20: Reservations

"You know, nothing good happens after midnight," Tucker said, lifting the glass of a Merlot to his lips. It made him feel daring, even this was only his second glass.

If he had met Ruby ten years ago, or maybe even five years ago, he wouldn't have had wine anywhere near him. At least not red. There were more than a few crazy nights involving champagne.

Yet here he was, an adult and business man, drinking red wine in a button up shirt.

"It's only ten-thirty," Ruby said, sipping her white sangria. "But you know. We see how it goes."

Tucker took another gulp of his wine. The bar was dimly lit and filled with people his age or older... Much older. His eyes fell on Ruby who wore a black dress and a printed kimono. She wore more makeup than she had worn at their interview, including a lipstick darker than the wine he drank.

He began to feel his chest flush.

He pulled at a button. "I guess we will."

Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "So..."

"So." Tucker rolled his thumb and forefinger back and forth on the stem of the wine glass, waiting for Ruby to speak.

"Tell me a secret." Her eyes opened wide and she bat her eyelashes. "I'll go first if you want."

Ruby's words lingered in the space between them. He didn't know what she meant by secret, nor the extent. A rush of life experiences came to him and he mentally started sorting them by levels of appropriateness.

"Go ahead," he said.

Ruby shifted in her seat, throwing the kimono behind her and leaning forward on the table. Her dress caught on the tablecloth slightly and pulled a little.

"I'm thinking of a good one," she said, placing her elbow on the table, allowing the dress to pull down even more on her chest. Tucker watched with anticipation. He could see the frill of a black lace bra peeping through.

Quickly, Ruby snapped up and adjusted herself. "Oh! Never mind... Food's here."

Tucker exhaled a sharp breath as the waiter set a steak down in front of him.

"Something wrong?" Ruby said, slicing carefully through the chicken breast on her plate. The knife still squeaked upon hitting the plate.

"Goddammit! I hate that sound!" Ruby shuddered at the noise. Tucker felt the goosebumps emerge on his skin.

"Me too, made my hair stand up." He lifted his arm and rolled back one of his sleeves. Ruby's hand reached out and grabbed Tucker on the forearm, looking closely at the hairs standing up on it. He could have sworn he felt a finger lightly trace one of the veins on his arm.

She released him, then began to move around the potatoes on her plate.

"This is good. Want some?" Immediately, Tucker's mouth began to salivate. He cut potatoes out when he began to take his diet seriously and hadn't gone back since. They were his guiltiest pleasure.

"Yes."

Ruby put some on the fork and offered it to him. His hand wrapped around hers and slipped the fork from between her fingers.

"Did you like it?"

"Oh my god, yeah," he moaned. She giggled.

"I'm glad you did."

The warmth in Tucker's stomach did not go away for the rest of the dinner. Both he and Ruby loosened up, chatting about things that he didn't know that he would share with someone who was virtually a stranger. She nodded with understanding when he needed it and laughed at all his jokes.

"Alright, folks, we're gonna be closing up soon," the waiter said with cold annoyance.

"Oh. Okay then. Guess we'll be on our way. Thank you."

Tucker slid out of his chair and felt the uneven buzziness of being drunk. "I'm more loaded than I thought."

Ruby laughed. "I noticed! Maybe you could catch a cab home. I'm feeling some type of way myself."

They stood outside the doorway. Tucker moved closer to Ruby, maybe too close, but he felt bold.

"I had fun."

She looked up at him with a smile. "Me too."

They paused for a few agonizing moments. He should just grab her and kiss her, right? Did she feel the moment too?

"I, um... I think I'm going to go, though. Thank you. I'm just a few blocks up the street. Don't worry about me."

Ruby turned her back and headed down the street.

"It's dangerous!" Tucker called, unsure if it truly was or wasn't, the gentleman in him wanting to go with her, the man with desire needing to.

She turned to face him, walking backwards, laughing.

"Then come with me!"

If yall still care about this book, I cannot thank you enough. I'll try my goshdarn hardest to keep up with it. I feel refreshed with ideas. Love yall.