Page 57 of Conflicted
A strong dark arm around her waist thwarted Ruby’s attempt to skirt around Will.
Will chuckled. “Hold on, spitfire.”
Nathan pulled her against him. “Bob didn’t do anything.”
“But. How? Why?” With her eyebrows raising with horror, she studied Will. “You look like you went ten rounds with Rocky Balboa.” She turned her attention back to Nathan. “You both do. What happened?”
Will grinned. “You.”
What?
“Actually, the game between the Lions and the Falcons happened, but you were the catalyst,” Nathan amended.
Ruby swung her head back and forth between the two of them and tried to make sense out of their words.
“You’re confusing the hell out of her.” Bob closed the door and walked into the room. “Let’s talk.”
Nathan lifted Ruby off her feet, and she swung her arms around his neck. He smelled divine—exotic and earthy—a scent she’d come to associate with him. Tears sprung in her eyes. She missed him—and Will. With Ruby in his arms, Nathan followed Bob and Will into the room and waited for Will to sit. When the big detective settled on the bench, Nathan deposited Ruby on Will’s lap and moved to stand beside them, his hand resting lightly on Ruby’s shoulder.
“Nathan and I talked and we’re sorry, Ruby.” Even with her on his lap, Will’s shoulders seemed to curl over his chest.
“Talked?” Her voice rose. “Looks like your fists did the talking.”
“Er, yeah.” Will drop his gaze. “We did at first, but then we talked. We’re stupid assholes and we’re sorry, spitfire.”
Nathan rubbed his left cheek and winced. “We truly are, dragonfly. We’ve settled everything between us, and we hope you can forgive us for our stupid caveman behavior.”
She pursed her lips. “And you thought by beating on each other, you’d make it better?” They have to be kidding!
Will rubbed the back of his neck, and red streaked his face.
Nathan ruffled her hair.
They were silent for a long time, and Ruby’s chest seemed to open. Surrounded by her men, she was able to breathe again, but she knew they needed to talk. She pulled in a lungful of air. “All right, it’s like this...” with no interruption from the men or Bob, she explained about her parents and how their relationship warped Ruby’s perspective. She shared her pain and fears, with more honesty than she ever had before, and discovered by speaking the words the last remainders of resentment she held over the lost years dissolved as well. Her parents had been foolish youngsters. Hell, Jewel was less than half my age when she became pregnant with me.
When she finally finished her tale, Will hugged her firmly against his chest and shifted for Nathan to sit beside them. She ended up sprawled over both their laps, the men’s thighs pressed firmly together without any awkwardness or embarrassment between them.
After a soft kiss from Will and a more demanding one from Nathan, Will’s jaw firmed. “All right, confession time...” in the straightforward honesty she loved about him, Will explained about his lack of education, how taking care of his mother financially challenged him, and how he loathed his living conditions.
They were silent for a few moments after Will completed his part before Nathan stated, “The living arrangement is easy—you can move in with me. Or maybe we should buy or rent a bigger house together.”
Both her and Will’s mouth fell open.
“What? Between the three of us we can have a fine house instead of paying for three separate homes.”
Will’s expression went slack, and his mouth fell open. A snort erupted from deep within Ruby’s throat. “Your face,” she snickered. “Priceless.”
Will narrowed his eyes at her and parried, “Makes sense, though, but only if Ruby agrees to live with us.”
Now it was Ruby’s turn to let her mouth drop open, and both men laughed. She considered hitting them, but when Will only guffawed louder and Nathan tipped his head and held her stare, she abandoned the idea. But wait, Will mentioned more...
“What was that nonsense about you being less smart than we?” Heat simmered inside her, but Will didn’t seem to notice.
“Er.” Will’s hand went back to his neck. “I don’t even have an associate degree. I started working straight out of high school and saved to get into the police academy. My father died in my last year of high school and I needed to support my mother and sisters.”
“This makes you an honorable man, not a stupid one.” Nathan placed a hand on Will’s shoulder in manly support.
“He’s right, Will. I couldn’t have said it better.” Before Will could utter a protest, she covered his mouth with hers in the best silencing technique known to humankind.
