tried to heed before, the same reasons that had kept her up nights.
He kissed her again, meshing their bodies hip to hip, groin to groin. There was no mistaking his erection and the blatant desire pulsing between them. She had to come to terms with wanting Brooks. Not for the future, not because of the past, but for now. In the present. Could she live with that?
“Yes,” she said, agreeing to another night with him. “I’ll come to you,” she promised. And once she said it, her shoulders relaxed and her entire body gave way to relief. She’d put up a good fight, but it was time to realize she couldn’t fight what was happening between them. She could only go along for the ride and see where it would take her.
* * *
“Ruby, you sure you don’t want to watch the end of the game with me and Brooks?” Beau asked from his seat at the head of the dinner table. “We can catch the last half. Looks like the Texans might make the playoffs if they win tonight.”
His boys had invited them all to catch the game at the C’mon Inn as they usually did once a week, drinking beer and talking smack, but mother hen that she was, Ruby delicately squashed that idea. Beau needed his rest and some alone time with Brooks, since he’d missed out on being with him today.
“No thanks, Beau. I’ll just help Lupe straighten up in the kitchen and then head home. You boys enjoy the game. And remember, don’t stay up too late. You may be feeling better, but you still need to turn in early.”
“Yes, ma’am, I promise,” Beau said, giving her a wink.
He seemed much better than he had this morning. He’d coughed only once during dinner, and his voice had lost that nasal tone. She congratulated herself on getting him to rest today. It had done him a world of good.
“Thanks again to both of you for fixing up the house. Looks real pretty.”
“You’re welcome.” Brooks looked as innocent as a schoolboy as he nodded at his father, but his innocence ended there. He’d been eyeballing Ruby all during dinner, making it hard for her to swallow her food. She was eager to be with him again, to have him nestle her close and make her body come apart.
“It was a lot of fun, Dad. Ruby taught me the finer points of decorating a tree.”
Ruby wanted to roll her eyes. Everything Brooks said lately seemed to have a double meaning. Or was she just imagining it?
“She’s had enough experience,” Beau went on. “She took over from Tanya, you know. And I know my wife would approve of the way you both made the house look so festive. The party’s on Saturday night, and son, I can’t wait to introduce you to my friends.”
“I’ll look forward to that.”
Beau smiled and then was hit by a sudden fit of coughing. Concerned, Ruby put a hand on his shoulder until he simmered down. “S-sorry,” he said.
“Don’t apologize, Dad. Maybe I should go so you can turn in early.”
“Nah, don’t go yet. It’s just a tickle. I’m fine.”
Beau seemed to recover quickly. He didn’t want to miss out on watching football with his son. It was sweet of him, and Brooks seemed to understand.
“All right, then,” Brooks said.
“I’m making you a cup of tea, Beau,” Ruby said. “No arguments. Go have a seat in the great room and finish the game. I’ll bring it in to you. Brooks, would you like some tea?”
“I’ll just get myself another beer, if you don’t mind. I’ll meet you in the other room, Dad.”
“Okay, sure,” Beau said, heading out.
Brooks cocked his mouth in a smile and followed behind Ruby. When she was almost through the kitchen doorway, his hand snaked out and tugged on her forearm. He spun her around to face him squarely. “What?” she asked, her brows gathering.
“Look up.”
She didn’t have to. The scent of fresh mistletoe filled her nostrils from above, and before she could comment, Brooks was swooping down, giving her a kiss. It was short-lived, but filled with passion—a kiss that had staying power. “Shelf life,” he whispered, searching her face with sea-blue eyes.
“You set me up.” He’d put up mistletoe in half a dozen rooms in the house.
“Guilty as charged.”
She shoved at his chest, but he didn’t budge. “Go,” she pleaded. “Watch football with your father.” Lupe was clearing the dinner dishes from the dining room table and would be back in the kitchen any second.
“Bossy. I love that about you,” he whispered over her lips.
Her skin heated at his seductive words. She pointed toward the great room. “Go. Pleeeze.”
He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am. See you soon.” Then he turned and walked away.
If he wanted to give her a preview of what was in store for her later that evening, he’d succeeded. The kiss had staying power; it had her nerves jumping and her body primed for his touch.
After delivering a steaming mug of chamomile tea to Beau, she bundled up in a warm wool jacket and exited the house. She was halfway home when her phone rang out—Carrie Underwood again, keying her ex-boyfriend’s car.
The screen displayed the caller. “Trace,” Ruby muttered.
She couldn’t talk to him tonight. She let the call go to voice mail.
But curiosity had her putting the phone to her ear to listen to his message. “Hey, baby. It’s Trace. I’m missing you like crazy. I’m coming home tomorrow. I need to see you, babe. We need to talk.”
He sounded serious. Trace wanted to talk to her? The entire time they’d dated, he’d put her off about matters of the heart. He’d always said he would rather show her how he felt than ramble off meaningless words. And she’d bought that, hook, line and sinker. For a time, his actions had spoken louder than words. He’d been an attentive boyfriend, showing up with thoughtful gifts, taking her to country music concerts, letting her drive his most prized possession, his fully restored 1964 Ford truck. For a while Ruby had felt like the queen of the world. And she’d fallen hard for him, thinking him the perfect man for her—a man born and raised in Texas, a man who understood her love of horses, a man of the earth.
Together they could enjoy life here in Cool Springs.
But then something had happened. It had started out gradually. Trace had become restless. His attention had drifted. He seemed unsatisfied, as if he needed and wanted more out of life. He was systematically yet subtly pushing her away, and it had taken his being gone for months on the rodeo circuit without calling her for her to realize she’d been dumped. She’d spent many nights crying over him. Wondering what had gone wrong. She’d been in love with him. She’d banked her future on him, and she’d been sucker-punched in the gut when she realized they were truly over.
She’d asked herself if he’d been tired of her, or if it was his life that needed a big change. She didn’t know, but what she did know was that he didn’t want her anymore. Maybe
