Chapter Eleven

Ruby

The smell of Christmas dinner lingered in the air and the family room was filled with the remains of the happy night—wrapping paper, ribbons, gift tags, and plates used to hold cookies and slices of pie while we’d unwrapped our gifts. Rick and Vanessa had left with baby Kayla, off to the airport to catch their red eye to Omaha. And even though they’d just left half an hour before, I was already missing my little niece.

“Ruby, honey, are you sure you and Steven don’t want to come with us?” my mom asked, shrugging into her coat in the hallway. My dad came down the stairs and joined her. “I’m sure we can get a couple more tickets. It’s not the most popular night.”

“I think we’ll pass. I’ll get this stuff cleaned up. You guys go and enjoy the show.”

She frowned at me. “All right.”

My parents were off to the ballet, one of their traditions the week of Christmas. They’d offered to buy a ticket for me months ago when I booked my flight home for the holidays but I’d turned them down. I wasn’t much of a ballet person, and with my frayed emotions, I’d probably end up bawling through the whole thing, while the people in our section wondered why The Nutcracker was making me so sad.

As they walked out the door, my mother turned back, waggled her eyebrows and smiled. “You two have fun.”

“Sure will! Thanks, Mom!” Ugh! Did my mother just tell me to make a move on my brother’s best friend?

I quickly excused myself with a little grin and jogged up the stairs and opened the door to my bedroom. Juniper flew out and rubbed her face against my legs like we’d been apart for weeks, not hours. Vanessa hadn’t wanted that animal around her baby, so Juniper was locked away while we were downstairs, eating dinner and opening our gifts. I scooped her up into my arms and went back down stairs. “Let’s see if we can find you some turkey scraps. That ought to make up for the evil woman banishing you for the night.”

I was avoiding the urge to climb all over the man in my kitchen dressed to the nines—and possibly—the sexiest man alive. I’d never thought of myself as the kind of girl to be attracted to a man in uniform before—but seeing Steven in his Cracker Jacks was a vision I’d never forget.

Yes. He definitely is the sexiest man alive.

“So how’s Mom’s cooking? Just like you remembered it?”

He pushed away the plate in front of him and rubbed his stomach. “Mmmm…your mom’s a great cook, Rubes. You don’t know how many nights I fell asleep hungry, wishing I had a plateful of her mashed potatoes and gravy, or biscuits and gravy with sausage chunks.”

“Easy, big guy, you’re gonna have a food overdose.”

He let out a little moan and said, “My mom is the queen of take out and frozen dinners, but I always loved working my way into a dinner invite here growing up.”

Before I could stop her, Juniper meowed and jumped up onto the table and helped herself to the leftovers on Steven’s plate. Just as I was about to shoo her away, she saw me coming and went dashing off in the other direction and crashed into my laptop. I lunged for the laptop and snagged it just as it was about to tumble on the floor.

Steven was standing at the sink looking at the pile of dishes and started clapping. “Good move, Westin! I’ve seen your house climbing abilities but that was impressive.”

I gave him a hair toss with a little grin followed by a little curtsey. I grabbed the laptop and went to go put it away when a bell alerted me to a new email. I glanced down and saw it was from someone in the HR department with the investment firm in San Diego.

My heart jumped as I read the message:

Ms. Westin,

I hope you are enjoying your holiday season. I wanted to get in touch and see if you are available for an interview the week after Christmas. I received your CV and resume as well as the glowing letter of recommendation from Scott Manning from your last position. Scott and I used to work together in New York before I came back to the West Coast. If he says good things about your work ethic and skills, then that’s good enough for me. Of course, we should conduct the interview, but I feel confident enough to let you know that the position sounds like an ideal fit.

Forward me your availability and we will speak soon.

Sincerely,

Ramona Paully

I read the letter through twice to make sure what I was reading was real. A smile formed over my lips as I neared the end the second time. It was a sign. It had to be. I was meant to stay in San Diego.

I looked up from the computer and saw Steven had already started in on the mountain of dishes. Am I dreaming? Is this really happening to me?

I went over to the sink, smiling like a crazy person and picked up a dish to dry. I wondered what life in San Diego would be like. If Steven was there too, would we run into each other? Would it be awkward? Or could we pick up where we left off? I had no idea what emergency had been waiting for him on the other end of the line that night, but he hadn’t been back until tonight and he hadn’t said anything about it.

I’d asked Rick if he’d heard from him, and he hadn’t. I couldn’t push too much for answers or ask for his number without setting off his big brother alarm system. Seriously, if Rick ever found out about Steven and me, he’d flip his shit, but at least our relationship made sense. His fixation with Vanessa, his prissy princess of a bitch-wife was beyond me.

“Rubes?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you turn around?”

My stomach flip-flopped at the sound in his voice but I forced myself to do as he asked. I kept my back pressed against the counter and met his eyes as he moved closer. He looked even sexier than when he first walked up the driveway earlier. If that was somehow possible. His face had a full days’ worth of stubble on it and I found myself wondering what that would feel like on the insides of my thighs. My cheeks went hot just at the passing thought.

“Are you all right?” Steven asked, his voice sure and confident. The exact opposite of the way my inside’s felt.

“Uh-huh. Why?”

He arched a thick brow at me. “Something’s up. Come on, tell me what’s wrong.”

I sighed. “Really? All right, fine. I’m a little…confused.”

“About?”

“Steven. Come on. Don’t make me spell it out for you. We…well, you know. You were there—”

He laughed and shook his head. I held my breath as he started toward me, his steps calculated and slow as he crossed the kitchen. His cologne reached me before he did, the subtle sandalwood and citrus notes hitting me the moment before he wrapped his arms around my waist. “What if I want to hear you say it?”

“That we…hooked up?”

He smiled and traced a finger along the side of my face. “Be honest, Rubes. It was more than hooking up. We don’t have to pretend it was some fling.”

I drew in my lower lip and nibbled it nervously. “I don’t know what it was, Steven. But I do know that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

Steven’s finger moved to my mouth and I released my lower lip so he could graze his fingertip over it. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you, either. I know Rick would probably kill me for saying this, but I’m falling for you, Ruby. There was something about that whole day. It just felt right. And I’ve never had that kind of a feeling before.”

“Me neither,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He brought his lips to mine and kissed me. My arms wrapped around his shoulders and I clung to him for dear life, never wanting the moment to be over.

When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine, staring down into my eyes. “In the past, I’ve never been open to falling in love or finding someone to settle down with. It wasn’t that I didn’t want those things, but I didn’t want to put someone through the life of being with a SEAL. It’s not easy—by any means.

When I got that phone call the other night, it was over that clusterfuck that was just aired on CNN.”

“And…? That made you leave for days on end?”

“Well, there are parts about me that I can never share with you, Rubes. It’s not because I don’t trust you, or I don’t want to, but what I do is truly Top Secret stuff. Hell, they don’t even tell me what I’m doing most of the time. I’m just a tool they pull out of their bag of tricks to get the job done.

“But, being with you, it was almost like it wasn’t an option. I had to find a way to make it work because I want to be with you.”

My heart palpitated at Steven’s words.

“Ruby, I know you have a lot going on right now. A lot to figure out. I don’t want to sway you any way or the other, but I’m going to be in San Diego, permanently, at least for the next two years. I’ve taken a teaching assignment, so wherever you end up, I’ll be just a plane ride away. We can figure—” I grinned up at him and he faltered, cutting his sentence short. “What? Am I making an asshole out of myself here?”

I laughed. “No. Not at all!”

“Then why do I feel like I’m missing some inside joke?”

I smiled. “Because I just got an unofficial job offer today. It’s with an investment firm in…San Diego.”

His mouth dropped open. “What? Are you serious?”

I nodded, still smiling. “I’ll go in for the interview next week, after Christmas, but from what the email said, the job is mine if I want it. The hiring manager used to work with my boss from New York.”

“That’s incredible!”

“It’s perfect timing. I was about two days away from having a full-on freak out.”

Steven chuckled and kissed me again. “Not a bad location either. What made you apply for a job in San Diego?”

I nibbled my lip. “Well…you. After being with you the other night, I realized I didn’t want to go back to New York and be miserable. I’ve been there for six months and haven’t even found a fraction of the happiness that I had here, with you. I didn’t know what you were thinking, but something in my gut told me it was a risk worth taking.”

“Then we just have one problem…”

“What’s that?”

“Figuring out who has to break it to Rick that his best friend and his little sister are fucking.”

I laughed. “Fucking?”

“Fucking.” He pulled me closer, searing my lips with a hot kiss. “Kissing.” Mmmm…his lips trailed down my neck. The man had me at hello. “Falling…in love…with…you.”

“Mmmm…flip a coin?” I panted. “Rock, paper, scissors?”

Steven’s eyes sparkled. “I’d suggest something a little more active. Maybe a wrestling match…”

“You’re on, Maxwell.”

He grabbed me by my ass, pulled me in tight and crushed his lips onto mine again. “Hey, that’s not fair!” I teased when we broke apart. We both fell to the floor in a playful wrestling-slash-tickling match that quickly changed into a raging inferno of uncontrollable hormones.

“Damn! It’s hot in here!” I said as I sat up in front of the fake roaring fire. Yes, we had the obligatory fake fireplace. It was eighty-five degrees outside two days before Christmas and the only real fire we had going on was between our legs.

“You’re hot baby. It’s all you.”

“We should at least go to my room. What if Mom and Dad come home early?”

“You’re right. We should.” He stood up and we both looked at the outline of his cock, straining his pants. “I’m about to bust out of these sacred buttons.”

We hurried upstairs, taking care not to fall on top of each other, and the second the bedroom door was closed, Steven had me in his arms again, frantically pulling my blouse off and dropping it on the floor. He pulled off his naval uniform top and tossed it as well.

With our tongues entwined, my hand flew to the zipper on his pants and — “What the hell?” I pulled back and looked down at his pants. “What’s the deal with these buttons?”

“Pretty sexy, huh, Rubes?” He waggled his eyebrows and looked down at the front of his pants. “These thirteen buttons are a tradition in the Navy of sorts. There is a deal going on to phase out the buttons with zippers, but most of the old-school guys want to keep things the way they are.”

“And…you like this?”

“I’m a Sailor, babe. Tradition.”

His explanation only made me want to dive into his fancy pants even more. I crawled over to him on my knees, and with slow precision I started on the thirteen buttons on his pants. Counting out each one.

“One…Two…Three…”

“You’re killing me, babe.” He reached down and unfastened the rest of them and released his big beautiful cock.

“Oh my God, Steven. You’re so perfect.”

My lips quickly found the tip, and with an overwhelming urge and hunger, I sucked more and more of him into my mouth. Steven’s hands went to my head and tangled up in my hair. He moaned a little, trying to maintain his composer, but it was clear who was in charge.

I grabbed a hold of his ass with both hands and pulled him even further into my mouth. He was mine—all mine.

Steven’s legs starting to shake as he pulled my hair and growled out, “I want to fuck you so bad, baby. I’ve never wanted someone the way I want you right now, Rubes.” He pulled his cock out of my mouth and before I could even catch my breath he was on me, kissing me hard as we worked together to remove my jeans.

He stopped abruptly and a smile slid across my face. He was staring at my soaked silky white panties with little Santa Clauses on them that say, Ho, Ho, Ho.

“Very sexy.” He teased.

“Just like the buttons, lover.” I squirmed and slid them down my legs, tossing them to the side of us on the bed.

“I’m going to fuck you so good, baby,” he growled out as he moved on top of me. “Ruby…”

I scratched my nails down his smooth, muscular back until I could grip his ass. “Can’t wait.” When the tip of his cock met my hungry pussy, I pulled hard.

He resisted, causing me to whimper. “Let me do this. Let me please you.” Slowly, inch by glorious inch he pushed inside of me, burying his hands in my hair and tugging my head to one side to devour the sweet spot on my neck.

“So good, baby.” He moaned, as I felt his hot breath against me. “Mmmm… you’re good for me Rubes.”

“Your good for me, too.” I replied, my pussy clenching around him.

“I love seeing you like this.” His thrusting slowed a little as he gazed down at me. “I want to put that look on your face every fucking day and night.”

“What look?” I moaned out.

“Sheer pleasure...” Steven leaned down and crushed my lips to his, his weight pressing into me as I arched up to meet his hips.

That was my undoing.

“Oh Fuck! I’m gonna fucking co—” I exhaled out as my body rocked and spasmed against him. Steven pushed in hard, a series of short jabs and I couldn’t make out his throaty moans and he came, deep and hard inside me.

* * * *

After about an hour laying there, dozing and teasing each other with our fingertips, Steven sat up, twirling my wet Santa panties on his finger. “Almost forgot. Damn!”

I reached over to grab my underwear. “Give me those!”

“You should thank your Santa panties.”

“Thank they for what?”

“You’ll see. They reminded me of something.” Steven stood up, stark naked and walked over to the green bag he’d carried in and pulled out a small red box with a beautiful bow. His face lit up as he approached and handed me the perfectly wrapped gift.

“Merry Christmas, Ruby.”

My eyes went from him to his naked cock, and then the box. I wasn’t one to turn down a present—or a naked cock, for that matter, and temptation finally got the better of me. I carefully unwrapped the box, wondering what in the world he’d bought for me.

Is it a ring already? What do I say? I’m not ready for this!

No, it wasn’t a ring. Inside the box was the most beautiful bracelet I’d ever seen. It was sparkling with diamonds and little gold seals hanging from between the diamonds. “Steven, I… I… I don’t know what to say. This is so beautiful.”

He gently took the bracelet from my hand and placed it around my wrist. “I can’t take much credit for picking it out. It was kinda just placed in front of me.

“I think it’s perfect. Wow. I’m actually shocked that someone with such poor taste in clothes could pick out something so beautiful.”

With a puzzled look on his face, he looked down at me. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

I raised my eyes from the bracelet. “Steven. Seriously? Did you see yourself in those golf pants?”

The horrified look on his face turned into a huge smile, followed by a kiss that nearly made me pass out. I locked eyes with Steven and the look in his eyes melted every wall I’d ever put up. None of those things mattered anymore. Not even Rick. We’d tell him together.

I wanted Steven.

All of him.

And by the look in his eyes, I knew he wanted me too.

* * * *

~ T H E E N D ~

I hope you loved Max and Ruby in Unwrapped!
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