What secrets was this woman hiding? What desires did she harbor?
Suddenly, the woman looked in Ruby’s direction. Her gaze fell upon Ruby, sweeping over her body before returning to her eyes. Ruby’s pulse quickened. The woman’s stare wasn’t greedy or lustful, like the leers so many of Ruby’s potential clients gave her. The look in the woman’s eyes spoke of desire that was more than physical. It was as if she were trying to see deeper into Ruby.
One thing was certain. The woman wanted her in a way that Ruby didn’t quite understand.
Ruby held the woman’s gaze, ignoring her racing heart. She’d played this game enough times to know what would happen next. In just a few moments, the woman would come over and speak to her.
But instead, the woman turned back to stare at her drink.
Ruby recrossed her legs and let her eyes wander around the room. So the woman needed a little convincing. That wouldn’t be too hard. Ruby would wait until the woman glanced in her direction again, and then she’d give the woman a flirtatious, inviting smile. Then the woman would walk right over to Ruby and snap her up, thinking it was her idea all along. That was how it worked.
But as the minutes passed, the woman didn’t look Ruby’s way again. Nor did she do anything else. She simply continued to stare at her drink.
Ruby frowned. Perhaps the woman needed a little encouragement. Ruby liked to let clients approach her, but this was a special case. Ruby needed a client, and this woman intrigued her. The woman was interested in her too, but it was clear that she wasn’t going to make the first move. Ruby would have to do so herself.
So why did the thought of approaching the woman make her chest flutter? It was dangerous, the effect the woman was having on Ruby. When it came to her job, letting feelings get involved made it all too easy for her to get hurt. She’d learned her lesson from her last client. Ruby needed to keep her head.
She steeled herself. The woman was just another potential client.
Ruby picked up her drink and headed to the bar.
Yvonne stared at the bottle of scotch before her. She’d come to the bar after making an exit from her friend’s bachelorette party. She’d originally planned to turn in for the night, but she’d found herself with too much on her mind. Drinking her troubles away instead wasn’t the smartest idea, especially considering how much she’d already drunk over the weekend. She was usually far more responsible.
But tonight, she had a good reason to drink.
Yvonne picked up the bottle and poured a few fingers of scotch into her glass. She stared down at it as she swirled it around. Millions of dollars. Her inheritance.
And it was about to slip through her fingers.
“That’s a lot of scotch for one person.”
Yvonne turned toward the voice. Standing beside her was a tall, slender woman with long, blonde hair, dark as old gold. She wore a stylish red dress and black pumps. Her eyes were a pale blue and her lips were the same inviting shade of crimson as her dress. Yvonne had noticed the woman earlier. It was impossible not to notice someone like her.
But Yvonne wasn’t interested in company right now. Without acknowledging the woman, she turned back to her drink and took a long sip.
The woman sat down in the chair next to Yvonne, a martini glass in her hand. “Don’t worry, I have a drink of my own. I just thought you could use some company. I’m Ruby, by the way.”
Yvonne put down her glass and looked at Ruby again. Ruby smiled. Her red lips were so alluring, her teasing eyes seeming to beg for Yvonne’s attention.
Yvonne held back a sigh. Clearly, she had too much on her mind, because it had taken her far too long to realize what was going on.
“I don’t do escorts,” she said.
“What makes you think I’m an escort?” Ruby asked.
“It isn’t often that women approach me at bars. Or at all.” Yvonne was well aware that she gave off an intimidating air. It was an advantage. It kept people away. Most people.
Ruby flicked her long hair over her shoulders. “Maybe I’m the only one who’s game enough.”
“Actually, I prefer it that way.”
“Oh? So you’re the type who likes to do the chasing? I prefer that in a woman too.” Ruby peered at Yvonne from under hooded eyes. “You’re exactly my type.”
Yvonne gave Ruby a hard stare. “You say that, yet you came over here, dangling yourself before me like bait. I can see right through this act of yours.”
Ruby’s cheeks turned scarlet, and she lowered her gaze. It seemed she wasn’t used to being called out on her games. Yvonne felt a pang of satisfaction.
But Ruby quickly regained her composure. “What act? I got tired of waiting for you to come to me, that’s all.” She looked back up at Yvonne, her honeyed voice dropping low. “And now that I’m here, I’m all yours.”
Desire flickered along Yvonne’s skin. That coy manner of Ruby’s might be an act, but she couldn’t fake the way her skin had reddened when Yvonne had given her that stern look…
No. Ruby was an escort. It was her job to be whoever her client wanted her to be. And although Yvonne had a weakness for women who liked to please her, she had no interest in a woman who wanted to please her for money. Yvonne wanted a woman whose need to serve ran far deeper. She doubted that Ruby genuinely harbored such desires.
“You’re wasting your time,” Yvonne said. “I don’t do escorts.”
“Well,” Ruby said. “It’s
