When he made to pull back Solie reached for him, letting him know she wanted this just as much as he did. She pulled his face down to hers, kissing him passionately, showing him in actions what she couldn’t say in words.
Ransom broke the kiss and pulled back again and this time he was successful. “God, Solie, you’re driving me crazy. I want you so bad.” His voice was a cross between a gasp and a groan.
“I want you, too,” she whispered. “I want all of you.”
That did it. Looking like she’d just tipped him over the edge, he gave a guttural groan and lowered his lips but this time it was not to kiss her. It was to trail hot kisses down the column of her neck until his lips caressed the tops of her br**sts so conveniently exposed in her low-cut dress.
Solie gasped and reached up to capture Ransom’s head in her hands, pressing him to her as he kissed and licked the smoothness of her sensitive skin, sliding his tongue deep into the crevice between her br**sts.
“Ransom.” His name escaped her lips in a breathless whisper. “Please.” She said nothing more, but she didn’t have to.
As if he’d read her mind, Ransom slid a finger to shift the top of her dress, exposing a braless breast to his heated gaze. Then, before she could beg again, he lowered his head to capture the turgid nipple with his lips, sucking the bud deep into his mouth, making her gasp in pleasure.
“Oh, yes. Please don’t stop.” Solie arched her back, thrusting the nipple up and even farther into his mouth, then she sighed in satisfaction as he sucked and nibbled, worrying the nipple, sending waves of pleasure rippling through her.
To her relief, Ransom soon shifted his attention to the other nipple, drawing it out of exile and treating it to the same delicious attention he’d given the other.
When Solie felt Ransom’s hand sliding along her leg then up toward her hip her heart gave a jerk of anticipation. Or was it fear? She was ready for this. Her body was calling for him and so was her heart. But…was this the right time?
Ransom’s hand stilled. It lay there, high on her hip, but he made no attempt to move farther. It was as if he’d sensed her apprehension.
Gently, he slid his hand back down, pulling the hem of her dress with it, covering the length of her legs that had been exposed.
Ransom pulled away but not before he’d adjusted the top of her dress so it now covered her demurely. He gave her a rueful smile and shook his head. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” Then he grinned. “How could I, when you look so irresistible tonight?”
Relief washing through her, Solie smiled back and took the hand he held out to her. He wasn’t mad. She’d spoiled the moment yet there he was, smiling down at her like she was a treasure, even as he paid her the sweetest compliment.
When she was back on her feet he picked up her scarf and gently draped it over her shoulders. “We never did get to that drink, did we?” He chuckled, as he stood close. “But I’ll give you a rain check on that. You and me, in this house tonight? Too dangerous.”
Solie could not agree more. She let him take her hand and walk her home and as she closed the door behind her she raised a trembling hand to her still throbbing ni**les.
There was no doubt in her mind who she'd be dreaming about tonight.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Feliz Navidad!”
Solie covered her ears under the assault of the children’s screams as they tore through the house, light sabers flashing red and green as they ran from living room to kitchen to outdoors and back again. “Feliz Navidad!”
“Okay, that’s it. Stop. Now.” Solie planted herself right in the pathway of the four and six-year-old, determined to put an end to the torture. “Go watch some TV or something. Give your poor old auntie a break.”
That made Carina laugh. “You’re not old. You don’t even have gray hair.”
“Yeah, not old.” Perez shook his head then looked to his older sister as if for confirmation. “Tia Solie is not like abuelita.”
“Come here, you two. So cute.” Solie knelt down and pulled them into a big bear hug. “I may not be as old as Grandma but I still have to protect my sanity and with all this noise you guys are making," she shook her head as she laughed, “I’m this close to going insane.”
“What is insane?” Perez looked at her with curious brown eyes.
“It means ‘loco’,” Carina said, pulling away and giving her brother a look of disdain. “Everybody knows that.”
Solie chuckled and lifted a finger to touch her on the tip of her nose. “Not everybody, Carina. Remember what I told you about not teasing your brother. You’re in a higher grade than he is. You’re bound to know more words.”
“ ‘Cause I practice all the time. I always speak in English, Tia Solie, especially with my teacher at school.” She nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with pride.
“And you’re doing great. You both are.” Solie got up and, resting her hands on their shoulders, she turned the children to face the open back door. “Now go out into the yard and do all the screaming you want.” A tiny shove sent them on their way.
Solie was still smiling as she watched the children dash out onto the grass where they continued their chants of ‘Feliz Navidad’, even louder than before. Thank goodness she’d got them to go outside before they turned up the volume.
Solie had arrived in Panama three days earlier, in good time to help prepare the traditional Christmas Day dinner that was held at her mother’s house. She’d hit the market the first day she landed, stocking up on good chicken stock, rice and spices for the pollo con arroz, eggs and nutmegs for the Ron Ponche, and raison, prunes and dark rum for the Christmas cake.
Now everything was ready, her sisters were here, Caridad's husband would soon be back from a quick run to the nearby liquor store and it would soon be time to gather at the table. The one thing Solie needed to do now was get her mother away from the mirror and into her dress. If there was one occasion for which Niurka insisted on dressing up it was for the family Christmas dinner. And that process, unfortunately, could take a very long time.