Trouble, she knew, even as she held on tight. At the end of this, he would walk away and look for his next conquest, and she…well, she wasn’t sure what she would do. She had a feeling that getting over Rafiq was going to be more difficult than getting over Eric. Perhaps a smarter woman would have been able to resist Rafiq’s considerable charms. Or a more-experienced one. But she didn’t know how and now it was too late.
A once-in-a-lifetime event, she reminded herself. That’s what this was. If the price was pain at the end, then so be it. She was strong and she would recover.
“Come inside,” he said, stepping back and taking her hand in his.
She smiled. “Are you about to use me for sex, because if that’s the case, I have to tell you, I won’t protest.”
He led her to the front door, then waited for her to step inside.
“I had wondered if you being so innocent would make things more difficult,” he said.
She stared through to the living room where the ocean stretched out before her.
It was as if she could see to the ends of the earth.
She turned back to him. “What was your concern? That I might be shy and afraid of intimacy?”
“It crossed my mind.”
“I guess.” She shrugged. “To be honest, I have a lot of time to make up for. I guess you’ll just get stuck with that.”
“I’ll do my best to survive.”
“How manly of you.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”
“Are you offering to cook?”
He moved her toward the kitchen. “No, but I have a very efficient housekeeper who keeps my refrigerator filled with items that need only be heated.”
They walked into the large, open kitchen. Kiley crossed to the smooth granite countertops and ran her hands against the cool surface. She stared at the six-burner stove, the warming drawer and did her best to hold in a moan.
“Will she mind if I cook in here?” she asked.
“Sana would be happy to share.”
Kiley looked at him. “Are you sure? Women can be very possessive about their kitchens.”
“Sana would be delighted if I dated someone who knew how to make toast, let alone an entire meal. I assure you, she will not be offended.”
Kiley had to admit she couldn’t imagine the very beautiful, albeit short-tempered, Carmen knowing her way around much more than an espresso machine or an ice bucket.
“I’ll have to come up with a menu,” she said. “Then I’ll dazzle you.”
“You already do.”
His words made her whole body sigh.
“Come,” he said, holding out his hand. “I know I gave you a tour the first time you were here, but I suspect you were too nervous to remember very much. There
is also the matter of where you will be sleeping.”
“Didn’t we already have this conversation at the hotel?” she asked, walking to him and letting him capture her fingers.
“That was for a single night. This is for more than two months.” His dark gaze
studied her face. “You have made many changes in the past few weeks. I don’t want you to feel you’re being pushed into something you’re not ready for.”
He was sweet. Funny how she’d never realized that before. Sweet and kind and handsome and charming. Talk about a winner.
She stepped close enough for their bodies to touch. With her free hand, she rubbed his chest.
“I’m here for the sex,” she said in a low voice. “I want to be perfectly clear about that. Being in different rooms is going to make that difficult. Unless we do it on the phone, and, honestly, I’m not ready for that.”
His reply was a kiss that took her breath away. He claimed her passionately, wrapping his arms around her and holding her as if he would never let her go.
“Then we will share a room,” he said when they both came up for air.
She had a sudden thought and winced. “Oh, no. Were you trying to tell me that you wanted separate rooms?”
He rubbed against her, pushing his erection into her belly and turning her thigh muscles to mush.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She smiled. “I would say you’ve got yourself a roommate.”
Sunlight and the sound of running water woke Rafiq. He’d forgotten to set the alarm and had slept later than usual. Perhaps because he’d gone to sleep so early this morning.
He stretched, then placed his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. It had been a late night. Every time he’d tried to roll over and go to sleep, he would feel Kiley in the bed. She would move or sigh or even just breathe and then he would want her again. Wanting her, he would reach for her.
She always welcomed his touch, joining him eagerly in whatever game he wished to play.
While he knew intellectually that she had been a virgin, he would never have guessed how quickly and easily she would discover the pleasures of making love.
He barely had to touch her to make her swollen and ready. She raced toward her climax with an eagerness that only made him want to please her more.
The shower turned off. Instantly he pictured her wet and naked. His erection was instant, but he held back. No doubt she was already sore from their previous night. Better to give her a few hours’ rest before claiming her again.
He thought about his meetings planned for the day and the weekly teleconference with the parliament leader back on Lucia-Serrat. About twenty minutes later, Kiley opened the bathroom door and stepped into the bedroom.