Cade chuckles. “You’re a Grade A dumbass if you don’t know she’s been madly in love with you for years. She dropped everything to play at my wedding because youasked. Do you really think she would’ve offered to be a live-in nanny for anyone else? She’s Ruby Lynn Hayes, for fuck’s sake. She’s a millionaire?—”
“Billionaire, actually.”
“Exactly. No way she’d be slumming it as a live-in nanny for anyone else. She did it because it was you. To be close to you. Totake careof you.”
Fuck. Why did it take Cade fucking Brooks pointing it out for it to finally sink in? He’s right. Iama dumbass. I’ve spent months projecting my insecurities onto our relationship—letting my fears complicate something that should be so simple.
There’s no room for doubt if we’re going to make this work. I have to be all in, or let her go, and there’s no hell worse than the thought of living without her.
It’s time to cast aside my insecurities. I’m not like my father, and I can’t allow those haunted memories to ruin the future that's within my grasp if I could only release the anchor that’s keeping me tethered to the past.
Cade gives me a knowing smirk. “I see you’ve finally figured it out. Drink?”
“Thanks, but I think I’m gonna head home.”
Ruby: You sent me tacos.
Liam: I did.
Ruby: Gloria’s doesn’t do delivery.
Liam: She does for me.
Ruby sends a selfie in the bath.
Liam: Move the bubbles.
Ruby: I’d much rather move my hand. Give me something to work with, Grumpy.
Liam: You want pictures?
Liam: Or my voice.
Ruby: I want your mouth and your cock but I’ll settle for whatever I canget.
My phone vibrates beside me on the weight bench. I swipe to answer on the first ring, already hard from the thought of Ruby taking care of herself in the bath.
“Liam…” Her voice is breathy and strained.
“Is my little whore touching herself without permission?”
“Y-yes. Please.”
“Please what? Tell me what you need.”
“Tell me what to do,” she whines.
“Mmm. Is that what you want, baby? Do you like it when I tell you what to do?”
“Yes.”
“Dirty girl. Turn on the video and put your phone where I can see you.”
I can hear movement through the phone, then her face comes into view. Her shoulders are glistening with water and a few stray bubbles. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun, and her cheeks are flushed in the most adorable shade of pink. She’s only been gone for twenty-four hours, but it feels like a lifetime.
“That’s it. Fuck, you’re so goddamn sexy, baby. It’s torture not being able to touch you. Lay back and slip that hand between your thighs for me. Imagine it’s my hand. ”
The water sloshes, and Ruby's beautiful, teardrop-shaped breasts float to the surface. I’d make a deal with the devil to be there with her right now.
