Taking his cue from her, he gradually increased his pace, using his fingers to enhance her pleasure. She felt the exquisite goal approaching but it was just out of her reach. She shifted restlessly against him. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t do it.’
‘Shhh,’ he soothed her gently. ‘Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.’
Poppy gave herself up to his slowly measured thrusts, each one deeper and more exquisite than the one before. He caressed her intimately, varying the speed and pressure until she was hovering on the edge of a scarily high precipice.
‘Go with it, ma petite,’ he coaxed her gently. ‘Don’t hold back from it.’
Poppy gasped as the first wave of her orgasm smashed into her. She felt stunned by the velocity of it. It was like being on an out-of-control fairground ride. She was spinning around and around; she didn’t know which way was up or which way was down. Every cell of her body seemed to be concentrated at that one point in her body. She threw her head back against the pillows as the sensations coursed through her. It went on and on, thrashing her about until she felt like she was being shaken alive.
He waited until she was coming out of it to take his own pleasure. She felt the increase of tension in him, felt the bunching of his muscles underneath her hands as he pitched himself into oblivion with a deep groan that was thrillingly, unmistakably male.
There was a long moment of silence.
Poppy wasn’t sure what to say. What did you say after the most stunning experience of your life? ‘Thanks’ didn’t seem quite appropriate somehow. Her emotions were scattered like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that had been shoved out of place. She didn’t know what to think or feel. He had been so tender with her, so caring and considerate. How could she have thought she hated him? Her feelings were a little closer to the other end of the spectrum, but she didn’t want to think about that right now. Falling in love with someone just because they were a fabulous lover wasn’t a good enough reason, in her opinion. Loving someone had more to do with having similar values, and trust and commitment on both sides; knowing they would always be there for you, no matter what. Rafe Caffarelli wasn’t making those sorts of promises. This was a fling and the sooner she got her head—and her body—around it the better.
He propped himself up again to look down at her. ‘How do you feel?’
Poppy felt a little tug on her heart at the tender concern she could see in his gaze. ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘No worse for wear...I think.’
He picked up one of her stray curls and tucked it behind her ear. ‘You were amazing.’
She gave him her version of a worldly look. ‘I bet you say that to all the girls.’
A frown pulled at his brow. ‘I know you probably won’t believe this, but it was different for me.’
‘How?’
‘Just...different.’
Poppy searched his features for a moment. ‘I thought you were pretty amazing too.’
He gave her a slow smile that made her insides melt all over again. ‘It’s not like you have anyone to compare me to.’
‘Not yet.’
His brows snapped together as he moved away and disposed of the condom. His movements seemed almost too controlled, stiff almost, as if he was trying to contain his emotions and not quite managing it. ‘I might be a playboy, but I insist that my partners—no matter how temporary—are totally exclusive.’
Poppy sat up and hugged her knees to cover her nakedness. ‘Touchy.’
He threw her a hard little glare. ‘I mean it, Poppy. I am not unfaithful in my relationships and I won’t tolerate it in a partner.’
‘Am I a partner?’
He drew in a breath and released it in a rush as if he had come to a decision in his mind. ‘You are now.’
‘For how long?’
His eyes met hers, searing hers with hot longing and unbridled lust. ‘This will burn itself out,’ he said. ‘It always does.’
‘Give me a ballpark figure,’ Poppy said. ‘A week? A month?’
‘I’m not planning on being down here for too much longer.’ He scraped a hand through his hair to push it back off his forehead. The sexily tousled look made him look even more staggeringly gorgeous. ‘And I’m not a great believer in long-distance relationships.’
She rested her chin on the top of her bent knees as she wrapped her arms around her ankles. ‘I guess you don’t stay in one place long enough to form lasting attachments.’