‘You’d know,’ Sebastian said.
Actually, getting laid wasn’t his chief reason for going away. He just wanted to put some distance between himself and Ruby. He certainly didn’t want a repeat of last weekend. Of course, if some hot babe made a line for him, it might be wise to succumb. Though, damn it all, sleeping with anyone other than Ruby did not appeal.
He was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t.
Sebastian’s sigh held frustration. ‘I suggest we get ourselves inside before Ruby wonders where we are.’
CHAPTER NINE
RUBY HAD BEEN wondering where they were for some time. She’d heard Sebastian’s car go down the drive, followed by the whirr of the garage doors, and she’d expected them to make an appearance shortly afterwards. But a few minutes had gone by and still no show. The door from the stairwell remained steadfastly closed.
The delay did nothing for her sudden attack of nerves.
Racing down to her bedroom, she checked her appearance, one glance in the wall mirror bringing a satisfied sigh to her lips. She wasn’t wearing any make-up tonight but her olive skin and her dark, heavily lashed eyes did not suffer from a lack of enhancement. And the black shirtdress she’d bought, thinking it was perfect housekeeper fare, somehow didn’t look as dowdy and plain as she’d hoped. It did, in fact, look very smart.
She sprayed her hair, which was trying to escape the tight bun she’d imprisoned it in. Feeling more confident, she thought, If that actor bloke tries to chat me up, I’ll put him in his place, quick-smart. I’m good at that!
No sooner had she finished with her hair than she heard Sebastian calling out to her from the kitchen.
‘Ruby, where are you?’
‘Right here,’ she said as she hurried from her room, smoothing down her skirt with clammy hands on the way.
Sebastian’s guest looked her up and down, his icy blue eyes showing curiosity rather than lechery. He really was an attractive man, but not a patch on Sebastian, who was seriously handsome. In her eyes, anyway. She adored the way her boss looked tonight in his grey business suit, especially with that white shirt and red tie. Zack, on the other hand, was wearing jeans and a black singlet top, which showed off his heavily tattooed arms. His dark brown hair was too long, in Ruby’s opinion, and rather messy, whereas Sebastian’s dark brown hair was always superbly groomed in that short-back-and-sides cut, which she liked. Sebastian looked like a gentleman whereas Zack looked every inch a bad boy.
‘Nice to meet you, Ruby,’ Zack said when Sebastian introduced her, ‘Sebastian has been speaking highly of you. Says you’re a great cook.’
Goodness, she thought. No smarmy comments, or long meaningful gazes. Just normal eye contact and polite compliments.
‘That’s nice of him,’ she said, relieved. ‘I’m okay but no cordon bleu chef. I hope you like seafood.’
‘Of course he does,’ Sebastian said, not looking at her at all as he removed his jacket and tie. ‘I wouldn’t have asked for it, otherwise. Come on, Zack, we’ll have a pre-dinner drink in my study. Ruby,’ he added with a quick look her way, ‘let us know when you’re ready to serve.’
And just like that they were gone, leaving Ruby wanting to strangle Sebastian for she knew not what. For not fancying her, she supposed. Still, she figured she should be grateful that Zack Stone wasn’t going to be a pest this evening.
But she didn’t feel grateful for anything at that moment. She just felt peeved, even more peeved when she called the men to dinner half an hour later and neither of them said anything about the table, which she’d gone to great pains to set beautifully.
By the time Sebastian complimented her on her choice of wine she was in no mood to be gracious. Her smile felt forced, her movements as she set the oysters down in front of them decidedly brisk.
‘Glad you like it,’ she said, then retreated to the kitchen before she showed her displeasure.
They disposed of the oysters quite quickly but seemed happy to sit and drink the wine till the main course was ready. The evening had turned balmy after the suffocating heat of the day. The sky was clear above and the stars had come out. Not that Ruby took much time to look at them. She was too busy cooking the barramundi, which was not an easy fish to get just right. Nothing worse than overcooked fish.
Luckily, it all turned out well. Sebastian’s guest was especially complimentary. The walnut salad and fresh bread rolls she served with the barramundi were also a hit, even with Sebastian, which went some way to improving Ruby’s mood. A more genuine smile lit her face as she removed their empty plates.
‘How long before you want dessert?’ she asked when she saw Sebastian open the second bottle of wine, which had been chilling in the ice bucket next to the table.
‘Leave it for half an hour,’ he told her, and was in the process of pouring them both a glass of wine when his phone rang.
‘Damn it,’ he growled. ‘Should have turned it off.’
‘You can always let it go to voicemail,’ Zack said.
‘Better not. It’s my sister. She wouldn’t actually ring me unless it was important.’
Ruby had a sudden premonition that somehow this phone call would affect her, and not in a good way. She wasn’t sure how till Sebastian rose to his feet.
‘I’ll take it inside,’ he said, and left her alone with Zack.
Uh-oh, Ruby thought as she cast their visitor a wary glance.
‘Sit down, Ruby,’ the man himself said and gestured to the chair adjacent to him. ‘Would you like a glass of wine? You’ve done nothing but work all night. And possibly all day, by the look of this table.’
‘No, I don’t want any wine,’ she told him, and made no move to sit down.
Zack smiled. ‘No need to stress,’ he said. ‘Your boss has already given me strict orders not to try anything. He thinks you’re far too nice for a bastard like me.’
‘Oh!’ she exclaimed. ‘How rude of him to say such a thing!’
‘Maybe, but he’s quite right. You are far too nice for a bastard like me. Now, go and get yourself a glass.’
Ruby decided then and there that she liked Zack Stone. She didn’t lust after him, however, which was just as well since he had a charm that she could see would be dangerous to the wrong woman.
When she returned with a glass and sat down, Zack didn’t fill the glass straight away. Instead he reached out and took hold of her wrist—not in a lecherous way—and turned it over.
‘Who’s Ava?’ he asked as he stared at the small heart-shaped tattoo.
‘My mother,’ she replied thickly.