Secret Pressure (Rhinestone Cowgirls Book 4) Page 2

  Em wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You’ve got this, sweetheart. You’re a strong woman. Now go tell Jobe. You’ll feel better.”

  “I might have screwed things up with Jobe.” Ruby swallowed against the lump in her throat.”

  “How so?”

  “This morning I told him that we should consider not seeing each other again. He was angry and I walked away.”

  “We all say things we don’t mean. You were scared. He’ll understand,” Em stood and pulled Ruby up with her. “You’ve got to be brave. I know you have it in you.”

  Ruby had a whopping amount of doubt, but what choice did she have?

  ****

  Jobe glanced up from underneath the hood of the beat-up truck as Diana leaned over the side, her large breasts practically spilling out of the low neckline of the two-tight top. He hadn’t seen her wear something this revealing since she had a thing for his brother DJ. She gave her long blonde hair a toss and brought her chin up, looking at him through a fringe of thick eyelashes. “Thank you for taking the time to take a peek, Jobe.”

  “A peek?” He kept his gaze steady on her eyes since he’d already gotten a good look at her big tits.

  “The truck.” She laughed and reached over, squeezing his arm. “I don’t know what’s wrong with this ol’ thing, but I need it to stay on the road to get me back and forth. I can’t afford another vehicle, not right now. I’m saving up for braces for the kid.” She leaned on her elbows and her breasts pushed upward until he swore they’d pop out. His neck warmed, and not in a good way. He’d known her for as long as he could remember, and he respected the fact that she was a single mother, yet he’d always thought she had a body that could make men sweat.

  He dragged his gaze away from her deep cleavage, fully recognizing that nothing happened below the waist—not even one, God-forsaken twitch. Damn, it figured!

  After that morning, Ruby telling him they shouldn’t see each other again, he’d been in a pissed mood. Thinking about it now made his head throb.

  He was a ruined man, that’s what he was indeed. Hell, he was over-the-top, insanely smitten with a woman who didn’t give a hoot for him, except for his cock, of course. Oh yeah, she liked that part of him and did a good job of proving it night after night. She could do things he’d only dreamed about. Just last night she showed him a new move that had made him hotter than a rooster on a tin roof. Then she walked away.

  Fact was, he wanted more of Ruby Stone…

  His grip slipped on the screwdriver and his knuckles smacked against the engine. “Fuck!” He dropped the tool. “Sorry for the language.” He shot Diane a look of apology.

  “Oh, poor baby. Let nurse Diane take a look.” She rounded to where he stood and took his hand into her palm. She didn’t even seem to mind that he had a layer of grease covering his knuckles as she lifted it to inspect. “I didn’t realize how big and strong your hands are, Jobe. And you know what they say about large hands, don’t you?”

  “No clue.” He noticed how her lashes fluttered across her cheeks.

  “A man with big hands also has a big…” She lowered her gaze to his belt pushing home the meaning of her words.

  Shit! “It ain’t broken or bleeding.” He pulled his hand back and bent to retrieve the screwdriver. He wasn’t an expert when it came to women, but damn, if Diane wasn’t flirting then he needed his head checked. He wasn’t the least bit interested and it had nothing to do with his parts not functioning. They not only operated above standard, but he deserved a trophy or a medal.

  Since Ruby arrived, he’d been using ice packs and cream to help with the dick chafing. He couldn’t get enough, even when he tried—and oh brother had he tried. Her sweet body was an aphrodisiac and he couldn’t resist sinking his body deep. She was trouble and he’d need a twelve-step plan once she left.

  “I hope that smile means my truck will live to see the road again,” Diane said in a tone that scraped his nerves.

  He hadn’t realized he was grinning, but come to think of it, he hadn’t really stopped since he met Ruby. From the time she’d tripped and fallen into his arms at his brother DJ’s wedding and they ended up in his bed, Jobe had been nothin’ but a drooling fool. “I’ll need a few more minutes.”

  “Take your time, handsome. In the meantime, do you mind if I use the little boy’s room?”

  “Sure, go ahead. Shake the handle when you flush.” He continued to stare into the engine, realizing something didn’t look right—or rather, nothing looked wrong. He found it could use an oil change, sure, but Diane told him it stopped on her earlier. Smirking, he stepped back and shook his head.

  Slamming the hood closed, he wiped his hands off on a dirty rag and went inside just as Diane was coming back into the livingroom. “Done already?” she asked.

  “Sorry, Diane. I hate to break the news to you, but I think she needs a new engine.”

  Her eyes widened as her tongue slipped out to moisten her crimson bottom lip. “Oh damn. That sounds serious.” Her tan paled to a shade of gray.

  “About as serious as it can get.” He’d let her believe the worst for a few more minutes.

  “I-I…”

  “Came all the way out here for nothing? Why, Diane?” He dragged off his hat and laid it on the table. “If you’re here to see DJ, well, you know he and Pearl are—”

  “Oh, honey, that ship has sailed.” She chuckled.

  “Then what?”

  Several expressions flickered across her face before she blew out a long breath and shrugged one shoulder. The spaghetti strap of her cami slipped down. “Okay, you caught me. No reason to lie.”

  “I’m not following you.” Damn, he just needed her to quit screwing around. He had other things to do today.

  Diane sashayed toward him, firm hips swaying with a cause, until her boots touched the tips of his. He got a whiff of nice perfume, but nothing like Ruby’s scent of cotton candy that drove him wild. “I have a confession. I’m wondering why you and I never took things to the next level. Last time I saw you at the bar you seemed pretty interested.”

  He blinked. Was she serious? He hadn’t been out in months and could barely remember the night she referred to. “Top reason, you had a fling with DJ. There are two things my brothers and I never share. Food and women.” Diane could make a man want naughty things, but Jobe had never felt much in the way of stirring behind the zipper when it came to her. “We ain’t that kind of family, honey.”

  “That shouldn’t stop you. After all,” she saddled up closer, walking her fingers down the buttons of his shirt, “DJ and I only had a short fling, but with you I could see things taking an upward curve. I don’t think you’ve realized this, but you were always my favorite Walters boy.” Her eyes twinkled and her nipples pebbled against the material of her shirt.

  “Does this have anything to do with the fact that I’m the only unmarried Walters?”

  She giggled. “Of course not.”

  Damn if this wasn’t a left fielder. Diane had a reputation of going through men like tap water. He’d always guessed she was looking for a good father for her young son. Hell, she was kind enough, certainly good looking enough, and probably could have most men she wanted, and had, but he just wouldn’t go there himself. The only woman he could think of was a petite brunette with the most voluptuous curves, ones he enjoyed molding his hands around every chance he got. “I’m flattered—real flattered indeed—but I got to be honest. As sweet as it sounds, I’m not your cowboy.”

  “We could change that.” She stood on tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. Her firm, full breasts pushed against his chest and all he could do was compare them to Ruby’s lovely breasts with the prettiest pink nipples he’d ever laid his eyes and lips on.

  Diane crushed her lips to his and he didn’t pull away right then. He parted her mouth with his tongue, telling his mind to stop overthinking and his dick to respond. Nothing. Maybe he needed to put his back into it. He re
ached up and squeezed her breast. She moaned and arched her back, ready and willing…but it wasn’t happening for him. Guilt slammed through him. Why? Ruby blew him off like yesterday’s news. But he wasn’t in the mood for a vindictive lay.

  He pulled his chin up. “I’m afraid even if I tried, I couldn’t,” he said.

  “Is there someone else?”

  He rolled the question around in his head until it was well marinated in doubt and truth. There was definitely someone, but she’d made it clear that she’d used him up real good and would be hitting the road back to where she came from.

  It didn’t matter. What if she didn’t mean a word of it? He’d go along for the ride even if it ended in his heart being ripped from his chest.

  Diane gyrated her hips against his, and his dick lay flaccid in his boxers like a turtle in its shell.

  Fuck! He was definitely a goner.

  And with that juicy detail, he took a step back, broke Diane’s locked hands and they fell to her sides. “Sorry, darlin’.” He tore a hand though his hair. “Not going to happen today, tomorrow, or ever.”

  “I guess there’s no changing your mind.”

  “Not a chance.”

  He guessed he needed to brush away his pride and tell Ruby the truth. He’d fallen for her.

  CHAPTER TWO

  A familiar bitterness climbed Ruby’s backbone as she thought back to the hot and humid day when she walked up on Jobe’s porch, looked through the screen door, and her world came crashing down around her. She still got pissed when she recalled how the pretty blonde clung to Jobe, their faces close and their bodies closer. His hands touching her…just as he’d touched Ruby merely hours before.

  It hadn’t taken him long to find another cowgirl to warm his bed. A man like Jobe wouldn’t have trouble in that area.

  Surprised and on a roller coaster of emotion, she’d realized there was no changing the facts. No man with feelings could jump from one woman’s bed into another. And she couldn’t face him knowing she’d actually hoped for more.

  She guessed this was the shrapnel from a fun-only relationship.

  When she arrived back at Rhinestone, she told Em that she didn’t see Jobe at the ranch. Ruby packed her bags and before she’d left, she’d made Em swear to secrecy about the baby.

  Whether Ruby had made the right decision or not, she never told Jobe that she was pregnant.

  She broke the news to her mother and father several weeks after she was back home. They’d been ecstatic, promising to help her every step of the way. And they did. Her family embraced the idea of Ruby’s pregnancy with good charm, positive vibes, and an understanding that she never wanted to talk about the father—not one peep. She’d told them she’d had a one night stand with a stranger, and the conversation was never brought up again. They didn’t push for answers, and she didn’t volunteer any information. Deep down, she believed her mother had known the relationship had been more than a meaningless affair, but she respected Ruby’s need for privacy.

  Every day that had gone by, a heavy guilt weighed on her for not telling Jobe about their child. Conflicting emotions had her up and down, and at times she was so close to calling him, phone-to-ear-close, and then she would lose her bravery.

  In her third-month of pregnancy, things took a nosedive.

  Em had called and reluctantly told Ruby the news that Jobe was engaged to be married. She’d played off her surprise, pretending she didn’t feel like traveling to Walter’s R&R and tar and feather him for breaking her heart. After she’d hung up with Em, she’d given in to the deepest regret and sadness she’d ever known. Ruby had fallen into depression. For days she stayed in bed, crying and upset. Her parents had tried consoling her. Her sisters hadn’t left her side, but her emotions were out of control. Keeping a secret had never been her strong suit, especially from someone she cared for.

  Then came the positive she needed—the one thing that had made the sun shine in her world again. Her doctor’s visit. As her sisters, her biggest supporters, stood around the exam table watching as the technician did her magic, Ruby’s growing baby appeared on the ultrasound screen, a black and white blob and a healthy, beating heart. With each beat on the screen came a new hope. Every nook and cranny of her body filled with love for this precious gift she’d been granted.

  Although she lived with many regrets, being pregnant wasn’t one. Her growing stomach had been proof of the special memory she had of Jobe. She wished for his happiness, even if it wasn’t with her. Unfortunately, the realization of how much he meant to her came a little too late.

  Jack was born with a head full of black curls, so dark it reminded her of a clear, blue-tinged sky. His dimpled rosy cheeks were a target for his aunts who wanted to pinch them. He had the longest eyelashes and cute, little fists that pumped the air as if he practiced throwing a ball. The first time Ruby had held him she’d fallen madly in love and knew there’d never be anyone or anything that could mean more. She’d whispered in his ear, “I love you,” and she swore he’d looked up at her and smiled. He looked just like his father and somehow that pleased her. She couldn’t wait to see if his eyes stayed brown, like hers, or lightened to his father’s pale blue. Either way, there was no mistaking he was the spitting image of a Walters.

  Jack was the best baby, seldom crying or fussing, even when hungry. He was the sunshine of her life. The core of her existence. She was happy, and yet she couldn’t kick the feeling of wondering what could have been if she’d told Jobe about Jack.

  She’d forced herself to move on, not dwell in the past, especially in something that wasn’t meant to be. Jobe had moved on, quickly and without burden.

  Ruby’s mother had succumbed to her illness when Jack turned a year old and they buried her on the family plot on the north side of the ranch. Their father couldn’t get over the pain of losing his wife and died six months later, now they lay in peace together. It’d taken the Stone sisters some time to pick up and carry on, but would never be the same without parents who’d always been loving and kind. The sisters still mourned and would for many years to come.

  Jack had grown into a high-spirited toddler and, even as his looks became more like his father’s, so did his character. Stubborn, smart and full of a desire to explore. Jack loved the horses, the cows and the worn cowboy boots Violet had bought him. He was a cowboy in the making.

  Three years after her affair with Jobe, Ruby sat across from her sister, Sapphire, who was giving Jack a funny fish face. The boy was rolling on the floor erupting into belly laughter. No one could get the kid going as much as she could. Watching the scene, Ruby was filled with an unexplainable love for her son. She couldn’t imagine life without him, didn’t even want to consider how different things would be if he hadn’t been born—even if his conception hadn’t been under the best of terms.

  “You seem in deep thought,” Sapphire said, her dark eyes settled on Ruby.

  She shrugged. “Thank you for watching Jack tonight. Although, truth is, I’ve rethought this evening a hundred times. Maybe I should stay.”

  Sapphire tugged strands of her long ebony hair behind her ears, showing off sparkling sapphire studs that matched the twinkling in her eye. Before their mother had passed, she’d given each of her girls a pair of earrings that matched the stone of their name. Ruby never took her earrings out. They’d always been her favorite and somehow made her feel closer to her mother.

  “Being a mother doesn’t make you an old maid, Ruby. There’s nothing wrong with having fun, going out and seeing people. Living a little.” Sapphire nuzzled Jacks’ curls.

  “I’m too busy to have fun, at least the kind you’re talking about. Jack keeps me running. Not to mention, I’m starting a new book.” Ruby’s defense of her lack of a relationship had become second nature.

  “I do believe that’s called hiding.” Sapphire tickled Jack’s stomach. He then sat up, smiling so bright it could light up the world.

  “Hiding? From what?” Ruby huffed. Her sister
s never stopped lecturing her on life passing her by. One would think the world was ending tomorrow.

  “Good question. From what? Maybe from your feelings for Jack’s father. You don’t think it’s obvious?”

  Ruby’s throat constricted. They’d never talked about her time back at Rhinestone Ranch, or who Jack’s father was. As close as she was with her sisters, there were some things Ruby wanted to hold close. Jobe was one. She often thought of her time with him as her own fairytale—a time when life was magical and ended with a gift. And would they understand why she walked away?

  The sisters were a year apart in age, like a step ladder. There wasn’t one memory of her childhood that didn’t include all of them. Growing up at The Stone Hedge Ranch, there wasn’t a day that went by that the four sisters weren’t out on the land, side by side, hanging with their father and the hands that were always patient and helpful with the young girls. Ruby could ride a horse and sit on a tractor before she could walk. Then they grew up, went away to college, yet they all came back to live at home. They supported each other, helped each other reach their goals. When their mother and father passed, they’d relied on one another for strength.

  “I’m not hiding from anything, especially anyone. But we’re talking about a cowgirl auction for Pete’s sake! Why did I ever agree to this?”

  “Because you love Violet and it’s for a good cause.” Sapphire wagged her brows. “She loves working with the children on her floor, cares for each of them. This benefit always brings in lots of help.”

  “She could have asked Crystal.”

  “She’s on a business trip.”

  “I love Violet, but I’m going to kill her.” Ruby stood and twirled. “How do I look?”

  Sapphire shrugged. “Like Mary Poppins is screaming to be released from those too baggy pants and shirt.”

  “Seriously?” Ruby frowned. “Think anyone will bid for a date with me?”

  “Yes, because we’re going to fix this.” Sapphire picked up Jack and headed for the stairs. “I know what’s inside of that closet of yours.”