Acid crawled up my esophagus.Fake datingshould not be that much different fromnot that serious, but my stomach clenched at the idea and threatened to toss it back up.
I did not want to date. But I wanted Ruby.
My taste for her was stronger than my sense of self-preservation. I kissed Mama’s temple. “Don’t worry. I’m just happy being with her right now.” And that was the truth, or I’d have left my grubby hands off her last night.
With a plate of cookies in the passenger seat, I arrived home. The house was quiet when I entered. Out front, she was sitting in the porch swing, rocking gently back and forth while buried in a book.
A punch of longing hit me between the eyes. I had been excited to come home to her. I’d been anticipating this moment since I’d rolled out of bed. And here she was. In my house.
Mine.
I rubbed my chest and went out the front door.
She looked up at me and smiled her lovely, serene smile. The sun broke out from between two clouds to shine on us at thatmoment. If I were a more whimsical guy, I’d see it as a sign. But I had more sense than that.
I dropped to my knees in front of her. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself. How was your morning?”
“One of the horses nearly gouged his eye out.” Her eyes widened and I shook my head. “Sorry. Probably not what you want to talk about.” Katrina’s words snaked through my head.Ew, Tenor. Why would I want to hear that?
Ruby waved like she was banishing my apology. “How is he? She?”
“Tenpin’s a gelding. He didn’t lose his eye. So far, there seems to be no nerve damage.” I tugged her to the edge of the seat and held her so she didn’t swing away. “How was your morning?”
“Quiet. I thought of running to town for coffee, but I walked outside and was struck with inspiration.” She gestured to her phone on the porch boards. “I took a ton of pictures. I’d like to sprinkle in some Copper Summit history.” She smiled. “Model-free, of course. I’d do a post each week for a few months or something.”
“Teller told me he’s getting inquiries for booking events next year.”
Her face lit up. “Really?”
“Thanks to you.”
“People loved the wedding content.” She sat straighter, her hips wiggling. “Jenna was a natural. Locals have commented about how excited they were to see her pop up in their feed and then that triggered the algorithm to show more. And then when Junie commented, fans went wild.”
A simple change we wouldn’t have made without Ruby. “We’re damn lucky to have you.”
Her grin was radiant but almost shy. “You know just one small reason why Brock and I didn’t work?” She draped herarms around my neck. “He was jealous of my job. He worked for his family, and he didn’t get as nice a benefits package as I’m getting.”
The asshole probably thought her position wasn’t real work when she helped keep a family company afloat and thriving with her posts. “It was only the beginning of showing you what you deserve.”
“Yeah?” A sexy smile played over her lips. “Anything else I deserve that you can show me?”
The world. I couldn’t give her that. All I had to offer was a quiet slice of Bourbon Canyon. Nights at home painting models. Weekends where I was at the distillery or the ranch.
Katrina’s voice beat in my skull like a drum.It’s like that damn ranch is your mistress. Is this because of that kid who was mean to you in school? You’re too afraid of making something of yourself?
I could give her pleasure. I’d studied hard in that subject and none of the material had been forgotten. “I think you deserve Mama’s cookies. And orgasms.”
She laughed, the sound a balm to the nerves that refused to die down. “Sugar and spice. I like it.”
“I like you.” I kissed her before I had to confront how much I liked her. Ruby was a dream girl. Any guy who wasn’t an idiot knew it and some days I was too smart for my own good. It robbed me of self-preservation. Ruby was the sun and I wanted to soak up her rays just a little longer. “What are you doing next weekend?”
“Mm. Hopefully you,” she said against my lips.
Fuck yes.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
