‘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.’
‘I don’t want to give you false hopes, Poppy. I know girls like you want the whole package, but I’m not interested in that right now. I have too many other responsibilities to sort out first before I even think about settling down.’
‘That’s fine,’ Poppy said, even though it wasn’t. Could she settle for a short-term fling and leave it at that? How would she feel when it was over? Would she be so deeply in love with him by then her heart would be shattered when he walked out of her life for good?
Wasn’t she already a teensy bit in love with him?
He came over and tipped up her chin so his eyes meshed with hers. She had to work hard not to show how conflicted she felt. Emotions she had never felt before were bubbling inside her. It felt like a vicious tug-of-war between pretence and honesty was pulling her in two. She wanted to tell him how she felt, that she loved him and wanted to be with him for ever, but the practical, sensible side of her resisted.
If she told him how she felt he would end their affair before it had even started. At least if she kept her feelings to herself she would have a few precious memories to treasure once he had moved on. And he would move on. Didn’t his track record prove it?
‘The press will probably hassle you for a few days,’ he said. ‘Try not to let it get to you.’
‘I won’t.’
He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her mouth. ‘You taste like spun sugar.’
Poppy gave him an arch look. ‘I thought you didn’t have a sweet tooth?’
His dark eyes glinted as he pressed her back down on the bed. ‘I do now,’ he said and covered her mouth with his.
CHAPTER TWELVE
POPPY WOKE TO the sound of birdsong at dawn. She stretched her legs and winced when she felt the tug of her tender feminine muscles. Rafe had been incredibly gentle with her last night, which had made it so much harder for her to keep her emotions in check. She had lain in his arms, feeling satiated, yet strangely dissatisfied. They were so close physically—she seriously wondered if two people could be closer—and yet she felt as if a chasm of difference separated them.
His world was so disparate from hers. He had the money to buy whatever he wanted, wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He could travel the globe and not have to stop and count the pennies. He had casual affairs that left no lasting impression on him. He probably didn’t even remember their names after a few weeks or months had passed.
Would he remember her after this was over? How long before he forgot her name or what she looked like? How long before someone else took his fancy?
Poppy turned her head and looked at him lying beside her. He was lying on his back, one of his arms loosely around her shoulders, the other hanging over the edge of the bed. His breathing was deep and even, his body relaxed, yet there was a slight frown between his closed eyes, as if his mind was mulling over something complicated.