Yvonne went into the living room and took a seat. She could get used to having Ruby wait on her. She could already feel the cloud that had been hanging over her all day receding. Perhaps Madison had been onto something.
And Yvonne hadn’t even had to ask Ruby for anything. Ruby had simply taken it upon herself to look after her Mistress’s needs.
Ruby entered the room and handed Yvonne a slice of cake, before sitting down next to her, watching intently as Yvonne took a bite.
“Well?” Ruby said. “How is it?”
Yvonne put the plate and fork down on the table before her. “This is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.” She was exaggerating, but not much. Ruby’s baking skills had improved.
“I’m glad you like it.” Ruby kissed Yvonne on the cheek.
Yvonne felt a surge of warmth. Clearly her emotions were still all over the place. Or had Madison been right about something else too? Was Yvonne developing feelings for Ruby?
Yvonne pushed the thought aside. “Madison’s wedding is coming up. How would you like to be my plus one? I should warn you, it’s a big event. There will be hundreds of people there. It’s a lot of pressure. Think you can handle it?”
“Sure,” Ruby said. “I like a good party. And I like playing wife.”
“Then you’re going to need something to wear. I’ll have my stylist come by during the week. I already have something in mind.” Yvonne looked Ruby up and down. “You’re going to look irresistible.”
Ruby smiled shyly. God, that smile. It was the perfect antidote for Yvonne’s dark mood.
Yvonne stretched out, draping an arm loosely over Ruby’s shoulder. “Why don’t you tell me about your day? How was catching up with your cousin?”
“It was great,” Ruby said. “She was really impressed by the fact that I bagged myself a hot, rich wife.”
Ruby nestled against Yvonne’s shoulder and began filling her in on her day. Yvonne nodded along. Perhaps she felt more toward Ruby than she’d let herself admit, but that didn’t mean those feelings were serious.
Was there any harm in indulging those feelings? It would make it far easier to keep up the pretense that they were a happily married couple. And Yvonne hadn’t forgotten that it was all just an arrangement. One with an expiration date.
It could never become anything more.
Chapter 17
“Ruby?” Yvonne called from the master bedroom. “I need you.”
“One second.” Ruby had just gotten out of the shower. She hadn’t even heard Yvonne come home.
She wrapped a towel around herself and headed to Yvonne’s bedroom. It was the day of Madison’s wedding, and Yvonne had left early in the morning to deal with maid of honor business, with the plan to return home to get dressed before the wedding itself began in the afternoon. Ruby wasn’t going until later when the ceremony started.
Ruby reached Yvonne’s room. Inside, Yvonne was standing in front of a full-length mirror. Her hair was gathered up in an elaborate bun, adorned with sparkling hairpins, and the sunlight streaming through the window made her eyes shift to a mesmerizing shade of green. She wore a strapless gown in an enchanting midnight blue, with a long skirt that flowed down to the floor.
Ruby’s lips parted slightly. The dress was unlike anything Yvonne normally wore. She favored sleek, fitted clothing, usually in black. The blue bridesmaid’s dress was almost princess-like.
But it made Yvonne look like a queen.
Yvonne spied Ruby in the mirror and pointed toward the zipper at her back. “I need your help with this.”
Ruby blinked. “Sure.”
Ruby walked over to her. Yvonne’s bare back was smooth and toned. Ruby yearned to draw her hand up it, to wrap her arms around Yvonne and pull her close, to kiss her way down her Mistress’s naked shoulders…
Pulling herself together, Ruby took the zipper and drew it up Yvonne’s back, fastening the dress closed.
“Thank you.” Yvonne smoothed the dress down, then squared her shoulders, standing regally before the mirror as she inspected herself. Her eyes met Ruby’s through the mirror. “How do I look?”
“You’re going to upstage the brides,” Ruby said.
“All eyes will be on them, I’m sure.”
“Not mine. I know who I’ll be looking at.”
The tiniest smile crossed Yvonne’s lips. “I’m looking forward to seeing you in your dress too.” She turned to face Ruby. “I need to head back for now. I might not see you until the reception. I’ll have my hands full with maid of honor duties.”
Ruby nodded. “I’ll see you there.”
Yvonne grabbed her purse from the nearby chair, put a hand on Ruby’s waist, and gave her a soft, brief kiss on the lips before leaving the room.
As Yvonne’s footsteps receded, Ruby brought her hand up to her mouth, where the echo of Yvonne’s kiss remained.
Had Yvonne just kissed her goodbye?
Yvonne stood by as Madison and Blair said their vows before the watching crowd. The hours leading up to the ceremony had been punctuated by one disaster after another. Naturally, Yvonne had handled them all while making sure both the brides didn’t realize anything was amiss. It hadn’t been easy. Now that the ceremony was in motion, Yvonne finally had a chance to breathe.
Her eyes wandered over the sea of faces before them. It was impossible to spot Ruby in the large crowd. Yvonne couldn’t stop thinking about that casual kiss she’d given Ruby earlier. It had been a reflex, something she’d done without conscious thought.
Clearly, pretending that she and Ruby were a married couple was getting to her.
Yvonne focused her attention on Madison and Blair. They slipped the rings on each other’s fingers. The celebrant pronounced them married. They shared a tender kiss.
Yvonne couldn’t help but feel moved by it all. She wasn’t usually the sentimental type, but for a fleeting moment, she imagined herself at the altar, standing before her bride. Had she caught wedding fever from helping Madison plan her wedding? She had
