Chapter 12:Ruby’s Anticipation

Ruby barely remembered the drive home.

Her mind remained completely consumed by one man.

Master William Steele.

Olivia glanced sideways from the driver's seat and laughed.

“You've been staring out that window for twenty minutes.”

Ruby blinked.

“What?”

“Exactly.”

Ruby groaned and covered her face with both hands.

“Oh my God.”

Olivia laughed harder.

“You've got it bad.”

“I do not.”

“You absolutely do.”

Ruby sighed dramatically.

“Okay, maybe a little.”

“A little?” Olivia nearly swerved laughing. “The man looked at you twice and you've forgotten how breathing works.”

Ruby couldn't even argue.

Because her best friend wasn't entirely wrong.

The next hour became a nonstop interrogation.

Ruby demanded every detail Olivia was willing to share.

What was Master Steele really like?

Had He dated many women?

Was He always that confident?

Did He always look at people like that?

Olivia answered what she could.

“He's incredibly private.”

“That doesn't help.”

“He's demanding.”

“That helps slightly.”

“He's loyal.”

Ruby liked that answer.

Olivia smiled knowingly.

“The people He cares about stay in His life for a very long time.”

Something about that statement lingered with Ruby all the way home.

The moment she walked into her apartment, she kicked off her heels, changed into pajamas, opened her laptop, and typed:

William Steele

The search results exploded across her screen.

Ruby's eyes widened.

"Holy crap."

There were business articles.

Charity events.

Commercial real estate acquisitions.

Luxury hospitality ventures.

Private membership clubs.

International import and export companies.

Board memberships.

Investment partnerships.

Photographs from charity galas.

Interviews.

Awards.

Magazine features.

The deeper she searched, the more impossible the man became.

He wasn't simply wealthy.

He was influential.

Respected.

Connected.

And somehow...

He'd spent four hours talking to her like she was the most interesting woman in Fantasy.

Ruby closed her laptop around two in the morning and lay awake staring at the ceiling.

Thinking about silver eyes.

Thinking about confidence.

Thinking about Friday.

Monday arrived far too quickly.

Ruby's work life couldn't have been more different from Fantasy.

As Senior Director at a fast-growing marketing firm, her days consisted of strategy meetings, client presentations, campaign reviews, budgets, deadlines, and constant decision-making.

She loved every minute of it.

The pressure energized her.

Most people found her intimidating at work.

Confident.

Sharp.

Focused.

No one at the office would ever guess that one conversation with a certain club owner had completely scrambled her thoughts.

Especially not when her phone vibrated Monday afternoon during a quarterly planning meeting.

Ruby glanced down discreetly beneath the conference table.

A text message.

From William Steele.

Her heart immediately skipped.

Master Steele:

I hope your day is productive, Ruby. Try not to work too hard. Friday is approaching quickly.

That was it.

Simple.

Professional.

Perfectly innocent.

Yet Ruby stared at the message for almost thirty seconds.

Then smiled so broadly that her assistant sitting beside her noticed.

"You look happy."

Ruby immediately locked her phone.

"No reason."

The assistant raised an eyebrow.

"Sure."

The week crawled.

Monday felt endless.

Tuesday wasn't much better.

Wednesday somehow lasted approximately three years.

Every evening brought another conversation with Olivia.

Every morning brought fresh anticipation.

And every night Ruby found herself wondering what Friday would be like.

Where would he take her?

What would they talk about?

Would he look at her the same way outside Fantasy?

Would he still seem larger than life?

Or even more dangerous?

Thursday evening finally arrived.

Ruby had just returned home from work when the doorbell rang.

The delivery man wheeled in two large black garment boxes.

Both bore a silver embossed F.

Her pulse immediately accelerated.

Master Steele.

Ruby carried the boxes into her living room and carefully opened them.

Inside she found luxury unlike anything she'd ever owned.

A breathtaking midnight-black evening dress crafted from silk and satin that somehow managed to look both sophisticated and effortlessly seductive.

Elegant heels.

Matching accessories.

A handwritten note.

Friday. 7:00 PM. My driver will arrive at 6:30.

— W.S.

Ruby ran her fingers across the note and smiled despite herself.

The man truly did arrange everything.

At 9:47 PM that same evening, her phone chimed again.

Her stomach instantly fluttered.

Master Steele:

The dress arrived?

Ruby smiled immediately.

Ruby:

Yes, Sir.

The reply appeared almost instantly.

Master Steele:

Good.

Just that single word.

Yet somehow she could hear His voice saying it.

Could practically see the approving look in those silver eyes.

Several moments later another message arrived.

Master Steele:

I look forward to seeing you Friday, Ruby.

Simple.

Polished.

Perfectly appropriate.

Yet Ruby found herself smiling at her phone like an idiot.

Because beneath those carefully chosen words she sensed something else.

Anticipation.

The same anticipation she felt.

The same excitement.

The same desire to discover what happened next.

For the first time in years, Friday couldn't arrive fast enough.