Let Your Hair Down Read online

  Well, it really wasn’t her business, after all. He was taking her to dinner and the theater tonight, but tomorrow she’d be on her own. She needed to get on with the solo part of her adventure, even if she was already a little bit sad about saying goodbye, which was ridiculous since she’d only met him yesterday. She and Flynn had just clicked from the moment they met.

  With a sigh, she sat up and walked to the closet where she’d hung her new dress. It was pretty, fancy but not so fancy that she wouldn’t get other opportunities to wear it, other nights out on the town. Dates, maybe. It was time for her to go on more of those.

  She laid it on the bed and stripped out of her clothes, taking a moment to freshen herself up before she got dressed. She took a wet face cloth to wipe the residue of the city off herself, rubbing her favorite lotion into her skin in its place. It smelled like honeysuckle blossoms, and the scent was familiar and soothing, reminding her of home. Not home in the sense that she’d grown up smelling honeysuckle, but she always wore this lotion. It was familiar, maybe the most familiar thing about her day so far.

  She stepped carefully into the dress and zipped it up, smoothing her hands over it as she surveyed herself in the mirror. The dress had a high neckline, so it wouldn’t need a necklace, but the gold cuff bracelet she’d worn to Elle’s wedding should go nicely with it. She redid her hair and touched up her makeup before fastening the black strappy heels she’d bought earlier. Her toes, already painted a bright cherry red, accented her outfit perfectly.

  She got the black clutch she’d used at the wedding and added her phone, credit card, and other essentials. And then—because this was her adventure and she was committed to being spontaneous—she tucked one of the condoms from the pack she’d bought in the gift shop earlier into her purse…just in case.

  Finally ready, she headed down to the lobby, where Flynn waited, leaning against a column and looking at something on his phone. She paused for a moment to admire the sight of him, tall and lean in a charcoal-gray suit with a burgundy tie. His dark hair was again neatly combed, although that one unruly lock had broken free to tumble over his forehead. She’d noticed him swiping irritably at it during the day, but she loved the way it looked, the hint of carefree boyishness it added to his otherwise polished appearance.

  “Hi,” she said.

  He looked up, his gaze traveling appreciatively from her face to her toes. “Beautiful.”

  She stepped forward, close enough to catch a familiar hint of his aftershave. And then, she kissed him, a quick press of her lips against his, just enough to feel the jolt of electricity that sparked in her belly every time they touched. “You look pretty handsome yourself.”

  “Do I?” Flynn’s gaze dropped to her lips before he dipped his head and kissed her back. “I think it might just be a byproduct of standing beside you.”

  “Stop it.” She swatted playfully at his arm. “Um, you have a little…” She reached up to wipe her lipstick off his lips.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  She nodded, taking the elbow he’d extended for her and walking together out the hotel’s revolving door onto the street.

  “I used a car service tonight, so we didn’t have to concern ourselves with parking or trains whilst dressed like this.” He gestured toward a sleek black sedan parked a few spots away.

  “Oh.” Right. She was going out with a hotel heir tonight. “Okay.”

  “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Not a bit.” Tonight—and this week—she was committed to rolling with the unexpected, and finding out she had a driver for the evening was definitely not a bad thing.

  He opened the car door for her, and she stepped inside. London was a different creature at night, sidewalks bustling with people, glittering lights gleaming off puddles from the rain that had fallen while she was in her hotel room. The sky overhead was a murky purple as the glow of the city bled into the clouds.

  They drove about ten minutes through the wet, glistening streets while Ruby admired the buildings they passed. They’d obviously entered the theater district, because she saw brightly lit marquees announcing tonight’s showings. Some were classic productions with titles she recognized, others were a mystery to her. Several marquees announced stars she knew from movies and TV.

  “I had no idea some of these people even acted in plays,” she commented.

  “You’d be surprised how many actors like to try their hand on stage.”

  The car pulled to the curb in front of a stone-fronted restaurant with large windows overlooking the street. Inside, strands of multicolored lights crisscrossed the ceiling, illuminating the tables below in a colorful glow. Vividly decorated tapestries hung from the walls. “I love it already,” she told Flynn as they stepped out of the car.

  “I thought it would suit you.” He led the way inside.

  Jazz music played softly as the hostess brought them to a small table along the back wall, below a huge painting of a man and a woman making out. She sat, allowing her gaze to wander around the restaurant, absorbing the ambience. Everything was funky, colorful, and eclectic, exactly her aesthetic.

  “I’m impressed,” she told Flynn.

  “By the restaurant?”

  She fixed her gaze on his. “That you thought it would suit me.”

  He leaned forward slightly, the reflection of the overhead lighting dancing in his eyes. “Was I right?”

  “Yes.” She grinned at him. “If the food is half as good as the décor, it’ll be a definite win.”

  “The food is excellent,” he told her.

  “Have you eaten here before?” Because although this place suited Ruby, she couldn’t quite picture Flynn bringing one of his undoubtedly high-class girlfriends here.

  “The truth?”

  “Of course.”

  He leaned back in his chair. “My sister and her wife own this restaurant.”

  Ruby sat up straighter. “Oh. Then I guess you have eaten here before.”

  “Too many times to count. And I wouldn’t have brought you to my sister’s restaurant if I hadn’t been so sure you’d love it. I don’t want to make tonight about meeting my family, although Pippa and Amy are sure to pop by at some point.”

  “Pippa is your sister?”

  He nodded. “She’s the second youngest in the family.”

  “Second to you,” she said, remembering that he was the youngest of five.

  “That’s right.”

  Their waitress, a young, energetic-looking woman with purple streaks in her blonde hair, approached their table with a wide smile. “Oy, Flynn, I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

  “It was a last-minute decision,” he told her.

  “I’m Marlie,” she told Ruby.

  “Hi, Marlie. I’m Ruby.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ruby. Any friend of Flynn’s is a friend of ours. American, hm?”

  Ruby nodded. “I’m in town for a friend’s wedding.”

  “Theo Langdon’s wedding?” Marlie asked, eyes widening. “The whole city’s been buzzing about it. I heard it was quite the to-do.”

  “Yes. Elle’s one of my best friends,” Ruby told her.

  “Too cool. Can I get you guys started with something to drink? A bottle of wine?”

  Flynn gave Ruby a questioning look. “Wine?”

  “Yes, definitely.”

  They selected a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and Marlie left them. Ruby and Flynn studied their menus in silence for a minute, the rhythm of their conversation having been interrupted.

  “So, I was under the impression all your siblings worked for the family business,” she said finally.

  “The rest of us do. Pippa had a bit of a falling out with my parents a while back.”

  “Because she’s gay?” Ruby asked quietly, hoping she wasn’t prying into things that were none of her business.

  Flynn nodded. “That was certainly part of it, although Pippa was always more taken with the restaurant industry than hotels, truth be told
.”

  “Have they reconciled, Pippa and your parents?”

  “For the most part. My parents can be a bit old-fashioned sometimes.” Flynn’s expression was pained. “It’s not an excuse. There’s no excuse.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ruby murmured. “I don’t mean to pry.”

  “You’re not. I’m the one who brought you to my sister’s restaurant on essentially our first date.” He winked at her.

  “It’s just…” She couldn’t not tell him, not when it was such an important part of who she was, but it was a conversation that hadn’t always gone over well with her dates in the past. “I’ve been in Pippa’s shoes, although luckily my parents were much more supportive.”

  Flynn’s brows drew together. “You’re…?”

  “Bisexual,” she told him. “Most of the time, especially lately, I date men, but I had a long-term girlfriend in college. We were together for two years.”

  “I had no idea,” Flynn said, still looking somewhat shell-shocked, but whatever she saw on his face, it wasn’t anything unpleasant. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “I hope it doesn’t bother you.” She’d gotten mixed reactions from men she’d dated in the past, everything from awkwardness to inquiries about a threesome, but women had often been just as uncomfortable. Sometimes, Ruby felt caught in a weird in-between place with her sexuality.

  “It doesn’t bother me in the slightest.” He reached out to grip her hand where it rested on the table. “If anything, it adds to your intrigue, and I don’t mean that in a weird ‘lesbian fantasy’ kind of way. I just…I really like you. You’re different from most women I meet, a little bit quirky and just one-hundred-percent comfortable being yourself.”

  Ruby opened her mouth and closed it again. She took a sip of water from the glass in front of her. “Well, thanks, I think. I wish I saw myself as confidently as you do.”

  “You don’t?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised.

  “You’re seeing a different side of me here in London,” she told him. “Usually, I’m the predictable, nerdy girl with the laptop and the spreadsheets, remember?”

  “You keep telling me so, but I don’t think I could ever find you boring.” He leaned forward, grinning conspiratorially. “And I happen to find nerdy incredibly sexy.”

  “Do you?” She hardly recognized her own voice, it sounded so breathless…so flirty.

  “Absolutely.” He stroked his thumb back and forth over the palm of her hand. “But I think I find everything about you sexy.”

  “Now you’re just flattering me.” And she was helplessly smitten with this man she’d spent only one day with.

  “Perhaps,” he admitted. “But it’s also true.”

  “I’m a gamer,” she told him, going for broke. “Pretty much the extent of my social life is meeting up with my local online gaming group to play together.”

  “Still sexy,” he told her.

  She lifted her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

  “I don’t know anything about video games, but now I want to.”

  She grinned. Could he possibly be any more charming? She never wanted this night to end.

  A woman with dark hair wearing a long Bohemian-style skirt approached their table with arms extended, leaning in to kiss Flynn on each cheek. “I couldn’t believe it when Marlie told me you were here tonight.”

  Flynn gave her an affectionate hug before turning to Ruby. “Ruby, this is my sister, Pippa.”

  5

  Flynn watched as Ruby and Pippa chatted like old friends. Maybe he’d known they would hit it off. Maybe it was part of the reason he’d brought Ruby here tonight.

  “What show are you guys going to see?” Pippa asked.

  “Wicked,” Ruby told her. “I’ve had the soundtrack in my playlist for years, and I’ve always been a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz. I can’t wait to see it in person.”

  “Oh, you’re going to love it,” Pippa told her. “Amy and I saw it last year.”

  “It’s my first show, so I can’t imagine it will disappoint.”

  “Your first?” Pippa asked, eyebrows raised.

  “Yeah. I’m from Florida. We have a lot of theme parks, not so much theater,” Ruby said.

  “Well then, you’re in for a treat, and I’m sure my brother is just the person to show you around London.”

  “We’ve had a blast today.” Ruby looked over at him, her expression full of a pure kind of affection that made his chest feel too tight.

  “I’ll leave you two to your meal, but I hope you have a wonderful time tonight, and if you ever find yourself in London again, please do stop in.”

  “I definitely will,” Ruby told her.

  Pippa leaned in to give him another hug. “I love her,” she whispered in his ear.

  He nudged her away playfully. “See you later, Pippa.”

  Pippa waved over her shoulder as she walked away, only to be replaced by Marlie, who brought their bottle of wine and took their dinner order.

  “Alone at last,” Ruby said with a wink as Marlie headed toward the kitchen.

  “Perhaps I didn’t think through the logistics of bringing you here,” he admitted.

  “Do you bring dates here often?” Ruby asked, sipping her wine and watching him closely.

  “You may be the first, come to think of it.”

  “Interesting.” She took another sip. “Well, for the record, I really like your sister. I’m glad you brought me here.”

  “You haven’t tasted the food yet,” he teased, attempting to downplay the unexpectedly intimate moment.

  “I’m sure I’ll love it, but even if I don’t, I’ve enjoyed the rest of the experience enough to make up for it.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Conversation flowed easily as they drank their wine, although he was distracted by the way the overhead lights played in Ruby’s hair. She wore it up again tonight—he was beginning to think she hadn’t been exaggerating when she told him she always wore it that way—but it shone with reflected red and blue and green tones, shifting like a kaleidoscope as she moved her head.

  He could stare at her all night, or it felt like that, anyway. He’d never had much luck keeping his focus on any one person or task, a byproduct of his ADHD. But right here, right now, he felt like Ruby could hold his attention forever.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  “I just…I’ve really enjoyed today.”

  “Me too.” She smiled, eyes crinkling behind her glasses.

  Their meals arrived, and they fell back into easy conversation as they ate. Ruby spun each bite of pasta around her fork, twirling it round and round before popping it in her mouth. How was it possible for every single thing about her to be so lovely and captivating and sexy?

  “So, what’s involved in overseeing a new hotel location being built?” she asked between bites. “Is it a project management kind of job, or are you involved with the building itself?”

  “A little of both,” he told her. “My background is in architecture, although as I’m sure you can imagine, the hotel has strict brand standards to follow.”

  “Architecture.” Her eyes met his. “Is that what you enjoy most, then?”

  The question he’d been asking himself for years now. “Perhaps. When I’m between assignments at Exeter, I sometimes take on side projects. In fact, I’m about to design a new house for a friend of mine. I’ll be driving out to visit the property tomorrow.”

  “That sounds exciting.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” he told her as he cut a bite of steak.

  “I bet,” she said. “It sounds like you get a lot more creative input on your side projects than you do at Exeter.”

  “Yes. That’s what I enjoy most about them.”

  “Then I’m glad you get the chance to do both.”

  After their meals had been cleared away, he took her hand as they walked outside. “We can walk to the theater from here, if you’re up for it.”

&nbs
p; “Yes, definitely. I could use a little fresh air and exercise after that meal.” She patted her belly. “Before we sit down for a show.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  They strolled down the street together, dodging puddles here and there. The air had cooled now that night had fallen. Ruby rubbed her hands up and down her arms, and he silently cursed himself for not suggesting she get a jacket or wrap to go with that dress. It was much warmer in the southern United States than it was here in London, so it probably hadn’t occurred to her that she might need another layer.

  “Here.” He shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

  “Thanks.” She hugged it around herself gratefully. “You’re not cold now, are you?”

  “Not at all.”

  It was only a few blocks to the theater, and soon they were making their way to their seats. Ruby had given back his jacket when they went inside, and consequently, he found himself admiring the way her dress shimmered beneath the low lighting of the theater as she walked.

  “Wow,” she whispered as she turned to take in her surroundings. “It is so ridiculously gorgeous in here.”

  The theater had been built in the eighteenth century and was decked out in classic grandeur, with ornately carved wood and red velvet seats. He’d been here before, but looking at it through Ruby’s eyes helped him to remember how splendid it truly was. Perhaps he ought to take a page from her book and seek this kind of pleasure in his everyday life.

  “Do you mind?” Ruby took out her phone, gesturing for him to lean in for a selfie. They posed together for several photos with the stage behind them. She’d been photo-documenting their day, sharing the photos on a hashtag she’d started so her friends and family could keep up with her vacation.

  “Would you like me to take one of you?”

  “Sure.” She posed against the railing, one leg crossed over the other, with the stage behind her and a radiant smile on her face. He was tempted to ask her to send it to him to remember tonight by, but it was probably better he didn’t. A clean break would make it easier for him to move on with the next chapter of his life in Dubai.