Page 6 of Rediscovering Rubi

“Oh, I’d love to see that.”

“I thought you might. We can schedule a ride at some point, too, if you like. And then maybe just lounge a bit, take a dip in the hot tub, then tour the Dungeon.”

“Oh, I…” She paused to sip her wine. “Um, okay, yes. That sounds good.” She set her glass down and caught his gaze. “I’m sorry, Logan. I need some practice letting you lead the way. Yes, of course. Sir.”

His smile was so wide, it lit up the whole room. “Ah, that’s my good girl.”

Oh, that could still make her shiver. Even saying the word out loud made her shivery. It was exciting in a way she hadn’t felt in ages.

He’s my Sir.

Even letting it run through her mind was exhilarating. Hot as hell. And she didn’t know when the last was that she’d felt hot. But she couldn’t deny the electric current running like a gentle trembling just beneath her skin, into her belly. And lower.

Oh, yeah. Being at the Ranch was going to be a very, very good thing.

CHAPTER 2

Rubi woke with the sunrise, the gentle pink and golden rays gleaming through the sheer curtains. She’d slept like a rock—something that hadn’t happened much since she’d had kids, and a husband so often overseas. Lying there now, feeling truly at peace for the first time in longer than she could remember, she realized she’d lived for years in a state of hyper-alertness, always waiting for that phone call with bad news: that Logan was going to be gone longer than expected. That he was being sent into dangerous territory. That he’d been injured, or worse. It had gotten much better once he was permanently stationed in Texas to train pilots and basically run the base, but she’d never gotten over the low-lying anxiety she’d lived with for far too long. But that was the life of a military wife, wasn’t it? It’s what she’d signed up for. But she was so glad Logan had decided to retire early, even if he seemed to be going a little crazy at the sudden inactivity.

Logan.

She turned onto her side to find the bed empty.

That pit started pulling tight in her stomach, even though she knew he was no longer in danger, that they were at Rawhide Ranch together. But old habits died hard.

She sat up and was about to throw the covers back when he came through the door of the bedroom.

“Morning, baby,” he said with a smile, looking more relaxed than she’d seen him lately. “Did I wake you?”

“Morning, and nope.”

“How did you sleep?” he asked, coming to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Incredibly well. I don’t think I even dreamed.”

“That’s good.”

He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then her lips, making her smile.

“What is it about this place, do you think?” she asked him. “I never sleep like that. And you look so calm and… I don’t know. Happy, I guess.”

“A little mountain magic?” he replied, a teasing note in his tone. “The important thing is that we’re here and we both seem to be feeling good. But, baby, I also think part of it, at least, is because you got some stuff off your chest last night. I feel like you’ve probably been holding it all in for… well, forever.”

She nodded. “I guess I have been.”

“That’s about to stop. But we can talk more after breakfast, which should be here any?—”

He was interrupted by a knock on the door, and he got up to go into the living area to answer it.

Rubi stretched, then got up and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get her hair in some order, and by the time she came back out in the terrycloth robe she’d found hanging on the back of the bathroom door, Logan had a full breakfast set out on the table, and the rich scent of coffee filled the air.

“Oh, god, do I need coffee,” she said, slipping into the chair he held out for her. “And such service,” she added with a smile.

He poured a cup, added cream and a spoonful of sugar, and placed it in front of her.

“You’ve done nothing but wait on me whenever I was home, plus always caring for our kids while I was away. It’s my turn, Rubi, and long-past due. And if you remember, I am a service Top.”

How did nothing more than those simple words send a small shiver of desire through her?

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