Noemi was tucked beside Joseph, one hand clasped in his, and a bottle of red wine in the other. She smiled shyly as they stepped inside.
“Can I take your coat?” I offered to her. Joseph was wearing a suit without a tie, but no overcoat.
It was electric when the women’s gazes met; it could be felt in the air. What did Noemi think of the beautiful brunette who stood in my kitchen, one hand resting on the counter and trying to appear casual? Ruby’s smile was bright, and then recognition flickered in her eyes.
“Joseph, Noemi, this is Ruby.”
They shook hands while I hung Noemi’s coat up, and when I joined them in the kitchen, Ruby glanced sideways at me. “Not famous, huh?”
Ah. She’d figured out who Noemi was, and the NDA probably made a lot more sense now. “You only asked if he was, counselor.”
Without a word, Joseph picked up the wine opener off the counter, took the bottle from Noemi, and worked to get it open. It was my apartment, and yet he seemed to be the one most at ease. Of course he was. He was in charge tonight. Everyone had desires for this evening, and his was to hold the reins. He’d never had power over three people at once.
Wine was poured and glasses handed out.
We stood around my counter, chatting casually about our day as Ruby got a sense of the couple, and they got to know her. She’d set her macarons out, and I wondered if everyone ate a cookie just to have something to do. White chocolate raspberry tonight, which went well with the wine.
By the time Joseph was refilling glasses, the atmosphere had relaxed. Ruby softened beside me, laughing as she listened to Noemi describe her horror at catching her father fooling around with his girlfriend in his office.
“He’d forgotten we had a lunch appointment,” Noemi said, shuddering.
Joseph looked confused. “You told me you didn’t see anything.”
“I didn’t, but when Claudia popped up from under his desk . . . uh, I don’t want to think about it.”
He chuckled, and then the conversation lulled at the mention of sex. It was a key turned in a lock, setting the desires for the evening free.
Joseph’s attention went to the back of the room and his gaze lingered on the bright blue upholstery. “That’s some couch.” He set his hand on Noemi’s arm. “You and Ruby will go sit beside each other there.”
His voice was light and easy, but his control fell in the room like a hammer.