Lucky Baby (Crescent Cove 11)

“You’re far from stupid.”

“Yeah, now. Then I was just cocky. I knew I was good, knew I had a good product. And I should have gotten a lawyer. Should have paid more attention to my paperwork. Then there was Jimmy. I babbled all my details to him. I was trying to impress him. I wanted to dazzle him with my awesomeness.”

I didn’t know what to say just then. Ruby had always been so put together. I couldn’t imagine her starstruck by anyone. And maybe that was why it hurt so much to hear her talk about him.

“He said he’d help me with the paperwork. I didn’t need to waste my money on a lawyer taking my money.” She huffed out a bitter laugh. “I should have been looking closer to home with where my money was goin

g.” She sat up. “I was dumb enough to trust him. He was my brother’s best friend. He fucking snowed me. Put both our names on the paperwork and when the check came in, it went to him in California. He was gone. And so was my money.”

“What the fuck. You couldn’t fight it?” I sat up with her, outrage bellowing through the car.

She leaned over and kissed me. “No lawyer, remember? And with both our names on the paperwork, he could cash the check. It wasn’t like we had a partnership.”

“You could have fought it.”

“I could have. But then I’d have to drag my whole family into it. Drag Cohen—”

“And you don’t think he’d choose you over this piece of shit?”

“It didn’t matter. I was so mad at myself for being so stupid. For getting taken in. I thought I deserved it.”

“Fuck that.” Rage left me seeing red, and it wasn’t my Ruby’s hair this time.

She launched herself at me. “I love that you’re so offended for me, Thor.” She pressed her forehead to mine. “I love the way you see me.”

I dragged her back onto my lap until she straddled me. Butch yipped at all the activity and leaped into the back to put herself back into her bed with a huff.

Ruby laughed as she threaded her fingers into my hair. “I love that you are here for me, expecting nothing.”

My throat tightened. “I’ll always be here for you.”

“I thought I loved Jimmy. But now I know it wasn’t love. It doesn’t come close to how I feel about you.” She covered her belly with her hand. “Or how I feel about this crazy thing we’re doing together. I mean, a baby? It’s just insane. But I want it. I want you both so much.”

I cupped the back of her neck and covered her mouth. The kiss was wildfire-hot, and we were both breathless when we pulled apart. “You can’t get rid of me, you know.”

“Forever seems like a really good word when it comes to you and me.”

“Forever?” I gripped her ass, dragging her harder against me.

“Yep. You’re stuck with me.”

The bleat of a truck horn had us both jumping. While we’d been talking, the snow had let up. I hit the windshield wipers and laughed at the line of brake lights merging back onto the highway. “Well, I guess forever includes talking to your dad about all of this.”

“Yeah. And Cohen. Maybe I’m better off just keeping it to myself.” She slid off my lap to her side of the truck.

“Whichever way you want to go, I’m with you.”

She leaned back to me and cupped my face. “God, I love you, Thor.”

“Holy shit.” My heart thudded so loud I couldn’t hear the wiper blades over the rush of blood in my ears.

“What?”

“You said it.”

She punched my arm. “Oh, stop. I just told you a bunch of ways how I feel.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I dragged her back over to me. “Say it again,” I said against her mouth.