by Tina Martin
“Because I’ve made a fool out of myself plenty times around you, Ramsey. You know how to kiss. I have no doubt about that. I don’t. I know nothing. I don’t know half the things you know about intimacy and kissing, touching and all of that stuff.”
“Then let me teach you.”
Her cheeks flushed. “No. I’m going to bite you. I know I am.”
“Then bite me, baby. I’m game.”
Gianna’s eyes roamed him from up close. From every angle he was handsome. Gosh, he was handsome, and though she was nervous about it, she loved the way his body felt pressed up against hers. She gasped when his large hands settled at her waist.
“Gianna.”
“Ye-yes, Ramsey.”
“I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time, and that’s because of you. I enjoy your company, I’m elated that you made the choice to spend the week with me and right now,” he said a breath away from her lips, “I’m going to kiss you.”
“Oh no, this is happening,” she squirmed in panicky breaths. “Make it stop, Gianna. Make it stop.”
A soft smile came to Ramsey’s face. “You’re thinking out loud again.”
“I—I am?”
“You are,” he said looking at her with adoration in his eyes. “On second thought, let’s postpone this. You’re not ready, so—”
Before he could utter his next words, Gianna rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her trembling lips to his. The contact made sensations flood through her – sensations she’d never felt before. This was actually happening. Her lips were pressed to his. She could feel the prickly hairs of his mustache and with her hands, she touched his beard, loving the feeling of his wool-like hair beneath her hands. But was this how it was supposed to go down? Their lips just touching, not moving? Not doing anything but being pressed together? It felt awkward, and she knew that was her fault.
With their lips still mashed together, she opened her eyes and met his dark, stormy gaze. The sight of it jolted her back, and she gasped as she lowered herself to a normal stance.
“That’s a good start, sweetheart,” he said, “But I was thinking something more along the lines of this.” He lowered his mouth to hers desperately seeking the taste of her tongue – anxious to see if she was as sweet as he imagined she would be. As he’d dreamed about time and time again. When he found it, that warm, buttery soft tongue of hers, he massaged it with his thick, heat-seeking one before sucking her tongue into his mouth, consuming her moans right along with it. He felt an intense pounding behind his ribcage as he tasted her this way, as he explored the recesses of her mouth. And oh how sweet it was.
It seemed time had stood still.
Gianna had never experienced a kiss before, but she had no doubt in her mind that this was the way a woman was supposed to experience a kiss – and not just the first one, but the subsequent ones to follow. A tingling sensation traveled through her and pooled at the juncture of her thighs. She moaned when she felt it. Was this normal to feel something—like down there—when a man kissed you?
Several times, she felt her stomach flutter, especially when his hands slid down her waist and cupped the soft flesh of her backside, squeezing her there. He was groaning loudly – almost needfully – and deepening the kiss so much, she could feel his tongue thrust closer and closer to her throat. She felt her breasts come alive, sizzling with awakening. Before they were just things she put in size 34-B bras. Now, they were blooming and tender, longing for his touch.
Now, that he’d lit a fire to her entire body, Ramsey deepened the kiss even further, steering her head to a slant to offer deeper tongue penetration, still lapping his tongue everywhere he could, making sure no corner of her mouth went untouched. He couldn’t have that. He wanted it all. He even went so far as to graze his tongue across her teeth, into the hidden corners of her jaw and the roof of her mouth. And then, he was back to his favorite – savoring her tongue – feeling it inside of his mouth. For him, this was the closest thing to perfection – so close he didn’t know how he would let go of it. Of her.
And so he didn’t let go. He tangled his tongue with hers and swallowed her moans – her sweetness – down his throat, wishing he could relieve the strain behind his zipper and take her right along with it. He hadn’t expected the kiss – their first – to last this long or be this euphoric – so grandly exhilarating, he was getting high off of it. He didn’t want to scare her off, but at the same time, he realized she needed to know what she was getting herself into. He was a passionate man and along with that came the responsibility for his woman to have that same level of hunger. Judging by the way she was moaning, he was certain he was on the right path to unlocking that desire.
Letting her tongue free, he sucked on her lips, giving them attention now, pulling them inside of his mouth with the slightest tug, sampling. He could never get used to this – her juicy lips, and sensuous tongue. The way her petite body felt against his. The way her shapely backside fit perfectly into the palms of his hands. Did she not know how much she turned him on from the first? How he longed to do this since sucking chocolate off of her finger. And finally, he got the chance to take lips, tongue, mouth – all of it like he’d never known what it felt like to kiss a woman.
Slowly ending the kiss, he left a few soft pecks around her mouth. At the last one, Gianna opened her eyes, holding his gaze. She wondered what he was thinking.
He wondered what she was thinking. Was it too much for a first kiss? Why was there a mist in her soft, golden eyes? Before he could mentally ask another question, she wrapped her arms around his thick, muscular torso and squeezed, pressing her head to his chest.
He closed his eyes and circled his arms around her. What could be sweeter than this?
“We should probably go eat dinner now,” he said, still holding her. If we don’t, I might just have you for dinner.
“Okay, but first, may I have my tongue back, please?” she joked.
He laughed, then stared down at her after they’d parted noticing the smile on her face. “If by your tongue you mean mine, you can have it any time, any place and anywhere.”
She didn’t doubt a word he’d said.
He took her hand into his. “Now, let’s go have some dinner.”
“Okay. Can you give me a minute?”
“Why?”
She cleared her throat and said, “Nothing. I just need a minute.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“I um…I have to wait for the feeling to come back to my legs.”
He chuckled. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious. You’ve kissed me weak.”
His smile widened. If you think that made you weak, then I can’t wait to see what you do when I do other things to you.
“And now, you have a satisfactory smile on your face,” she observed.
“Why wouldn’t I?” He leaned down, picked her up like a sack and threw her across his shoulder. “Now, let’s go eat.”
“Ramsey,” she giggled. “Put me down.”
“I will when we get to the dinner table.” I may just put you on top of the table.
She giggled down two flights of stairs.
When he finally lowered her to her feet in the dining room, he pulled out a chair and said, “For you, my lady.”
“Thank you,” she said, feeling like she was floating. Being carried down two flights of stairs by the man who just kissed the breath out of her had her on cloud nine. She looked at the spread on the table. “Wow. Are you having company over? This is a lot of food.”
“It is, but it’s healthy food – therefore you need a lot of it. Well, I need a lot of it.”
“And Carson prepared all of this?”
“Yes. He’s a man of many talents. He takes care of most of the day-to-day operations around here while I handle business.”
“I see.”
Ramsey picked up a basket of wheat rolls and gestured for her to take one.
“Thanks,” she said.
&n
bsp; “You’re welcome.”
Gianna looked at the place setting and asked, “Is it bad that I can’t tell the salad fork from the regular fork?”
“No. I didn’t know any of that until I hired Carson. He likes to make sure I eat this way so when I’m entertaining clients, they won’t think I’m not on their level.”
“Oh. Okay. I don’t feel so bad, then.”
“Would you like some salad?” he asked her, holding the bowl.
“Yes, please.” She watched him intently as he served her. He seemed to enjoy it. After serving her the salad, he added a serving of chicken cordon bleu to her plate, topping it off with a creamy mushroom gravy sauce.
“This looks really good.”
“It does.”
She pushed away from the table and said, “Before I start eating, I’m going to go check on Gemma. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Gianna headed to the set of stairs right off of the foyer then walked down the long hallway until she found the guest bedroom where Gemma would be sleeping. She opened the door and saw Gemma sitting on a ginormous bed with pillows behind her back with her legs crossed, pointing the remote control to the wall-mounted, fifty-inch flat screen.
She grinned. “I thought you were sleeping, Gem?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you said you were tired as soon as we got here.”
“I’m not tired. I just said that so you and Ramsey could have some alone time.”
“Gemma!” Gianna said, still smiling. “How could you be so…so sneaky?”
Gemma chuckled softly. “I’m not going to be a third wheel. Ramsey told me about his proposal.”
“He did?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“On Saturday when he took me out to breakfast. He’s totally in like with you.”
Gianna smiled. If Gemma would’ve seen that kiss, she would’ve definitely changed like to love. Just thinking about it had her heart skipping beats.
“Go on. Go back out there and woo your man.”
“Oh, please. I don’t know how to woo anyone.”
“Well, you did something right unless Ramsey just likes a lil’ bit of cray cray, which he probably does.”
Gianna chuckled. “What am I going to do with you, Gem?”
“Hey, just calling it like I see it. Now scat. Get out of here.”
“You’re okay? You don’t need anything?”
“Nope. If I need anything, I’ll call for Carson,” Gemma said. “He told me he could be here lickety-split, whatever the heck that means. And he’s already brought me a tray of food underneath that silver dome on the nightstand.”
“Alright, well, I’m eating dinner with Ramsey in the dining room if you need me.”
“And will you be spending the night in the king’s quarters as well?”
“No, I will not!”
“Hey, it’s a valid question.”
“Alright, I’m outta here.”
Gemma laughed. “Oh, that’s all I had to say to get you to leave this room? I should’ve said that like five minutes ago, then.”
“Bye, Gem. I’ma check on you before I go to bed.”
“Okay.”
When Gianna closed the door, Gemma took the plain white T-shirt she’d been using to disguise her coughs and coughed into it. It had become increasingly difficult to hide the coughing from Gianna and Ramsey for the past few days. And it had been the most difficult thing in the world to behave like she was suddenly feeling better when really, she’d felt herself getting worse. Felt worse for trying to keep up the act of being better. It drained her energy – what little she had – and now, she was coughing up blood.
She wiped her mouth then hid the shirt beneath the pillows. She picked up the Rolex – the hope – Ramsey had given her. She didn’t lie to Ramsey. It did represent hope. Hope that Gianna would have the strength to move on after she was gone. Hope that she wouldn’t suffer too much. Hope that Ramsey would forever take care of her big sister. Hope that her sister – who’d given up so much for her – would finally have someone returning the favor. Would finally have peace, contentment and happiness in her life.
* * *
“Is everything alright?” Ramsey asked the moment he heard her footsteps in the dining room.
“Yes,” Gianna said.
Ramsey stood up and got her chair again.
“Thank you, Ramsey.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Hey, you haven’t eaten a thing,” Gianna observed.
“I was waiting for you. I didn’t want to be halfway done with my meal when you haven’t even started on yours yet.”
“Right. Okay.” She picked up a fork. Then she lowered it and took the shorter fork in her hand.
“It doesn’t matter, sweetness. Just use one.”
“Okay.” Using the short fork, she started on the salad first, glancing up at him. He’d started on his, too.
He ate more and was intentionally quiet. Testing her. She was opening up to him more, she’d signed the papers and she allowed him to kiss her senseless. Now, he wanted to see if she’d strike up a conversation with him in this setting.
“Ramsey, tell me more about your mother.”
A smile settled in the corner of his mouth. “I told you a little about her already. What do you remember?”
“That her name is Bernadette. You said she was a chemistry teacher.”
He appreciated that she was actually paying attention to him when he told her about his parents. “Yes, and she’s been going on and on for the last fifteen or so years about how she has no grandchildren from her boys.”
“I bet she would be a good grandmother—the kind who pumps the kids full of sugar and buys them noisy toys that need batteries.”
Ramsey chuckled. “Yes. I can see that. Speaking of children, you never told me whether or not you want any. I think that’s an important conversation to have with my wife.”
She smiled. “Felicity told you I signed the papers, huh?”
“Yes. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugged.
“Don’t shrug it off. Tell me.”
She looked up at him, frowned slightly then stared back down at her dinner plate.
“Gianna?”
“Yeah?” She looked up at him.
“Tell me.”
“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to give you time to change your mind.”
“I told you I wasn’t going to do that.”
“You don’t know that,” she told him. “You can’t predict the future. Tomorrow, you could meet someone whose more intriguing than I am. Maybe a female architect with an eye for detail. Someone who shares a similar interest as you.”
Ramsey dropped his fork on his plate and rubbed his mustache. “Do you hear the things you’re saying to me?” he asked frowning. “No, I can’t predict the future, but I don’t need that ability to know that I want you. You, Gianna. No one else.” He blew a frustrated breath. “I wanted you to sign the papers because you wanted this. Because you trusted me. Because you know I could be a good man for you. That I’d take care of you.”
“I know all those things, Ramsey, but I can’t help but feel inadequate around you in every way. Even sitting here now, I feel like I don’t belong.”
“You belong because I want you here.”
“And I hate to say this, I really do, but as I’m sitting here, I’m wondering how many women have sat in this very seat. How many women you’ve said these same words to. I don’t know you all that well and—”
Ramsey pushed away from the table and walked out of the room.
Gianna closed her eyes and blew an even breath. She’d pissed him off. Was he coming back?
A few minutes later, Carson showed up. “Is he returning?”
Gianna glanced up at him. “I don’t know. I think I made him angry.”
“Are you going to finish up your dinner, Gianna?”
/> “No. I’m going to go to lie down for a while. I no longer have an appetite, Carson.”
“Then I’ll take care of clearing the table.”
“I can help you.”
“No. It’s my job. I’m happy to do it,” Carson said. “Oh, and by the way, I wasn’t eavesdropping on your conversation but I can assure you, there hasn’t been another woman sitting in that chair, or any of these chairs. You and your sister are the only women who’ve been here – well besides his mother, of course.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. I’m sure he was irritated about your assumption.”
“Maybe I’ll go talk to him.”
“I would advise you to let him cool off for a bit. He has a bit of a temper.”
“He does?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“He has subtle ways of taming it.” Carson chuckled. “It’s better than it used to be, but I hear it’s a different story at the office.”
“Well, thanks for the heads up, Carson. I guess I’ll go to bed now.”
Gianna got up to head in the direction of her guest bedroom, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to seek Ramsey out and apologize since she had apparently offended him. But sometimes when people were frustrated and upset, they needed to work through it alone.
On the way to her room, she checked on Gemma briefly and then continued on to her room where she took a short shower and got into bed.
Chapter 19
Business had been good all day at the bakery. Every time she turned around she was opening the oven door, pulling cupcakes out and putting some in. In the back of her mind, though, she knew she still had the situation with Ramsey to sort out. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to move in with a man she hardly knew. To sign papers agreeing to marry him. According to Carson, Ramsey had a temper and while she could tell he was one of those men who liked being in control of his life and business, she didn’t think that would translate over to her.
