Ruby's Fantasy (2 page)

‘If you can forgive me for my comment about your…'

He laughed again and Ruby found herself joining in.

‘I know it's getting late but would you mind suggesting what costume would suit me?' he asked. ‘I'm in and out with my business, so it would suit me to get this done. I'm pretty busy because I design security systems for corporations and upmarket houses.'

‘Sure. Look around and see what appeals to you.' She waved her hand in the direction of the racks of costumes. When Jake moved off and walked to the racks, Ruby eyed his fantastic physique frantically trying to work out what to suggest. She'd seen all of Emerald's designs but she'd been too fascinated by the women's whimsical costumes to pay much attention to the men's, and seeing as she'd only just arrived from the Blue Mountains, she had no idea how her sister had set up the shop.

She eyed Jake as he searched through the costumes. Did Emerald have a gladiator costume? It would show off Jake's muscular arms. Her gaze dropped. She bet under his jeans he had good legs too. What about a caveman? Was Jake too neat looking for that? Perhaps a deep sea diver with a tight rubber diving suit outlining his big shoulders, well-defined arms, his tight stomach muscles and his…

Jake turned. ‘Emerald?'

‘Yes?' Ruby's voice came out in an embarrassing squeak.

‘There are only female costumes in this room.'

Think on your feet, Ruby. Where had Emerald put the costumes for men? The back room? ‘Yes. Of course, there are. I just wanted you to see the costumes so you could check for yourself they weren't for hookers.'

He raised his eyebrows and gave her an appraising glance. ‘I see the champagne hasn't won your forgiveness.'

‘You'll have to try harder.'

His eyes sparkled. ‘I like a challenge.'

‘I like giving one.' She was flirting and she couldn't seem to stop herself. ‘Come into the back room. The men's apparel is there.' She strode around reception to the far end of the shop, which she remembered had an adjoining room.

Conscious of Jake following close behind her she walked into the smaller room. On the left were two curtained change rooms. The walls were lined with shelves containing helmets, cowboy hats, shields, swords, fake guns, lances and clubs on one side and racks of clothing on the other next to the change rooms. Ruby glanced around taking in the sizing and the details. There had to be something here for Jake.

‘What theme will you have for your party?' she asked to give herself time.

When he came to stand next to her, she could smell his fresh aftershave. It had a woodsy aroma that reminded her of her the country after rainfall. He also smelled of soap as if he'd just taken a shower. Her nostrils twitched with pleasure at the delicious overload of scents.

He had a quirky grin on his face and his mouth twisted to one side. ‘I was hoping you'd come up with something.'

Her mouth twitched as she stared at him. ‘How about come as your favourite fantasy?'

His gaze moved over her and a quiver rocketed through her. ‘I think you'd handle that well,' he said.

‘How about Tarzan?' She grabbed a furry loin-cloth and held it against his hips. Bare chest, loin-cloth and club.
Take me to your cave.

‘I need a Jane to sling over my shoulder.'

A small shiver of anticipation passed through her. ‘You mean you don't have one?'

‘The downside of my business is long hours on the job. Besides, I'm a wear-my-underpants-on-the-inside sort of guy.'

‘How about a gladiator?' she said putting back the Tarzan loin-cloth and pulling out a leather warrior kilt. ‘It covers your legs to the knees.'

‘There's not much to this costume either,' he said holding the leather kilt against his hips. ‘Are you trying to get me naked?'

Yup! ‘Of course not.' Ruby scanned the shelves and located the breastplates. She pulled one out and held it against his chest. When he moved forward, the warmth of his skin through his tee-shirt touched her fingertips. The shiver that had run through her turned to a sizzle. ‘You're larger than the average man. I don't think we have anything big enough to cover your chest. Why don't you add an armour collar if you're shy? It will cover your neck and shoulders.'

Jake shot her a look and cocked his eyebrow. ‘I'm not shy.'

A curious warm feeling settled between Ruby's legs under Jake's gaze.

He took the armour collar and strode into the change room.

‘Let me know if you need help,' Ruby called, pulling at the collar of her shift. She'd have to get air-conditioning in this back room because it sure was hot in here.

She walked over to the racks and sorted through them trying to find something else that would suit Jake. Who was he really? Superman? The mild-mannered man next door ready to come to her rescue if needed?

She frowned, eyeing the antihero Riddler costume. Was Jake who he said he was? One thing for certain was she needed to get to the bottom of it and find out more about the real man and see if he was linked to Emerald.

Ruby heard the change room curtain swish.

‘What do you think?' Jake said.

She turned and gasped. Jake was magnificent. More than magnificent. His face was cocked to one side and his mouth was twisted into that cute quirky grin again. His broad chest was tanned golden and smooth except for his brown slightly puckered nipples and his smooth skin undulated over his rock hard six pack. Just under his belly button was a light trail of dark hair that went down until it was hidden by the leather waistband on the warrior kilt.

‘Fantastic!' Ruby was almost lost for words.

‘I need some help fastening this armour collar.'

When Ruby stepped forward, she had to stand on her toes and reach up to clip the neck piece in place. There were several hooks under the metal, which allowed the collar to fit the size of the wearer. As her fingers sought the right hook she could feel Jake's warm breath fan her face and the heat of his bare skin. She wobbled slightly.

‘I've got you,' he said putting his big hands around her waist so that she didn't topple onto him.

‘There. It's done.' She dropped her arms and went to step back except Jake didn't release her. Instead, he stared down into her eyes. In one smooth movement, he leant down and kissed her.

Ruby opened her lips to protest except the sound of her dissent died in her throat when his hot lips pressed against hers. He pulled her to him so that her breasts were pressed flat against his naked chest and she could feel his heartbeat thumping against her ribs.

With a deep sigh, she put her arms around the back of his neck and kissed him back. His lips were firm and possessive. His tongue intertwined with hers and he growled with such pleasure, that a shiver of excitement shot through her. There was something about the warrior in him and for a long time she was lost in the fantasy.

Finally, he pulled back. ‘I've been wanting to do that from the moment I walked in.'

Ruby touched her lips. They felt swollen and hot. On her cheeks she was aware of where his slight bristle had rubbed the delicate skin. Worse, the rest of her body was on fire as if he'd ignited something she barely knew existed. ‘I don't usually kiss clients. It must be the sexy outfit. I think I got carried away.'

‘Outfits can be removed,' he said unclipping his collar. ‘The man stays the same.'

‘Well maybe you'd better change behind the curtain.' Because one thing was for sure, the sight of him naked would be too exciting.

He walked into the change room and pulled the curtain. She heard the clunk as the kilt hit the floor. Ruby turned away, even though she couldn't see through the curtain.

She was about to leave the room when Jake called her. Turning she saw that he had picked up the kilt and that his arm was extended expecting her to take it from him. Moving closer, she did so. She attached the kilt to the hanger when Jake stepped out of the change room. ‘I need a partner to take to the party. Will you come with me?'

‘Yes.' The word left her lips before she even had time to think about it.

‘Good. Because that means I get to help you choose your outfit,' he said before walking into where the women's costumes were lined up on a rack and pulling out a barely there scrap of fabric. ‘Like to strip off and get into this?' he asked, one eyebrow raised.

If she said yes, she had a feeling she'd be getting a lot more than she bargained for. ‘That doesn't go with a Gladiator. You need a Roman lady.'

His eyes twinkled. ‘I'd prefer a slave girl.'

‘That's called marriage.' She pursed her lips thinking. There was a good outfit somewhere. Now where had Emerald put it?

‘Remember the slave outfit Princess Leia wore in
Star Wars
?' he asked.

Ruby took the scrap of lace he held in his hand and put it back on the hanger. ‘You had a misspent youth.' She searched along the rack.

‘I was locked up with a bunch of young soldiers training all day. Do you know how many times we watched
Star Wars
in the barracks?'

‘Obviously not just for the action scenes.' She remembered Emerald designing the Princess Leia slave girl outfit, having decided it would be a popular rental. ‘Here you are. Your fantasy come true,' she said, holding up the brass bra and bikini with its attached see-through skirt for his perusal.

He touched the fabric and looked at her with admiration. ‘That's just how I remember it. How did you copy it so well? Will you wear your hair up with the long plait down the back?'

‘You don't have strange fetishes I need to know about, do you?' Jake looked so excited about the Princess Leia outfit that she wondered what she was getting herself into.

‘No. But I could develop some if you like. Try it on.'

A sharp pang of desire hit her when she stared up into his eyes. How was it that he managed to affect her in a way no one had before? She swallowed aware that her throat was dry. ‘I'll try it on but you do not open that curtain until I'm ready.'

‘Yes, Ma'am,' Jake saluted her.

Ruby walked to the change room aware that Jake was following her. She closed the curtain in his face.

Untying the knot at her silk belt, she let her trousers slip to the floor knowing that he was standing just outside. She pulled her tunic off along with her bra, realising that standing almost naked with a man she didn't know just on the other side of the curtain mightn't be the smartest thing to do, but Jake didn't alert her creep radar.

‘Do you need help?' Jake asked.

‘I'll manage.' Ruby suppressed a smile at the enthusiasm in his voice. She slid the slave-girl skirt over her hips and tucked her bikini underwear into the waistband as best as she could. G-string panties would look better even if the silk of the skirt were slightly see-through. She put on the brass bra moving her girls into position. Emerald had padded the inside with fabric so it made her breasts sit up so high, they were almost spilling out. She flicked aside the curtain and stepped out.

Admiration lit his handsome features. ‘You look fantastic. Turn around.'

She did as he asked, the skirt fabric fluttering around her legs.

He moved his palm up to her face, resting it momentarily on her cheek. ‘You're beautiful. You know that?' He pulled her to him, tilted her head back and brought his lips down on hers. His fingers gripped her hair as he kissed her. With his other hand, he pressed her to him so that she was up tight against his whole rock-hard torso. His fingers caressed her hair, her face, and her earlobes before brushing her hair out of the way and moving softly down her neck. She could hear her own breathing, high and ragged. This was madness kissing a stranger in the back of her shop but the intensity he used to kiss her swept her along like the froth on a boiling wave.

His kiss was possessive, firm and demanding. Her body melded against his, wanting more, needing more. When he pulled back she stared up at him breathing hard, barely able to believe her response.

‘You're like my fantasy woman come true.' His hands stroked over her waistline down to her hips until he reached where her sheer, long skirt split at the sides. He bent forward and kissed her stomach.

A hiss of surprise, of shock, left her lips. Her sex muscles clenched but things were going too far, too fast. ‘Stop!'

He did as she asked. Immediately. He stood. She saw the raw, aching desire in his eyes.

‘I should go.'

‘Yes.' There were no more words. Her mind was swirling with what had just happened between them. She wanted him in a way that she had never wanted any other man.

His gaze swept over her one more time in a broad sweeping motion taking in every inch of her. He turned and strode from the shop, closing the door behind him.

This wasn't finished.

Ruby cleared a space on the floor of the second bedroom so she could put down her overnight bag. Looking at her watch she saw it was seven p.m., time to try telephoning her twin again. Pulling out her mobile phone she pressed redial hoping her sister would pick up.

Surprise hit her when she heard her twin's ring tone somewhere in the bedroom. Scanning the room, she searched for the phone. Clothing design patterns littered the floor, fantasy costumes hung on racks, some no more than wisps of satin and silk. The bed, although made, was scattered with big, rainbow-coloured cushions on a cream comforter. The whole room was a colourful, swirling mess. Shifting aside some lacy underwear from the dresser, she pounced on the mobile phone. No wonder her twin wasn't answering her calls. She hadn't taken her mobile, a move Emerald would have done on purpose when she wanted to avoid nasty phone calls instead of dealing with them. It was like home all over again when the debtors had called looking for their father. Ruby always dealt with the difficult issues.

Part of her wanted to cut loose, to stop worrying about family, especially now she'd settled her father's gambling debts since he'd passed away.