Morgan
He listened as Ruby bustled about the kitchen, directing her to respective cabinets as she asked. “Would you tell me what my brothers said to you?”
Ruby didn’t hesitate. “They wanted to know why I took a blind guy to see Christmas lights, then made some rather rude comments about you.”
“Something about how easy it was to keep secrets from you. I didn’t like that.”
He shrugged it off and tried to ease her mind with a smile. “Nothing I’m not used to. It made me tougher, but don’t tell them that.”
“I won’t.”
“I’m surprised they even told me they were with you.”
“I made them.”
“Oh, did you?”
Wrappers crinkled, and drawers slid open and shut. “I had a feeling you would be upset, and I was not about to be the messenger.”
“I wouldn’t have been upset with you.”
“I wasn’t afraid of that.” A pan clanged to the stove, and the gas clicked as the stove was ignited. “Where do you keep the measuring cups?”
“Opposite us, second cabinet to the right, I believe. I haven’t used them in a while.”
There was a triumphant chirp and then something being poured into them. As Ruby walked by him the scent of apples wafted along with her.
“Tell me, darlin’, are you dolled up again?”
“Why don’t you see for yourself?”
Then her phone was pressed into his palm.
He raised it to his field of vision, already finding it unlocked.
He quickly opened her camera, with no interest to even look at the other apps.
His heart fluttered as he watched her spin for him on the screen.
She seemed to like red, only this time, a matching bow sat at the base of her high ponytail.
“You look absolutely gorgeous.” With a breathtaking grin, Ruby twirled her ponytail, and he quickly snapped a picture of her. “May I have this?”
“Go for it. Just send it to yourself.”
Once he did, he set the phone back down. “I like that you get yourself all pretty for me.”
“Can I be honest?”
“Please be.”
“It feels good. I mean, I enjoy how you appreciate it, but I feel good doing it.” Meat sizzled in the pan on the stove.
“I’m usually just in my work clothes or lounging around at home.
Dressing up is nice.” There was a pause before she switched the subject.
“You’ll have to help me put everything back where it belongs later.
I would hate for you to not be able to find anything. ”
“I guess it would give me an excuse to video chat with you.” He hopped off the counter and went to fetch her a drink. “I can’t persuade you to a glass of wine, can I?”
“Is that your plan? Get me drunk so I can’t drive home.”
“It’s up to you, darlin’. I would happily get you a rideshare home, and back in the morning.” He threw her a wink and grabbed a glass for himself. “Or you could just stay the night.”
There was silence, with only the sound of liquid stirring echoing through the room. “If I stayed, what expectations would you have?”
He set the glass and bottle on the counter.
Expectations? It took him longer than he cared to admit to realise what she meant.
“Your safety. I have no other expectation other than getting to know you and making sure that you’re comfortable.
” He would have given anything to know what was going on in her mind.
There was more silence before he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Ruby, please come here.”
She did, timid steps padding across the kitchen floor. He found her arm and skimmed his fingers down her bare forearms until they wrapped around her wrist. Wanting—needing—to see her, he bent down until her gorgeous large almond eyes materialised.
“I didn’t offer you a drink because I want to get you drunk and take advantage of you. It was because I often have a glass after a stressful day and wanted to offer you the same.”
Her lips curled into an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean to question your motives.”
“I know you meant it as a tease, but clarity helps.”
“It does.”
“If you want me to, I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Her smile brightened. “I think I’ll take that wine after all.” Ruby flipped her hand, entwining her fingers with his. “Thank you for talking that through with me. I liked that.”
“I seem to remember that it was on your list of things you wanted to do differently in your next relationship.”
“It is. I was afraid to ask, but now I feel silly.”
“Don’t, you did well.” Then with his fingers curling a loose strand of her hair, he added, “I liked how you told me that you used nonverbal cues but then realised what you were doing and that you’re trying to work on that too.”
“Is that why you asked me to come closer? To see my reaction?”
He nodded. “Sometimes it’s frustrating to rely on words alone. And let’s be honest, you are precious, and I could never tire of looking at you.”
Ruby’s cheeks tinged pink and her gaze dropped. “Thank you.”
“Look at you, accepting a compliment so wonderfully.”
Her lips pressed together as she suppressed her grin.
Before he could enjoy the moment even longer, water bubbled over and hissed behind her.
She spun out of his grip and disappeared from sight.
He sat down with his glass of wine, imagining what it would be like for that blob of colour to be just as clear as she was moments ago.
“Tell me more about your family,” he said.
“You mentioned one of your brothers lives overseas, right?”
“Yes, Roy moved to Germany with his wife.”
“Have you visited him?”
“Not yet. I was thinking of going for a Christmas, Roy says it’s gorgeous there during the holidays.”
“And what better thing to do for a Christmas fanatic like you, but to travel and see the markets for yourself. Where do the others live?”
“Remi is in Seattle, and every time I have visited so far it has been raining. Rhett lives in Katy—just down the road from my parents which they were thrilled about. Now they basically see my niece every day.”
“A real family woman it seems.”
“I am. I think I would feel lost if I weren’t so close to them. Other than going behind your back and strengthening your character, do you get along with Manuel and Alexander?”
“I do. They can be jerks but let’s be honest, I wouldn’t be who I am today without them. My parents live in Dallas, so my brothers are the only close family I have.”
“Did work bring you here?”
“Yes, it just seemed logical and has paid off far better than we’d hoped.”
“Not me over here being jealous.”
He shook his head, impatiently waiting until her steps turned towards him again. Once she was within reach, he found her arm, thumb stroking over her soft, warm skin. “How old are you?”
“Ah, we’re getting down to the bones,” she giggled, setting her glass down with a soft clink. “Twenty-five. You?”
“Older,” he quipped.
“Come on, I told you.”
“Thirty-six,” Morgan grumbled hesitantly.
“Well, that gives me hope. I still have time to become successful.”
“If you keep drawing such gorgeous art, like you do, It’ll happen in no time.”
“Well, thank you.”
She returned to the stove but not without stroking the side of his knee with her knuckles.
It was a short but intimate touch that had him cursing himself out for not having changed into shorts in order to feel her bare skin against his.
When she announced everything was cooked and ready to be plated, he grabbed the dishes from the counter.
Once settled at the table, he couldn’t help the hum as he finally tasted the delicious food that had been taunting his nose.
“This is fantastic!” he blurted and immediately shovelled more into his mouth.
“So, I can come over more often?”
“I demand it,” was all he managed between large bites.
Ruby giggled and once his plate was empty, he went to grab more.
But when he got to the kitchen, he found himself lost in his own home.
Ruby had made their bowls and brought them in, so he wasn’t sure where anything was.
His phone was also on the coffee table next to the couch, so there was no help there.
Shit.
Her footsteps approached, a tender hand finding his lower back. “Sauce and meatballs are on the back burner to the left, and noodles to the right.”
He gave a curt nod, irritated with himself. His home was the one space he never felt at a disadvantage. He reached out and carefully filled his bowl once more. But as he turned, his elbow knocked something, and the sound of dry pasta clattering to the floor echoed through the narrow space.
“Fuck.”
“I got it!”
When he moved to set his plate down to help Ruby, he almost planted it on something else. He ground his teeth to suppress another curse, spaghetti crunching under his feet.
“I’m sorry!” Her quivering voice came from the floor.
“Ruby—”
“I should have cleaned up after myself.”
“Stop.” Her shuffling quieted. “Stand up.”
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, now standing before him.
“I’m not angry with you. Messes happen, especially with me around.”
“I should have—”
“—done nothing differently.”
She inhaled and then surprised him by laying her hand flat against his chest. “Okay.” Another slow inhale. “Where’s your broom?”
“In the closet next to the front door.”
Her fingers curled into his shirt briefly before she disappeared. Once the mess was cleared, he spread his arms and with a sigh she followed the invitation to embrace her in a hug.
“I’m not upset with you.” He had a feeling that she needed to hear that more than once. “You did nothing wrong.”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
“That’s why I have all hard floors—I’m constantly forgetting where I leave my drinks and knocking them over. Yes, I was irritated, but at myself. I wanted to show you how independent I could be, and didn’t like that I was struggling in front of you.”
Ruby’s arms wrapped tighter around him, her cheek warm and soft against his chest. “I know we’ve only spent a little bit of time together, but I’ve never once thought that you weren’t independent.”
He inhaled her words, letting them soothe away his anger. “Thank you.” He only let her go when she made the first move to step away. “Now, where did I set that damn bowl down,” he teased, trying to break the tension in the air.
Once they’d cleaned the kitchen, he took her into his Lego room. God, what a fucking nerd he was.
“Oh, it’s Hogwarts!”
He wandered over to the table, grabbing the set he’d picked out for her. “I got you this.”
She took it and squirmed happily. “A Christmas candle! I love it!”
Ruby immediately tore open the box and got to work, so he sat down in front of his castle.
Immersed in the bricks, it didn’t take long before Ruby admired her finished candle. “That was fun and oddly satisfying.”
“I have another one if you’d like it?”
“You do?”
He nodded and crossed the room to grab Santa’s Post Office. “It’s a little more complicated.”
“Wait…” she said, taking the box from him. “Did you have them just laying around?”
“No.”
“You bought them for me?”
“I did.”
When he sat down, he found himself in her arms, wrapped in a tight squeeze that melted his insides. “Thank you.”
They silently worked on their respective pieces, losing track of time. When she announced she was done with her second piece, it coincided with Blue’s nightly walk. “Perfect timing—Blue and I need to step out.”
“Very trusting of you to leave me all by myself in your apartment.”
He cocked his brow. “If you tell me what you’re looking for, I’ll just point you in the right direction.”
“What’s the fun in that? But I am looking for some comfy clothes.”
“Anything that you find suitable in my closet is yours to take.”
“So, no whips and chains?”
His lips curled, a picture of Ruby bound to his bed with leather restraints painting itself right at the forefront of his mind. “No whips.”
The moment of silence felt deadly, so when her shaky voice broke it, he could barely hold back a sigh of relief. “My jaw’s dropped. You’re kinky, aren’t you?”
“A little.”
“I’m not. Well, I haven’t been in the past…”
“Maybe with time you’ll let me change that.”
Without another word, he turned and called for Blue.