Page 88 of Holding You
She lets out a soft laugh.
“Oh, I have to keep it together. I don’t want to freak him out too.”
“Well, Ruby Asher, lucky for you, you don’t have to pretend on this flight for my sake. Freak all you want. I’ll be right here.”
Her head remains resting against the headrest, but she rolls it to look at me with a smile.
I can't help but smile back.
Maybe she won't be mad at me for the entire trip.
“I hope you still say that if I throw up all over you.”
I let out a chuckle and nod.
“Guess we’ll find out.”
The flight attendant’s voice comes over the speaker, informing us that everyone is on the plane and that we will be moving soon.
Just as the words leave her mouth, the plane jerks to back up and Ruby’s hand slaps down on mine resting on the armrest that we share.
Her fingers immediately curl around my hand.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m aware that she needs some type of comfort and distraction at the moment or because I believe something between us changed recently, but I roll my hand under hers and let her fingers lace with mine.
She doesn't jerk, she just squeezes tighter as we start moving.
Everyone else on the plane is going about their day, chatting,reading, or watching a movie, but not Ruby. No, Ruby is sitting here with her eyes squeezed closed so she can’t see a single thing happening around her. She’s probably chanting something in her head on repeat to distract herself from listening to the stewardess.
Her hand in mine grips tighter, so I reach up and turn her fan on, adjusting it until I see the hair around her face blow slightly.
She lets out a breath but still doesn’t open her eyes.
I take this moment to admire her.
Typically, we don’t sit this close, so having a moment to take in her high rosy cheekbones and the few freckles scattered over her small nose is nice. Heck, this is the first time I've noticed that she has three piercings in each ear.
These little details are 100 percent all her.
I always knew Ruby was pretty.
But these last couple of weeks with her have made me see her in a new light. One I’m starting to like just a little too much.
And one I have no idea what to do about.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
RUBY
Slot machines, music, and stale air surround us as we step into the MGM. We form a line at the check-in desk, with Hudson and Sadie in front. In fact, it’s a line of couples until you get to the end, where it is me and Declan pulling up the rear.
Just like at the airport and just like when I was seated by him on the plane.
I glance over my shoulder to see him following, but he’s looking at his phone. It is as if the noise of the casino didn’t faze him at all. Me, however? Although excited to be in a different world for the weekend, my overstimulated anxiety kicked in the moment our Uber turned onto the Strip.
“I’ll go check us in since I put all the rooms under my name to get a block together,” Luca says. Shay’s hand is basically glued to his as the next open receptionist waves them over.
“What should we do first?” Brooke asks, gazing around the room. Her eyes settle on one of the roulette tables closest to us.
