The Light Between Us Read Online Free

of her flustered blush flooding up the back of her neck and across her cheeks.
     
    “ Why not?  He's the one looking at us,” countered Cecelia.  “Or really, at you.” 
     
    Ruth sucked in her breath.  “Why the hell is he looking at me at all?”
     
    “ Why the hell not?” countered Maddie.  “You're hot, too.” 
     
    “ I'm not –“ Ruth began, but Padme interrupted.
     
    “ Don't look so petrified.  He's just a guy.  And remember what we talked about earlier?  You know, about Rufus and you being lonely and h --”
     
    “ Please do not call me horny again!” protested Ruth, feeling her flushed cheeks grow hotter. 
     
    “ Well, aren't you?” said Padme.
     
    “ Who cares,” Maddie said, rolling her eyes.  “Horny or not, the question is – what are you going to do about this guy giving you the hairy eyeball?”
     
    Cecelia gawked at Maddie.  “Please tell me you did not just say 'hairy eyeball.'”
     
    Ignoring the blonde, Maddie wiggled her eyebrows at Ruth.  “Come on, what do you say?”
     
    Trying to be nonchalant about it and sure that she totally failed, Ruth swept at her hair with trembling fingers and stole another look at the mysterious guy.  Yep, still staring, and right at her – only at her.  Without meaning to, she smiled.  The man's eyebrows rose a bit, and then he winked one of his blue eyes back.
     
    She turned back around.  “Ho-ly shit.  He just winked at me.”
     
    “ I saw,” Padme said, grinning.  All three of her friends, in fact, were wearing the same gigantic grin, even Maddie. 
     
    Ruth drew a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then let the air flow out of her in a slow, steady stream.  “Okay,” she said.  “Okay.  I'm going to talk to him.” 
     
    Padme and Cecelia squealed, and Maddie, thumped her hand on the table in admiration.
     
    “ Oh, stop it,” Ruth muttered.  “Before anything else happens, I need another drink.”  She chugged the rest of her beer, then set the empty bottle on the table.  She raised her eyebrows at her friends as she stood, leading with her hips, the alcohol making her feel more confident than usual.  “Wish me luck, girls,” she said.  The three women squealed as Ruth turned on her heel and marched through the crowd to the bar.
     
    She had no idea what to get, though, now that she was pushing out past routine.  She could get anything – the possibilities seemed endless.  It was exciting.  She could get used to this sort of feeling.  Except for the man's gaze – that felt terrifying.
     
    The bartender nodded at her.  “What can I get you?”
     
    Ruth's mouth hung open wordlessly for a moment of indecision, then the answer came to her.  “Wine,” she said at last.  “Red.  Pinot noir, please.”             
     
    The bartender nodded again and, retrieving a wine glass and a bottle, poured a languid stream of the nearly-black liquid. 
     
    “ Thanks,” she said, slipping her payment across the bar.  Ruth took a deep swallow from her glass and deliberately turned to look at the man with the bold gaze.
     
    An electric shock jolted through her body as her eyes met his.  She stifled a gasp at the sensation.  This was really happening.  Here was a man who only seemed to have eyes for her.  It was like something out of one of her romance novels.  Ruth took another sip of wine, not breaking their eye contact. 
     
    She drew a deep shuddering breath, then moved across the room toward him.  She hoped she was moving sexily, but felt more than satisfied with how she managed to walk across the room on her wobbly legs without stumbling and sloshing the crimson wine all down her front. 
     
    Fun, she told herself firmly.  Focus on the fun.  But even as she thought the words, she knew she wouldn't be able to do it.  She never was.  Still, this guy was too intriguing to not at least strike up a conversation with.  He was better for that than her cat, anyway.  She