“I’m always nice.” Solie glared at her.
“Yeah,” Jen said with a chuckle, “right.” Then she cocked her head to one side. “Seriously, though, you’ve changed over the past couple of weeks. I caught you humming yesterday, for goodness sake. Now if that isn’t a sign that there’s a new man in your life, I don’t know what is.”
Kyra frowned. “You’re right, Jen. All of a sudden she’s ‘Little Miss Cheerful’. Now talk before I move in at your place till I can figure out what’s going on.”
Seeing that she could not convince them otherwise Solie drew in her breath and let it out slowly. “All right, there’s a man.”
“I knew it.” Jen punched the air, eyes gleaming. "What’s his name? Does he work here? Do I know him?”
Kyra on the other hand, looked confused. “You’ve really got a man? And I don’t know about it? How is that possible?”
Solie rolled her eyes again. “No, I don’t ‘got’ a man. Not really.” She bit her lip, feeling stupid. The fact was, she didn’t have a man at all. Who was she fooling? But she had to give them something, anything to get them off her back. “I…don’t have anyone but there’s this guy I met…he’s tall with dark hair and he’s got the most intense deep brown eyes you ever saw…”
“Woohoo, your kind of guy. Tall, dark and mysterious.” Jen was practically hopping in her excitement. “Who is he? Do you have a photo? Give me your cell phone so I can see your pictures.”
Kyra gave her a scorching look. “Calm down, Jen. Let the girl speak.”
Solie shrugged. “That’s it.”
“That’s it?” Kyra looked disappointed. “You can’t just leave us hanging like this. Where did you meet? When did you start dating?”
“We aren’t dating.” Solie shook her head in exasperation. “Weren’t you listening? I said I don’t have a man. I just have a…guy I sort of like.” Then she paused and a naughty grin tickled her lips. “I think he…sort of likes me, too.”
“Aaw, that's so sweet. They’re in 'like' with each other.” Jen gave her an indulgent smile.
Instead of smiling Kyra gave her a look of concern. “That’s great but, come to think of it, are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Her words made Solie’s heart tighten. She knew exactly what Kyra meant. Her friend had been there for her when she’d been devastated by Raul’s betrayal. She knew Kyra didn’t want to see her get hurt again.
But why did she have to bring him up, just when she was beginning to lose herself in the fantasy of Ransom Kent? Kyra’s question was all it took to bring her back to earth with a bump.
And with her return to land came that low feeling in the pit of her stomach, that heavy feeling of dread every time she thought of Raul. She knew what he was capable of and she would do everything in her power to stay as far away from him as possible.
Her mood changed, she just wanted to get away. She pulled out a pair of latex gloves and slapped them against her palm. “I’ll talk to you guys later,” she said, her voice cool. “Right now I’ve got to get back to work.”
Before either of the ladies could argue Solie stepped past them and headed off down the hallway. Just for a little while she needed to be alone.
She needed to process the thought that had just crept into her mind…a depressing thought because, she realized, as long as Raul was stalking her there was no way she could bring Ransom Kent into the picture.
CHAPTER NINE
December nine. Five whole days since she’d last seen Ransom. Solie rested her chin in her palm and stared out the bedroom window, out into the backyard and across the hedge that separated her yard from his.
Ay, Dios. What was happening to her? Here she was, moping like a love-sick child, all because her neighbor had gone about his business and hadn’t made it a point to get in touch with her…as if she had any right to expect that. How pathetic could you get?
As she sat there staring at the leaves of the mango tree shaking in the evening breeze Solie knew she was in trouble. Within a couple of months of meeting Ransom she’d gone from ignoring him to not liking him to resenting him, to being totally pissed with him.
Until she got to know him better.
Then over the last several weeks she’d been his nurse then his bully, making sure he took his meds, then his food supplier and then, before she realized what was happening, she’d become his friend.
And now she was being forced to admit that what she’d begun to feel for him was way past what you should feel for your ‘friend’. God help her.
Solie put a finger to her lips then pulled it back when she realized she’d begun to nibble at the nail. That was one habit she definitely did not want to pick up again, not when she’d found a man who stirred her insides, made her want him even though they hadn’t so much as shared a kiss. But they’d almost…
Solie’s mind raced back to that day she’d bumped into him in the kitchen, the day he’d held her in his arms, so close she’d felt the firm muscles of his abs as they pressed into her. That had almost been her undoing. Right then all she’d wanted to do was slide her hands up his arms then up to his nape where she could slip her fingers into the jet-black silk of his hair. Then she would press against the back of his head, ever so gently, until he tilted his face toward hers and covered her lips with his.
There in his arms she had a feeling that he wouldn't have needed much convincing. She remembered how he’d been looking down at her, lids lowered, his lips slightly parted. She knew he was about to kiss her and, wimp that she was, when he’d begun to lower his head she panicked. She’d blurted something out, she couldn’t even remember what, but it effectively doused the flame lit between them and then she’d pulled away and escaped fast.
She wanted him, God knew she did, but how could she give in to her desire when Raul was trying to force his way back into her life? How could she add another complication? And, even more important, how could she know for sure that Ransom meant her any good? What if he saw her as a conquest, a woman to conquer, take to bed and then kick to the curb? And, horrors, what if he ended up being like Raul?