Ruth and Lucas Read online

  It looked like those hundreds of scatter cushions were going to come in handy, but only if Lucas agreed to sleep on the bed.

  “Lucas?”

  “Hm?” he grunted.

  “Come, sleep on the bed.”

  Ruth could see his whole body language change from discomfort to alert. He better not think that I'm suggesting anything. Lucas sat up, his little blanket falling off to reveal a beautifully sculpted upper body. How did he take the time to go to the gym but avoid her like the plague?

  *****

  There was no way that he could have heard right.

  “The bed?” he asked stupidly.

  “Yeah, that couch doesn't look comfortable at all, and this is a king-sized bed. There's enough room for two.”

  Lucas was disappointed that he couldn't see her face in the dark, he wanted to see her expression.

  “I don't know, Ruth. Sharing a bed is something that we've never done before.”

  “I know, but it's no big deal, alright? I don't want you waking up with a sore back or neck—your parents would want to know what happened.”

  He hadn't thought about it from that angle. Maybe she's right, it is a large bed, she'll hardly be able to tell that I'm in bed with her.

  “Okay, sure. Thanks.”

  Grateful to be leaving the uncomfortable couch, Lucas got into bed, surprised when he felt a barrier of cushions down the middle. It's either she doesn't trust me to keep to my side, or she doesn't trust herself. Lucas smiled as he adjusted his pillow. I saw how flustered she became when she saw me shirtless. Her reaction was the driving force behind him not wearing a pajama top to bed. Too bad she'd been softly snoring by the time he came out of the shower. Although she spoke not a word to him, he knew that she was awake. I won't bother her, though, she needs her sleep. Oddly enough, he felt at peace listening to her breathing, hearing it transition from awake to sound asleep. When Lucas eventually fell asleep, he marveled at how easily it came to him. Usually, he struggled to sleep, always thinking about what he had to accomplish next. However, as he lay next to Ruth, work wasn't the first thing on his mind, she was.

  Lucas stretched himself, giving a great yawn. He looked to his side, noticing that Ruth was no longer in bed. When did she wake up? It was barely 6 am!

  “We're supposed to be on holiday, but she's nowhere to be seen. Maybe she could no longer handle sleeping next to me.”

  He sniffed the air, smelling the aroma of bacon and toast. Breakfast? His stomach grumbled, letting him know that he hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. A cup of coffee and a good breakfast would do him well, but who was cooking? The cook they usually hired during their vacations in St. Johns only came in at 7 am, someone else had to be cooking. Lucas decided to head straight to the shower to get ready, making his way down to the kitchen twenty minutes later. He could hear music softly playing as he neared the kitchen, a blend of Afro-Latin music that made a person want to dance. I can't dance to save my life, but I can appreciate the music. The aroma of a breakfast meal being put together made him salivate, so eager was he to tuck into whatever was cooking. He stood at the kitchen door, pausing as he took in the view in front of him. Ruth had her back to him, her body swaying perfectly to the beat of the song.

  “Wow,” he whispered.

  The summer dress she wore swished around her legs, giving him brief glimpses of her legs above the knee. Great pair of legs, too. Lucas leaned against the door frame, enjoying himself as he watched her work the kitchen and dance to the music. There was something satisfying about seeing her barefoot and in the kitchen, but he would never say it out loud, or he just might get slapped and called a male chauvinist. Is there nothing that she cannot do? She's intelligent, runs her own business, cooks, dances... she's like the perfect package all beautifully wrapped in creamy chocolate. Lucas didn't realize just how much he liked chocolate until now. Ruth was busy mixing something that was bubbling in the pot, adding copious amounts of butter before adding some salt and tasting.

  “Oh, that's so good,” he heard her say.

  “I'm sure it is.”

  He watched her whirl around, wooden spoon still poised near her mouth. She really is beautiful.

  “Oh, Lucas! I didn't hear you come down. Are you hungry? I'm making breakfast for everyone.”

  He moved away from the doorframe, coming to stand near her. Lucas noticed that she seemed a little uncomfortable and he didn't like it. I want her to like being around me.

  “I could smell that something was cooking from the bedroom, it smells wonderful. You didn't have to get up so early to cook, though, we have a woman who comes in to do the cooking.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I really wanted to do something. I slept like a baby and woke up refreshed, better than I've done in a long while. Did you sleep well?”

  A soft flush could be seen on her cheeks, giving her a youthful appearance. No one would be able to tell that she had passed the age of thirty three years ago.

  “I also slept well, thanks. The bed worked out better than the couch, that's for sure. What do you have to eat?”

  “I cooked quite a few things that I found in the fridge and cupboards—someone really stocked it well. We have gravy and grits, pork sausage, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, a skillet hash, spicy baked beans, pancakes, oats, fruit salad—”

  “Hold on, just when did you wake up to cook all of this?”

  “I couldn't sleep once the sun came up, so I'd probably say that I started cooking just after 5 am.”

  “You're amazing, you know that?”

  “It's just breakfast, Lucas—take a seat. How do you like your eggs? Would you like some toast?”

  Lucas took a seat at the breakfast table. "Medium eggs, yes to the toast and everything else you have going on there. I doubt that it'll fit on one plate, though."

  Ruth chuckled. "It's not meant to all fit on your plate, crazy. I'll set it up like a buffet, and you can help yourself to whatever you want, alright? It'll be easier for everyone else to help themselves as well."

  He rubbed his hands together. “Can't wait.”

  Ruth began to pile up mounds of food onto platters, laying them out in front of him. As he helped himself, he heard the rest of the family enter the kitchen.

  “Goodness!” his mother said. “This all looks like quite a feast.”

  “Greasy, too,” Maureen commented.

  Lucas rolled his eyes. It was just like his sister to say something negative.

  "There are healthier options, Maureen. I've made some oats, fruit salad, egg white omelets, and bran muffins. There's a fresh pot of coffee should anyone want some."

  Lucas couldn't have been more proud of Ruth. She's thought of everything, I wouldn't be surprised if people were jealous of me because of her.

  “I, for one, intend on sampling everything,” said Hermanus. “You're a regular whizz in the kitchen, Ruth, what other hidden talents do you have?”

  Lucas looked at his brother-in-law, not caring for the suggestive tone he used. The man has a roaming eye, he'd better not think anything of my wife, or there will be trouble. His sister didn't look happy with her husband's comment, but she took a seat, pulling the fruit salad toward her.

  “Nothing hidden, Hermanus,” replied Ruth. “Just the normal stuff. Eat up, everyone, before it gets cold.”

  His family tucked into the meal, and although everything was delicious, Lucas couldn't enjoy it fully as he was keeping an eye on his brother-in-law. Ruth appeared oblivious to the man's sly advances, but he could see right through the sleaze-ball. I'm not the only one who can see that the guy is trying to flirt with my wife. Maureen looked ready to have a fit, jabbing at her fruit salad but hardly eating it. When she's this mad, she tends to become vindictive. Lucas was a bit apprehensive of what his sister might say or do. Turns out he didn't have to wait much longer before she threw a bomb into their midst.

  "So, it's Ruth, isn't it? Why did you call yourself Veronica Beaumont? From what I understand,
you still use that name even though we all know that you're actually Ruth Matthews. What are you trying to hide?"

  Lucas inwardly groaned. I should have known that she would bring this up even though I specifically asked the family not to do so. It's none of their business what Ruth chooses to call herself! The whole table went silent and everyone looked at Ruth to see what she would say. He saw the shell-shocked look in her eyes, and he hated every minute of it.

  “Maureen, watch yourself—you're way out of line.”

  “No, it's okay Lucas, the truth was bound to come out sooner or later,” said Ruth. She looked his sister straight in the eye. “To answer your question, my name is Ruth Matthews, Veronica Beaumont is my professional name.”

  Lucas watched Ruth pause and take a deep breath, and then she proceeded to let everything off her chest. He wanted to stop her, but she seemed adamant that she would reveal everything about her past. Lucas focused his attention on Ruth, not caring what his family might think about what she was telling them. He thought her brave for revealing her past to them, but it was unnecessary. Finally, she was done and he waited with bated breath to hear what his family would have to say. One wrong word and they were out of there.

  "See?" said Maureen. "I told you that she wasn't to be trusted! What do you think about it, Mom, Dad?"

  Lucas opened his mouth to say something, but his father cut him off with a raised hand.

  “Wait a moment, son, I have something to say.”

  “But, Dad—”

  "Listen to me, alright?" He turned to Ruth. "Thank you for sharing your past with us, Ruth. It proves that it doesn't matter where you come from, you can always make something of yourself. You didn't get help from anyone to become successful, you did it on your own—I commend you for that. Not many people know this, but my grandfather came from a challenging background as well. He was the one, through hard work, who paved the way for the empire you see today. So you see, I appreciate your story and hard work. I'm happy that my son has someone like you in his life, someone to ground him and support him because you know the value of both family and work." He looked at Maureen. "We will never discuss this again, do you hear me? Ruth is a part of this family, the wife of my son. She deserves respect, just like anyone else."

  Lucas could see that his sister wasn't happy but she said nothing. He had a feeling that the only reason she'd sought to attack Ruth was due to her husband paying a little too much attention to her. I'll have to keep an eye on him, I don't trust him in the slightest. He was going to have to stick close to his wife for her own safety, starting now.

  “Ruth, would you like to take a walk on the beach? I want to show you my favorite spots on the island.”

  She looked surprised as she nodded. “Yeah, sure. I'll just quickly clear up here then we can go.”

  "No, no, dear," his mother objected. "You go and spend some quality time together, the maid should be arriving any time now."

  Lucas held out his hand to Ruth. “Come, wife, no more excuses.”

  Smiling, she took his hand. “I always seem to be taking your hand. Is this a low-key deal?”

  He could see by their expressions that his family were confused, they had no clue as to how they first met.

  “For us? Always.”

  Chapter 9

  How did one blissful week go by so quickly? Ruth found herself back in her office working on another project, but her mind was still in St. Johns. This time around, their time on the island had been far better than their honeymoon.

  "It went better than I expected, not even Maureen's mood could bring me down."

  Not when Lucas had paid such special attention to her. Ruth had no idea what had come over him while on vacation, but it was somewhat confusing. It was expected for him to pretend to be the loving husband in front of his family, but he hadn't ceased his role even when alone. Lucas had been far more considerate, attentive, and kinder than usual, and she couldn't understand the sudden change in him.

  “I keep expecting him to go back to normal, but he hasn't. I don't know what to think about it.”

  To top it all off, she was more physically aware of him than she had ever been, an annoying complication to their business relationship. Nothing was as cut and dry as it used to be, there were shades of grey to their deal.

  “There are more shades of grey than I care to think about.”

  But think about it she must because it was the only way for her to keep herself from falling for a guy who was only pretending to be the kind of man she'd always hoped to find.

  “I don't know what he's thinking by laying it on so thick, I might just forget what we agreed on and start believing the lie, then where would I be?”

  Heartbreak city, that's where she would be. Why did Lucas have to go all 'perfect husband' on her? Why couldn't he just keep things simple and straightforward? And why did she have to react so strongly toward him?

  “I'm a strong black woman, Mama raised me to be one, so why am I behaving like some dumb woman who cannot control her own emotions?”

  Every time Lucas came anywhere near her, her heart would start beating wildly and her mouth would go dry. It usually took her a couple of hard swallows before she was able to speak. He didn't seem affected in the slightest. Rather, it had become second nature for him to treat her as he probably would his own wife minus any physical touches.

  "Well, besides the cheek kissing, side hugs, and hand-holding in public."

  How he didn't comment on her sweaty palms was a mystery to her. I sweat like an absolute pig when he's within kissing distance. It's like I'm half hoping that he'll lay a kiss on me. Much like the one they'd shared on their wedding day. Ruth had no idea of the number of times she'd relived that moment, it was too embarrassing to even think about it. One minute she would be going through house blueprints, and the next she would be staring off into space, her mind solely focused on the heady feeling she'd experienced under his skill.

  “He's a great kisser, that's for sure. No wonder women go absolutely crazy for him.”

  Ruth sighed, looking at the work on her desk. Daydreaming about her fake husband wasn't doing her any good; she'd hardly gotten through much work and it was already midday. As it was, she was in high demand and couldn't afford to waste her time like this.

  “Maybe it's time for me to finally look into getting an assistant.”

  Lucas had spoken to her about it before, giving her reasons why an assistant would be the next best move for her business. From the look of things, her husband was right.

  "Funny how I just throw that thought in—my 'husband'. Imagine if he was to hear me casually refer to him like that without the presence of any outsiders? He would probably worry that I'm becoming attached to him."

  Which was precisely what he didn't want. Lucas had chosen her because she wouldn't become a problem for him, their deal would remain professional and uncomplicated.

  “That's all well and good for him, but I didn't count on him being so good at it.”

  Ruth had caught herself wanting to fulfill wifely duties like making sure that he had a suit for the next day, checking in to see if he'd eaten, and if he had a cough wanting to take care of him with her own homemade chicken soup. It was ridiculous, really, and completely dangerous to her emotional well-being.

  “Whichever way I look at it, I'm probably going to lose if I don't put a stop to these crazy thoughts.”

  What she needed to do was focus on her growing business and ignore Lucas' confusing ways.

  Ruth felt clueless when it came to Lucas. One and a half months had passed since the vacation, and he was still behaving the same way. She kept thinking that Lucas would eventually come to his senses and stop the pretense when no one was around, but nothing was changing. Maybe he was simply making good on his promise to treat her well, but it wasn't doing her any good if she was holding onto some ridiculous hope that their arrangement might become a reality.

  "We pretty much live like a married couple, talking to
each other daily, sharing most of our meals together, going to family functions and social events, and even talking about the future."

  Lucas even called her at the same time every day to find out how she was, if she needed him to come back with anything from the store on the way back from work.

  "Can you imagine? A heartthrob billionaire is asking average old me if I want something from the store. Just how many billionaires will do that?"

  Most, if not all, had servants to run errands for them. Only a humble person would do that, and Lucas had undoubtedly proven himself to be just that.

  “Had George been the billionaire instead, he would have allowed the money to go to his head.”

  From what she'd heard, there was trouble in paradise for Tally and George, but Ruth took no pleasure in that information. She'd gotten over George a while ago, but the exact moment was a mystery to her. One day, she'd simply woken up without the slightest thought as to how he was doing.

  “I mean, he's no longer my problem, I have my own life to live.”

  She had no interest in his personal drama with his wife, but she did feel sorry for the baby. If they ever divorced, it would be difficult for the little child. Speaking of children, Ruth was beginning to feel the itch, but there was no opportunity in sight for her to have one. She'd decided years ago that she would never bring a child into this world unless she was married and had a stable home. Her husband would have to be entirely in love with her and her alone, and they would both raise their child in an environment of love.

  "Two children, so the other doesn't feel lonely."

  Ruth had often felt lonely, being the only child, but her mother's love and attention had made up for her lack of a sibling.

  “And a father for that matter.”

  Ruth looked up when Isabel, her new assistant, walked in.

  "Sorry I'm late, Mrs. Ross, my car wouldn't start this morning."

  Isabel often had problems with her car, it reminded Ruth of when she'd had the use of a vehicle that wasn't as reliable as she would have hoped.