You Rock My World (The Blackwells of Crystal Lake 3)

All he could think about was Ruby. She’d asked him to give her some space, and he was willing to do that. She deserved some time to think about what had happened between them. Lord knows it had kept him up the last few nights. And, like a dummy, he thought it would be easy. Like a dummy, he’d thought the guys would take his mind off things. Travis scowled as he watched Brad and Hudson. His crew had failed miserably.

He reached for his phone and stopped himself. How many times had he checked his cell phone today? Looking for a simple text. Maybe a voice mail. A small crumb to tide him over until he could lick her fingers and enjoy the whole cake. If Ruby didn’t call him tomorrow, he was going to lose his shit. In the meantime, he was stuck on the water with these knuckleheads.

Christ, now they were discussing couples massages. He groaned. What. The. Hell. Travis decided to zone out. He didn’t care whether Brad and Gwen got pedicures together either. He sat back, his thoughts jumbled, and was just getting comfortable when his brother kneed him.

“Anyone want to head back early?” Hudson asked the question, and Travis looked at him in surprise.

“It’s not even midnight.” Travis glanced at his brother Wyatt, who shrugged. What the hell?

“Sounds good to me.” Zach was already packing up his gear. “You mind dropping me off at the Coach House?”

Travis could only think of one reason Zach would want to go to the Coach House tonight. Too bad his buddy couldn’t see that Honey had no interest at all. She was too busy giving Nash the stink-eye to even look at another man. That woman was prickly as hell, and the chip on her shoulders was bigger than the damn lake.

Hudson nodded. “Sure.”

“I’m down for that,” Wyatt said. “Regan’s there.”

“So is Gwen. I’ll tag along if you don’t mind.” The three men looked at Travis expectantly. “You coming?”

He found himself shaking his head. “Nah. If we’re done fishing, then I’m done for the night. I’ll head home.”

“Don’t wait up for me.” Zach chuckled.

“What’s her story anyway?” Hudson asked as he waited for everyone to reel in. At Travis’s questionable look, he said, “Honey.”

Travis shrugged. “You’d have to ask Nash that one.”

“I have.”

“And?”

Hudson started the motor. “All he says is that she’s a pain in the ass.”

Zach slapped Hudson on the shoulder. “She can be a pain in my ass any day.”

“Good luck with that,” Travis said wryly. “I have a feeling any man she lays claim to will have his hands full.”

Wyatt sat down beside him as the boat headed toward shore. “Kind of like Ruby.”

“Kind of like Ruby,” Travis muttered to himself.

It was after midnight when Hudson pulled up to the cabin. The moon was partially hidden, and deep shadows fell across the small structure. They’d dropped off the boys at the Coach House, and Travis was the last stop.

“Looks like you got company.”

Travis followed his brother’s gaze, and his eyes widened in surprise. A woman sat on the front steps, or rather was slumped against the railing. It was dark, but the fact she was a blonde was unmistakeable. She didn’t move when he got out of the truck, or when he slammed the door shut behind him.

Travis gave his brother a wave and made his way over to the small porch Ruby Montgomery was currently using as a bed. She was asleep—that much was obvious—and once he got close enough to see her properly, he noticed a few things.

She was snoring softly, which meant she’d been drinking.

Her clothes were not the usual garb for the lady she’d become. They were more of a throwback. Formfitting jeans. Black heels. Tight black tank top. Visible pink bra underneath.

She still liked her lips deep red. Ruby red. God, those lips.

He didn’t take the time to wonder why she was here. He bent forward, his intent to taste and touch, but her eyes flew open and he froze. A lazy smile curved her lips, and she made a sound, that sound that got a guy thinking of things he maybe shouldn’t be.

“Trav,” she said, struggling to sit up. “Where were you?”