Page 6 of Ruby's Strength

Four

Ruby

“Fine,” I say quirking my eyebrow and turning in my seat on the couch so my knee is resting on the cushion and my foot is hanging off the edge. “Let’s start with the basics. What is your name?”

Rett leans back against the couch and stretches his legs. The man exudes strength and manliness. “Everett Dean Hollis. What is yours?”

“Ruby Louisa. How old are you?”

“You keep asking me questions, and I’m going to ask them right back.” He warns smiling at me.

“Age?”

“Thirty-four. What is your favorite dessert?”

“Vanilla bean cheesecake. Are you a mean drunk or a happy one?”

“When I drink it’s not to get drunk. On the rare occasion that I go past my limit, I’m more relaxed than angry. I could never be angry with you though love, you’ve got nothing to worry about there. Who was your first boyfriend?”

My cheeks burn. I know it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but at my age people have at least been on one date. I could never bring myself to accept any offers from someone who wasn’t my mate. I was asked out when I was in high school, but I always refused. After a while, they stopped asking. “I’ve never had one,” I mumble out. Rett looks at me in shock but wisely lets it go. “How long were you in the military for?”

“About sixteen years. Some things happened that I couldn’t get passed. I left on good terms I guess.”

“Do you miss it?” I immediately ask skipping his turn.

“That’s two questions.” He teases while stroking up the side of my neck with the back of his fingers. Bursts of pleasure shoot through me at his touch. I need to pull myself together before I do something stupid and give into this mating pull.

I stand abruptly, needing to get some space from the man causing so much chaos inside me. I hate to leave early, especially tonight when there’s so much to celebrate, but that’s all I can handle for right now.

Aubree and Cole are still in their room doing things I don’t want to think about. “Slate, Maura, I’m going to get out of here.”

“What, no you can’t go yet. We just had dinner. There’s still dessert and kicking the guys’ ass at Phase 10. I mentioned the rum cake right?”

“Sorry I just remembered something I forgot to do.”

She gives me a weird look, and I swear the woman is scolding me with her eyes. She’s been after me to get myself out there more to see if I could find my mate. I told her not to worry, and it would happen when it was supposed to. Now that it has though, I’m not ready, and no one else needs to know about it yet for that matter. “Gabe just left.”

“What the hell! He was my ride.”

“Not sure. He ran out of here so fast we didn’t have a chance to ask what was going on. We told him we’d give you a ride back to your place.” Slate explains.

“I could drive you home.” Rett offers from beside me, making me jump. How the hell didn’t I notice him?

“That’s not necessary,” I say at the same time Maura answers.

“That’s a great idea.” She says excitedly giving me a smug grin.

“Fine.” I grit out and grab my bag. I march out of the house with Rett following close behind me. “You in a hurry? It’s not like you’ve got a hot date.”

I stop to turn and face him, but he bumps into me making me fall. Before I hit the ground, he has me in his arms and is carrying me to his truck. “Easy Beautiful. I can’t have you hurting yourself on my watch.”

I don’t want to like his touch as much as I do, but I can’t help how good it feels to be in his arms. He manages to open the passenger side door and sets me down in my seat. “Why wouldn’t you think I would have a date to get to.”

His cocky smile fades from his face, and something else entirely takes over. Something that looks a little bit like pure confidence and a whole heck of a lot like a man who knows what’s his. “From what I’ve put together you’ve lived in this small town all of your life. Not to mention there aren’t many people coming and going in these parts of the Black Hills. If someone were man enough to claim you as theirs, they would have done it long before now. Since they haven’t their time is up because there is no way in hell I’m giving anyone a chance.” He kisses the top of my head and gruffly tells me to put my seat belt on before closing the door.

The short ride back to my house is quiet except for the directions I give him. When he pulls up my drive and parks behind my SUV, I’m more confused than ever. I feel as though I’m being pulled in two different directions, my emotions warring against each other. There’s no doubt this man is my mate, but am I ready for him? Can I give him all of me at the expense of potentially losing everything? Rett has no idea what I am, or what we mean to one another, but he knows I’m his. For now, that’s enough.

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