Read ClaimingRuby for Free Online Page B

cupboard on his right and resisted the
urge to take over. His presence filled the room, made it seem smaller. It
unnerved her. She wanted to do something, anything, but he’d told her to sit.
    What the hell could he want to talk about? She thought she’d
made herself clear in the phone call. She’d felt much braver blowing him off
when she couldn’t see him.
    He grabbed two glasses and poured a few fingers of bourbon
into each. He returned and sat next to her on the couch before handing her a
tumbler.
    The glass was slippery. Her hands were shaking so much she
almost dropped it.
    “Why are you stalking me?” she blurted. She couldn’t stop
herself. She had to know why he had this weird obsession. He’d only met her
once. Why would he want to pursue her when he could have any woman? It didn’t make
sense.
    “Is that how you see it?”
    “What would you call it? You’ve bombarded me with expensive
gifts, you’ve turned up at my home and you refuse to take no for an answer.” He
was turning her quiet life on its head.
    He sipped the liquid, his eyes fixed firmly on her, burning
her with their heat. “Apologies. Sometimes I forget. My single-mindedness can
be a flaw.”
    “Single-mindedness? More like obsessiveness.”
    His lips twitched again. “Perhaps.”
    Her nerves hummed. The air between them contracted. Her
chest heaved as he wet his lips and shifted. Every cell in her being screamed
to lean forward and capture the moisture with her tongue. Electricity pulsed
between them
    The rational part of her mind wanted him to leave. Too
dangerous. Too sexually lethal to her emotions. The submissive part begged like
a wanton hussy.
    He put down his drink and turned to face her. His shirt
pulled tight across his chest and she could pick out the defined muscularity
beneath the silk. Even fully clothed he made her drool.
    “You’re attracted to me.” His warm, lilted accent licked
along her spine.
    Ruby sighed. “That was an arrogant statement.”
    “But true.”
    “Yes, I’m attracted to you.” His outward physical form—jury
was still out on his overbearing personality.
    “Then why do you refuse to go out with me?” His white-hot
gaze penetrated her like a laser.
    She shrugged. She couldn’t tell him about her ex. Nobody
wanted an emotional baggage dump, especially not an insanely rich gazillionaire
looking to get laid.
    “Do I intimidate you?”
    “A little.” More like a lot.
    “Are you afraid of me?” He took her hand, smoothed his thumb
across her wrist. “Is it because I’m a Dom? Talk to me. Please.”
    She wanted to believe his sincerity but where could she
begin? My ex was an abusive, rich asshole who shredded my self-esteem. “It’s
complicated.”
    Joshua laughed. The deep timbre sent tingles down her spine.
His features softened and lifted his serious expression. She wanted to see more
of this man—the casual, laughing Joshua.
    “What’s so funny?” she asked.
    “Something a friend said to me earlier today.”
    “Yeah, well, like I said, it’s complicated.” Ruby sniffed.
His laughter stung her already fraught emotions.
    “Then give me the uncomplicated version.”
    She frowned, irritated by his constant badgering. “You can
have your pick of women. Why me?”
    He slid his arm along the back of the sofa. “Because I want
you. I can’t think about anything but being inside you. It’s driving me fucking
crazy.”
    The answer sped her pulse. Her throat worked to get some
moisture to her vocal cords. She wanted to look at his crotch and see if what
he said was true, hoping he felt the same crazy need. Intensity rolled off him
in waves. She’d never experienced such raw desire.
    Her voice barely a whisper, she asked, “Are you hard right
now?”
    She wasn’t sure why she’d asked, not now with the air
between them sizzling. It was stupid. Insane. A man like him would take that as
an invitation but she had to know the answer.
    “Yes.” He placed her hand on his groin. She