Chapter Ruby
Ruby
With the fireworks lighting up the night sky above them, she couldn’t help but to finally feel at home.
Not because of a place, but a person. And not just any person, but Morgan.
In his arms, she started the year by already planning out their many adventures.
Big and small—she wanted to experience it all with him.
They stayed up until everyone had left, then helped clear the party leftovers. With Blue curled up with them, they both easily drifted off, utterly—and happily—exhausted.
She could barely open her eyes the next morning, even though the sun brightened the room through the gap in the curtains. She nuzzled closer to Morgan and dozed off again—until Blue woke her up with a wet kiss to her cheek.
“I can do it,” Morgan protested, weakly, considering he couldn’t do so without yawning.
“Blue clearly asked me, so no, it’s fine.”
“I hope we always fight over who takes Blue out.”
“You call this a fight?” she mocked, playfully punching his shoulder.
Morgan grabbed her, rolled them both over, and silenced her surprised yelp with a kiss. “No, but if all we’ll bicker about is who Blue wants to go out with, then our life will be pretty peaceful.”
“That does sound dream worthy.”
He set her free and she quickly dressed as appropriately as needed, before heading downstairs with her furry adoptive child on her heels.
“Here comes sleeping beauty,” Alexander announced. “I was getting worried.”
Her eyes drifted to the large clock over the fireplace. It was past noon. “What can I say? This beauty doesn’t come from nothing.” She twirled and tossed her hair dramatically over her shoulder before slipping into her shoes and taking the leash.
She walked around the block, giving her body time to wake up and her mind to process what her life had become.
The fear of something popping her cushy bubble of love and serenity threatened to break through her happiness, but she banished it.
She tried to focus on the things she and Morgan had talked about, how openly they communicated and how sound she felt in their blooming relationship.
How it was possible they’d only met four weeks ago she had no idea, but she sure as hell would fight and work on herself to keep their momentum.
Upon returning she was met with a large cup of coffee and yesterday’s leftovers for breakfast—well, lunch— before they all set off on their adventure to the Gingerbread Village.
“Great for pictures, but not really worth spending much time here,” Jack said as they walked up to the sparse display.
“I didn’t have high hopes, so I’m not disappointed,” she chirped. “But now that you two are with us, we can get some pictures together.”
“Oh, I thought they were just here to take pictures of us,” Morgan teased. “If I’d known I had to pose with Alexander, I would’ve protested him joining.”
“You’re going to play nice, sir,” she warned, unable to hide her smile anyway.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I thought you were the dominant one,” Alexander taunted.
The plastic village included a house with dancing gingerbread men, enormous lollipops, and giant candy canes.
Each couple took turns taking pictures, with Morgan dipping her into a surprised kiss with the last one.
Then, because the two brothers kept bickering, she decided to teach them a lesson in playing nice by flagging down a bystander to take a group picture.
Their afternoon together was completed with a stroll through the rest of the park, winding around an artificial lake, through picnic areas with lots of seating and ping pong tables.
On the way home, Morgan suggested that they could spend the evening at his apartment’s indoor pool, which she was all for.
They settled in with snacks and enough water for all three of them and soaked up the laziness.
Morgan even jumped in to swim some laps along the wall of the pool while she added the last layer of colour to her client’s portrait.
When he pulled himself out of the pool, beads of water dripping down his chest and his muscles twitching, Ruby couldn’t help herself. “Could you at least try and be less sexy. You know I’m trying to work here.”
He cocked his head towards her, intentionally flexing his abs as he came closer. “And why would I do that?”
“Because your woman is trying to make money right now.”
“I have money, send me an invoice for the time lost.” He grabbed a towel and scrubbed himself dry. “How else would I make your dream of being a housewife come true?”
“Well…” She practically drooled over her man, mouth watering as he did nothing but stand beside her. “I want that, but maybe I can also not upset my current client.”
“I sincerely apologise for my rudeness.”
“You’re not even sorry.”
“Not one bit.” But as he sat in the lounge chair beside her, his face turned serious. “Do you still want illustrating to be your full-time job?”
“I would like that very much, but at the same time, it’s also super scary.”
“And why is that?”
“It’s unpredictable. What if I hit a drought or a creative block hits me?”
“It is scary, but you always have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
“Was that a fear you had when you started out?”
“Most definitely. Becoming self-employed is a huge risk, but I tried not to focus on the negatives too much.”
“Unfortunately, that is one of my talents.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Not really. It’s been more of a hobby and the whole researching and luring enough clients in for income is overwhelming.” Focusing back on her paint strokes she added, “Maybe I should get more serious about it, but self-doubt is so loud.”
“It’ll never go away, but if that voice becomes too loud, I’m more than happy to cheer and clap for you until you can no longer hear it.”
“So, you think I need to sit down and flesh out a whole business plan?”
“First of all, I would try to figure out what your goal is and then you’d do market research.”
“So, like where I see myself in a year or two?”
“Yes, and then figure out how to get there.”
“Sounds easy enough.”
“Do you have a website, or do you run it all on social media.”
“Social media. Is that something you could help me figure out?”
“Most definitely. You could show off your work, price lists, even just have a way to reach out to you.”
Morgan went on to ask a bunch more questions, how she envisioned her website and how she saw her business growing.
So far, she’d always shied away from calling it her “business,” but he was right: If she wanted this to grow into something of her own, she needed to see it as such.
It was inspiring to hear him talk and to know he would have her back.
When Morgan went for a shower that evening, she too stripped down and snuck in. “Mind if I join?”
“If my answer is ever no to that question, you’d better rush me to the nearest emergency room.”
She stepped under the spray of warm water and laid her hands on his chest. He pulled her to her tiptoes, cupping her cheeks in his palms and demanding a kiss.
Rivulets of water flowed over their faces and down their bodies, lips smoothly gliding against each other.
This felt good, perfect even. When she pulled back, he tried to keep her, but the moment her knees hit the tile, Morgan snapped his mouth shut.
Her palms pressing against his sides, she kissed the inside of his thigh.
He was already hard and twitched when she lapped at his cockhead.
“Oh darlin’,” he groaned, one hand lowering to cup her cheek, the other smacking to the tile for support. “I love your willingness to spoil your man.”
His words melted her into a puddle at his feet.
She sealed her lips around his cockhead, one hand bracing herself on his thigh, her other curling around the base of his erection.
She slowly inched her head forward, sucking more of his length into her mouth before pulling back.
When her eyes looked up for guidance, his bent over torso shielded her from the water.
He was bracing himself against the wall, eyes closed and lips curled into a satisfied smile.
“You’re doing so well,” he groaned, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Take your time, darlin’.”
She slowly sucked him down, unintentionally teasing him. Thigh muscles quivered beneath her palm as she twirled her tongue, hitting that sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Fuck,” he grunted. “Do that again!”
She did, basking in the feeling of his demands. She loved how vocal he was. The lack of guessing and the instant praise made pleasing him that much better. She laughed to herself, realising what a whore she was for any kind of recognition, his words in particular.
“Tell me what’s going through your mind.”
“I just realised how addicted I am to your praise.”
“You love it, don’t you? Hearing how well you’re doing.”
“I do.”
“Keep sucking my cock, and I’ll shower you with all the praise you deserve.”
He trailed off into a groan, with her swallowing him to the back of her throat. She pumped her fist, matching the pace with her mouth. As she increased her speed, instinct took over and she added a twist with her palm.
“Don’t stop. You’re making me feel so good.”
A warm shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the hot water raining down on them.
Her tongue worked his cockhead, lips sealed tightly as her fist covered the distance.
His knees buckled when she picked up her pace.
Something salty burst onto her tongue, the flavour intoxicating.
She swallowed it, realising it was precum.
“Rougher,” he demanded and when she succumbed to it, his groans morphed into a gorgeous song. “Just like that, make me come.”
Sucking harder, tongue pressing right against that sensitive gland, more flavour erupted over her tongue. His fingers moved to her neck, threading through her hair and grabbing a tight fistful.
“Don’t stop, I’m so close.”
Her hand shuttled over his length, his muscles twitching under her palm as she braced herself against his thigh.
“Fuck,” he cursed pulling the word into a breathtaking melody. “Such a good girl you are.”
Then he burst down her throat. With each pulse, she swallowed his release, slowing her hand until he squirmed from oversensitivity.
Once she’d sucked him dry, she looked up at him through wet lashes, licking up a stray drop of cum.
His fingers wrapped around her throat, urging her back to her feet.
Lips crashing onto hers, he pushed her against the wall, his chest heaving heavily against her.
“Don’t move while I grab a condom,” he growled, only for her to grab his wrist and haul him back.
“You don’t need it.”
Morgan’s eyebrows shot up, eyes widening as he leaned in to see her clearly. “The pill is effective?”
She grinned and eagerly nodded.
“Are you telling me I can fuck you bare now?”
“Mmhmm…”
She yelped, swept up into his arms. Her shoulders pressing against the cool tile, as he lined himself up and gently eased in. “Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Fuck, I’m going to blow so fast.” Teeth scraping over her jaw, he claimed her pussy slow and steady. “Play with your clit.”
She fed a hand between them, slowly circling her clit as his teeth nipped at her earlobe. Shoved up against the wall, she gave herself to him. Once he was fully seated, he paused, slowly rolling his hips to allow her to adjust.
“Gentle or rough, darlin’?”
“Rough,” she panted.
His hot breath mixed with the water drops running down her neck.
He was slow in withdrawing his hips, fingertips burying themselves in her ass.
When he slammed back into her, the sound of their bodies crashing together pushed a moan right from her lungs, raising goosebumps across her skin.
She stroked her clit to the pace of his hips, toes tingling and curling as he grunted into her ear.
Her skin was on fire, lungs burning for oxygen as desperately as she craved her release. She let herself fall into his arms, relishing in his need to use her as much as he wanted to please her.
“Your cunt feels so good around my cock,” he husked, breathless and desperate—just how she liked it.
“Too good,” he gritted, then she felt empty, his cock missing as he cursed himself out.
She’d barely wrapped her mind around what was happening when he set her back on the floor and fell to his knees. “Legs on my shoulders.”
“W-what?”
But his mouth sealed around her clit and sucked—hard.
His command finally settled, and she lifted her legs to his shoulders.
He buried his head between her thighs, his fingers plunging into her pussy.
Tongue flicking and fingers curling she was hurtled to her climax, thighs nearly crushing his skull when she crashed over the edge.
Once she relaxed, he guided her into his lap, small kisses spoiling her jaw.
“I clearly have to work on my stamina.”
She could only lazily grin in response, nails scraping over his scalp. He leaned his head against hers, tenderly squeezing her waist and letting the moment soak in.