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?
At the thought a shiver ran through her. No, she wouldn’t even go there. She could not put Ransom and Raul in the same category. There was no way-
The chime of the doorbell cut that thought short and Solie frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Then her heart did a tiny hop. What if it was Ransom?
To her chagrin the idea of Ransom at her door brought a smile to her lips. She was being an idiot to react like this. If Ransom was there it was probably because he needed a cup of sugar for his tea. It was definitely not because he was missing her. She knew all that but still she could not wipe the smile from her face. Instead, the nearer she got to the front door, the wider it grew.
By the time she pulled the door open she was practically grinning but in an instant her smile vanished.
There, on her doorstep was the man she’d been doing her best to avoid. Standing right in front of her, looking as handsome as always, was Raul.
“Hello, mi amor,” he said as he reached out and took her hand, limp from shock. “I’ve come to win you back.”
***
“You didn’t have to hunt me down, you know. A simple phone call would have saved you the trip.” Rafe’s lips curled in a sardonic grin.
Ransom regarded his brother, the square chin, the rebellious set of his lips, the defiant gleam in his eyes. Several seconds passed before he spoke. “If you would’ve answered the damn phone maybe I wouldn’t have had to come all this way.”
Rafe’s smile widened then he shrugged. “I can’t help it if I’m out of range most of the time. Hey, it’s an oil rig. What do you expect?”
“I expect you to answer the phone when I call you, dammit.” Ransom scowled. Rafe was lounging in the chair across from him, his elbow resting on the arm, his legs thrust out under the cloth-covered table. He looked too darned comfortable for a kid who was causing so much trouble. “What if it was an emergency?”
“If there was a real emergency,” Rafe said, looking unperturbed, “you’d find me.”
Ransom watched his brother but said nothing. The kid had a point. Then he caught himself. No, the man had a point. He had to remember that Rafe was almost thirty years old. It was like, no matter how old his brother got, he would still be a kid in his eyes. He had to break himself out of that way of thinking. Rafe was a full-grown man, responsible for himself. He would give him that much.
Ransom jerked his head toward his brother. “That doesn’t let you off the hook. You know Mom frets about you. Why don’t you call her?” Rafe was opening his mouth to speak when Ransom cut him off. “And don’t give me that lame excuse about your cell phone. There are lots of pay phones on the rig so you can call any time.”
“I call,” Rafe said, his tone unapologetic. “Didn’t Mom tell you I called last month?”
“What kind of bull crap is that?” The words exploded from Ransom’s lips as he fought to keep from reaching across the table and collaring Rafe. His brother looked too casual, too smug for his liking. The only thing keeping Ransom in his seat was the fact that they were sitting in the middle of Nakamo's, one of the few restaurant options in Old Harbor. Ransom gritted his teeth and he could feel his nostrils flaring as he drew in deep a breath in his attempt to stay calm. “This is Mom we’re talking about. You really think a once-a-month call is going to keep her happy?”
Just for a moment a flash of something looking like remorse crossed Rafe’s face and then it was gone. Then he was back to his nonchalant self, the persona he’d adopted when he’d taken off on his adventure. “Okay, you got me on that one. I’ll step it up to twice a month.”
“At least once a week, Rafe. Can’t you do that much for our mother?” Ransom was trying hard to hold on to his temper but he could feel his hold slipping with each passing minute. Rafe and his laid-back, don't-give-a-damn attitude were not helping. “Can’t you care about someone else’s feelings but your own?”
That seemed to get to Rafe. His self-satisfied smile disappeared and his lips tightened. When he looked back at Ransom there was fire in his eyes. “Leave it alone, big brother. There’s more to this than you’d care to know.”
That got Ransom’s attention. “What the hell are you talking about? What else is there to know?”
“Just leave it alone, okay. This is none of your concern.” Rafe shoved back his chair and started to get up from the table but Ransom stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“You’re not walking out on me,” he said, his voice brooking no argument, “not after dropping that bombshell.”
Rafe looked down at his hand then shook it off his arm. “Not today. I’ve got to go. You can link me tomorrow if you want to know.” And with that he turned and marched out of the restaurant, leaving Ransom staring after him.