She gazed at him warily. ‘You want me to stay the night?’
He was the guy who avoided holidays and people, and who lived in a hotel suite where there was little that was personal. It was so far removed from her family home, filled with photos and papers and chaos.
He threw back the sheet and left the bed. She couldn’t look at his body.
‘Oh, Lord.’ Embarrassment overcame her. ‘I’m sorry about the stain on that lovely linen! I hope it’s not marked for ever.’
Roman watched the fierce colour swarm her face and half-laughed, even as she devastated him with her candour. As for marked for ever? That was him. He was never going to forget this.
‘Don’t be embarrassed. Come on. Come with me.’ He took her hand and led her towards the bathroom.
She was trembling. He wasn’t surprised. Right now, his limbs felt wobbly too. That had been the most intense sexual encounter of his life. His every defence was gone. All that mattered to him now was ensuring her comfort, soothing her sensitive system down from the exquisite power of that experience.
But as he walked that keening hunger rose in his body. She was an enchantress and she was his. He could help her explore all the ways in which she could enjoy sex. He wanted to know all the ways—not because he would have stopped.Nothingwould have stopped him once she’d said yes. He wanted to savour every second. He wanted to go slower still. He could go slow again now.
But she was still, watching him with big eyes. Her attention dropped to the arousal he had no way of hiding.
‘You don’t want this again?’ he asked.
‘OfcourseI do.’
There was no coy pretence. No flirtation. Just the sweetest honesty and a sigh of such delight. A thrill like no other. He closed his eyes as the purest pleasure rippled through him. He didn’t want this to stop. He could do this again and again and again. He’d focus on making her shake so damned hard, she wouldn’t refuse him again. He’d make it too good to say no to.
‘Then stay longer,’ he tempted. ‘Don’t retreat now.’
She’d been so brave. So open, vulnerable and honest.
‘You know it’s probably best I get out of here. The moment is over.’
But she was breathless, her focus was distracted and as he touched her her tone wavered.
‘No, I think we could have a few more moments.’
She didn’t argue. She shivered in his arms even as the hot water streamed over her.
‘You should be more greedy,’ he said.
She was like warm wax in his hands, leaning back against him as he gently caressed her with warm, soapy hands. He kissed her and stroked her and held her so she rested against him. There was such sweet comfort in supporting her soft body with his.
‘It’s—it’s too good,’ she whispered brokenly.
‘Don’t you think you deserve good?’
‘I...do...’ She paused. She sounded damned unsure. ‘But more than this isn’t what either of us want. Not yet, for me.’
And never for him.There was nothing he could say to that. It was true.
‘We’re from really different worlds,’ she said. ‘And I think ultimately we want different things from life.’
She was right. Her leaving would be for the best. There was no future in this, in anything. There was just now.
He reached for a towel, wrapped it around her and picked her up in his arms again. ‘You’re a romantic.’
‘I’m anoptimist,’ she corrected with a small smile. ‘Whereas you’re an isolated grump.’
He carried her through to the spare bedroom. The first time the place had ever been used.
Ultimately, she did want permanence—as she should. And he was very determinedly not imagining her in the future with a husband, family and a laughing smile on her face as she excitedly chattered to them. He wasnotpicturing that. He’d made a mistake in seducing her. He was making another mistake now by taking her again. But his hold was tight and his hands slid to places he ached to touch again. He couldn’t resist.