Chapter 17 ANYTHING. I SAID.
Chapter 17 ANYTHING. I SAID.
The heat between them burned away her hesitation, every ounce of logic drowned beneath the intoxicating taste of him. He finally broke away, and his forehead pressed to hers, both of them breathing raggedly. His voice came out low.
“Loy, will pick you up, we can talk,” he whispered, his thumb brushing the rapid pulse at her wrist.
Ruby’s breath hitched. The warmth of his touch lingered even as he released her, and when the door closed behind him, she exhaled shakily. Her chest rose and fell in uneven waves, as if she’d been holding her breath for hours.
She walked over to her chair, sinking into it, her body heavy but her thoughts racing. The silence of her office pressed down on her until her phone buzzed. She snatched it up instinctively.
A message from Zahra lit the screen.
Zahra: You paid for the trip? Thank you!
Ruby’s brows pinched together, confusion slicing through her haze.
“Paid?” she muttered aloud, rising abruptly from her chair. Her eyes darted around the office as if an answer might appear in the corners before falling back on her phone. Even as her heart wanted to believe it, her mind screamed something wasn’t right. “Is this an error?”
Her heels clicked frantically as she sprinted out of her office, straight to the bursar’s desk.
“Nile!” she called, almost breathless.
The receptionist barely looked up, sighing. “What else do you want, Ruby?”
“Did—Zahra’s trip,” she stammered, gripping the counter as she tried to steady her voice.
“Oh, yes. We received your payment.” Nile rifled through a stack before handing her a ticket. “Here’s her ticket. She’ll need it that day. And this is your receipt.”
Ruby blinked at the papers in her hand, her pulse thrumming. “I… paid for this?”
“Didn’t you?” Nile arched a brow. “Are you confused?”
“Very much,” Ruby whispered, utterly stunned by what was happening.
Minutes later, she hung up with Emily’s words looping in her head. I didn’t pay for Zahra’s trip. Did you pay already? How did you get the money?
Her mind reeled with possibilities but only one name kept circling back. Nick. Except… Nick would never do something like this without telling her.
Her gaze dropped to the receipt. She leaned closer, tracing the faint scrawl under the description. An initial.
L.M.
Ruby’s stomach dropped. “L.M…” she breathed, then the realisation hit. “Leslie Meyer.”
Getting into Leslie’s car wasn’t something she imagined herself doing after school. Yet, here she was, staring out at the towering skyline as Loy pulled into the parking of a sleek penthouse.
“Ms Allaire?” Loy called gently.
Ruby startled, then managed a small smile as she pushed the door open and stepped out, her nerves coiled tight in her belly.
Moments later, the elevator chimed and she stepped inside. The air in the penthouse felt different, lifeless. Grey walls swallowed the light, the space stripped down to essentials. A massive television, a pair of dark couches, a low glass table, and a grand piano gleaming in the corner. Everything else was so… void.
Then footsteps echoed. Her head snapped up, and her throat tightened as Leslie descended the stairs. He wore a crimson tank top and loose baggy shorts, his hair mussed. Mostly barefoot and so casual, yet he carried himself with the same unshakable confidence that made her pulse skitter.
“Ruby,” he said, stopping just in front of her.
Her breath shivered out, relief spilling into her words. “Thank you.” It slipped from her lips as if a weight had just fallen from her shoulders.
Leslie’s face gave nothing away, just a blank expression.
Ruby blinked, almost confused. “You paid for Zahra’s trip. I saw it on the receipt. L.M.” She swallowed, forcing steadiness into her voice. “I promised I’ll pay it back. Next month, when I get my salary.”
Leslie’s mouth curved, and a laugh spilt out. “You always say that,” he said, shaking his head as he strolled toward the kitchen. “Yet you reject me a thousand times.”
Ruby trailed after him, her voice rising trying to keep up with his pace. “Why though? Why did you pay for it?”
He said nothing, his broad shoulders cutting a shadow against the dim light as he walked. At the kitchen entrance, he stopped abruptly and his silence pressed heavier than any answer.
Ruby hovered just behind, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her chest tightened. “Is this about—”
Before she could finish, Leslie spun and closed the distance in one swift movement, his mouth crashing against hers.
His force stole her balance and she staggered, a small gasp escaping as her fingers clutched at the strength of his arms.
“Leslie. Wait—” she tapped weakly at his bicep, but he swallowed her words, deepening the kiss with a hunger that sent heat spiralling through her. His lips demanded, his tongue tangling with hers in a rhythm that was as dizzying as it was relentless.
His hands slid with deliberate slowness down her sides, gripping her waist before sliding further, claiming a handful of her curves. He squeezed firmly and possessively, kneading until Ruby’s knees trembled beneath her.
Her palms pressed against his chest, shoving lightly. Breathless, she tore her lips away and turned her head, her voice breaking out in protest. “You said we were going to talk—”
The rest of her sentence died in her throat.
Her eyes caught sight of the kitchen. On the kitchen counter sat two neatly arranged plates, a bottle of wine resting between them, glasses waiting, and the soft flicker of candles glowing across the room.
Her lips parted, but no sound came. Her chest rose and fell sharply and her heart stumbling over itself. For a moment she forgot Leslie’s hands on her, forgot the heat still burning her mouth from his kiss.
“This…” Ruby finally whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. “You did all this?”
Her laugh slipped out shaky, hovering between nerves and surprise, strands of hair brushing her flushed cheeks as she shook her head.
“Leslie, this is… a date?”
His eyes never left her, sharp yet softened by something that unsettled her more than his touch ever did. “You said dates. You wanted dates. Whatever you want, Ruby. All I’m asking is to be mine.”
Her lips curved into a small smile before it faltered at his next words.
“We don’t have to be in love. I just need you,” he whispered, lowering his forehead to hers.
Ruby’s breath caught, her lashes fluttering as his heat pressed into her skin. “Anything I want? Is that why you paid Zahra’s trip fees? Is that why you’re doing this?”
His mouth ticked in the corner. “Maybe…”
Her eyes searched for him, dancing with a mix of challenge and disbelief before her hands lifted, cupping his jaw. The muscle tightened instantly beneath her palm, betraying him.
“Can I do this?” she asked softly, testing him, almost amused at her own daring.
Leslie inhaled sharply through his nose as he was trying to fight his restraint before he gave the smallest nod.
“Does that mean you also cuddle?” she teased, a light chuckle spilling out, her tone playful enough to veil the fragility of the moment.
“Ruby,” he breathed against her hand, his voice raw before he gently pulled her hand from his cheek. “Anything. I said.”
His lips tilted closer, almost brushing hers but Ruby leaned back, dodging him with a slow shake of her head.
Her smile softened, teasing and deliberate. “We have a date, remember?”
She slipped past him, her fingers brushing his before stepping into the kitchen. Her gaze caught his over her shoulder and her eyes glinted with something between defiance and intrigue.