He brushed the hands she had placed on his shoulders away before moving across the room to retrieve the folder. Handing it to her silently, he stepped back a couple of spaces, giving her a moment to realize what she was reading and watching her face for any sign of reaction.
Neither of them moved for a couple of minutes. About to cave in and explain himself, Ruben was glad she finally broke the silence.
‘Where did you get this?’ She didn’t look at him. He guessed she was pissed.
‘Byron…he knows a guy who does this kind of thing.’
She closed the dossier and placed it on the bed, her face still giving him no clue what to expect. ‘I’d have thought Byron would have had the sense to talk you out of it.’
‘It’s not his fault, I wouldn’t take no for an answer.’ He tried for humor. ‘You know me.’
She didn’t return his nervous laugh. ‘Are we eating dinner in the suite tonight?’
Ruben was confused.
That was it? No fireworks? ‘
Aren’t you angry?’
shrugged, shaking her head. ‘A little I guess. Mostly though, I’m just sorry I made you feel this was necessary.’
‘It wasn’t your fault, Beth,’ he began to explain.
‘Agreed. It was your macho pride that made you search him out.’ She hugged him to soften her words. ‘But it was my obsession with the past that made you feel insecure enough to do it.’
She accepted his kiss before continuing. ‘After being with you, I could never go back to a man like Simon.’ Ruben smirked into her neck, exhilarated by the words. The sharp slap on his ass took him by surprise and he leaned back to stare at her in mock horror.
‘What was that for?’ he laughed, rubbing the spot where she’d stung him. He couldn’t say he found the sensation unpleasant.
‘You know exactly what it was for,’ she laughed. ‘I know how cocky you are.’
‘Tell me more about how Simon could never satisfy you after me,’ he begged on a smile, unconcerned that he had totally corrupted her words. Beth was trying to look stern, but he could see right through her. She was enjoying his banter. ‘Just how much better in bed am I?’ Her shocked laugh delighted him and he knew he was truly forgiven.
‘Behave, Ruben,’ she smiled.
‘Why, will you slap me again if I’m bad?’ He waggled his eyebrows for emphasis, causing her to giggle.
‘Only if you want me to, darling.’ Her voice had dropped an octave and took a direct path through his ear to his penis, making him suddenly and painfully hard.
‘Now…just
how
bad have you been?’
was excited. This was the first time since they had begun dating that she was going to one of his social events. It had taken her all week to find the perfect dress. Newfound sexual confidence made her consider clothes she would only have dreamed of a few months ago.
She remembered why she never wore sexy clothes as she got out of the limo. Finding it hard to keep her breasts from tumbling out of the revealing slashed neckline, she was careful not to flash her panties to the waiting press as she stepped onto the kerb. Ruben’s eyes roamed over her as he took her arm, flicking frantically from her neckline to her thigh and back again. He looked like a kid in a candy store who was spoiled for choice and, wanting everything, could focus on nothing.
His reaction earlier had been almost laughable. He had frozen mid-stride and swallowed dryly, and then a familiar gleam had appeared in his eyes. She had only just managed to talk him out of having her on the hallway floor at home. Still, he had done enough to make her very hot and wet until the driver disturbed them by ringing the bell.
Ruben looked stunning in his tux and she felt lucky to be with him as he put a protective arm around her shoulder and they rushed through the crowds into the hotel. After being shown to the table hosting many of his friends and industry colleagues, the wine and conversation soon started to flow. He seemed to be enjoying himself and introduced her proudly to everyone who stopped by their table. She was aware that the men seemed more interested in her chest than talking to her, but Ruben noticed too and reacted every time by giving her a little kiss or a gentle touch, just to remind them who she was with.
Business got in the way as usual and she only had him to herself for about an hour before he got dragged off to meet someone.
Why was she always expected to be so flexible regarding her demands on him?
Turning her attention to Jeff, one of Ruben’s longtime friends and the only other person left sitting at the table, she resigned herself to making small talk with a complete stranger. She hoped he was at least fun.
had no need to worry—the guy was an absolute joker and had her giggling within minutes. His flirtatious nature seemed to be part of his charm so she thought nothing of it when he dragged her laughing onto the dance floor.
It took her about ten seconds to realize how wrong she was. The snake got her into the middle of the floor and got real sleazy, real fast. Ignoring the up-tempo beat, he attempted to slow dance or rather, dirty dance. At close range, she could smell the booze on his breath and realized he was pretty drunk.
Wriggling out of his grasp, she managed to put some space between them. Voice shaking with anger, she rounded on him. ‘Keep your filthy hands off me!’
Turning to exit the dance floor, she smacked straight into Ruben who seemed to be coming to get her, thank God. Her relief didn’t last long as she felt the anger emanating from him and realized it was directed her way.
‘I can see with my own eyes what was going on,’ he snapped.
Brushing passed her; he grabbed the guy by the collar of his shirt. Unable to hear what Ruben was saying over the music,
She headed quickly back to the table, grateful for a moment to compose herself. Almost immediately he appeared beside her, leaning down to growl into her ear that they were leaving.
stared at him incredulously.
Did he really think she would take orders from him?
She raised an eyebrow and very deliberately picked up her glass of wine.
‘It’s your choice,’ he said, his voice deceptively smooth, ‘you can walk out, or I will carry you out.’
‘You wouldn’t dare!’
‘Try me…’
Deciding that this was not the place to assert herself, she gave in. They moved quickly through the crowd, his hand squeezing hers a little too tightly. The brewing storm abated a little due to the people outside so he had no choice but to wait for the limo in furious silence. It still arrived way too soon for
took a deep breath and waited for the explosion, but it didn’t come. Shooting a quick look at him, she saw his thunderous expression coupled with a nerve ticking in his jaw, as he repeatedly ran a hand through his hair—a sure sign he wasn’t happy. Her temper began to rise.
What the hell was he mad at her for?
She bit her tongue, guessing the driver was the reason he was silent.
They arrived home quickly. Ruben jumped from the car without waiting for her and stormed into the entrance of his apartment building, leaving the door open behind him. She toyed with the idea of staying in the limo and finding a hotel for the night.
How dare he treat her like this?
A desire to make him apologize for his behavior won out and she followed him.
He was at the bar pouring a large brandy as she found him. He never drank that way. ‘What the hell is going on?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he replied coldly. ‘Seeing my woman draped all over one of my friends always makes me drink.’ His eyes flicked over her in anger. She screamed at him in frustration.
‘You leave me alone all the time. Is it any wonder other men think I’m available? Does it hurt you to think that you may not be the only person interested in me?’
‘The way you are dressed tonight, any man would want you,’ he replied, ‘but I had hoped that the only man you wanted was me.’
couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘And I had hoped that you would be defending me from men like that, not accusing me of wanting them.’
He looked embarrassed for the briefest moment and seemed ashamed to realize that he hadn’t considered her feelings at all. She took a step towards him before he raised a hand to stop her and turned his back. Was he still sulking?
‘Do you even want me Beth?’ he asked quietly.
‘What kind of crazy question is that?’
Anger flared in him again. ‘Crazy? You mean like staying with someone who keeps one foot in their past life and seems to look for reasons to keep me away? First it was work, and then it was old hurts you couldn’t get over. Now, it’s this guy.’
What was he talking about?
‘I saw you kissing him…’
‘You saw me fighting him off.’
He laughed mockingly, ‘Honey, you didn’t look as if you were fighting too hard.’ Her fingers itched with the urge to slap the cocky smirk off his face. Her temper snapped and she gave up trying to placate him.
‘When did you become so insecure?’ She asked. ‘Does a guy showing interest in me threaten you that much?’ The smile disappeared instantly. Her change of tactics had caught him off guard. She blundered on recklessly. ‘Maybe I should go back to the party and give you something to be jealous of,’ she said, turning to leave the room with no intention of going any further than the bedroom to take off the damn dress that had been nothing but trouble.
She almost got to the door before he reached her, spinning her to face him, placing a hand on the wall on either side of her head. His body leaned into hers and she was shocked to find him rock hard. He lowered his face to hers, not touching but close enough to smell the alcohol he’d just had, as his warm breath fanned her skin. ‘Did he make you as wet as I do?’ he muttered.
pushed him away, furious but appalled to find that she was turned on. He grabbed her to him again, leaning them both into the wall as he slid his thigh between her legs. ‘Why are you fighting me? Do you wish it was him touching you?’
She couldn’t allow herself to give in to him, not when he was acting this way. ‘I don’t have to explain myself to you,’ she shouted.
Her words angered him. For one brief moment she thought he would back off, but instead he grabbed her hair and locked his lips over hers. The thigh between her legs pushed harder into her groin, as his hand ripped the dress from her breast, grabbing it roughly. He pulled his head back after a moment, watching as she strained to continue the kiss. She could see in his eyes he knew he had her then.
Replacing his thigh with a hand, he plunged two fingers into her without warning. Her knees buckled as her body pulsed in reaction and it was only his weight against her and the hand in her hair that stopped her falling. ‘He can’t have you,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘This is mine.’
A noise that was half scream-half groan came from her. He gave way when she pushed at him again. Her body was betraying her, but pride wouldn’t let her be dominated so easily.
‘No…. its mine,’ she told him, straightening her clothes, ‘and I can give it to whoever I want.’
His eyes flared with anger. ‘Oh really?’ he replied, surprising her with the calmness in his voice.
Ruben walked toward her slowly, unbuttoning his shirt, and taking it off as he reached her. Refusing to be intimidated by him, she held her ground. Unable to read his look, she gasped as he reached forward and ripped her dress apart. It flapped limply at her sides, exposing the panties and stockings she wore under it, as he pushed her back against the sofa, her ass just meeting the top edge.