Page 80 of Taming Her Temptations

“No, it’s okay.” I give him a fake smile. “I’ve gotten really good at doing things alone.” I emphasize the word ‘alone’ to really drive the point home.

I agreed to one night, but I didn’t promise to make it easy for them.

CHAPTER FORTY

Ruby

I try not to think too hard about the fact that I’m wearing the same fluffy robe I was arrested in. I didn’t have any option after my shower. At least my dad washed it for me, but it still feels like a slap in the face.

I scan my bedroom, debating what to wear so I can get out of this thing quickly.

I can hear the guys chatting from the couch and I debate asking them again where we’re going, but I know they won’t tell me. The only parameter they gave me is to dress formal.

I still don’t have my damn clothes back from Steven’s house. Since they’re still missing, I technically could go over there as I am still his wife. But I’m in the process of getting a default judgement to grant our divorce and I don’t want to do anything to screw it up. And to be honest, besides a few items that were my mom’s, I don’t really care about anything I left there anymore.

But that doesn’t solve my problem of what to wear.

I dare to open the dress bag hanging on the front of my closet door, right where I left it. It’s the dress I got for Dean, Asher, and Levi’s gala. I spent a little more money than I should have on it because I really wanted it to be a special night.

It certainly was a special night but for all the wrong reasons.

I unzip the bag and admire the deep red fabric.

Screw it. This dress deserves to be worn.

I enter the living room after only making them wait an hour. I thought about making it longer just to spite them but I was too excited once I put on my outfit. I’m in a red silk dress that is cut on the bias and hangs on my hips. It’s floor-length and simple, except for where it gathers into one strap on my shoulder where dozens of hand-crafted silk flowers are sewn on.

“Shit, Ruby.” I recognize the low ting of lust in Dean’s voice, and it twists my stomach into a knot. “You must be really trying to torture us,” he says, drawing his eyes down my body and then back up again.

I feel good. I finally got some sun in Los Angeles, so my skin has a glow to it that they’ve never seen me with.

“You look beautiful,” Levi practically whispers, seemingly unsure if he should say it.

While I was getting dressed, they cleaned up too. Except they’re not in the plain black suits I’m used to seeing them in. Levi has on a black suit with a white lapel that brings out his rockstar side. Dean is wearing a brown suit and a bolero, a combination that only he could make look mouthwatering. And Asher is wearing a suit the color of a stormy sea and it makes his eyes look absolutely devastating.

I debate complimenting them, but I withhold it, still keeping my guard up.

We stand there for a moment longer than seems sane, just taking each other in. I hate how much I enjoy the ways their eyes take in every inch of me.

“Shall we?” I’m finally the one to say it, and they look pained when I do. I get the impression that they just want to stay here all night and hell, I can’t blame them. The whole house is filled with their familiar scent at this point and it’s doing extreme things to my body.

“Right. Yeah.” Asher seems to remember where he is. “Just one thing before we go.” He shifts around in his pocket and pulls out a flat velvet box.

He takes a step closer to me and places the box in my hand. “Your dad helped us with the design on these.”

I look at them suspiciously as I open the box. When I see what’s inside, I gasp.

Two ruby earrings. But they aren’t just plain stones. Holding up each of the stones are two golden ballerinas. One is larger than the other, and they’re both in the style of my dad’s statues of me when I was little.

“The smaller ballerina is you as a girl and the larger ballerina is meant to represent your mom,” Levi says softly. I know he knows how much this means.

My eyes heat with unspilled tears. She didn’t leave much more than knick-knacks behind and I’ve always wanted something that felt more permanent, that I could take around with me wherever I go.

“May I?” Levi asks, gesturing to the box.

I nod and he steps forward, undoing the stopper on the earring posts. He brings the first earring, the one representing my mom, up to my ear and gently works it through the hole. Being this close to him is like a drug. My entire body lights up in awareness of every small brush of his skin against my skin.

He secures the earring and then starts on the other one, the one of me.

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