Chapter 16

sixteen

. . .

Ruby

“Do you guys need anything else?”I asked, as Kingston, Romeo, and Hayes sat at their usual table, though River wasn’t there. I knew Nash was home with Cutler, but I was fairly certain River was avoiding me. I had to make a real effort to hide my disappointment. He hadn’t come into the bar since the day I’d berated him for helping Rico.

Four days ago.

And I hadn’t seen him when I’d gone to the hospital to see my dad. I’d even gone at the times that I knew he usually went, but my father would say that River had come early that day.

Every. Single. Time.

The bastard knew how to get under my skin.

“Nah, we’re good. I’ve got this one.” Kingston handed me his card to close out the tab.

I swiped it through the little handheld machine. “Where’s Demi tonight?”

“She’s with her mom over at the house, showing her the layout and talking about some decorating ideas. If this house ever gets finished.” Romeo shrugged. “Hey, your brother came over yesterday, and he actually did a good job raking the area where the barn is going to go.”

“Rico? He was at your place?” I asked, as I handed King his credit card back and tore off the receipt to give him. I hadn’t heard from my brother since I’d turned him down when he’d asked for a job, and I hadn’t reached out either. I was setting some boundaries, and they would have to all adapt to them.

“Oh. You look surprised,” Kingston said, and I saw the excitement on his face.

I put one hand on my hip. “Why does he look like he’s got some big secret he can’t wait to tell me?”

Hayes chuckled. “He always looks like that. He’s a gossipy little fucker.”

Romeo nodded with a wicked grin on his face. “He definitely couldn’t keep a secret if his life depended on it.”

“Hey now. I knew about you and Demi before you told us, and I kept that to myself.” He raised a brow at Romeo. “You’re welcome.”

I snapped my fingers. “What is happening here? Were you going to tell me something?”

Kingston smirked. “Ah, yes. We’ve all come up with a few things for Rico Junior to do for us. My big brother was eager to find him work. And you know, River isn’t big on helping people he doesn’t like. And he definitely isn’t doing it for Rico Junior.”

I raised a brow. “Is there a reason you keep calling him Rico Junior?”

“Well, we certainly didn’t hire Rico Senior. My point was that it’s very out of character for my brother to want to help someone the way he’s helping Rico Junior.”

Now it was my turn to laugh because Kingston Pierce was ridiculous most of the time and impossible not to find charming. “So why is he helping my brother, then?”

“You tell me, Ruby Rose,” he said, waggling his brows.

“How would I know? He hasn’t been in here in several days. I think I pissed him off,” I said, and I hated that I cared.

“Don’t take it too personally. The wind can piss off River. But it’s rare for a woman to get under his skin,” Hayes said, and I was fairly certain that was the most he’d ever spoken to me.

Romeo nodded and rubbed his hands together. “You definitely get under his skin.”

“So, he is mad at me, then? Has he said anything?” I pressed, and I wanted to kick myself for how desperate I sounded.

“Oh, sweet, sweet Ruby. It’s what he hasn’t said that says it all.” Kingston slipped his credit card back into his wallet and tucked it into his back pocket.

“That makes no fucking sense.” Hayes pushed to his feet. “He hasn’t said anything. But he did ask us to help Rico, and he said it was for you.”

My heart squeezed, and I freaking hated it.

I wasn’t a tenderhearted girl, nor did I want to be.

But River had asked them to help my brother… for me.

Had anyone ever done that for me before?

“You’re awfully chatty tonight,” Romeo said, elbowing Hayes in the arm and smiling. “Trust me. He doesn’t ask us for favors, and he asked for one. Obviously, it wasn’t for Rico.”

“Senior or Junior,” Kingston piped in.

“It was for you.” Romeo clapped me on the shoulder. “We’ll see you later. I need to go pick up my girl.”

“Have a good night,” I said. “Tell Demi I’ll stop by Magnolia Beans tomorrow.”

“Will do.” Romeo led his friends toward the door, and Hayes gave me a quick nod with a forced smile.

“See you later, Ruby Rose.” Kingston leaned down and kissed my cheek like the sappy bastard he was.

I spent the next forty-five minutes cleaning up and closing out the register. I walked the short distance home, and I passed River’s house, where I saw his car parked out front in the driveway.

Before I could stop myself, I marched up the walkway leading to his front door. There was a light on inside, and I took that as a good sign that he was still awake.

But it was late.

I had no real reason to be here, but I couldn’t seem to walk away.

I knocked on the door and instantly panicked at the thoughts racing through my mind.

He could have a woman here.

Hell, he could have multiple women here. I didn’t know what he did in his private life.

Why was I even here?

I owed him an apology, but it could definitely wait until it wasn’t after midnight.

I should wait.

This is crazy.

What am I thinking?

I turned on my heels just as the door pulled open. “Hey, Queenie.”

I whipped around, and my mouth fell open at the sight of him. Dark, unruly, wavy hair, a pair of dark jeans that were slung low on his hips. His chest was bare and muscled, and my eyes moved down to the deep V that had my mouth going dry. He leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed over that perfectly sculpted chest.

I suddenly couldn’t remember why I was there.

“Oh, hey. I was just walking by and thought I would see if you were up.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why the fuck are you walking alone at this hour?”

“Well, don’t go all caveman on me. I’m very capable of taking care of myself. I believe I’ve told you that many times.” And now I remembered why I was here. “That’s the reason we got into it the other day. And you’ve been avoiding me ever since.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m avoiding you. I’d say I’m putting some distance there.”

“That’s the same damn thing. Why are you putting distance there? Are you that sensitive that you can’t handle a little disagreement?” I rolled my eyes.

“Nah. It’s not like that.”

“What’s it like?”

“Well, there are two reasons. The first one is that you were clearly pissed off at me for trying to help and do something fucking nice for you, and I figured you didn’t want to see me because I’ve gotten Rico a few side jobs.”

“Yeah. I heard that. I actually wanted to come and apologize for the way I acted.”

His lips turned up in the corners. “Wow. An apology. Is that why you’re knocking on my door after midnight? You had this need to apologize to me right now?”

“I overreacted. I’m not used to people helping me. And I guess it makes me nervous that you’re helping Rico.”

His gaze softened. “Tell me why.”

“Because he will most likely not follow through. And that reflects poorly on me. I’ve worked hard to prove—” I looked away. I didn’t know what I was trying to say, and this was going deeper than I’d meant it to.

“Hard to prove what? That you’re worth it? That you’re not your mother or your brothers?”

I looked back at him. “Something like that.”

“You’ve got nothing to prove to me, Queenie. I know who you are. I know who your brother is.”

“Yet you’re getting your friends to help him?”

“Correct. Because you deserve a break,” he said, as he glanced up at the tree when a gust of wind moved around us, and the leaves rustled beneath the moonlight.

His tongue swiped out and slid along his bottom lip, and I felt this pull toward him.

This feral need to reach for him.

I took a step closer, and he just watched me with that dark gaze of his.

“You said there were two reasons that you’d been staying away. What was the second?” I asked.

His hand found the side of my neck. “The second reason is because I can’t stop thinking about you. About the way you came apart for me. The way your eyes were almost gold when you cried out my name. The way your hands fisted in my hair as you rocked that sweet pussy against my lips. The way you taste. The way you laugh. The way you try to act like you don’t need anybody. That’s why I stayed away.”

Good. Freaking. Answer.

“What if I don’t want you to stay away?”

“Then you’ll need to say that. And if you want me as badly as I want you, you’re going to need to say that, too.”

What was I doing?

I shouldn’t be here.

But I couldn’t seem to leave.

“One time,” I whispered.

His gaze searched mine. “I’m not setting a fucking timer, Ruby. If you come into this house and you tell me you want this, it’s going to take a lot longer than sixty fucking seconds. I’m going to enjoy every inch of your body and make you come so many times you’ll be thinking about me long after you leave town.”

I sucked in a breath. “Promises, promises.”

He smiled. A genuine, full-bodied smile that had my stomach flipping around like a schoolgirl with a crush.

This was dangerous.

Risky.

One time would never be enough.

“Say it. Tell me what you want.”

My hands found his chest, and I tipped my head back. “I want one night with you. No timers. No rules. One night to do what we want.”

“One night,” he said, as his hand stroked my hair, tucking it behind my ear. “You better plan on not sleeping much, then.”

My heart was pounding in my ears, and I was certain he could hear it. “Tomorrow, we go back to normal.”

“All right. You’ll have to tell me in the morning how the fuck I’m supposed to act. Right now, I don’t want to think about that.” His hands moved behind me, cupping my ass and lifting me off the ground with ease. My legs wrapped around his waist as he walked backward and sealed his lips to mine.

I heard the door close.

There was music playing in the distance in his house.

And his tongue slipped inside my mouth, and I groaned.

The way I needed this man wasn’t natural.

Not to me, at least.

I’d never needed anyone aside from my father, and even then, I stopped needing him at a very young age.

Depending on people had not been a good plan for me.

Depending on people had always been painful.

A reminder that the only person I could truly count on was myself.

But I was lost in a River Pierce haze. A mix of passion and desire and want.

He carried me through the house and set me down, unlocking his lips with mine.

I missed him the minute he pulled away.

I knew I was playing with fire, but I stayed right there.

In the middle of the flames. So willing to get burned.

He smiled, his large hands on each side of my face. “Did you eat?”

“Did I eat?” I asked, stunned by the question.

“Did I stutter? I asked if you ate.”

“No. But I’m not hungry.” I leaned forward and nipped at his bottom lip. “At least not for food.”

He growled. “You sure? I don’t want you hungry when I’m having my way with you.”

“Do you feed all the women you bring home, Wild River?” I teased, but his gaze hardened.

“No. But I think we both know that you’re different.”

I shook my head. I didn’t want this to go deep. Why did it feel like this man could read every thought in my head? Like he could see into my soul.

Like if I let myself go, he would catch me.

“I’m not hungry right now.”

“Fine. I’ll feed you after. But I plan to eat very well right now,” he said, his hand moving between my legs and beneath my skirt. He slid my panties to the side, and my head fell back.

“Shit,” I hissed as his finger dipped inside me.

And then he pulled it back and raised his finger to his mouth, his eyes darker than I’d ever seen them. He sucked his finger between his lips, moaning as he did it.

This man was so sexy it should be illegal.

I knew in this moment that I’d never be the same after one night with River.

But when he lifted me off the counter, my legs came around his waist, and my hands moved around his neck.

And I couldn’t wait to see where he was taking me.