Page 120 of Spark

Ruby pulls a face. “You didn’t already own lube?”

“That’s your takeaway from everything I just said? No, I’d run out. And I’ve never once owned a bottle of lube that goddamned big in my life. Who needs a bottlethatbig?”

“I mean, it’s definitely come in handy.”

We both snicker, remembering all the dirty, filthy, naughty—and oh-so fun—things we’ve been doing together since she first rolled her little suitcase into my house weeks ago.

“More lies,” she demands. “I want all of them, big or small.”

I contemplate for a moment. “I don’t buy my mother flowers whenever she comes to visit. I’ve never once done that, actually, and I have zero idea about the name of her favorite flower.”

Ruby bats her eyelashes. “You mean you got handcuffs, lube,andtulips, especially for lil ol’ me? How romantic.”

“I was trying to seduceyou with all that stuff, babe. Not romance you. And failing badly.”

“I’m here, aren’t I? Seems to me it was mission accomplished.”

We share another giddy smile.

“More lies,” Ruby commands, tapping an insistent fingertip against my bare chest. “I want every last one.”

I pause to consider, feeling physically high with happiness. Drugged, like I’ve got an IV pumping happy juice into my veins. “When we had that threesome with Bruno, that was myfirst time doing that. I pretended to be an expert, but I was honestly bluffing. Flying blind.”

Ruby laughs uproariously. “Oh my god, babe. You were incredible at that.”

“You enjoyed that, huh?”

“If I didn’t already love you, that would have done the trick. Come here.”

I scoot to her and we lie nose to nose with her arm draped over me and mine doing the same to her.

Sliding her fingers into the back of my hair, she looks into my eyes and says, “I love you so fucking much, Kendrick Alan Cook. And to be clear, I don’t mean like a brother.”

I smile so big, my cheeks hurt. “I love you, too, Ruby Duby Doo Connolly. And definitelynotas a bestie.”

“Definitely not.” She narrows her eyes. “You don’t remember my middle name?”

“Of course I do. Margaret. I remember every damned thing you’ve ever told me, Ruby Margaret Connolly.” As she swoons, I blurt, “Move in with me, baby. Sell your place; rent it—I don’t care, as long as we live together and keep going, exactly like this.”

Forever.

That’s the word I want to add to the end of that plaintive speech, but I lost my nerve at the last second.

Ruby nuzzles her nose against mine. “Baby, I thought you’d never ask.”

“So, that’s a yes?”

“It’s a fuck yes.”

I’m dizzy with excitement, love, and relief. “I love you so much, Ruby Connolly.”

She replies with the best words known to mankind. Or, at least, to me. “Kendrick Cook, my darling, I love you, too.”

33

KENDRICK

“If anyone wants something more than these snacks,” Laila says to the group—Ruby, Kai, Titus, and me—as we get settled in her and Savage’s expansive living room, “there’s a Mexican place down the road that delivers.”

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