And then he pulled back. In the midst of her yearning Ransom released her lips and lifted his head, leaving her bereft.
The softest of groans escaped her lips. There was nothing she could do to hold it in. She wanted him. Bad.
As if sensing her need, Ransom tilted his head again and as his mouth came closer Solie’s lips parted on a sigh.
He captured her mouth with his and this time she gave in to the desire to feel more of him. Sliding her hands up between them she pressed her palms against his muscled chest, delighting in the way his heart thumped, its beat telling her all she needed to know. Ransom was just as turned on as she was.
The knowledge was like an aphrodisiac, divesting her of the last vestiges of her reluctance. Her eager hands left their post and slid upward where she did what she’d dreamed of so many times. Cupping his nape she held him captive as she kissed him back fiercely, giving him as good as he gave.
When they finally broke the kiss and drew apart she looked deep into his eyes, boldly and unapologetically, and what she saw there made her break into a grin. In his eyes was just a hint of shock and plenty of admiration.
Ransom gave a soft whistle. “Talk about a woman in charge.” He chuckled. “I can see you know how to turn the tables.”
“I can hold my own.” Giving him an amused smirk she slid away and bent to retrieve the purse that had slid off her shoulder. When she stood up again Ransom had backed away a bit, giving her some room and now he stood watching her, a relaxed smile on his lips.
“Thanks for walking me to the door,” she said with an impudent smile then she slid the key into the lock. When she turned again he was still gazing at her, an enigmatic look in his eyes.
“Goodnight,” she said softly, slipped in and closed the door gently behind her.
Inside, Solie leaned her back against the door and released a long sigh. What a way to end the night.
Ransom’s kiss had been as mind-blowing as she’d expected…and more. If only it could have lasted forever.
She sighed again and, still smiling, she made her way to the bedroom. She would definitely have sweet dreams tonight.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The bad thing about dreams, especially the sweet ones, was that they all had to come to an end.
By the next morning Solie had floated down from cloud nine and landed back on her two feet on the solid ground of reality. The night before had been a dream come true but today, with the comforting shadows of night replaced by the stark brightness of daylight, she was forced to accept the fact that it wasn’t going to work.
How could it, when Raul was still in the picture?
As she pulled her hair up into a ponytail she grimaced. Best to focus on her work and forget about men and all the issues that came with them. The last thing she needed in her life right then was stress.
When Solie got to work that morning it was to see a smiling Dominic at the front desk.
“How’s my girl this morning? Doin’ good?” He looked like he was about to come from around the counter to hug her. He was already holding out his arms.
Solie held up a hand to stop him. Did she need to be part of a hug fest right there in the lobby? Not today.
“Thanks, Dominic. I’m good. Just gearing up for a busy day.” She kept walking but she satisfied him with a wave. “Talk to you later, okay?”
If Solie had wished for a day that would make her forget her man troubles this was definitely it. Hectic did not begin to describe what was going on at the hospital. Today she was in E.R. and, like a curse, it was as if all the kids in Fort Lauderdale decided to come down with the stomach flu – on the same day. And then, to her dismay, they seemed to be seeing more traffic accident victims than usual. She’d already had to deal with a broken arm, a broken leg, lacerations to the face and two broken ribs. Thank God none of the injuries had been life threatening. It was quite unusual and the only conclusion she could make was that it had to do with the rain that had been falling since the night before. There was a tropical storm out on the ocean. She was sure of it.
The next day wasn’t much better where flu patients were concerned but by her third work day things began to slow down and Solie found herself able to catch her breath in between patients. Next day would be even better. Her shift would end at three o’clock and she would have the rest of the afternoon to do her thing. It was about time. And she knew exactly what she would do, too. She would get out of the house and get herself to The Galleria Mall. She hadn’t been there in a while. With a demanding job like hers, who had time?
She would probably do more window-shopping than actual shopping but it didn’t matter. At least she’d be out of the house and besides, The Galleria had some great restaurants. Tomorrow was one day she would most certainly not be in the kitchen.
Wednesday came around and Solie packed up early as planned. What was not in the plan was for Ransom to call her as soon as she parked her car and walked in the door.
“Perfect timing,” he said in that so familiar baritone. “Want to come over?”
That caught her off guard. “Come over for what?”
He laughed. “To see me, of course. Or,” his voice turned suggestive, “do you want me to come over there?”
“Neither.” She blurted the word out as a flash of apprehension ripped through her. She'd already decided that this thing between her and Ransom, it would not work. She wanted to do nothing to encourage it, not until she’d cleared the skeleton that had come to occupy her closet. “I’m busy.”
“Oh.” She could hear the disappointment in his voice. “I thought you were done work for the day.”
“I…am. But I’ve got other things to do.”
“Oh.”
There was that ‘oh’ again, a mixture of disappointment and…was that annoyance? She’d better be hearing wrong because what right did he have to be annoyed?
“I’m sorry,” he said, immediately dousing her spark of anger. “I guess I was looking forward to seeing you again, just a little bit too much. If you’re busy, you’re busy. We’ll connect another time.” There was a pause and then he said, “Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”