Chapter 13
Why hadn’the dated anyone who worked in the office before? It was amazing. In the beginning, he had thought it was going to be awkward, that was until Ruth opened her mouth. Personal assistant Ruth was very different from girlfriend Ruth, and girlfriend Ruth was now his personal assistant. He had never known that she held back a lot of her personality at work.
True to their conversation, they had taken it slowly. As February progressed, they had gotten to know each other. They made supper together, though she did really hate to cook, so they ended up going out to every restaurant within a fifty-mile radius and always ended the evening making out on her couch. Or in the car or in her entryway. So far, they had not progressed further than that.
Even though she had hinted at it the night of their talk, it had taken a few dates for it to sink in for Anderson. There hadn’t been anyone in her bed since Franky walked out when she was nineteen. She was nervous about them sleeping together. There was a little frustration on his part, but for Ruth, he would wait as long as she needed. He would in no way push her—she was too special for that.
Looking up from his computer, he saw her with a pencil in her mouth, reading glasses on, and staring at her computer screen. She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned and slid her glasses down her nose and looked at him.
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“Just looking at you,” he admitted, leaning back in his chair.
“Well, you should wait for after work for those thoughts.” She winked at him.
He grinned. “How do you know what I was thinking?”
“You’re a guy; it’s all you think about.” She was right.
“I will stop…for now. What are we doing tonight?” he asked, as he did every day. Only on the weekends when she went to her mom’s house and book club night did they not spend the evening together.
“I don’t know. Maybe make something upstairs?”
“How about my place?” So far, she had not been to his place, but she preferred her’s. He did too, but he liked his place also and wanted her to see who he was and how he lived.
“Then you will have to drive me back here and then drive home. At my place, you can just drive home.” She applied her logic, which she had told him more than once.
“Or I could just stay all night at your place.” He winked at her.
“Anderson,” she warned.
“Okay.” He let it go. “How about I get pizza, and we can watch a movie?”
“Sounds fun, then we can neck a little.” She laughed and got up to get more coffee.
He closed his eyes. He loved the teasing and the joking that she was doing constantly. Where had that been for the last four years? The first day after the bonfire, she had started not being as guarded about what she said; she just let what came to her mind out. From side comments about herself or him to sexual banter, it had taken time to realize how much she had been holding back.
“Taking a nap?” she asked from somewhere close.
Snapping his eyes open, she was standing so close to him that he was not convinced that they were not touching. Reaching out, he pulled her onto his lap. He had never done this before in the office, but she was so close he couldn’t help himself. He had to touch her.
She willingly went into his arms. Her skirt rode up high on her thighs as she scooted closer to him. He ran his hands from her hips up to her breasts, relishing the feel of her breast in his hands. With her hands linking behind his neck, she pulled him towards her. Meeting her eager lips with a matching vigor, his hand slid away from her breasts to her back so he could pull her closer to him.
Over the past few weeks, their relationship had maybe not progressed into the bedroom, but they had definitely spent many hours kissing and touching.
His heart was pounding in his chest, and his erection was pressed firmly into her core as he pulled away from the kiss, panting. He had pulled away, but she had just turned her attention to his ear and was licking it. When she took the lobe into her mouth and sucked on it, he gently pushed her away. “No, we can’t do that here. Remember, professional down here.”
Disappointment and hurt flashed in her ice-blue eye as she climbed off his lap. Without a word, she went back to her desk. She didn’t even look at him as she sat down, just turned her attention to her computer.
Shit, he had hurt her feelings. But anyone could have walked in and seen her on his lap. Or was it that he wanted to be inside her, and she kept pushing him away? Was this some sort of payback on his part?
Most people in town knew that they were dating by now. Even Rafferty had mentioned it when they met for drinks last Friday. Oddly, he had taken on the role of father or something and told Anderson he had better treat her right. She deserved good things. Rafferty hadn’t pushed for details about their relationship, even though Rafferty was always quick with the details about his conquests.
“I am going to get lunch,” Anderson announced. A few minutes in the mid-February cold would do him good. Cool down his body a little.
Without grabbing a jacket, he walked out the door without waiting for her answer. Slowly, he walked across the road to the café. Mia was behind the counter in a bright red shirt, and her hair was now pink.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Anderson. Do you have big plans for Ruth tonight?” Mia was bubbly today.