Ruby Falls by Nicole James Page A

neckline that showed a hint of cleavage and that also bared her back. The dress was tight at the waist, the full skirt flaring out. It fell to about three inches above her knee, revealing the long length of her tanned legs. On her feet were strappy black high-heeled sandals. Steve stood there, speechless until Pop nudged his shoulder, breaking the spell and asked, “Doesn’t she son?”
    Steve swallowed, trying to regain his composure. Finding his voice, he agreed, “Yeah. You look beautiful, Summer.”
    “You’ll have them boys tonight lining up to dance with you. But, you better save me one, young lady,” Pop insisted.
    She smiled at him. “Of course.” Then Steve watched as she seemed to panic. “Wait, there’s dancing? I thought it was a restaurant.”
    “Restaurant and bar. They got a dance floor, babe,” he replied.
    “Oh.”
    He moved toward the door and opened it, stepping back for her to proceed him. He looked down at her smiling face as she stepped past him.
     
    Jessie grinned as she watched her father go practically speechless over Summer. They all headed out the door and she saw Cary waiting over by his truck which was parked in front of his place.
    “You ridin’ with me, Jess?” he yelled across the yard.
    “Sure,” she called back and headed over to him.
    She watched as his eyes slid over her, noticing the sparkle of her shirt in the dimming evening twilight.
    “Look at you, babe. All sparkly.”
    When she reached him, she slugged him in the shoulder. “Shut up.”
    “Just kidding, Jess. You look real pretty.”
    “Take a look at Summer,” she said, turning to look over her shoulder back toward her dad’s truck, where he was holding the door for Summer to climb in.
    Cary looked over and whistled softly.
    Jessie turned back to look at him. “I know! You should have seen dad’s face when he saw her. Priceless.”
    Cary moved toward his door. “Climb in, squirt.”
    “Squirt. Who you callin’ squirt? I’m five-eight.”
    They both climbed in the truck.
    “And thanks for opening my door for me. What a gentleman.”
    He looked over at her, pausing before turning the key. “Do you want me to open the door for you, Jess?”
    “I am a girl!”
    “Okay. Fine. Climb out, and I’ll come around and open the door for you.”
    Jessie rolled her eyes. “Just start the truck.”
    “Nope.” He reached for the handle and opened his door.
    “Cary! Just start the truck.” She noticed out the windshield her father’s truck pulling past them and heading out the drive. Cary climbed out and moved around the hood of his truck. And then her door was being yanked open, and Cary was pulling her out. “Cary, what the hell are you doing?”
    “You’re right. There’s a proper way to treat a lady. You’re not a kid anymore, and you deserve to have a man treat you right.” He pulled her to the side and closed the door. Then he pushed her up against it. “Not just me, Jessie. All guys. You deserve it. Don’t settle for anything less. Hear me.”
    “I hear you,” she whispered, staring up at him. He looked down at her, and Jessie wished she could read the emotion she saw in his eyes.
    “You do look real pretty tonight, sweetheart,” he said softly.
    She smiled, her heart melting a little.
    He yanked open the truck door and bowed down with a flourish, “Your chariot, Princess.”
     
    Steve drove down the highway with Summer squeezed in the middle, between him and Pop. His eyes kept straying to her legs. He longed to put his hand on her knee, but no chance of that happening with Pop along.
    She glanced up at him, and he smiled at her, his eyes returning to the road, where he vowed to keep them. That worked for about a minute, until he realized keeping his eyes on the road, didn’t stop him from breathing in the sweet scent of her perfume. His grip on the wheel tightened.
    It was a long twenty miles out to the Roadhouse.
    Finally, he slowed the truck and flicked on the turn signal. A neon sign