The Bad Boy Next Door: A Red Hot Bad Boy Romance (16 page)

“What should I be doing?” Ruby asked, smoothing the skirt of her long evening gown. She had chosen black with silver highlights, and her hair was in a Grecian style updo with ringlets hanging free down the back.

“You should still be at home,” Julia reprimanded her. “This is Isaac’s baby and you don’t see him here getting under foot do you?”

“I know,” Ruby dithered, “but someone has to show guests where to sit, and show the orchestra where to sit, and man the guest book.” Ruby was rambling.

Julia cut her off. “None of those things falls to you, dearest. This is why I pay my assistants so well;
we
do all of those things. You and Isaac are the clients, and the clients
never
work their own events. It would make me look unprofessional. So you take a deep breath, go get some water, and sit the hell down somewhere out of the way. Don’t you have books to autograph?”

Ruby sighed. Julia was right, but Ruby couldn’t help it. They went through this familiar banter before every book launch party began also. Ultimately, Ruby trusted Julia. So she went to the bar and asked for a tall ice water and then carried it to a back table where a cardboard box full of books awaited her autograph. Her publisher had moved up the release date for the second book in her romance trilogy, and many of the books she was signing today were special advance copies which would be given away as contest prizes. A few were earmarked for Julia’s clients; clients would appreciated any little extra personal attention for their donation.

The book launch party itself was in three weeks. Ruby had already submitted the outline and a few plot notes to her agent for the final book of the trilogy. The feedback had been positive, and she was looking forward to getting started on it.
After Isaac and I get back from vacation,
she reminded herself. Ruby and Isaac had promised each other that after his benefit and her book party, they would take a week-long cruise to recharge their batteries. Ruby couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a vacation. A weekend of shopping in Dallas didn’t count. Isaac hadn’t taken vacation either, not since his parents passed. It would do them both good, she knew.

Their relationship, though it had a rough start originally, had been going strong since their First Date Do-Over. Isaac had thrown a couple of parties in the last three weeks, but to Ruby’s pleasure and surprise she was invited to them, and they weren’t nearly as out of control as his previous soirees had been. They gave each other space when they needed it, but spent plenty of intimate time together as well. Ruby enjoyed maintaining her independence, and Isaac didn’t begrudge her that.

“We live right next door to each other, so it’s perfect,” he’d said one afternoon as they discussed their couplehood. “We’re each independent, but close enough to spend all the time together that we want to.”

“It would be kind of funny if we remodeled both of our houses so they were connected by a doorway inside,” Ruby had laughed, drinking the last of her margarita.

Isaac hadn’t laughed however. He had rubbed his chin and said, “Hmm. You might be on to something there, my love.”

Ruby raised an eye brow. “No, I’m not. I was joking.”

“Well, hear me out. Some day we might want to move in together right? So how would that work? I have the larger house, but yours is cozier. Do we sell one and cram all of our stuff into the other? Or,” Isaac said, spreading his hands in the air as if inviting her to share his vision, “do we simply connect the two houses into one mega-house?”

Ruby shook her head, smiling. It wasn’t the worst idea she had ever heard. Besides, she didn’t know if she wanted to give her house up. Finally she shrugged. “Okay, when it comes time to have that discussion seriously, we’ll put it on the table as an option.”

Isaac fist-pumped the air as if he’d won a major victory.

Bringing herself back to the present, Ruby smiled and continued signing books. She set aside one copy of each of her works for the network owner whom she would be meeting at her party in three weeks. She knew the woman already owned the books, but Ruby felt the autographed hardcovers would be a nice gesture. She was nervous about the idea of seeing her work on the screen, whether it was the big one or the small one. What if the show’s writers slaughtered her plot? What if they deleted characters? What if they
added
characters? There were already steamy romance scenes, but what if they started over-sexing the whole thing? Ruby took a deep breath and told herself to calm down.

It’s only been optioned,
she reminded herself.
There is no guarantee it will even happen, so there’s no point in fretting and worrying about it right now anyway. Just chill out and get through tonight.

***

Isaac arrived fifteen minutes before the guests and found Ruby packing the sighed books back into their cardboard boxes. He pulled her into a hug, pressing her body close against his.

“I can’t wait to get this dress off of you later,” he whispered, enjoying the giggle it elicited from her. “I hope you’re not wearing any panties under that dress,” he continued.

Ruby felt herself blush. It was a dirty little secret between the two of them, meant to excite them. “Maybe. Maybe not. You’ll just have to find out.”

Isaac felt himself begin to harden slightly. “I should bend you over one of these tables and find out right now.”

Ruby face was hot. She looked up at him, and couldn’t help smiling. “Behave! We need these people to donate to the cause so you don’t have to pay for the whole thing out of your own pocket. If they walk in and see us humping like horny high schoolers, we’ll be a laughingstock.” She pushed away from him and pointed a finger as if to admonish him to behave. “You’ll get nothing later if you don’t behave.”

The two of them found Julia and everybody took their places and waited for guests to begin arriving.

***

By the end of the evening, Isaac and Ruby had shaken at least two hundred hands apiece and given away all ten spots on the Wall of Contributors which would hang in a prominent place inside of their future building. To get a spot on the plaque, a donor had to give upwards of $10,000. Ruby swooned at the thought of how much money the nonprofit was able to pull in. Then she felt a swelling of pride in her breast. Isaac’s dream would become a reality, and the literacy foundation would be a self-supporting entity. Ruby had added a few thousand of her own dollars and Isaac, of course, was contributing a significant amount of cash as well. After all, it had been his baby, and he wanted to be hands on through the whole process.

Ruby’s feet were killing her by the time she was finally done in the receiving line at the end of the evening. She sauntered up to the bar and ordered a vodka with cranberry juice. She had been drinking ice water all night with the exception of the one glass of champagne during the toasts. Julia came up beside her and ordered the same.

“You guys did it,” she exclaimed. “You have the funds to start your non-profit. The Literacy Foundation would be a great name for it; simple and straightforward.”

Ruby nodded. “That’s what we’re calling it. Next job is to find a building or suitable site to build on. Isaac is going to have his financial advisers work on the non-profit as well so as to keep his personal money separate.”

Julia nodded. “Good idea. Keep it all above board. Next big thing is your book party. I am so excited about this.” Julia started rattling off the details.

Ruby half-listened, but she was watching Isaac, who was still glad-handing some of the donors. She was grateful that Julia had been willing to influence some of her past clients to come to the benefit. Ruby sat up suddenly as she saw an odd look come over Isaac’s face. He was looking in the direction of the double doors leading out of the banquet hall. Ruby followed his gaze and felt her ire rise as she saw Genie Randles step into the room and look around.

Julia noticed too. “That little wench,” she breathed. “I have that birth certificate by the way. I held on to it just in case.”

Ruby absently shook her head and started walking toward Genie. Isaac was doing the same, but Ruby got there first. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Ruby asked her in a low, mean voice.

Genie stepped back, eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I just came because—” her voice faltered and she held up an envelope. Ruby snatched it from her and read it. It was the letter Isaac had sent to her a while back.

Ruby handed it back to the woman and put a hand on her hip. “If you cause a scene, so help me—”

Isaac was there then, looking from one woman to the other. Genie held up the envelope. “I got this, so I came to talk to you in person, but your aunt said you were at this benefit.”

“Aunt Amanda told you to come here?” Isaac asked sharply.

“No, no. She just said you were at a benefit. I figured the rest out myself. I just came to talk to you, Isaac. I promise I’m not here to cause trouble.”

Ruby’s eyes were still narrowed dangerously. She half hoped Genie would give her a good reason to deck her. At a look from Isaac however, Ruby stepped away and went back to the bar where Julia was still staring at the scene unfolding. Ruby had to trust Isaac to handle this. If he needed her, he’d say so. Ruby rolled her eyes at Julia, indicating the situation and Julia patted her arm.

“It’ll be okay, dearest.” Julia ordered another vodka and cranberry, and slid it to her friend.

***

After all of the donors were gone, Julia insisted that Isaac and Ruby leave her and her crew to do the cleanup. Ruby didn’t put up a fight this time, wanting to get home and spend time with Isaac. He had been a very good boy after all, and he deserved his reward, she thought to herself. Then she remembered Genie, and her mood darkened again. Finally, she asked Isaac what had happened between them

“She apologized profusely for her actions. She’s tired of her mother running her life and wanted to cut ties. But she can only do that if she has the money to leave.”

“Why did she go back to St. Louis in the first place then?” Ruby asked.

“Her mother fed her a line of bullshit about being ill and needing her only daughter by her side,” Isaac explained. “By the time she spent the money to get back and find out her mother wasn’t really sick, she couldn’t afford to leave again.”

“Did you agree to give her any money?”

“No, and she didn’t ask,” Isaac said.

They arrived in front of Isaac’s house and he led Ruby up his steps and inside the living room. Ruby let the subject drop, as Isaac got down on his knees inside the door and started sliding his hands up her dress. Ruby smiled as she felt his hands slid up the backs of her legs, her thighs, her buttocks. Then his fingers were inside of her upon discovering that indeed she had no panties on. She moaned as his fingers expertly found their way to her sweet spot and applied just enough pressure to bring her to her knees.

“Mmm,” she moaned, closing her eyes.

Isaac’s eyes traveled down her slim throat, to the swell of her breasts. The fabric of the dress was soft and silken, and one graze of his palm told him she wore no bra beneath the bodice. “Naughty girl, going commando.”

Ruby smiled playfully. “To build your anticipation.”

“It worked.” Isaac unzipped the back of her dress and pulled it down, slowly revealing full breasts and erect nipples. He stood, pulling her up with him, and then picked her up and carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom where he applied his full attentions to the lover’s arts until they were both ridden by waves of pleasure and exhausted to the point of collapse.

“You’re fantastic,” Ruby breathed, trying to catch her breath.

“No, you are. You’re so tight, I feel like I’m going to explode the moment I enter you,” Isaac responded, resting his hand casually on her stomach.

The two of them melted into each other, Ruby’s back against Isaac’s muscular chest. His arm draped over her stomach, and her fingers intertwined with his.

“It’s like we’re one person,” he whispered.

*

Isaac looked at himself in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of Ruby’s bedroom door and straightened his tie. It was almost time to leave for the launch party. He had booked a flight to Key West, Florida leaving the afternoon following the party. The cruise he had booked for them would leave the day after they arrived in Florida; destination: Bahamas. It was a seven day cruise all told. Two days would be spent on the ocean with several days spent on various Bahamian islands before the final two days cruising back to Key West. It promised to be a fun time for both of them. Isaac rummaged through the two drawers Ruby had designated for his use and found the little black velvet box therein. He opened it, eyed the contents and then shut it again. He hefted the little box, amazed at how light it was given the hefty price tag that was attached to it at the jeweler’s.

He planned to pop the question at the book launch party. It would give them something further to celebrate during their journey. He put the tiny box into his inner coat pocket just as Ruby poked her head into the bedroom and eyeballed him.

“Hot,” was the verdict.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” he replied with a wink.

Ruby was wearing a sky blue cocktail dress with Swarovski accents lining the hems. They sparkled in the light as she moved. Isaac asked if she was going commando for him again. She only winked and told him he’d have to be a good boy to find out. He gave her another wink and it was time to leave. They were driven to the party in a limo Isaac had hired for the occasion. On the way to the banquet hall where the party was being held, Ruby fretted about her meeting with the network owner.