A groan slid across her swollen lips as his thumbs rubbed her nipples, arousing them further, tightening them into painful knobs of pulsing need. Her own hands were claws against Raphael, trying to caress while tightening further as the need in her deepened to the point she lost all comprehension of what was happening. ‘Rafe. Please,’ she begged. ‘I can’t take any more.’
Her bra hit the floor, her panties slid down to her ankles with the help of one of those hot hands. He quickly grabbed a small packet from the drawer beside the bed, tore the packet open and rolled the condom on. Then he was lifting her to his waist, turning around to lean her against the wall as she wound her legs around him. ‘Izzy,’ he growled.
His hot tip touched her centre.
She tried to reach for him, to hold him intimately.
Another throaty growl. ‘Not yet. Won’t last.’ And he was filling her, giving to her.
Her head tipped back against the wall and she rocked with the need exploding throughout her body. ‘Rafe,’ she screamed.
Then with a guttural roar he took her, his body tense as he came.
They lay on his bed, legs and arms tangled, lungs working hard, eyes closed.
Wow. Isabella sighed. Never would’ve thought she could feel like this. As if she’d found something so special it might break if she wasn’t careful.
‘Don’t go there, Isabella.’
See? He knew her too well. Rolling onto her tummy and sprawling half across him she eyeballed him. ‘It’s hard not to.’
He winced.
Immediately she lifted up to kiss him. ‘I am not sorry.’ Kiss. ‘I’m mind-blown.’ There was no comparison between her feelings for Raphael and those she’d believed she had for Darren.
A return kiss that lasted longer than hers to him, and started clouding the subject. ‘That’s two of us.’
There was so much she wanted to tell him. How she loved him, wanted to always be with him. But what if she did let him down? That was too awful to contemplate. She still didn’t know if she’d got it right. Look what happened last time she told a man she loved him. Not that she was ready to utter the L word. Afraid to, more likely. Rolling onto her back as he got up to dispose of the condom in his bathroom, she stared up at the ceiling that was desperately in need of a coat of paint. ‘Pinch me.’
He came back into the bedroom and lay back down next to her. ‘Please don’t say you’re already regretting this.’
Reaching for his hand, she held on tight. ‘Not at all. Why would I?’ Hell, what if Rafe only wanted sex, and had no wish for a future with her? Hadn’t thought of that, had she?
Raphael rose onto his elbow and gazed down at her. If she didn’t know better she’d say that was love coming her way. But it couldn’t be. Not the ‘this is for ever, sexy, everything together’ kind of love.
When he remained quiet, she had to ask, ‘What?’ Her heart smashed against her ribs as she waited for him to reply.
At last, ‘Nothing.’ That was it? Then he kissed her and her muscles loosened a little.
Wrapping her arms around his strong, muscular body, she pulled him into her. She’d hopped off the fence on the side of go for it, and was ready to give this everything she had. But not ready to talk about it. That might ruin everything.
Raphael gathered her into his arms and began making love to her like he had no intention of ever stopping. She could live with this for as long as it was on offer. Reality would step in some time, but for now she was safe from the demons that liked to wreak havoc with her dreams.
* * *
Raphael yawned. It was his turn not to sleep. How could he with Izzy wrapped around him like a limpet? A warm, soft one. Okay, not a limpet, but the best damned thing to have happened to him in a long time, if not in for ever.
Sensationnelle.
He’d poured years of emotions into his lovemaking during the night. Had he always loved her?
But if that were true, then he wouldn’t have been so devastated by what Cassie had done to him.
He shivered. Slow down. Think it through. Last night had been amazing, but it didn’t change anything. He and Izzy were still friends, and despite being intimate, that hadn’t changed. Other than to put pressure on him to get it right. Big pressure. Izzy was vulnerable, still coming to terms with Darren’s treachery. She didn’t need him trying to get too close, too fast, and then finding he wasn’t ready to commit to her either. Because he was still struggling to accept the loss of his child, and why. Especially the why. If he told Izzy about Joshua it might free some of the knots holding him back, but he didn’t want her to see his vulnerability. That was saying he wasn’t as tough as she believed him to be.
His body tightened, and not in the way it had often during the night as they made love. He had to tell her. It would be a lie not to. She was entitled to know everything, otherwise he would never be able ask her to become a part of his life when he was ready. If he was ever ready. Thump, thump went his heavy heart.
‘Rafe?’ Izzy muttered.
‘Oui, mon amie?’ Stick to friend, keep this real.
Her reply was a small snore.
So, not ready to talk. Thank goodness. He could continue the dream by lying here, holding her warm, sexy body against him, feeling her hot breaths on his skin, knowing she was relaxed with him as she hadn’t been since she arrived. But this was Isabella. There’d be questions and concerns scooting round her mind about whether they were doing the right thing, how long this could last, was it for ever or a rerun of her marriage. Knowing her meant he was forewarned.
And this was Izzy. He couldn’t hurt her in any way. He had to back off until he sorted out his mess. Had to. No other way to go forward. But how, now that he knew Izzy intimately?
How, when she was living in his house for another few weeks?
When he was going to the wedding with her?
Damn, he’d made the situation between them worse, not better.
CHAPTER EIGHT
OUT ON THE DECK, Isabella stretched onto her toes, leaned back to ease the rest of the kinks out of her muscles that a long soak under a hot shower hadn’t fixed. What a night. What a lover Rafe had turned out to be. She’d never known sex to be so wonderful.
And then she’d slept like she hadn’t in for ever. Right through to ten in the morning. Why? She’d have thought the excitement of making love with Raphael would’ve kept her awake all night, not knocked her out. Had she found her safe place with Rafe? No, couldn’t have. Must’ve been because he’d exhausted her with his lovemaking. But she did feel different. Relaxed and happy.
Why wasn’t he here? It had stung a little to wake up and find herself alone in his bed. He hadn’t been downstairs when she made her way to the kitchen. There’d been a note saying he’d gone for a run and might go into work afterwards. As though putting distance between them. Was he regretting last night already?
Her heart sank. He wouldn’t. He might.
Then what? She’d have to suck it up and get on with her plans of setting up the flat she was about to rent. She had to do that anyway. Just because they’d become lovers didn’t mean she would change everything. She still had to make her own life work for her. Preferably including Raphael. But she was not going to follow him or anyone to do what they wanted without keeping herself true to herself. She’d messed up once. It wasn’t happening again, if she could help it.
Her phone rang.
Rafe.
She snatched it up. ‘Hey, good morning. Where are you? I didn’t wake up for hours. I feel so good.’ Shut up, let the man say why he rang.
‘Could’ve set a bomb off and you wouldn’t have woken. Guess I’ve got my uses, then.’ He laughed.
‘Seems like it.’
‘Feel like going to the movies and dinner tonight?’
Pardon? ‘As in a date?’
Silence. Then, ?
??Yes, a date.’
He could sound more enthusiastic. ‘You sure that’s what you want to do? I mean, if last night was a one-night stand say so.’ Get the pain over with now.
‘Yes, Isabella, I do want to take you out. And...’
She gritted her teeth. ‘Go on.’ He was about to break her heart.
‘I don’t want it to be a one-night stand.’
Phew.
Then, ‘But I admit I’m uncertain where we’re going with this.’
How about into a relationship that would blossom into love? ‘We don’t have to rush it, Rafe.’ Her heart was squeezing painfully. ‘I’ve got things to think about too.’