The Light Between Us (5 page)

As soon as she'd slung her purple shoulder bag that matched her lavender and turquoise boho dress onto the seat next to her, she saw Derek stride by the window.  He did a double take as he passed, pausing to grin and wave before making his way into the coffee shop and gracefully swinging his lean, muscular body into the booth across from Ruth.

“
Sorry I'm late,” he said, forehead creasing.

Ruth shook her head.  “No, you're fine.  And anyway I only just got here,” she said, feeling like she was simultaneously talking her brain down from the cliff edge of panic.  She slid one of the coffee mugs in its porcelain saucer toward him.  “I got you a coffee.  I hope you don't mind.”

“
Thank you,” he said, taking a sip.  “I see you like your drinks dark.”  He said, nodding to the mugs. 

She frowned.  “I guess . . . what do you mean?”

“
Last night, you were drinking a red wine, if I remember correctly.  And now, a black coffee.”  He smiled, and Ruth had to clench her jaw to keep it from flapping open at his gorgeousness.  “You're a woman who appreciates darkness.”

Ruth laughed.  “Um, thanks?  I don't even know what to say to that.  Except that I think you're giving me too much credit.”

Derek shrugged, fixing her with an appraising look that nearly had her squirming in her seat with the heat it sent shooting electric through her body.  “Maybe.  But I doubt it.”             

She cleared her throat, fighting back the blush threatening to make its way across her face.  “Well, Mr. . . . ?”

“
Stone.  Derek Stone.  And you?”

“
Ruth Hunter.”

“
Well,” he said, “it's nice to meet you, officially, Miss Hunter.”

Ruth couldn't stop the blush.  Damn.  “And you, Mr. Stone.  So, what does one do on this kind of an excursion?  I'm afraid I never seem to know the rules.”

“
There are rules?” he asked with a smile.  “That's news to me.  And as for experience . . . well, I know plenty of ways to remedy that.”

For a moment his eyes burned with a primal light that was gone as fast as it came, leaving Ruth gasping and, in the same instant, wondering if she'd even seen it at all.  But the unexpected desire flooding her limbs, turning them languid, told a surer story. 
Well, that's new
, she thought, red faced.  She couldn't remember the last time a guy had turned her on like Derek did. 

She took a long drink from her coffee mug, the plain, bitter taste steadying her.  “Okay.  I have to ask – what is going on here?”

Derek's brow wrinkled.  “Going on here?” he repeated.  “You mean, a man and a woman out on a date, getting to know each other?”

Ruth shook her head.  “Yeah, but . . . why?”

“
Why not?”

“
It's just – well, I didn't exactly leave you with the best impression last night.  I'm really sorry.  I guess that kiss brought up some uncomfortable memories of my parents' marriage, and I do not want anything like the shit relationship they have.  And even if that hadn't happened . . .”  She sighed.  “I don't date much.  I feel out of my element.”

“
That's okay.  I don't date much either,” he said, voice warm.  “Ever, actually.  So this is something of a first for me, too.”

This revelation sent relief coursing through her, muscles loosening.  She realized that she'd been taking shallow gasps of air; she drew in a deep, full breath and felt it soothe her.  “Well, that's reassuring.”

“
From what I've heard,” he said, blue eyes sparkling, “this is the part where we get to know each other.  So . . . tell me about yourself.  What do you do, what do you love, who do you love to do it with?”  He winked and her stomach flipped.

“
Well,” Ruth said, swallowing hard, “I work at Baldwin Elementary here in Cambridge, teaching first grade.”

“
Wow,” said Derek, nodding in appreciation, “that sounds like quite the, ah, engaging career.  And by engaging, I mean exhausting.”

She laughed.  “Yes, it can be grueling at times, with the endless grading and staff development and lesson planning.  And don't even get me started on the parents.”

“
That bad?”

“
No, actually.  My students' parents are pretty wonderful as a rule.  But dealing with them scares the crap out of me.  It's high stakes for them, and for me, and the kids are stuck in the middle.”  She took a swallow of coffee.  “But my students are amazing.  Funny, and smart, and almost always excited about what we're learning.  It can't get better than that . . . right?”  Ruth shrugged.

Derek fixed her another one of those piercing looks that made her want t tumble into his arms right then and there.  “It sounds like you're trying to convince me . . . and yourself.”

Now her mouth really did hang open.  “Well, no – I mean – I –”

He shrugged.  “Plenty of people don't love their jobs.  Plenty of people hate their jobs.”

“
I don't hate my job.”

“
I believe you,” he said, pausing for a long moment before continuing.  “But . . . I don't think you love it, either.  I don't think it's that thing that you love, you know?  I can hear it in your voice.”

She scowled at him.  “Fine, maybe you're right.  Teaching isn't my passion, like it is Padme's.”

“
Your friend,” he said.

Ruth nodded.  “Yes, the crazy one who was apparently passing out my number last night.”

“
Passing your number out?”  Derek pouted.  “And here I thought I was the only one.”

She made a face at him.  “Well,” she said airily, “you don't know what kind of woman I am.  Not yet, anyway.  I could be anyone.”

“
I hope you're not just anyone,” said Derek, voice dropping into a more serious tone.  “I hope that you remain fully yourself.  Because that is what I find so attractive.”

Ruth felt taken aback.  “Oh.”  She wanted to scowl, to protect herself, to not show him how much his words seared into her in the most beautiful way.  But instead she found herself smiling, a small upward curve of the lips that melted into an all-out wide and blushing smile.  This man was opening something up inside her somehow – first last night with his gaze drawing some new brave out of her, and now this. 

I'm starting to like it
, she thought. “Tell me,” she said impulsively, surprising herself.  “Tell me about me.  About what you see.”

Derek's smile returned, accompanied by a thoughtful expression in his eyes.  She wanted to squirm away, to look anywhere, everywhere but at those blue eyes.  But she inhaled, slow and deep, and forced herself to return his warm gaze.

“
Okay,” he said.  “Well, I see a powerful woman.  A woman full of mystery.  Only she hasn't figured out how powerful, how beautiful in all ways she is, so she is sad.  She hasn't quite found her feet in this world, but she is finding them now, I think, and when she learns to trust her legs – her quite sexy legs, I must say,” he added, making Ruth blush for what felt the umpteenth time.  “When she learns to stand on those legs, to walk in the way she was born to walk, she is going to ignite the world, I think.”  Derek leaned in across the table.  “I certainly hope that you will ignite my world,” he said in a low voice.  “You've already lit the match.”

Ruth felt her pulse racing, and her stomach twisting over on itself, but not in its usual anxious way.  This was warmer, more exciting.  It made her want to howl at the moon, to quit her job and just write already, to lean across the table and kiss Derek, hot and deep –

She blinked and realized that Derek was staring at her, wearing a bemused expression.  Shaking her head, she said, “Sorry.  That was – wow.  I don't even know what to say.”

“
You don't have to say anything.  Just let me buy you breakfast.” 

She grinned.  “I can do that.”   Derek grabbed the menus and passed one to her.  She accepted and opened it, but her eyes weren't reading the offerings.  The Brew was one of her favorite spots, so she already what she wanted – banana bread French toast with real maple syrup and a side of bacon.  But she pretended to read the menu so she could calm her thrumming heart. 

Ruth sucked in long, slow breaths, willing her tremble nerves to settle.  A man had never had this effect on her, attracting her body, mind, and spirit.  But maybe, as Padme had always said when Ruth waved off her offers of set ups, she had never met the right guy.  And maybe Derek was a right guy.  Or – the thought slipped in before she could silence it – maybe he was the guy.  Ruth swallowed, hard, as her stomach swooped.  Cool it, she told herself.  Don't go there.  It's just breakfast.

The shadow of the waitress's approach fell across the menu.  Ruth looked up, opening her mouth to order, but before she could utter a word the waitress spoke.

“
Derek,” the young blonde said flatly, a statement rather than a question or an exclamation, eyes on fire. 

He looked up from his menu and the light fell from his face.  “Oh.  Uh, hi.”

“
Hi?” the waitress said, hands on her hips.  “That's all you have to say to me?  I thought you said you had to work today.”

“
Well –” he began, glancing at Ruth, but the waitress wasn't done. 

“
I should have known when you came onto me that last night was going to be just a one-off for you,” she spat, shaking her head. 

“
Wait,” Ruth broke in.  “Wait.  Last night?”  The pleasurable twisting in her belly turned into what felt like a writhing knot of snakes. 

“
Watch out for this one,” the waitress said to her.  “He's a womanizer.  Fuck 'em and leave 'em, that's got to be his motto.  I really hope you're not his girlfriend, because if you are – well, now you know he's a jerk-faced cheat.”  She turned and stomped off, blonde bun bobbing. 

Ruth breathed, and breathed again. 
This isn't happening.  It can't be.  Please
, she pleaded silently, not sure who she was talking to. 

“
Ruth –” Derek said, reaching across the table for her hand.  She jerked it away.

“
Don't,” she said, shaking her head.  “Just – don't.  I should have known.  I did know.”  Ruth grabbed her bag, and slid out of the booth.  She practically ran out the door, the tips of her ears hot and flaming. 

Derek followed her outside.  “Please.  Let me explain.”

Ruth turned her head to meet his sapphire eyes as her feet flew over the sidewalk.  They were filled with pleading, regret. 
Damn, he's good
, she thought. 
I almost believe that he feels bad
.  “Explain what?  That you're just after a night or two with me, using my body for some fun before you move on to some other woman?”

“
No, that's not what I want with you.”

She shrugged, quickening her pace.  “How the hell am I supposed to believe you?  Last night you seemed like you were all about me, and today, too.  And now I find out that in the few short hours I've known you, you've already slept with someone else.  That's – that's seriously messed up.”  She stalked down the sidewalk, the Harvard Square traffic spinning by, praying that the tears she felt threatening behind her eyes wouldn't fall until she was alone.

“
I know,” Derek said, falling in beside her.  “I know, it was totally messed up.”

“
You led me on.  With all that crap about what you see in me . . . I want to vomit.”

“
No, I didn't lead you on.  I mean, that was true, every word.  I promise.”  His voice was serious, but she refused to accept that he was sincere.