CHAPTER SIX
Kingston
I’ve never stolen anything in my life. Not until today. I don’t even know if she’ll realize it’s gone. I hope not. When I saw the small tube sticking out between the seat and console, I just slipped it in my front pocket without a second thought. Or even a first.
Now, with my pride safely tucked away in my pickup, I pluck the cap from the red cylinder and draw in a deep pull of air.
Strawberries.
Fuck my life. A hard on from a god damn tube of strawberry flavored Lip Smacker.
*
I wrestled the entire night. I made myself a promise not to go check on the girl, whatever her name is. I still can’t believe I didn’t introduce myself or ask her name. She probably thinks I’m a real dipshit. Oh well. Being able to speak her name would have only made getting through the night all that much harder.
It’s time to get my head back in the game. Before Wyatt has my ass.
“Let’s go.” I fall right back into my commanding role.
Fournette kicks Wyatt’s stool as he walks by and sends black coffee spilling on the floor.
“Asshole.”
“Get some new material.” Fournette mocks his friend’s low growl.
“How ‘bout both of ya getting your asses in the damn truck. Let’s go. We’re losing the magic hour.”
“You’re both assholes,” Wyatt mumbles as he shoulders past me. He climbs into the extended cab and slinks down, pulling his ball cap down over his face.
I tune out Fournette’s rambling and hold my breath as I pass the turn that would take me to the fishing shack.
No doubt she’s long gone by now.
I pull up on the far side of the marina and my partners hop out first, grabbing supplies out of the back of the truck.
I lock everything up tight, but when I turn back around, I freeze in my tracks. As did both the other fellas.
All eyes are pointed in one direction, like magnets drawn to metal.
The female sits, resting her back against a Cypress trunk. She spots me and sticks her hand up in the air, waving.
I can just see the teasing thoughts already spinning around in Fournette’s head. Wyatt does what he always does and twists his brow, wrinkling his nose. He’s such an old man.
“Hey, whatchya doing here?”
She grins, and her full, pink lips instantly make me think of plump strawberries.
“Morning to you too.”
“Sorry, morning. What the hell are you doing here?”
I watch her move across the dirt. The way her legs and arms glide her tiny body toward me. I could get used to that kinda karma.
“Well, I didn’t get a chance to properly thank you for what you did for Ellie Mae.”
“Sure, ya did.”
She rolls her bright eyes. “How, when I didn’t even get your name. I’m Ruby, by the way.”
Ruby. Yep, it tastes just as good rolling off my tongue as I thought it would.
She juts her hand out and smiles from her cheeks when I take it.
“Kingston.”
“Nice to officially met ya. So, got room for one more?” She bobs on her tiptoes. It looks like she’s attempting to figure out which one is our boat.
I glance over at the boys, who are gawking, staring like they’d just run into a real life celebrity or some shit like that. Even Wyatt is tongue tied.
“Um, on the boat?”
“Yeah, I figured it would be a good way to pay you back for fixing Ellie Mae. You missed work because of me and I wanna help.”
So much for keeping her under wraps.
“I told you that wasn’t important. No big deal. Besides, I thought you’d be long gone by now.”
“To where?”
I shrug and release my heavy slump. “I don’t know. Where ever you were headed when you broke down.”
I notice the way her expression fades. She twitches her lips in that delicious way that makes my body react. “Yeah, I haven’t thought that far ahead.” She backs up and pulls her elbows in. She fidgets with her arms as she folds them across her chest. “It’s ok. It was a dumb idea. I’ll let you get to work.”
Before I have a chance to respond, Fournette beats me to the punch. “Hell no, it’ll be a nice change of pace to have a little lady on board.” He steps forward and grabs her by the hand. “I’m Fournette Belloc. You’ve met the eldest Mercier brother. This hot head over here is Wyatt, the baby of the family.”
“Fuck off.” But to Wyatt’s credit, he offers a slight grin and nods his head.
“Well, looks like we’d better get you a pole.”
*
It was a long day on the water, and I wouldn’t have changed a one, single thing.
Well, maybe I would have thrown Fournette and Wyatt overboard, but other than that it was damn near perfect.
Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Something these stale lungs have needed for quite some time. Four years, three months, and three days…
“Let me walk you back to the cabin.”
She shakes her head and sends her wind blown hair swooshing around her glowing face. “Thanks, but I’m gonna swing by the marina before heading back. Besides, I think I’d better start looking for somewhere else to stay. The owner probably wouldn’t be too happy about me squatting on their property.”
“Yeah, about that, I think you’re good.”
Ruby’s blue eyes widen. “It’s your place?”
I nod and think I probably should have said something sooner. “It belongs to the family. The fish shack. We don’t use it for anything, as you can tell.” The words about her looking for somewhere else to stay toss around in my scattered brain like the beginning of a storm starting to brew. “Wait, so you’re not leaving?”
She drops her chin, staring at the dirt as she pushes pebbles around with the toe of her boot. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go right now.”
I hear the crack in her sweet voice and quickly decide not to push the issue. No, that would be like pushing her away and God knows I don’t want her to go away.
Her words do something to my hard, cold heart.
“Sorry to hear that. Well, you can have the cabin as long as you need it.”
“Why?”
Furrowing my dark brow, my expression drops. “Why what?”
“Why would you let me do that?”
I glance over my shoulder and check to make sure the two asshats are out of ear shot before looking back. “You know, Ruby, it’s like this. You need somewhere to stay, and I have somewhere to offer. It’s as simple as that.”
“But you don’t know anything about me.”
She has a loose curl that’s just begging for me to take it in my hand and coil it around one of my weathered fingers. I bet it’s soft. The softest thing I’d ever touch. It’s the color of honey and I have to fight myself not to reach out.
“I know all I need to know about you. You drive a piece of crap called Ellie Mae. You could have taken off, but you chose to stick around and help me out on the boat when you didn’t have to. You’ve won over Wyatt, which no human has ever done. You’re not scared of shit. Well, other than a snake. You smell like strawberries. And… you’re running from something.”
I don’t know what I expected, but it sure wasn’t that smile that makes my cock twitch.
“You think you have me all figure out, don’t ya?”
I cave. I can’t help myself. I graze the back of my hand across her silky, smooth cheek. “Not even close, Ruby. Not even close.”