Amber and her new husband, Paul Gutierrez, shared a laugh with Paige Richards. He didn’t wait to be introduced to Ruby’s date. Indeed, he didn’t want to meet the man or even to remember what he looked like. And he prayed to God she wouldn’t drink any champagne. In all the time he thought about it, he hadn’t been able to figure out any other reason why she’d made love with him last week. She had appeared to be stone-cold sober, and he prayed that she had been, but then, why did she reject him? He shook his head. He wasn’t going into that again; he’d suffered enough about it.
“Who’s the guy with Ruby?” he asked Paul.
“Damned if I know, man. I hardly recognized her. Talk about a siren! She ought to come out like that all the time.”
“Tell me about it. Where are the bride and groom?” he asked Amber, effectively getting the conversation away from Ruby.
“They’ll be in as soon as the best man gives the signal, and he has to get it from Ruby,” Amber said. “Reminds me of Ford’s assembly line. Thank goodness Paul and I skipped all this formal stuff.”
Luther looked from Amber to his friend Paul, and for the first time that evening, a feeling of warmth and happiness enveloped him. When he’d sent his buddy to rescue Amber from Dashuan Kennedy—a no-good man if ever there was one—he didn’t dream that Amber and Paul would fall in love and marry. But as he thought of it now, it couldn’t have been otherwise. They seemed to suit each other the way pods suited peas. Perfectly.
He waited until Pearl and Wade entered, heard the toasts and gave his own toast as was expected of him. He was about to leave when D’marcus moved to the microphone.
“We have a little news for you,” he said with his arm tight around the waist of his new wife. “We hunted half a year for it, but today we found our dream house. I just wanted to share that with our families and friends and to let you all know that we’ll be staying right here in Detroit.”
“Well,” Pearl said when the applause died down, “congratulations, Opal and D’marcus. I’m happy you’ll be staying here, because I’ve decided not to audition for that record label in Nashville. I got a call from a label right here in Detroit, and I’m going for it. I can pursue a singing career and stay right here with my husband and my family.”
Luther gazed around him at the hugs and smiles of joy. The Lockharts had been a part of his life since he was a boy. They were grown now with men of their own, and they didn’t need him. His gaze locked on Ruby, dazzling in that red dress and those shimmering earrings, with her hair pulled back to expose her high cheekbones and sculpted face. Against the soft candlelight, she bloomed like an American beauty rose, her skin glowing above the strapless gown. He sucked in a breath. In his mind’s eye, he envisaged her escort with his mouth on her sweet breast. Damn! It was time he got on with his life.
He hugged Pearl and shook Wade’s hand. “Have a happy, you two. If you need me, you know where to find me.”
Then he thought twice about leaving so early, as anger stirred in him. He wasn’t an old shoe to be discarded with the advent of a new style. It was New Year’s Eve, three minutes to midnight. Damned if he’d let that guy kiss her at the stroke of twelve. He walked over to her and took her hand, delighted when her eyes widened and her lower lip dropped.
“May I have this dance?” he said. He didn’t wait for her to answer, and began the dance.
“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