of the room showed Trafalgar Square. Screams went up and revellers started to shift towards the centre of the bar.
Ruby couldn’t stand it any longer. She ran to the door and barged it open. She had to breathe, she needed clear air. The pouring rain ran in rivulets down her pained expression. DONG! Big Ben continued to strike his race to midnight. She carried on running, then CRASH, her four-inch heels caught on a drain cover and she went flying on to the pavement. Her hands were bleeding all over her now ripped satin dress. The contents of her bag were strewn all over the road.
The strong-handed man reached down and helped her slowly to her feet. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. He used his scarf to wipe off her bleeding hands and then just held her as close as he could whilst she wept. When her sobbing had subsided he pulled away, put both his hands on her wet cheeks, pulled her towards him and planted a slow, soft tender kiss on her trembling lips.
‘Happy New Year, Ruby.’
‘Are you an angel?’ Ruby blubbered.
‘I’ve been called many things,’ Michael smiled.
‘And, what on earth are you doing here?’
‘Ssh now. Too many questions. Let me pick up your stuff and get you home and in the warm.’
Ruby nodded. ‘I’d better text Fi, she’ll be worried.’ At that moment, Fi herself came charging up the road.
‘What the feck, Ruby? You frightened the bleeding life out of me. I turned round and you weren’t there, then some bloke said he’d just seen you lying in the road.’
‘I’m fine, honestly.’
‘And who are you?’ Fi looked up at Michael.
‘It’s fine, he’s a friend. He’s going to walk me home.’
‘Ruby, you’re drunk, are you sure?’
‘Fi, you’re drunker and I’m very sure.’
‘OK darling, then make sure you ring me in the morning. Happy New Year, Rubes.’ She hiccupped and steadied herself on Michael’s arm. ‘Happy New Year… friend - and make sure you fecking look after her right.’
‘I will, and nice to meet you too,’ Michael grinned at Fi’s outlandishness.
Back at Ruby’s flat, Michael put the kettle on as Ruby went to the bathroom to wash her sore hands and get out of her wet, ripped dress. He noticed the wedding photo and it made him feel sad and a bit weird at the same time. They looked so young and so happy, and George was without a doubt a very handsome man.
‘I’m sorry, Michael.’ He was sitting on the sofa waiting for her when Ruby appeared in black jogging bottoms and a black T-shirt with a pink heart on it. ‘Every time I see you it’s like a disaster zone. And just look at the state of me. I’m too drunk and hurting to make an effort.’
‘Hey, come here. You look beautiful and who wants mediocre anyway? Never a dull moment with you, that’s for sure.’
Ruby just stood in the lounge doorway looking awkward. Taking a deep breath, she went on: ‘And I’m sorry I ran off the other day when you went to kiss me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, it’s just…’
Michael stood up and put his big arms around her. She looked up to him and felt lost in his tender hazel eyes.
‘I’m glad I met you, Michael Bell.’
And then they kissed. A kiss that Ruby didn’t want to end. A kiss that made her toes curl. A kiss that she never ever thought she’d experience again.
‘Wow.’ She came up for air.
‘And how glad am I that I met you, Ruby Stevens.’
‘I can’t make you any promises,’ Ruby said quietly.
‘Promises are for wimps,’ Michael smiled.
‘Stay with me.’ Ruby put her head to the side and looked at him quizzically.
Michael knew he might have to wait quite a while for the three little words he really wanted to hear, but for now these would do just fine.
– Chapter Sixteen –
Michael flinched at the strength of the words he was typing.
My first novel – by Michael Bell - TITLE - TBD
Chapter 8: ‘What do you mean, you got fucking arrested?’ Emily’s eyes were glaring.
Ruby couldn’t stand it any longer. She ran to the door and barged it open. She had to breathe, she needed clear air. The pouring rain ran in rivulets down her pained expression. DONG! Big Ben continued to strike his race to midnight. She carried on running, then CRASH, her four-inch heels caught on a drain cover and she went flying on to the pavement. Her hands were bleeding all over her now ripped satin dress. The contents of her bag were strewn all over the road.
The strong-handed man reached down and helped her slowly to her feet. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. He used his scarf to wipe off her bleeding hands and then just held her as close as he could whilst she wept. When her sobbing had subsided he pulled away, put both his hands on her wet cheeks, pulled her towards him and planted a slow, soft tender kiss on her trembling lips.
‘Happy New Year, Ruby.’
‘Are you an angel?’ Ruby blubbered.
‘I’ve been called many things,’ Michael smiled.
‘And, what on earth are you doing here?’
‘Ssh now. Too many questions. Let me pick up your stuff and get you home and in the warm.’
Ruby nodded. ‘I’d better text Fi, she’ll be worried.’ At that moment, Fi herself came charging up the road.
‘What the feck, Ruby? You frightened the bleeding life out of me. I turned round and you weren’t there, then some bloke said he’d just seen you lying in the road.’
‘I’m fine, honestly.’
‘And who are you?’ Fi looked up at Michael.
‘It’s fine, he’s a friend. He’s going to walk me home.’
‘Ruby, you’re drunk, are you sure?’
‘Fi, you’re drunker and I’m very sure.’
‘OK darling, then make sure you ring me in the morning. Happy New Year, Rubes.’ She hiccupped and steadied herself on Michael’s arm. ‘Happy New Year… friend - and make sure you fecking look after her right.’
‘I will, and nice to meet you too,’ Michael grinned at Fi’s outlandishness.
Back at Ruby’s flat, Michael put the kettle on as Ruby went to the bathroom to wash her sore hands and get out of her wet, ripped dress. He noticed the wedding photo and it made him feel sad and a bit weird at the same time. They looked so young and so happy, and George was without a doubt a very handsome man.
‘I’m sorry, Michael.’ He was sitting on the sofa waiting for her when Ruby appeared in black jogging bottoms and a black T-shirt with a pink heart on it. ‘Every time I see you it’s like a disaster zone. And just look at the state of me. I’m too drunk and hurting to make an effort.’
‘Hey, come here. You look beautiful and who wants mediocre anyway? Never a dull moment with you, that’s for sure.’
Ruby just stood in the lounge doorway looking awkward. Taking a deep breath, she went on: ‘And I’m sorry I ran off the other day when you went to kiss me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, it’s just…’
Michael stood up and put his big arms around her. She looked up to him and felt lost in his tender hazel eyes.
‘I’m glad I met you, Michael Bell.’
And then they kissed. A kiss that Ruby didn’t want to end. A kiss that made her toes curl. A kiss that she never ever thought she’d experience again.
‘Wow.’ She came up for air.
‘And how glad am I that I met you, Ruby Stevens.’
‘I can’t make you any promises,’ Ruby said quietly.
‘Promises are for wimps,’ Michael smiled.
‘Stay with me.’ Ruby put her head to the side and looked at him quizzically.
Michael knew he might have to wait quite a while for the three little words he really wanted to hear, but for now these would do just fine.
– Chapter Sixteen –
Michael flinched at the strength of the words he was typing.
My first novel – by Michael Bell - TITLE - TBD
Chapter 8: ‘What do you mean, you got fucking arrested?’ Emily’s eyes were glaring.
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