Page 32 of The Trouble with Wanting

“It’s stupid, and maybe I’m overanalyzing, but the way you introduced me to the guy outside, and even now inside…” She shrugs a shoulder, her words trailing off like even she doesn’t understand how she feels.

The pieces click in my mind, Ruby’s discomfort suddenly making a little more sense.

“If you’re talking about Carson, it’s not my place to say you’re in town to see Ken. I don’t know if he’s told anyone he has another daughter or if that kind of information could cause a problem. The last thing I want is to have something I say make life difficult while you’re here, and trust me when I tell you small-town tongues are a lot more vicious and quicker to move than in other places.”

Whatever clouds were covering the bright sunshine of her face seem to part instantly with understanding.

“And with my brother and sister, I’ve never introduced them to a woman before, so every detail I give them is going to be dissected to within an inch of its life. Not only do I not want to deal with that, but I doubt you want them to ask you a million questions about whether or not you and I are getting married.”

Ruby bites her lip, and I can see a blooming blush of embarrassment spreading on her cheeks.

“I never thought of it like that,” she says. Then she shakes her head, her long hair falling forward and partially covering her face. “Now I just feel stupid.”

I reach forward on instinct and tuck some of those soft, chocolate waves behind her ear so I can see her eyes again. I don’t want her to hide away from me.

“I’m an honest guy,” I tell her. “I asked you to come out because I want to spend time with you.”

I step closer so I’m nearer to the space her body inhabits, enjoying how I can catch that same jasmine scent wafting off of her skin.

“Because I’m interested,” I say, my words coming out low but clear. “There’s something about you that just…I don’t know. I don’t want to miss out on a chance to get to know you.”

Her gaze is snagged on mine, and I take advantage of the moment, allowing myself to really look at her.

I don’t date often, and I prefer simple relationships. My interactions with women are either platonic or sexual, and there isn’t usually too much room for anything in between.

But in less than a single day, stretching from one coast to another, Ruby has convinced me that maybe I’ve gotten it all wrong so far. Maybe I’ve been doing myself a disservice by not searching for more beneath the surface with women in the past.

Or, maybe fate has just finally revealed something to me in the right moment, with the right woman.

I can’t say for certain what will happen moving forward with Ruby, but I do know, without a doubt, that I want to know everything I can about her, from the way she’ll moan my name to the way she likes her coffee and whether or not that pale skin of hers will tan in the sun.

It should be something that scares me, this big feeling that hasn’t ever taken root in my body before, but it doesn’t. I’m going to make sure I don’t let it pass me by.

“One shitty beer and one cranberry juice, as requested.”

Two drinks appear in between us and I turn my head, finding Bishop hovering next to me with an irritating smile on his face.

“Thank you,” Ruby says, flashing him her own smile, though I definitely don’t find hers irritating. Sexy as hell is more like it.

“So your name is Ruby?” Bishop asks, failing to recognize that the two of us are in the middle of a conversation.

“Yup. Ruby Rae Roberts, at your service.”

“That is, like, the cutest name in the world,” Bellamy says as she pops into our conversation.

My eyes glance around, and I see that Corinne is nowhere to be found. Thank god.

I don’t harbor any feelings toward her, bad or otherwise, but I’ve definitely moved on from the relationship we shared during our high school years. It’s been over a decade since we broke up, so I don’t understand what she could possibly think would happen between us now.

And that little show earlier, calling us more than friends, giving me a stare she thinks is sultry, wrapping her arms around me in what was much more than a friendly hug—what was that? I don’t know what is going on in Corinne’s mind, but we are definitely not on the same page, that’s for sure.

“Thanks. My mom loves alliteration, and she fell in love with the name Ruby after reading Anne of Green Gables.”

“Oh, hey—that’s a Netflix show,” Bellamy says, her eyes lighting up. “Anne with an E, right? I’ve been meaning to watch that.”

“Trust me when I say you should watch the old Canadian version from the 80s instead of the Netflix one. It’s amazing.”

Bellamy nods then glances my way before returning her attention to Ruby. “So, you two are friends?” she asks, her expression open but clearly curious.

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