“Just don’t think about it too much. Let the music move through you.” Her eyes swept up and down his body. “I know you’ve got good rhythm.”
“I’ll try, but I’m not promising anything.”
But it didn’t take long for Ruby to get him to loosen up. Before he knew it, he was grinding against her, the sounds of the bass guitar vibrating his sternum. It was actually fun.
Except that his senses were finely tuned to pick up on danger. He could tell that someone was watching him. Looking around, he looked eyes with a man standing against the brick face of a coffee shop nearby. He was sipping a beer and watching Owen.
No, Owen realized. He was watching both of them. The man’s eyes skimmed over Ruby more than once. At that same moment, Owen recognized the guy as part of the Italian mafia. He immediately flipped into protective mode, and his hand started to reach around to grab the gun at his back.
He stopped himself, knowing that it was a terrible idea. Not only was he surrounded by witnesses, this was neutral territory. There was no fight to be had here, but it still bothered him that the guy was watching Ruby with a little too much interest. He promised himself to keep her safe.
12
RUBY
“I’m glad you were able to fit in some quality time with me,” Michelle teased as they walked out of a boutique together, shopping bags in hand. “Ever since you found yourself a new man, it’s like I never see you anymore.”
“We live together,” Ruby pointed out. “You’re the first person I see in the morning, and the last one before I go to bed at night.”
“When you’re not shacking up with Mr. Dreamy,” Michelle said. She was grinning, so Ruby knew it was a playful jab. “When do I get to meet this guy, anyway?”
“How about we go have lunch at the restaurant? I’m not sure if he’ll be there, but he might. And I can use my employee discount.”
“What are we waiting for?”
They got in Michelle’s car and headed for the restaurant. Ruby worked the dinner shift, so this was her first time coming for lunch. They sat at a table near the bar, and Michelle looked around appreciatively.
“This place is really nice,” she said. “I’ve never been here before.”
“I’m glad to hear that you like it,” Owen said from behind Ruby, and she turned around to find him with a charming smile on his face. “I’m Owen. You must be Michelle.”
“I am,” Michelle said. “It’s nice to meet the man that has my bestie so smitten.”
“Michelle,” Ruby hissed, her cheeks heating. Her friend was right, of course, but she and Owen hadn’t talked about their feelings for each other yet, and she didn’t plan to do it here in front of Michelle.
“And I’ve heard a lot about you,” Owen said. She’d seen Owen interact with a lot of people over the past couple of weeks and he wasn’t usually so smooth and friendly. “Ruby says you’re an amazing website designer. I might have to give you a call. Ours could certainly use an update.”
“Look at you, trying to get on my friend’s good side,” Ruby said, nudging him with her elbow.
“I’m also paying for lunch,” he said, bending to press a kiss to her cheek. “You ladies get whatever you want. Enjoy yourselves.”
Ruby couldn’t help watching him walk away until he disappeared down the hallway leading to his office.
“Wow,” Michelle said, “you have stars in your eyes.”
Ruby turned back to her. “I think I’m developing real feelings for him.”
“And he’s a good guy?”
“Sure. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that he’s got kind of a sexy danger vibe going for him.”
“You picked up on that?”
“Well, you also mentioned it when you first met him.”
Ruby bit her bottom lip, considering what to say. Finally, she decided to go with a vague version of the truth.
