I pull back an inch, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Like what?”
She lowers her gaze, almost embarrassed. “This. Any of this. I’ve never been kissed or touched like…” Her voice trails off. “God, this is embarrassing.”
Holy shit.
“Are you a virgin, Ruby?”
“Yes,” she murmurs, ducking her face.
My chest tightens with something fierce, something more than lust, as the implication of her words dawns on me. My jaw clenches. Not because I’m annoyed, but because I suddenly want to destroy anyone who’s ever looked at her without appreciating how fucking rare she is.
She’s a virgin. Damn.
I grip the edge of the table, knuckles white, forcing down the primal surge of emotion that rises inside me. I want to grab her and claim her. But I can’t—I shouldn’t. Not here. Not like this.
“Ruby.” My voice is gravel. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
She blinks up at me, lips parting, and gives the smallest nod.
Like the damn universe knows it’s time, Milly suddenly appears at our table, smiling like she’s been watching a romance movie unfold from the kitchen.
“Well, well. You two clean up nicely together,” she says, giving Ruby a wink before placing the bill down in front of me. “Dinner’s on me tonight. Consider it awelcome to Sun Valleygift.”
I shake my head. “Milly—”
She waves me off. “Don’t argue. Just promise you’ll bring her back again.” She smiles sweetly at Ruby. “He’s a good one, honey. Moody and impossible sometimes, but good.”
Ruby laughs, cheeks flushed pink. “Thanks, Milly.”
Milly leans down and pats my shoulder, a knowing glint in her eye. She whispers close enough for only me to hear, “Be gentle. Don’t you dare let her slip away.”
Then she’s gone, leaving behind a receipt with nothing but zeroes on it.
I look at Ruby. She looks at me.
Yeah, we need to get out of here.
I take her hand in mine, gently guiding her through the rows of tables and chairs. We make it to the truck in silence, but it’s not a quiet kind of silence. It’s loaded. Buzzing. She’s breathing faster, her pupils blown wide in the soft light spilling from the diner windows.
As soon as the truck doors are closed behind us, I reach across and cup the back of her neck. She lets out a soft gasp, her eyes locking on mine like she’s aching for me to kiss her again.
So I do.
Her lips part eagerly, like she’s been thinking about this as much as I have. I’m already half hard just from watching her all evening, but kissing her sends me to another level. I deepen the kiss, slipping my tongue into her mouth, and she moans into me, causing blood to rush from my brain to my cock.
“Fuck,” I whisper against her lips. “You’re addictive.”
She whimpers again, and that sound just wrecks me. I break the kiss, leaning back just enough to look at her face—her flushed cheeks, kiss-bruised lips, the way her chest rises and falls…
“Come here.”
I guide her across the bench seat until she’s in my lap, straddling me, her skirt riding up, and fuck if I don’t nearly lose it right there. Her hands go to my shoulders, then my hair, tugging slightly like she’s trying to keep herself grounded.
“You ever been touched like this before, baby?” I ask her, my voice rough with restraint.
She shakes her head. “No…not like this.”
Jesus.
