Chapter Eleven
Ruby fell backward onto Cliff’s king-size bed, pulling him on top of her as she did. Leaning on his elbows, he stared into her face. A light from the hall provided just enough illumination for her to distinguish his features. The trace of doubt reflected there couldn’t be denied.
“It’s not the same,” she said, cradling his cheeks in her palms. “You and I, this is different.”
He ground into her, the evidence of his desire a thick ridge pushing against her belly. “I’m not thinking of anyone or anything else but you. I swear.”
That wasn’t quite true, as the trace of doubt revealed. But the past wouldn’t haunt them. Not tonight. She’d make sure their relationship resulted in no crossing of boundaries, no compromising of careers, and she certainly wasn’t playing him for information.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his fingertips skimming the curve of her jaw.
If he was giving her one last chance to back out, she wasn’t taking it.
“Very sure.”
“This isn’t a casual fling for me.”
“For me, either.” She arched into him. “There’s been no one since—”
He cut her off with a searing kiss. It was what she’d been hoping for. What she’d craved. He didn’t disappoint, breaking the kiss only when she could take no more and begged him to stop.
“On one condition.” He grinned wickedly.
“What’s that?”
“This.” He untied the belt to her robe and parted the thick folds of material. His gaze went straight to her naked breasts and lingered. “You’re exquisite.”
Desire consumed her. “Touch me.”
“I’m going to do more than that.”
Cupping her breast, he brought his mouth to the already taut nipple and sucked greedily. She sighed, urging him on. His mouth moved to her other breast, then to the valley between them.
The sensation was incredible. And not nearly enough. Her skin ached to be caressed. Her needs demanded to be met.
“Take these off,” she said, the button to his cargo shorts defeating her clumsy fingers.
“Yes, ma’am.” He nudged her hand aside.
With the front of his shorts open at last, she yanked his T-shirt free from the waistband.
“Wait,” he growled.
“That’s asking a lot.”
He stood and tore off the T-shirt, throwing it aside. Nice abs! Ruby watched with avid interest as he removed his athletic shoes and peeled away his socks. Now came the really interesting part.
She rose to her knees, the robe falling open. Cliff hesitated. Purring seductively, she slid the robe off. It pooled onto the bed behind her.
A ragged moan emanated from deep in his chest. “Ruby, you’re...”
“Hurry,” she pleaded.
Hooking his thumbs in the sides of his shorts, he shed them and his underwear in one fluid motion.
She stared, unable to move. He was everything, all her fantasies rolled into one. Tanned skin covered hard muscles. A smattering of hair darkened his chest and trailed in a line down his stomach. Broad shoulders. Narrow hips. All man. All male. All hers.
Scooting to the edge of the bed, she wrapped her arms around his neck. The sensation of her naked breasts against his chest was heaven.
“Kiss me,” she said. What she really wanted was for him to toss her onto the bed and ravage her.
“Not yet.”
Seriously! She was about to complain when he reached for the nightstand drawer, opened it and removed a condom. Okay. One of them was thinking clearly. He set the small packet aside.
“Aren’t you going to...” She motioned with her hand.
That brought a smile to his lips. “Eventually.”
Gathering her into his arms, he kissed her. This time, however, there was nothing tender about it. The room momentarily tilted as he pushed her onto the mattress, then faded away as he lay on top of her. There was only him and her and this moment.
He teased her with nimble fingers. Tantalized her with moist kisses. Seduced her with erotic words. Slowly, patiently, he learned her body. What felt good. What felt great.
When one more stoke of his finger or flick of his tongue would have sent her flying over the edge, she stopped him with a harsh, “No, not yet.”
“Did I—”
“My turn.”
He didn’t object when she rolled him onto his back and indulged her every whim. It took a while. She had a lot of whims.
“Enough,” he growled when he could endure no more.
She consoled herself with, “There’s always next time.”
Tearing open the condom, he sheathed himself. “Now, Ruby.”
“Now what?” she asked coyly.
He was obviously a subscriber to the philosophy of less talk, more action, for, without any wasted effort, he settled her solidly onto his middle. She leaned down and sought his mouth.
He stopped her before she could satisfy another of her whims. “Say it,” he demanded, his intense gaze searching her face.
“I want you,” she murmured, rocking her hips back and forth.
“Not that.”
What then?
All at once, it came to her. As surely as she knew they were in this for the long haul.
“Make love to me, Cliff.”
Drawing in a harsh breath, he grabbed her by the waist and positioned her above him. Ruby guided him inside her, crying out as he entered. Not from pain but pleasure. He plunged deep, thrusting slowly at first, then faster. Their foreplay had been drawn out and so incredibly sensuous, she was ready to climax within seconds.
This time, she couldn’t stop. Didn’t dare stop. The next instant, it was upon her, wave after wave of delight.
The last tremor had barely begun to fade when Cliff raced to his own shuddering release. She held him tight, moaning his name over and over.
She might have said something else. Something revealing about her feelings for him. Oops. Well, too late now. Maybe he hadn’t heard.
After a moment, when his breathing slowed, she sat up.
He held her in place with an arm around her waist. “Don’t leave.”
“I won’t go far, I promise.”
Was there more to his question and her answer?
With slightly stilted movements, she climbed off him and stretched out beside him. He gathered her to his side.
“I suppose we need to talk about what just happened,” he said.
“Yeah.”
At least he didn’t want to talk about what had accidentally slipped out in the throes of passion. Had she simply imagined it?
“I want to see you again.”
“Hard to avoid me. I am staying with you.”
“I mean later.”
Later as in when she returned to Vegas.
“Okay.” More than okay. She was glad. Really glad. “You said before the distance was manageable.”
“What if you stayed in Sweetheart?”
She should have been prepared for that. Cliff didn’t give his heart lightly. Neither did she, for that matter.
“I have a job.”
“Crowley’s on the loose.”
There was that. “Do you really think he’ll come after me?” In the safety of Cliff’s arms, secure in his house, she wondered if they hadn’t overreacted. “He’s not stupid. The police are watching him. And there are the charges Ernesto filed.”
“Do you really want to take the chance?”
“It’s kind of soon for me to be making big decisions. I realize this sounds stupid since we just made love, but we don’t know each other all that well.”
“My point. I want to know you better.” He brushed a lock of hair from her face, the gesture achingly sweet. “A whole lot better.”
“Hard to do that long distance,” she mused.
“I’ll drive to Vegas on my days off if that’s what it takes.”
The fact that he was willing to go to such lengths impressed her. He was in this for the long haul. “If I were to stay, what would I do? Keep working at the Gold Nugget?”
“Unless you don’t like it.”
“Wrangling isn’t the career I’ve always dreamed of.”
“I could talk to my aunt about a job at the Paydirt.”
Serving at the local saloon didn’t compare to a high-end casino. The pay and tips would be a lot less, too. Not that she’d require as much of an income to live on in Sweetheart as in Vegas.
“What about my condo?”
“Sell it.”
That was a step she was nowhere near ready to take. Despite their feelings for each other, things might not work out with Cliff. Look at her sister and Demitri. She could possibly rent the condo to someone at the casino. There were always “apartment wanted” postings in the employee break room.
Refusing to get ahead of herself, Ruby said, “Let me think about it for a day or two. I promised Ernesto I’d come back for the owner’s engagement party. I can’t disappoint either of them. They’ve been really good to me.” She shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll talk to Ernesto when I’m there.”
“He’s going to try to convince you to stay.”
“Probably.” Undoubtedly. She snuggled closer to Cliff. “What about Scarlett? She’ll come home eventually. If only to get her things. What will we tell people?” Ruby’s head started to swim. “How do we explain that you’re dating me and not Scarlett?”
“The truth, I suppose.”
She made a face. “That’s going to sound weird. And maybe a little kinky. Your reputation as the local bachelor will soar.”
“You’ve discovered my secret motive.”
She laughed and poked him playfully in the side.
“I don’t want to pressure you...” His hand skimmed over the slope of her hip and along her thigh.
“Pressure away.” She reached between them, thrilled to find him ready again so soon. “Convince me why I need to stay.”
He tensed when her fingers closed around his erection.
It didn’t take much. Cliff’s negotiating skills were commendable. Within minutes, Ruby was thinking that living in Sweetheart and being with him was exactly what she wanted. Then, she wasn’t thinking about anything except how wonderful he felt moving inside her.
An hour later, they abandoned the comfort of his bed in order to let Sarge outside for a final bathroom run. When Ruby’s cell phone rang, they both went instantly still.
“Want me to answer it?” Cliff wore only a pair of boxer briefs, yet he managed to look powerful and capable.
She started for the counter where she’d left her purse. “It’s probably Scarlett. No one else would call me this late.”
Unless it was Detective James with an update on Crowley. A glance at Cliff confirmed he was one step ahead of her.
Ruby glared at the display, a ball of fear lodged in her throat.
“What?” Cliff demanded, coming to her side.
“I don’t recognize the number.”
He took the phone from her and flipped it open. “Who is this?” Relaxing, he passed the phone to Ruby. “It’s your sister.”
“Scarlett?” she said. “Where are you calling from?”
“I’m at a convenience store. My battery’s dead so the clerk let me use her phone. I take it you and Cliff are together.”
“The case against Crowley was dropped. Because of a technicality. I’m staying with Cliff for a day or two in case Crowley comes looking for me.” She was intentionally vague.
“Oh, that’s bad. I’m sorry.” There was a noticeable raw edge to Scarlett’s voice.
“Is something wrong?”
Scarlett started to cry. “It’s Demitri. We had a fight.”
Another fight, Ruby thought. “You know how he is. He gets mad and then he’s sorry.”
“This time is different. We broke up for good. I’m in Blythe now. I’ll be home tomorrow morning.”
* * *
RUBY STARED OUT THE WINDOW, her thoughts scattered and her stomach in knots. Cliff was driving them to the trailer where Scarlett waited. She’d rolled into town an hour ago and had pleaded with Ruby to “come, now.” After that, all three of them were heading to the Gold Nugget where they’d let Sam know the sisters’ ruse was at an end and Scarlett would be back on the job.
“Nervous?” Cliff asked.
“A little,” Ruby confessed.
Funny that he should correctly guess how she felt. Or maybe it wasn’t funny. He was astute and observant. He was also learning more about her all the time.
Cliff, it seemed, had taken to heart a fact not many men did. Paying attention to a woman was far more romantic than flowers or candy or candlelit dinners.
“Don’t let Scarlett or anyone else pressure you into making a rash decision. Me, included.”
Again, he’d guessed correctly. Ruby wasn’t so much anxious about the reunion with her sister. Rather, she had the sensation of being pulled in a dozen different directions.
Ernesto wanted her to return to Vegas and the casino. But Crowley was there, possibly waiting for her. The latest from Detective James as of that morning was Crowley had taken refuge in his father’s home, evading the reporters and paparazzi stationed outside.
Surely he wouldn’t make a move against her. Not when simply leaving the house would be caught on film. Even so, if she were to return to Vegas, she’d spend every second of every day looking over her shoulder and being afraid.
Then, there was Cliff. He wanted her to stay in Sweetheart. With him. He hadn’t said as much, but she was quite certain nonetheless.
The path should be obvious, shouldn’t it? She was falling for him. Harder each day, as her unintentional admission last night had revealed. Still, she harbored doubts and concerns. Their relationship was brand-new. Untested and untried. Plus, she loved her job in Vegas and hated the idea of leaving it.
A long-distance relationship would certainly be a test.
Damn Crowley. If not for him, Ruby wouldn’t be in this position of having to choose.
If not for Crowley, she wouldn’t have met Cliff.
“What do you want, Ruby?” he asked. “Forget about everyone and everything else.”
As if sensing her mood, Sarge whined from the rear seat.
She reached behind her and gave him an absentminded petting. “If I could pick, I’d stay in Sweetheart a little longer. Give us a chance to see where this goes.”
“I’d like that.” He smiled.
“The only problem is I need gainful employment. One that pays a decent wage and offers some opportunity if possible.”
“I wish the town was further down the road to recovery. Things were better before the fire.”
“I get that the cost of living is less than Vegas. And I don’t always want to be working my tail off. I look at your cousin Maeve and think that maybe I could be like her one day.”
“Three kids?”
“Balancing work and my personal life.”
“She’s good at that.”
“And at raising a family.”
“Really?” He pretended to clean out his ear. “Did you just say what I think you did? You want kids?”
She laughed. “Maybe not three. One. Or two.”
Cliff’s house came to mind, ready-made for the next generation of Dempseys. Was she ready for that? Not quite. More like entertaining the possibilities. Weird, until she came to Sweetheart, getting married and having a family was something she considered to be very far into the future.
Two weeks with Cliff had given her an entirely different perspective.
“You’d be a good mom,” he said.
“Who’d have guessed?”
“Would you live with Scarlett? If you decide to stay, that is.”
“The trailer’s pretty small.”
“I have plenty of room.”
She’d been right. Cliff did want her cohabitating with him.
“How ’bout we take things one step at a time?” She smiled, hoping he understood. “First, I need a job.”
“With people coming to town for the Mega Weekend of Weddings, Sam might want to keep both you and your sister on.”
“Truthfully, I’d rather work in the hospitality business.”
“The offer to talk to my aunt still stands.”
Ruby was struck with an idea. The more she rolled it around in her head, the more it appealed to her. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to be the one to talk to your aunt. After we tell her about me and Scarlett, of course.”
“Sure.”
“There’s going to be a lot of receptions during the weekend, of weddings, right?”
“I’d say so.”
“Your aunt might need a beverage manager. Someone to oversee the drink service for large gatherings.”
“She just might.” Cliff’s nod reflected his approval.
“It would only be temporary,” Ruby said.
“Who knows? The whole purpose of the weekend is to put Sweetheart back on the map. Last my aunt said, registration was still climbing. There’s another TV crew due in today.”
In the meantime, it’s possible she could work at the Paydirt as a server. It wouldn’t be awful. Might even be enjoyable.
“You should check out the bulletin boards at the community center and the general store.” Cliff slowed as they passed a trio of backpackers.
“For jobs?”
“And a place to stay.”
“Okay.”
No pressure. He was keeping his word.
Ruby let herself relax. It felt good having a plan. One of her own choosing, even if it was tentative.
She’d have to give Ernesto her notice when she returned for the engagement party. He would have a fit. Well, no avoiding that. What if she offered to come back for a long weekend or two? Help train her replacement. Cliff could come with her. For fun, not just protection. Vegas did have a lot to offer by way of excitement.
The good feeling increased—and grew stronger when they came within sight of the trailer. Scarlett’s Jeep was parked in front. Until that second, Ruby didn’t realize how much she’d missed her twin.
Scarlett must have heard them pull up for she was out the trailer door before Cliff shut off the engine.
Ruby scrambled out of the SUV. Scarlett met her halfway, and they hugged fiercely.
“How are you, honey?” Ruby asked.
Scarlett promptly burst into tears. Ruby should have been prepared. Flashing Cliff an apologetic smile, she walked her sister up the porch steps and into the trailer. They sat on the couch and for twenty minutes, Ruby listened to Scarlett’s latest tale of woe.
“It’s for good this time,” Scarlett said through her tears. “I’m never seeing him again.”
Ruby took the teary proclamation in stride. They’d had this same conversation before. Twice before. “I’m sorry he hurt you.”
A short time later, Cliff knocked on the door. “Hey, you two.”
“Come on in.” Scarlett wiped her eyes self-consciously and stood. “Didn’t mean to keep you waiting so long.”
“No problem.”
Sarge hurled past Cliff and charged inside. He went straight for Ruby, who still sat on the couch. Despite his large size, he attempted to crawl onto her lap.
“Sarge, get down!” Scarlett wagged a finger at him, distaste on her face. “You’re not supposed to be inside, much less on the furniture.”
“My fault,” Ruby said, pushing the dog down. “He’s been staying with me.”
Sarge refused to be parted from her.
“It’s my fault, actually.” Cliff came over, took Sarge by the collar and coaxed him toward the door. “I insisted Sarge stay with Ruby. For her protection. Guess he’s formed some bad habits.”
“It’s all right.” Scarlett sidled closer to Cliff. “I understand.”
“I’ll put him outside.”
“You don’t have to.” She touched his arm.
Ruby gawked in amazement. Wasn’t her sister crying like a baby not five minutes ago?
“Can I get you something?” Scarlett asked, already starting for the kitchen. “A glass of water? It’s hot outside.”
“Ah, sure.”
“How have you been?” She chatted as she fixed Cliff a glass of ice water. “Anything exciting happen while I was gone?” She delivered the water to Cliff, her fingers brushing his during the exchange.
What the heck was going on? Was Scarlett flirting with Cliff. Ruby fumed. She was flirting.
Wait a minute! Did her sister think she could pick up with Cliff where she’d left off?
That decided it. Ruby was staying in Sweetheart.
As it turned out, she needn’t have worried.
“Well, one thing interesting did happen,” Cliff said.
“What’s that?” Scarlett smiled winningly.
“Your sister and I are dating.”
“You are?” She blinked, pivoting around slowly. Her gaze landed squarely on Ruby. “I see.”
“I know you’re happy for us,” he added.
“I’m...thrilled.”
She wasn’t, but Ruby didn’t care. She rose from the couch, joy cascading through her. Cliff had made his intentions crystal clear.
If her sister weren’t watching, she’d go over and kiss Cliff senseless.
Wait! Who cared about Scarlett? Certainly not Ruby.
Three seconds later, she was in his arm, Sarge dancing in circles and yipping excitedly.