Ruby Rose (7 page)

Panting, struggling for breath, Ruby broke the kiss to stare into Evan's perfect face. Ruby had to touch him, to feel him. Ruby spread her fingers over the rugged surface of Evan's cheek, moving them down to the firmness of his moistened lips. Evan was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Not quite brave enough, suddenly, to meet Evan's eyes, Ruby leaned her forehead against his throat, tugged the white shirt from Evan's jeans and slipped her hand under its hem to find Evan's firm abdomen and the softness of his bare skin. Ruby felt a sense of triumph at the quiver of Evan's stomach muscles and the near-silent sound of desperation that escaped his lips.

Evan sucked in a breath as Ruby's touch moved around his waist to his spine, where Ruby flattened her palm against the smoothness of Evan's back and let her fingertips slip over every muscled hill and valley.

With a moan, Evan jerked Ruby’s hand from beneath his shirt and drew it to his lips, kissing each finger before he released a shaky sigh. “Don't get me wrong, I love what you're doing. But if we don't stop…”

“If we don't stop…?” Ruby echoed in a haze, watching Evan's lips move against her hand and wanting it on her mouth instead.

“I'm going to take you right here.”

That prospect didn't sound half bad to Ruby, but suddenly they heard voices and a dog barking, and the sound hovered all around them. The spell was broken.

Embarrassment heated her cheeks, both from being more aggressive than she had ever been and from her public displays of affection. She would have had sex with Evan right then and there if it weren't for the damn dog. “This isn't like me at all. But there's something about you—”

“There's something about us,” Evan interrupted softly. “Why don't we take a break. I think I should probably take you home… for now.”

The drive to Melanie's apartment was quieter than Ruby would have liked. Ruby met Evan's gaze several times during the drive. He had the most alluring eyes. With each look, the fire blazed between them. Ruby reached over and touched his cheek.

“Thank you,” Ruby said. “For being understanding with me.”

“I've never been good with this whole courting thing.” Evan blew out a breath, thrust his fingers through his disheveled hair, and cast her an enticing smile. “You make me feel… different.”

At the front door of the apartment, Ruby stopped and turned to face Evan. “I had a really nice time.” Evan gave an easy nod, his brown-eyed gaze scanning Ruby's face.

“It was fun,” Ruby added. “Well, not fun, exactly. More like… a million other physical sensations. I've never felt this way before. It's so confusing, but in a good way. Does that make any sense?”

Evan laughed and stepped closer to her, slid a hand beneath her hair, and pressed his lips to Ruby's forehead. When Evan spoke, his voice was a husky rumble that seared Ruby to the bone. “I know exactly how you feel.”

“I don't want you to leave,” Ruby admitted. She fiddled with the simple silver chain around Evan's neck, staring at the satiny skin beneath it. “I have a feeling things are going to move quickly between us.”

“That's completely up to you. I have the same feeling, but I don't want to make you do anything you are uncomfortable with. Agreeing to fully give yourself to me is a huge step. I don't take the matter lightly. When you do is something I'm going to allow you to dictate.”

A faint smile tugged at her mouth and she glanced up at Evan through her lashes. “How I feel right now… things are going to move quickly.”

“You better go inside,” Evan whispered intensely. “Before I change my mind about letting you have the control.”

Filled with a feminine power she'd never experienced, Ruby tugged Evan against her and caught his mouth in a long-lasting, blazing kiss. “Goodbye, Evan.”

Chapter 7

It was almost implausible to Ruby what a whirlwind of emotions the past few days had been. Coming to terms with her feelings, her sexual desires, and her choice to be with Evan made her head spin.

She had told Harold everything that had happened, and that she and Evan were more than just friends. Although shocked at first, Harold laughed and teased her about being in love. He warned her to take it slow and remain somewhat guarded, but also encouraged Ruby to explore her feelings about the possibility of being in a DD relationship. She hadn’t told Harold yet that Evan assumed he was only a friend and not also her editor. She didn’t know why, but she worried her lie would disappoint Harold. The truth of the matter was, she had disappointed herself.

She almost jumped for joy when she heard her phone ring and saw Evan’s name on the screen. She answered it with a huge smile and tried to hide a squeal that threatened to escape her lips.

“Hi, Evan.”

“Hey.” His voice sounded soft, seductive. “Sorry I’m calling so late. My appearance went later than I thought. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I honestly don't like being apart from you.”

“I feel exactly the same.” She clutched the phone. “I feel like I'm walking on air. I'm really happy.” Ruby hoped she didn’t seem too honest, but she didn't want to hold back how much she liked Evan.

“I'm really happy, too,” he said. “It's almost scary how happy I am right now.”

She sat down on her bed. “I’m glad you called. I wanted to talk about your career.”

“My career?”

“You’re famous. How's it going to look if you're dating someone? Won't it cramp your style?”

Evan laughed. “Cramp my style? No, it won't, and I don't care if it does.”

“What about if it gets out that I have never even tried what you so passionately speak of? You're in demand at every club, speaking engagement, and convention. You don't think it will make you look… fake?”

Evan was silent for a moment. “I'm genuine. Everything I do is honest. I put myself out there. If people don't like that, I really don't care. I'm not going to change the way I act, the decisions I make, or my feelings for you, because of this bizarre notoriety.”

“I just don’t want to get in the way of what you do. I understand what you do for a living—”

“It's a job, and only a job. I'm not going to let it get in the way of us. Understood?”

The truth was Ruby wasn’t entirely sure she could handle this. She knew how other women, especially Maxine and Evan's groupies, acted around Evan. The thought of watching other girls throw themselves all over him made Ruby sick to her stomach.

Ruby took a calming breath. “Understood.”

“In case there’s any doubt, I wasn’t planning on keeping you a secret. I'm going to be proud to have you on my arm.”

Ruby felt her pulse speed up. The reality of it all started to sink in. This was really happening. She was the girlfriend of the famous Evan Steel. “Okay. I just want you to know I'm not that needy girl. I can let you be in the spotlight but still be there when you're all done.”

“That's not what I want,” he said “If anyone is going to be that
needy person
, it’s going to be me. In case you haven’t noticed, I just can’t get enough of you.”

Evan's words sent a wave of warmth through her body. Ruby felt the exact same way, although Evan didn’t seem frightened by it. Ruby, on the other hand, was petrified. This seemed too good to be true.

“You have to stop melting my heart,” Ruby whispered.

“Why?” Evan suddenly sounded serious. “I say what I feel, and I want you to always do the same. Don’t ever hold anything back. Honesty is all we have. We need to be free with what we feel.”

“Okay.” She loved how Evan made her feel so open. “Can I tell you what I’m feeling right now?”

“Always.”

She took a deep breath and nibbled at her bottom lip. “I want to be with you right now, and kiss you all over.”

She heard Evan's breath hitch. “You're making it very hard for me not to hop in my car, pick you up, and keep you with me always.”

Ruby giggled. “Sweet dreams, Evan.”

“My dreams will be of you.”

Ruby held the phone to her heart for a while after they’d hung up and wondered how she could go another moment without Evan in her life.

****

True to his word, Evan didn't keep their relationship a secret. As soon as he saw her at work, Evan was all over her. He walked behind the bar and wrapped his arms around Ruby's waist, kissing her neck.

Evan obviously felt comfortable with his dominance. He knew he could pretty much do anything at this club, and he had no problem showing affection to Ruby. Evan didn't hold back a thing. He could hardly keep his hands off her.

“I don't like sharing you. I'm selfish. I want you all to myself,” Evan explained, intertwining his fingers with Ruby's. “Is it quitting time yet?”

“I thought you had a job to do? Aren't you supposed to be mingling with all the club-goers?” Ruby inquired somewhat timidly. She hoped Evan enjoyed their flirtations as much as she did.

“I'm mingling with the
staff
. Much more than I ever have before,” Evan declared, glancing up at her suggestively as he continued playing with Ruby's hand behind the bar. Ruby couldn't help but smile at that as she looked up from their restless hands to gaze at Evan flirtatiously. She felt a shudder run through her when she saw the predatory look in his eyes.

“I should probably get back to work,” Ruby said softly, reluctantly pulling her hand away from Evan's. She needed to focus her attention back to pouring drinks before she slid under the counter and did something decidedly inappropriate at work.

“Aren't you done yet?” Evan whined, and Ruby half-expected him to start pouting like a little boy. An incredibly sexy little boy.

“Soon,” she replied. Evan reached out and took Ruby's hand again, using his index finger to lightly trace patterns along Ruby's palm. “And then I'm all yours.”

“Can't you just clock out early?” Evan suggested, sticking out his lower lip petulantly. How was it possible for anyone to look so adorable and deliciously dangerous at the same time?

“I guess I could clock out,” she conceded. “I'm not of much help right now, anyway.” For some reason, Ruby found it impossible to say no to Evan.

“Good,” Evan said, interrupting her wayward thoughts. “Because I want to introduce you to some more of my friends.”

“I thought you wanted me all to yourself?” Ruby asked in confusion.

Evan followed her to the back room with a dominant presence, causing her heart to skip a beat. He slowly walked over to Ruby and tugged her softly into his arms. He pulled away and placed a palm of his hand on each side of her face. Very closely, he examined Ruby’s eyes. “I do,” Evan admitted, and Ruby eyed him suspiciously as they walked to the timecard machine. “But I also want everyone to know you belong to me.”

“Are you sure? You don't have to do that,” Ruby asked, nervously licking her lips as she clocked out and took off her apron.

“Yes, I do,” Evan stated, reaching out to run his finger down the length of Ruby's arm. “I want everyone to know I’ve fallen hard.”

“Fallen?” Ruby asked anxiously.

Evan leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, effectively shutting her up. The kiss was chaste, less intimate than the gentle exploration of mouths they had exchanged the day before. Evan's lips ruthlessly stroked her own, sending little jolts of pleasure through her body. Ruby kissed him back, her lips parting slightly as she sighed in contentment. Kissing Evan Steel was quickly becoming a habit she had no intention of ever giving up. She moaned softly when she felt Evan's tongue gently lapping at her lower lip, demanding entrance. Opening her mouth a bit wider, she eagerly anticipated the feel of Evan's tongue slipping past her lips and into the warm confines of her mouth. But instead of deepening the kiss, Evan ended it. With one last gentle nip to her lower lip, Evan pulled back slightly, looking entirely too pleased with himself when Ruby groaned in protest.

“Yes. Fallen,” Evan answered, his voice taking on a seductive quality that made Ruby's stomach do a little flip flop.

“Oh, yeah.” Ruby sighed, grinning at him in satisfaction. “But just let the record show that technically, I’ve
fallen
harder.”

“Sounds like someone has a bit of a competitive streak,” Evan teased, returning her smile.

“I do. You should know that I never lose,” Ruby replied confidently. She immensely enjoyed this little game and flirtation of theirs. But she knew she needed to cool things down or she would demand for him to take her right then and there. But was that really a bad thing? Accepting his lifestyle still confused her. Even more so, now that her feelings grew stronger by the moment, but one thing was very clear: she wanted Evan.

“Well then, maybe I should give you a challenge.” Evan leered at her suggestively, leaning in for another kiss.

Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, searching her entire being for the courage for what she was about to do. “Challenge accepted.” She paused. “I want this moment. I want this moment to feel you.” Ruby tentatively pressed her palm to his chest. “I want this moment to taste you.” Ruby lowered her hand to the bulge in Evan’s pants. “I want this moment to feel your cock between my lips.” Ruby quickly undid Evan’s pants releasing him from his confines. For the first time in Ruby's life, she allowed her passion to rule over her mind. She couldn’t believe she’d actually said the word ‘cock’. Something was changing in her. Something was awakening.

Evan stood still, never making a move to stop Ruby in her mission. She took this as a sign to continue on. She knelt down and softly placed his hardened cock on the base of her tongue and closed her lips tightly around him. Looking up into his eyes, she began to move her mouth up and down along his shaft. Evan never looked away. He never closed his eyes for a moment. He watched as Ruby began her seduction. She tightened her lips, and worked her tongue in small circles along the entire length. His taste, his smell, and his entire aura were everything Ruby had imagined.

Evan reached for Ruby's hair to stop her. “Ruby,” he moaned.

Ruby looked up into his eyes with his cock still in her mouth. She pulled it out enough to whisper, “Don't, Evan. I'm not the innocent, naïve girl you see. I am a woman with desires, needs, and a hunger for you like nothing I could have imagined.” She lowered her mouth down to the base of his cock and slowly back to the tip. Removing his penis just enough to speak again, she rasped, “Let me pleasure you.”