Page 16 of Taming Her Temptations

“I don’t believe I’ve met your date,” the voice appears beside me and is attached to yet another tall, thin woman clutching yet another martini. I wonder what number she is on Ruby’s list of eligible young women.

“Hello Claire,” Ruby smiles a wary smile. “This isn’t my date, but my client. Allow me to introduce you to Dean Marquez. Dean, this is Claire Buckwalter.”

“Client?” Claire says the word like it’s a swear while looking between us. “I didn’t realize things have gotten that bad for you, Ruby.”

Is she insinuating that Ruby is a sex worker? Hell, no judgment here for sex workers, but this woman clearly meant it as a jab.

I clench my fists and open my mouth to decimate this woman right here and now, but Ruby starts speaking first.

“Dean has hired me to help him host the Ocean Guard Foundation Gala.” Ruby straightens her shoulders when she responds and glares at me as if I’m the one who’s the problem here. “We’re here to introduce him and his bandmates to the lovely people of Greenfield.”

“A band?” Claire’s voice has a demeaning sweetness to it. “Cute. I suppose hosting a gala is a good way to try and fit in around here.”

She gets across what she wants clearly without saying it. We can try to fit in here, but we never will.

“I’ve always found that trying to fit in is for people who really don’t like themselves,” I say with a smile that doesn’t meet my eyes. “We’re just trying to throw a good party and Ruby’s the only one we trust with that.”

“A party?” Claire cocks her eyebrow. “A gala is not a party.” Her fake sweetness is faltering now. “A gala is a tradition. An honor.”

“Blessed be the gala.” I bow halfway as if I’m honoring Claire, the patron saint of stick-up-her-assness.

Shit. Maybe I should just stay bowed because Ruby is going to absolutely kill me when I get up. I look sideways to her as I straighten myself out and to my surprise, she’s not red from anger but from stifling a laugh. I wink at her before I face Claire again. Claire’s eyes are bugging out of her skull. I’m seriously worried they’re going to pop out and contaminate my beer.

She looks at Ruby, obviously expecting an apology, but only sees a woman trying to compose herself.

“There’s a reason they didn’t choose you to host anything this year, Ruby.” Claire’s whole demeanor shifts now. She’s a snake about to lash out. “You’re nothing without Steve’s money. Just the girl who got caught pretending she lives in a castle. It seems you always end up where you belong in the end, though.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I raise my voice, but Ruby grabs my arm. “I made a joke and your response is to be a complete bitch to Ruby? Seriously, what’s-”

Ruby is now dragging me away.

“Dean,” she says calmly as she grips her nails into my arm and keeps me walking. “We can walk away and this won’t be a big deal. We can still save face.”

“Why the hell would you want to save face after that?” I look down at her in shock. “That woman is a psychopath.”

Ruby sighs. “That isn’t the first time I’ve been bullied by Claire Buckwalter, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Now, dance with me. People are watching.”

I look around and realize she’s dragged me to the dancefloor.

“Why do you put up with it?” I ask as I take her hand in mine and slide my other hand along her waist to her lower back. I enjoy the pink that blooms on her cheeks as I do. I wonder how many times she’s danced with anyone but Shithead Steve.

“I put up with it because it’s my home. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I didn’t have much of an option.” She shrugs.

We both go to step and she steps on my foot.

“Sorry.” She winces.

“I know you’re the teacher here, but can you let me lead for this one?” I challenge her. She doesn’t seem to like not being in control very much.

She nods and straightens herself out. “Yes, of course.”

We glide along the dancefloor to the music. She’s about to learn that out of all three of us, she picked the one guy whose mom insisted on teaching him ballroom dancing. Okay, well she also taught Levi and Asher. But I’m the best.

“You never thought about starting a new life? Away from all this?” I ask before I dip her. She glides back into my arms seamlessly. It looks like I’m not the only one who has some experience dancing.

“Steve and I went to high school together. His family is a big deal around here. It only made sense for us to move here when he finished college and got married.”

He finished college. His family.

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