Page 21 of His Jewel

“Hey!”

He missed his family.

“Let’s arrange another catch up soon. I love you all.”

A chorus ofI love youensued before the call ended.

He exhaled, his breath tickling his hair.

“So ... you’ve just met my family.”

“And you’ve just claimed me as your girlfriend,” she said, wrapping herself even tighter against him.

He chuckled against her head. “I like the sound of that.”

He groaned. The ding of an elevator bell signaled the start of the working day. But now he would have something, someone, to go home to. Someone waiting for him. Her. This thought had him burying his face deeper into her.

It was as if she could sense his thoughts. She untangled herself from him, before dropping a ruby red kiss on his cheek. “There, now I’ve made my claim.”

She got to the door.

“Pizza for dinner tonight?”

He grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

It did.

Chapter Nine

Ruby

The past few months had felt like a blur, a big, beautiful blur full of light and color and fun. She’d practically been living at his apartment. He’d already asked her to move in with him, but she’d refused, stating it was too early. But it wasn’t. She’d never wanted anything more, but there was that one thing ruining the otherwise perfection. Like a looming storm cloud on a bright, sunny day. It chipped at her heart like a chisel, but the longer this went on, the worse it got. But she couldn’t bring herself to be brave. She couldn’t bring herself to find the words. Because she would lose him.

“Shit!”

The coffees she was carrying spilled on her shoes.Look where you’re going, Ruby, she scolded herself.

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