Ruby forcibly removes the man’s hand from her body. He says something else, and she rears back like he’s slapped her. I’m up and across the bar in seconds, shoving him away from her.
With one fist tangled in the front of his shirt, I ask, “What did this piece of shit say?”
“Nothing,” Ruby says. “It’s fine, Liam. Let him go.”
I pin the asshole against the wall with my forearm. If she won’t tell me, I’ll get it out of him instead. “What the fuck did you say to my girl?”
“Your girl?” He laughs and looks around me toward Ruby. “This asshole your boyfriend?”
“Don’t fucking look at her.”
“Listen, man. It’s not my fault she was being a fucking cock tease. Little Miss Perfect thinks she’s too fucking good for me.”
I pull my fist back, ready to plow into his face, when a pair of gentle hands wraps around my biceps. “Don’t. He’s not worth it,” Ruby says.
I lower my arm and release him from my grip. “Get out. Don’t let me see you in this bar ever again.”
“You can’t do that,” he stammers.
Cade and Miles join us.
“He can and he did,” Cade says. “We don’t take kindly to our women being harassed.” They escort him from thebuilding without question, and I’m left standing face to face with an irate Ruby.
“I can take care of myself,” she says.
I pull her against me and cup her cheek. “I know. But you shouldn’t have to. Are you ok?”
She nods and swipes her hands down her jeans like she’s trying to wipe away all traces of that dickhead. “I’m fine.”
I scan her face, taking in her flushed cheeks and the fiery determination in her eyes. I’m ravenous for it—for her. My gaze dips to her lips, and she leans in. With the smallest movement, I could close the distance—I could finally know what it’s like to be wholly and completely hers.
Unbidden, my mind recalls the scene from moments ago when that motherfucker had his hands on her, and I falter. My hand drops away from her cheek, and her expression instantly sobers.
Without another word, she shoves past me out the back door, not bothering to look back. I’m not letting her get away that easily.
Halfway through the lot, she whirls around, kicking up dust in the gravel. “Leave me alone, Liam. ”
I rear back at the sudden sting of bitterness in her voice. “Are you mad at me?”
Her mouth drops open and she cocks her head to the side, eyes wide in disbelief. “You can’t be serious right now. Of course I’m mad.”
“Ruby—I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? You’resorry?”
I lift a hand to touch her, but she slaps it away and shoves at my chest. “No. Don’t touch me. Not unless you’re ready to tell me why you won’t fucking kiss me.” When I don’t respond, she continues. “You really think I haven’t noticed? Every time you pull away, I fucking die a little on the inside.”
My stomach sinks. I take several measured steps towardher, backing her closer to my truck and closing the meager distance between us. “Do you really want to know why I haven’t kissed you?”
“Yes!” she bellows, throwing her fists down at her sides. “Yes. I deserve to know why you’ll fuck me senseless but refuse to give me something as simple as a kiss.”
My nostrils flare as I press her up against the back passenger door. One hand wraps possessively around her throat while the other palms her hip. “Kissing you is anything but simple. The second I taste you, the moment I feel your perfect fucking mouth on mine, it will never be enough.” I pinch my eyes shut and breathe in her scent. It grounds me the way it always has.
I release my grip on her throat to trail my hand higher, tenderly cradling her jaw. There’s a slight hitch in her breath as my thumb swipes over her mouth, tugging down on her bottom lip before releasing it.
“It’s barely enough to touch you, tease you, make you come undone beneath me, but these lips—the ones that sing the most incredible lyrics—the ones everyone else gets to witness but never taste, the ones that pleaded with me to take you away all those years ago, these lips won’t ever fucking belong to me, so Irefuseto take them.”
Her breathing grows ragged, her chest heaving with the force of it. “Why not?” she rasps. “Why can’t they belong to you? Why can’t I belong to you?”
