The Bad Boy Next Door: A Red Hot Bad Boy Romance Read online

  It’s only been optioned, she reminded herself. There is no guarantee it will even happen, so there’s no point in fretting and worrying about it right now anyway. Just chill out and get through tonight.

  ***

  Isaac arrived fifteen minutes before the guests and found Ruby packing the sighed books back into their cardboard boxes. He pulled her into a hug, pressing her body close against his.

  “I can’t wait to get this dress off of you later,” he whispered, enjoying the giggle it elicited from her. “I hope you’re not wearing any panties under that dress,” he continued.

  Ruby felt herself blush. It was a dirty little secret between the two of them, meant to excite them. “Maybe. Maybe not. You’ll just have to find out.”

  Isaac felt himself begin to harden slightly. “I should bend you over one of these tables and find out right now.”

  Ruby face was hot. She looked up at him, and couldn’t help smiling. “Behave! We need these people to donate to the cause so you don’t have to pay for the whole thing out of your own pocket. If they walk in and see us humping like horny high schoolers, we’ll be a laughingstock.” She pushed away from him and pointed a finger as if to admonish him to behave. “You’ll get nothing later if you don’t behave.”

  The two of them found Julia and everybody took their places and waited for guests to begin arriving.

  ***

  By the end of the evening, Isaac and Ruby had shaken at least two hundred hands apiece and given away all ten spots on the Wall of Contributors which would hang in a prominent place inside of their future building. To get a spot on the plaque, a donor had to give upwards of $10,000. Ruby swooned at the thought of how much money the nonprofit was able to pull in. Then she felt a swelling of pride in her breast. Isaac’s dream would become a reality, and the literacy foundation would be a self-supporting entity. Ruby had added a few thousand of her own dollars and Isaac, of course, was contributing a significant amount of cash as well. After all, it had been his baby, and he wanted to be hands on through the whole process.

  Ruby’s feet were killing her by the time she was finally done in the receiving line at the end of the evening. She sauntered up to the bar and ordered a vodka with cranberry juice. She had been drinking ice water all night with the exception of the one glass of champagne during the toasts. Julia came up beside her and ordered the same.

  “You guys did it,” she exclaimed. “You have the funds to start your non-profit. The Literacy Foundation would be a great name for it; simple and straightforward.”

  Ruby nodded. “That’s what we’re calling it. Next job is to find a building or suitable site to build on. Isaac is going to have his financial advisers work on the non-profit as well so as to keep his personal money separate.”

  Julia nodded. “Good idea. Keep it all above board. Next big thing is your book party. I am so excited about this.” Julia started rattling off the details.

  Ruby half-listened, but she was watching Isaac, who was still glad-handing some of the donors. She was grateful that Julia had been willing to influence some of her past clients to come to the benefit. Ruby sat up suddenly as she saw an odd look come over Isaac’s face. He was looking in the direction of the double doors leading out of the banquet hall. Ruby followed his gaze and felt her ire rise as she saw Genie Randles step into the room and look around.

  Julia noticed too. “That little wench,” she breathed. “I have that birth certificate by the way. I held on to it just in case.”

  Ruby absently shook her head and started walking toward Genie. Isaac was doing the same, but Ruby got there first. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Ruby asked her in a low, mean voice.

  Genie stepped back, eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I just came because—” her voice faltered and she held up an envelope. Ruby snatched it from her and read it. It was the letter Isaac had sent to her a while back.

  Ruby handed it back to the woman and put a hand on her hip. “If you cause a scene, so help me—”

  Isaac was there then, looking from one woman to the other. Genie held up the envelope. “I got this, so I came to talk to you in person, but your aunt said you were at this benefit.”

  “Aunt Amanda told you to come here?” Isaac asked sharply.

  “No, no. She just said you were at a benefit. I figured the rest out myself. I just came to talk to you, Isaac. I promise I’m not here to cause trouble.”

  Ruby’s eyes were still narrowed dangerously. She half hoped Genie would give her a good reason to deck her. At a look from Isaac however, Ruby stepped away and went back to the bar where Julia was still staring at the scene unfolding. Ruby had to trust Isaac to handle this. If he needed her, he’d say so. Ruby rolled her eyes at Julia, indicating the situation and Julia patted her arm.

  “It’ll be okay, dearest.” Julia ordered another vodka and cranberry, and slid it to her friend.

  ***

  After all of the donors were gone, Julia insisted that Isaac and Ruby leave her and her crew to do the cleanup. Ruby didn’t put up a fight this time, wanting to get home and spend time with Isaac. He had been a very good boy after all, and he deserved his reward, she thought to herself. Then she remembered Genie, and her mood darkened again. Finally, she asked Isaac what had happened between them

  “She apologized profusely for her actions. She’s tired of her mother running her life and wanted to cut ties. But she can only do that if she has the money to leave.”

  “Why did she go back to St. Louis in the first place then?” Ruby asked.

  “Her mother fed her a line of bullshit about being ill and needing her only daughter by her side,” Isaac explained. “By the time she spent the money to get back and find out her mother wasn’t really sick, she couldn’t afford to leave again.”

  “Did you agree to give her any money?”

  “No, and she didn’t ask,” Isaac said.

  They arrived in front of Isaac’s house and he led Ruby up his steps and inside the living room. Ruby let the subject drop, as Isaac got down on his knees inside the door and started sliding his hands up her dress. Ruby smiled as she felt his hands slid up the backs of her legs, her thighs, her buttocks. Then his fingers were inside of her upon discovering that indeed she had no panties on. She moaned as his fingers expertly found their way to her sweet spot and applied just enough pressure to bring her to her knees.

  “Mmm,” she moaned, closing her eyes.

  Isaac’s eyes traveled down her slim throat, to the swell of her breasts. The fabric of the dress was soft and silken, and one graze of his palm told him she wore no bra beneath the bodice. “Naughty girl, going commando.”

  Ruby smiled playfully. “To build your anticipation.”

  “It worked.” Isaac unzipped the back of her dress and pulled it down, slowly revealing full breasts and erect nipples. He stood, pulling her up with him, and then picked her up and carried her up the stairs and into his bedroom where he applied his full attentions to the lover’s arts until they were both ridden by waves of pleasure and exhausted to the point of collapse.

  “You’re fantastic,” Ruby breathed, trying to catch her breath.

  “No, you are. You’re so tight, I feel like I’m going to explode the moment I enter you,” Isaac responded, resting his hand casually on her stomach.

  The two of them melted into each other, Ruby’s back against Isaac’s muscular chest. His arm draped over her stomach, and her fingers intertwined with his.

  “It’s like we’re one person,” he whispered.

  *

  Isaac looked at himself in the full-length mirror hanging on the back of Ruby’s bedroom door and straightened his tie. It was almost time to leave for the launch party. He had booked a flight to Key West, Florida leaving the afternoon following the party. The cruise he had booked for them would leave the day after they arrived in Florida; destination: Bahamas. It was a seven day cruise all told. Two days would be spent on the ocean with several days spent on various Bahamian islands
before the final two days cruising back to Key West. It promised to be a fun time for both of them. Isaac rummaged through the two drawers Ruby had designated for his use and found the little black velvet box therein. He opened it, eyed the contents and then shut it again. He hefted the little box, amazed at how light it was given the hefty price tag that was attached to it at the jeweler’s.

  He planned to pop the question at the book launch party. It would give them something further to celebrate during their journey. He put the tiny box into his inner coat pocket just as Ruby poked her head into the bedroom and eyeballed him.

  “Hot,” was the verdict.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” he replied with a wink.

  Ruby was wearing a sky blue cocktail dress with Swarovski accents lining the hems. They sparkled in the light as she moved. Isaac asked if she was going commando for him again. She only winked and told him he’d have to be a good boy to find out. He gave her another wink and it was time to leave. They were driven to the party in a limo Isaac had hired for the occasion. On the way to the banquet hall where the party was being held, Ruby fretted about her meeting with the network owner.

  “She is like, the most famous woman in the whole world, and she’s going to be at my party! What do I do?” Ruby wrung her hands together, twisting the ring she wore on her right pinkie.

  “The same thing you always do, my love. You be your charming self and sweep her off her feet.” Isaac planted a kiss on the back of Ruby’s hand to calm her.

  Ruby called Julia and fretted some more. “Is everything ready?” she asked when her friend answered.

  “Have you ever known me to not be ready?” Julia asked.

  “I know, I know. But you know,” Ruby said plaintively.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s going to be fine. Just take some deep breaths and have Isaac rub your shoulders. It’s all going to be perfect, I promise you.” Julia hung up then to see to the last minute details.

  ***

  The launch party was fantastic. It couldn’t have been more perfect, Ruby thought as she looked around at the crowd gathered to celebrate her accomplishments. She had accepted a drink from a passing waitress and was holding it nervously in one hand as the owner of the network optioning her book spoke of her vision for the series. Ruby nodded her head, following along, determined to memorize every word.

  “I love your ideas,” Ruby said when the woman had finished talking. “If you can make it happen, I think this has the potential to be a fantastic and popular series.”

  Later in the evening, the buffet opened and the attendees split into two lines, each filing down opposite sides of a long, wide table laden with food from all over the country and all over the world. Isaac piled his plate high with a little bit of everything, while Ruby’s plate was mostly barren. Her stomach was still fluttering at the prospect of seeing her book turned into a television series. If it happened with one book, she reasoned, then perhaps it could happen with other books. Like Danielle Steele, she thought.

  “Are you excited about the cruise?” Isaac asked her, trying to take her mind off of what had her anxious.

  “I am,” she responded with a smile. “I bought a new dinner dress for the Captain’s Dinner, and a new bathing suit. I can’t wait to get on that airplane tomorrow and fly to Florida.”

  “I’m looking forward to doing absolutely nothing except what we feeling like doing all week. There are some excursions that look interesting.” Isaac went on to tell her about the snorkeling excursion and other opportunities once they got to the Bahamas.

  At one point, during a lull in dinner, Ruby noticed that Isaac was no longer next to her. As she looked around wondering where he’d gone, she saw him in front of the stage, microphone in hand. What is he doing? she asked herself. Isaac began to speak and Ruby’s eyes got wide.

  “I’d like to thank everybody for coming out to support Ruby’s accomplishments. I have only been in her life for a short time, but already I can see exactly why she is so popular. Not only is she a beautiful person inside and out, but she is compassionate, intelligent, and most of all: as patient as a saint.”

  The crowd tittered. Isaac went on:

  “I feel very lucky to be able to be a part of Ruby’s life now and hopefully forever.” Isaac pulled the box out of his coat pocket. “Ruby, could you come up here, please?”

  Ruby took a deep breath, excitement building in her chest. Good or bad, she didn’t know yet. What in the world is he doing? She walked up to where Isaac was standing and gave a nervous smile to the crowd of onlookers. Then, to her surprise, Isaac dropped to one knee and the crowd inhaled a collective gasp. Ruby’s eyes were wide as dinner plates and her hands went to her cheeks which were suddenly flushed.

  “Ruby Schmidt, aka Ophelia Maddox, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

  “Oh, my god,” Ruby said, her hands fluttering. Tears streamed down her eyes, as Isaac took her hand. Before sliding the ring on, he looked at her questioningly. She realized then that she hadn’t answered. She grabbed the microphone and shouted a heartfelt YES into it. The crowd erupted in applause and Isaac slid a beautiful white gold band set with a heart shaped tanzanite jewel onto her left ring finger. She looked at it sparkling in the light, then at Isaac. Then she got down on her knees and kissed him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

  “YES,” she shouted again.

  Isaac laughed and embraced her. Then they stood and Isaac raised her hand in a victory solute and the crowd surged to its feet, applauding even louder.

  ***

  That evening when the party ended and congratulations had been heaped upon the happy couple, Ruby and Isaac went to Ruby’s house and changed into lounging clothes. When they had finished dressing, they sat together on the couch, Ruby nestled into the crook of Isaac’s arm. She imagined their life together; the books she would write, the work Isaac would do, the travels they would take and the adventures they would go on together. For the first time in a long time Ruby felt content with her life, like nothing was lacking. She had a good feeling about the upcoming milestones in their life.

  “I love you,” Isaac whispered to her in the darkness.

  “I love you, too,” she whispered back.

  Our life, she thought to herself happily. She nestled deeper into the crook of his arm and he kissed the top of her head.

  THE END

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