Page 128 of Holding You
I tiptoe across the middle floor and to the stairs that lead to Ruby’s room. Her door is closed, but it’s clear that she still has her light on.
I find her wearing a mismatched pair of pajama shorts and a t-shirt, sitting up in her bed with her computer the way I was.
“Hi,” She whispers.
“Hi,” I whisper back.
She closes her computer and puts it aside, then she meets me at the foot of her bed. She reaches out to touch my chest, her hands sliding up to my neck, and my head pounds louder than ever before.
But when her gaze locks onto mine, I know without words that her mind is in the same place as mine.
“How did we ever think we could keep this to just two nights?” I ask her, snaking my hand around her body to pull her against me.
God, it feels good to have her in my arms again.
She lets out a small laugh.
“I have no idea.”
She pushes to her feet and presses her lips to mine.
Fuck. I missed her.
When she pulls back, her smile fades.
“What if it doesn’t work out and the kids suffer from it?”
“That won’t happen, but I can promise you that I won’t let us impact their friendship.”
“What if this affects your friendship with my brothers?”
“Your brothers are great, Ruby, but for you, I’d risk it.”
“What if I can’t get past the things people say about us and I freak out?”
“Then we work through it, together.”
Her mouth twists.
“Look, Ruby, I’m not going to beg you to be with me, but let me be very clear. I like you. A lot. If this isn’t something you think you’ll ever be ready for, I need you to tell it to me straight.”
The room fills with silence.
Her eyes latch onto mine as her breathing picks up.
Instead of using words, she launches herself at me. I catch her in time to help wrap her legs around my hips.
Her lips meet mine, and she kisses me desperately.
She tilts her head to deepen the kiss, sliding her tongue into my mouth to dance with my own.
“I don’t want to tell the kids or anyone yet. Let’s do this for us right now and figure out the rest later.”
“I can do that,” I tell her and take a seat on her bed, letting her straddle me.
We don’t break apart except to pull our shirts over our heads.
I grip her breast and give it a small squeeze.
