She shivered in the cool air as she sat by the cabana waiting for him. Ruby knew he'd gotten her e-card. But what had been his reaction when he found it?
Here she waited for him. Not wrapped up with a bow but sitting on the chaise dressed in a robe that covered her red bikini.
Everyone had given him their birthday present except her. She hadn't brought anything to her friend's house when she spent the night.
Except herself, and some things in a night bag...but she knew why she had accepted Tiffani's invite to help her celebrate her father's birthday.
Tiffani had been an accidental pregnancy that pushed two college students to marry earlier than planned. Her father traveled a lot as president of a securities firm and her mother had headed back to school after raising Tiffany and her younger brother Luke. Luke was overseas doing his military stint before he'd go to college and eventually work for his father.
Devlin had arrived back from a job last night to celebrate his birthday. A few years shy of 50, he cut an impressive figure. His body hardened by his training when he'd been a mercenary. He's always been rough around the edges.
That's why he fascinated her. She'd watched him from a teenager's eyes until she'd grown older and now having just turned 19, she viewed him much differently.
She knew he viewed her differently too. She'd known that since the night at the beach house. She'd accompanied Tiffany's family to barbecue after a day of swimming and sunning on the exclusive strip of beach. They'd been cleaning up, her and Devlin while Tiffany was outside and Gloria his wife was running an errand in town.
The tension had been building up between them all day. The way their eyes met on their way to look at something else. The way he had carefully embraced her when she had arrived being oh so careful where he placed his hands.
"So what you think of the beach here?"
His attempt to keep it casual while they had washed dishes and put them away in the cupboard...with him dressed in shorts and a casual shirt and she in her pink bikini which showed off her tanned skin and cutoffs.
"It's great," she said, putting a dish aside, "When I'm older and settled in a career I'm going to have a house like this one to retreat to..."
"Yeah it's great...when I'm home after an assignment," he said, "So relaxing, the water's warm and the kids have always loved it."
She didn't want to be reminded that one of his kids was her best friend.
"Thanks for inviting me...coming back from my first year at college it's been so stressful with exams."
"But you're doing very well aren't you," he said, "Sometimes I wish Tiffany had your outlook on the future. She doesn't give it much thought."
Ruby wasn't thinking about Tiffany right now but she smiled anyway.
"Yeah well it's not always what it's cracked up to be," she said, "I feel like I've missed out on a lot."
"Like what?"
She felt suddenly shy under his intense gaze. His dark hair slightly rumpled and his grey eyes crinkled at the corners from years in the sunlight.
"Like going to parties...making lots of friends...having a boyfriend."
He smiled.
"There's plenty of time for that," he said, "You're very pretty Ruby. I imagine you've attracted your share of attention."
"Maybe but I just don't have the time..."
"Now you do...now that it's summer," he said, "I know you have that job at the nursery...Mac's a good guy."
"Yes he is...and I've loved working for him in the summers," she said, "Maybe it's time to make time for finding someone...at least for the summer."
She felt something change in the air between them. He reached out and played with a strand of her hair.
"Damn Ruby...what I just thought," he said, "I should be shot for it."
She liked the way his fingers felt when they brushed her skin.
"For what...what were you thinking?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"No...forget it...we're almost done here and Gloria will be back soon."
She took a step toward him.
"Not yet she won't...please tell me...did I do something wrong?"
He shook his head.
"No...but I'm about to...damn I'm hardly a saint Ruby...I've had my moments...but I love my family."
"Nothing wrong about that and what about me makes you say such a thing?"
He looked away.
"When I look at you...I don't see my daughter's best friend, I see a beautiful young woman," he said, "and I think about what I want...and it's not for your ears."
She tilted her face.
"You mean you want me?"
He turned away then and she knew she got her answer.
"Devlin..."
He looked at her again.
"I want you too."
He sighed.
"You don't know what you want."
Irritation hit her at his attitude.
"How do you know," she said, "Are you inside my head or do you just want to get inside my pants?"
He rubbed his forehead.
"Ruby..."
"I want you to be my lover this summer...no commitment."
"I'm married..."
She nodded licking her lips.
"I know...but my parents were married and it didn't last so what does it mean anyway?"
He looked at her, and the conflict she read on his face. She knew she had his attention.
"How many lovers have you even had?"
She couldn't answer that question.
"I take it that means none? Ruby what the hell are you thinking? You need to find a nice guy your age..."
She smiled.
"You're nice...and guys my own age don't get me."
She took one step closer to him, carefully measuring it.
"Come closer Devlin...please..."
He resisted as she knew he would but his eyes examined her and lingered on all the wrong places. So she moved even closer to bridge the gap. She then reached to place her hands on his broad chest and after she did that, she leaned closer so she could reach his lips. Her mouth brushed against his and he didn't pull back. She deepened her kiss, carefully exploring his mouth with her own. His stubble scratched her skin which she liked.
"Oh Ruby..."
His hands reached to cup her breasts slowly at first but once he got his hands on her she knew he wouldn't stop. He rubbed the fabric of her bikini against them, she knew he'd felt her hardening nipples.
"Devlin...please..."
He kissed her back, even harder, so practiced it nearly took her breath away. She knew he'd kissed many women. His hands cupped her breasts squeezing them slightly as he maneuvered her against the sink. She felt his lips trap her own between them, sucking at them before releasing them and she felt her head spin. His hands on her breasts made them ache. It made another part of her much lower ache too. She moved that part of her against him, coaxing a response.
He groaned and she took that as a cue to slide one of her hands down to his groin and cupped the bulge underneath it. She rubbed it feeling it grow and push against fabric to reach her.
"Ruby...god..."
"You like that," she said, "I do too..."
He kissed her harder, and she felt his tongue probing her lips, trying to find a way to breach them to slide into her mouth.
"We can't do this..."
She gently squeezed his cock fighting to get out of his pants.
