lined street, and I could see warm light glowing through her living room windows.

I parked in her driveway and sat for a moment, gathering my thoughts. Whatever happened tonight, I wanted to do it right. I wanted Ruby to feel safe, cherished, like she was the most important thing in my world.

Because she was.

I knocked softly on her front door, not wanting to startle her. The lock clicked, and then the door opened to reveal Ruby backlit by the soft glow of her living room. She'd changed out of the sweater she'd worn earlier into something that made my mouth go dry.

The dress was simple, a soft fabric that skimmed her curves and fell to just above her knees. The color was deep green, almost the exact shade of her eyes, and she'd let her hair down so it fell in waves around her shoulders. She looked beautiful and inviting and nervous all at the same time.

“Hi,” she said softly.

“Hi yourself.”

I stepped inside, and Ruby closed the door behind me. The living room was dimly lit, candles flickering on the coffee table and side tables. Soft music played from her stereo, something jazzy and intimate that made the space feel smaller, cozier.

“You lit candles,” I observed.

“I thought it might be nice.” Ruby tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture I was learning meant she was feeling uncertain. “There's wine, if you want some. Or I could get you a beer.”

“Neither, thanks.”

Ruby gestured toward the couch, but I shook my head and remained standing. The air between us felt charged…electric.

“Are you sure about this, Ruby?” I asked quietly. “About me staying?”

Ruby bit her lower lip, a habit that never failed to make me want to soothe the small hurt with my tongue.

“Yes,” she whispered. “If you are.”

“God yes.” The words came out rougher than I'd intended. “I haven't thought of anything else in weeks. Not since I touched your cotton panties.”

Ruby's hands flew to her face, covering her cheeks. “Can we not talk about my cotton panties?”

I stepped closer, gently pulling her hands away from her face. “Why not?”

“Because it's embarrassing.”

“Ruby.” I cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to meet my eyes. “That moment on your couch was hands down the most erotic experience of my life.”

She studied my face. “You're a liar.”

“Then why have I been taking two showers a day, jacking off to that image of you and your cotton panties for the last couple of weeks?”

Ruby's mouth fell open in shock, and I took advantage of her surprise to lean down and capture her lips with mine. The kiss was long and deep and desperate, weeks of want and restraint finally finding their outlet.

Ruby melted against me, her hands fisting in my sweater as she kissed me back with a hunger that matched my own. She tasted like everything I'd been searching for without knowing it.

When I scooped her up in my arms, Ruby gasped, looking up at me with wonder. “How do you keep doing that?” she demanded breathlessly.

“Doing what?”