Forbidden Temptation

“It was a nice wedding reception, wasn’t it?” she asked him as they moved in the slow waltz.

“I dislike meaningless small talk, Ruby, just as I hate every other kind of superficiality.” She seemed to recoil from the blow of that comment, but he didn’t care. At least, she was still perceptive.

“Happy New Year,” someone yelled. Impulsively, he locked her to him, pressed his lips to hers, and when, in her shock, she parted them, he plunged into her. Caught off guard, she pulled him into her, loving him in return. His heart skipped a beat and then took off, as all of his blood seemed to head in one direction, straight to his groin, burning his veins with the heady heat of desire He stopped, almost pushing her away when fire roared through him. He’d meant to punish her with that kiss, but it was he who received the chastening.

He could feel the tremors that shook her, but no matter, he stepped farther away from her. “Happy New Year, Ruby.” Without looking at anyone or letting anybody catch his eye, he walked out. Not even the biting cold air sobered him mentally or tempered his desire. He got in his car and just sat there, listless, unable to will himself to start the motor and drive. He’d been alone plenty in his life, but he didn’t remember having been as lonely as he felt right then.

After nearly a quarter of an hour, he inserted the key into the ignition, revved the motor and headed home.

Ruby stood as he left her, catatonic, unable to move. What on earth had possessed Luther to do that in front of all those people? She looked around, expecting that she’d be the center of attention, that everyone would be staring at her, but it seemed that no one had noticed it, and she realized that others had been sharing New Year’s Eve kisses and hadn’t seen her exchange one with Luther. None, except Trevor Johns.

He strode over to her, took her arm and walked with her to the anteroom. “What was that about? What’s that guy to you?”

She didn’t like being questioned, although Trevor had escorted her to the reception and probably thought he had a right to know why she’d kissed another man in his presence.

“I didn’t expect that any more than you did,” she said. “If I ever find out why he did it, I’ll tell you. Right now I’d like to drop it. I’m sorry if it embarrassed you.”

“I’d been hoping that you and I might get something going,” he said, “but…Look, you kissed him back. I mean, you didn’t fool around.”

“Look, Trevor, I’ve known him since I was two or three. Think nothing of it.”

“If you say so. But can you kiss me the way you kissed him?”

Her face twisted into a frown. This man was too possessive. “I haven’t known you as long as I’ve known him,” she said and whirled around to go back to join her family at their table.

“Having a problem?” D’marcus asked her.

“Thanks. I can handle it.” If she’d driven her own car, she’d be on her way home right then.

“If you decide you want to go home, let me know,” D’marcus said. “This is what brothers are for.”

“Thanks, bro,” she said. “I’ll remember that.”

Later, after deciding that she didn’t know Trevor Johns well enough to trust him, she said to D’marcus, “Why don’t you and Opal drop by for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee on your way home?”

“I’m driving, so I’ll skip the wine,” he said, “but I’d love a cup of good coffee.”

Ruby had to tap Trevor’s forearm to get his attention. “I’m ready to go. Ruby and D’marcus are coming by for coffee. Are you ready?”

His expression of surprise suggested to her that he had either expected her to leave without him or that having her brother-in-law and sister for company had derailed his plans. “Is this some kind of family custom?” he asked her. “I mean…Well, hell. Let’s go.”

His response tempted her to tell him good-night then and there, but she restrained herself and forced a smile. “We’re ready, D’marcus.”

Trevor parked in front of Ruby’s big Tudor house and turned to her. “I’m really not in the mood for coffee.”

“Thanks for the pleasant company,” she said, allowing herself to sound insincere, and opened the door. However, Trevor hurried around to assist her, and she was glad he did, for she could barely maneuver in the slim sheath. When he walked with her to the front door, she told herself that inviting Opal and D’marcus for coffee was one of the smartest things she’d done.

She opened the door and, without entering, said to him, “Thanks again. Good night.” She extended her hand, but he ignored it.

“Good night, Ruby. It isn’t often I get to escort the belle of the ball. Be seeing you.”

She let out a long sigh of relief when Trevor met Opal and D’marcus on the walkway and nodded, but didn’t hesitate.

“Still want to make coffee?” Ruby asked her.

“Sure. Come on in.”

“He’s a decent enough guy,” D’marcus said. “What happened that caused you to dump him like that?”

“He got too possessive.”

“Maybe he got uptight when Luther kissed you,” Opal said. “Of course, it’s none of my business, but what was Luther mad about? He didn’t seem affectionate. And last night, you two acted like you hardly knew each other. I don’t get it.”

“Neither do I,” Ruby said and headed for the kitchen, grateful she had to make the coffee. When she returned to the living room with a tray, she stopped and stared at the newlyweds locked in a sizzling kiss. It hadn’t take them long to switch their minds off her and Luther, she thought. She put the tray on the coffee table and cleared her throat.

“I hope you and Luther straighten out whatever’s wrong between you,” D’marcus said, picking up the conversation where they’d left it. “He’s a great guy, and this family is very important to him. Who knows? Something could even develop between you two.”

Didn’t she wish! But Luther wanted no part of her, and he’d made that clear. Even when she’d shamelessly kissed him back tonight, hoping to let him know how he made her feel, he’d pushed her away. He’d done it gently, but he’d done it, and that told her more than words could have. Why did he have to be the man to teach her what lovemaking was all about, to cherish her as if she were the rarest gem and to make her explode again and again in orgasm? He wasn’t the first, but he was the only one who mattered.

She sipped the coffee and remembered D’marcus’s comment. “Me and Luther?” she exclaimed. “I was pie-eyed about him when I was three. I’m grown up now.” She looked at her brother-in-law with one raised eyebrow. “Wouldn’t that be a humdinger!”

Ruby slept late New Year’s morning and awakened feeling lost. For the first time in her memory, she didn’t feel like calling Luther to wish him a Happy New Year. Her reluctance to talk to him sprang from her fear that he would reject her gesture. How times had changed. Luther had been her solid rock, and now she feared calling him. Who would ever have imagined it?

She scrambled out of bed, showered, dressed and went downstairs to cook her breakfast. “If this is what the remainder of the year will be like,” she said to herself, “I’m not looking forward to it.”

After breakfast she decided to do her laundry. Nostalgia gripped her when she took the bedding from the hamper, remembered her lovemaking with Luther and thought how ephemeral happiness could be. She sat down on a stool in the laundry room and mused about her chances of finding that feeling with someone else.

I want to find out more about it while I’m still young and I can enjoy it, and I’m going to. Luther wouldn’t have noticed me last night if I hadn’t been wearing that sexy red dress, so I’m going shopping.

She spent the remainder of the day purging her clothing, most of which was better suited for a woman twice her age. The following Monday morning she called the Salvation Army. Then she went shopping.

She didn’t have to be told that the fashionable clothes, shoes and accessories she bought raised eyebrows, and with her hair cut in a pixie style and three-inch-heeled suede boots on her feet, she attracted a lot of glances. As she strolled through Twelve Oaks Mall, she couldn’t believe the amount of male attention she received.

A few evenings later when she walked into her house, the telephone began to ring and, thinking that the caller was one of her sisters, as was usually the case, she dashed to the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hello. This is Lawrence Hill. I hope you remember me. We met at the Harvest Ball the day after Thanksgiving, and I remember how well you dance. I’m calling to ask if you’d go with me to the local Kappa dance Saturday. I’d be honored.”

“Yes, I do remember you,” she said. “Let me think about this a little bit. Call me tomorrow evening. It’s formal, isn’t it?”

“Black tie. I’ll call about this time tomorrow, if you don’t mind, and I hope you’re going to say yes.”

“We’ll see. Thanks for calling, and have a pleasant evening.” They said goodbye and she hung up. You bet, she remembered Lawrence Hill. Who could miss him? The man was a stud if she’d ever seen one, but she’d turned over a new leaf; she was no longer the family wallflower who stood by while her sisters found their mates, fell in love and married. Not that she wasn’t happy for them. Lord knows she was, but there had always been that little voice inside that asked, “Why not me?” Maybe she’d go out with Lawrence Hill, and maybe she wouldn’t. If things were normal, she’d phone Luther and ask his views on the matter, but life was lopsided there right now, so she called D’marcus instead.

“Do you happen to know Lawrence Hill?” she asked him.

“If it’s the guy I’m thinking about, he’s a fraternity brother. Seems nice enough if you can handle a stiff dose of ego.”