ClaimingRuby Read Free Page A

plan was solid and
professional.
    The mahogany shelving gleamed and the scent of freshly baked
cookies on the counter added a homey air to the vintage elegance. Above the
store was her apartment. She adored this place. It was her home.
    “So did you get home okay after we left?” Jamie’s
interruption triggered images of Joshua Quinn in Ruby’s mind.
    A tingling sensation slammed into her belly and spread out.
She’d spent most of the night fantasizing about him. “Hmmm.”
    Jamie laughed. “ Hmmm? Come on. You gotta gimme more
than that.”
    “Okay, I got hit on by a creepy guy.”
    “Yewww. Creepy horrible? Or creepy cute?”
    “Jamie.” Ruby’s lips twitched. Some people didn’t appreciate
Jamie’s wacky sense of humor but it always made her laugh.
    “What?”
    “He was gorgeous.” She toyed with a pile of books,
straightening them. Hopefully the physical distraction would help her ignore
the raging desire.
    “Be still my heart. Did you get a name?”
    “Joshua Quinn.” Such a lovely name.
    Jamie squeaked. “Are you shitting me?”
    “What do you mean?” Ruby turned and frowned. Was she missing
something?
    “You got hit on by Iron Man?”
    “Iron Man?” What the hell was she talking about?
    “Yeah, Iron Man. Without the metal suit.”
    Confused and curious, Ruby scratched her temple. The man she’d
encountered definitely had some steel in his personality, but Iron Man? What
kind of nickname was that?
    Jamie motioned her over to the computer before typing
something. “Jesus Christ, I can’t believe you don’t know.” She scrolled through
numerous links before saying, “Bingo.” She moved the screen slightly, giving
Ruby a better view.
    Dressed in a sharp navy suit, Joshua beamed from a
professional photo, his arm snugly pressed around a gorgeous blonde who wore an
equally beaming smile. They made a striking couple.
    She read the caption underneath. Joshua Quinn and model
Miranda Rose attend the premiere of the latest Michael Bay blockbuster.
    “Hmmp.” Jealousy left a sour taste at the back of her
throat. A playboy. Her initial impressions had been bang on. No one could be
that handsome and confident and still be a genuine guy.
    Why the fuck had he come on to her? He’d seen how horny the
dance had made her. Maybe he believed she’d be easy pickings?
    Crashed and burned, buster.
    “That’s not the only picture.” Jamie scrolled through pages
of images, most of them at parties or exclusive social events. Nearly all of
them showed Joshua sporting a gorgeous Amazonian accessory.
    “So how does Mr. Quinn earn his money?” She’d bet he had a
trust the size of Texas—a rich player splashing his family’s money around town.
    “Rumor has it Quinn started out in the military. Black-ops
shit. Served in Iraq, Afghanistan. When he got out he created some hush-hush
technology for the Department of Defense and made it big. Now he’s their
largest contractor.”
    Everything clicked into place. “Hence the Iron Man nickname.”
Just like Tony Stark from the Iron Man films.
    “Exactly.”
    Ruby blew out an exaggerated breath. Thank god she’d turned
him down. He was everything she despised. “Looks like I had a lucky escape.”
    So why did her pulse hammer when she looked at his picture?
He’d wanted a quick fuck, gotten a little horny and hit on her. After she left
he’d probably moved on to another woman.
    “Yeah, you definitely had a lucky escape. The tabloids
report he’s into some pretty kinky shit.”
    Are you a submissive?
    Her vocal cords didn’t want to work and she swallowed a few
times before answering. “Really?”
    She walked away from the computer and fumbled with the cash
register. What did the tabloids mean by kinky? To them a spanking was hardcore.
Numerous scenes flashed into her head in quick succession. Joshua dressed in
leather, flogger in hand. Joshua securing her bonds before suspending her from
the ceiling. Joshua looming above her as he pushed his hard cock