Where the poisonous words came from Orsino didn’t know. Maybe a last-ditch effort to slice through the final bond linking them.
Yet as he spoke a dagger of heat plunged deep at the thought of Poppy with another man. Even now. Even after all this time. Hell!
He forced himself to withdraw back towards the bedroom door.
As he did her gaze drifted down his body and her eyes widened as she saw him naked and, despite his fury, fully aroused. His muscles clenched with the effort it took not to reach out and drag her to him.
He needed her but he refused to beg.
Poppy stared at his erection as if she’d never seen one before and he felt himself pulse, hard and eager.
Half an hour ago he’d almost embarrassed himself. He would have climaxed in her hand in another few seconds. He’d only just managed to wait till he was inside her before shattering like a kid with his first woman. He’d told himself abstinence was the cause, next time he’d be in control, yet he
found himself wondering if he might come just from watching her sultry eyes devour him.
She swallowed convulsively and heat poured through him. He remembered that mouth like hot velvet on his aroused body, reducing him to gasping surrender. He wanted that again. He wanted—
Her eyes snared his and a wave of something crashed over him. Not just desire, but something deeper. Something he thought he’d banished.
‘Is that what you want?’ he snarled. ‘Someone else to relieve your … tension?’ When she said nothing he forced himself on, refusing to feel the pain of her rejection. ‘Maybe while you’re at it you could see if one of the women from this morning would like to do something about
this
—’ he gestured to his erection ‘—since you’re not interested.’
Poppy jerked her head away. Orsino’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t trust his damaged vision but he’d swear he caught the glitter of tears on her lashes.
‘Poppy?’ His voice was husky as he spoke over what felt like broken glass lining his throat.
She turned back and he realised she’d been biting her bottom lip. It was dark and swollen and he wanted to soothe it with his thumb.
‘All right. You win, Orsino. I admit it.’ Her voice was low. ‘It’s you I want, not just any man.’ She crossed the floor till they stood toe to toe and her hand found his chest again, making his heart judder. ‘Satisfied?’
Her chin tilted high as it always had when she was scared. Heat doused him as he realised it.
Poppy was scared?
That knowledge sliced through his anger, leaving him strangely hollow.
Orsino covered her hand with his, feeling it quiver like a wounded bird in his grasp.
‘Not yet.’ His voice had turned to gravel. ‘Because I need you so badly I can’t think straight. Not just any woman but
you
, Poppy. Just you.’
A last remnant of pride howled that he gave too much away, letting her know the power she wielded. But for once the urge for honesty overrode it.
‘Don’t cry, Poppy. It’s not just you feeling this. It’s me, too.’
‘Really?’ She blinked up at him and her eyes shone overbright, making him feel about ten inches tall for the way he’d behaved.
For so long he’d wanted her to suffer for what she’d done. Yet, seeing her distress, he realised he couldn’t face it.
‘It’s not the way I want it to be, either,’ he admitted. ‘But it’s the way it is. For now.’ He dragged in a deep breath. ‘I need you, Poppy. Just you.’
‘And I need you, Orsino.’ He barely heard the words but he felt the soft puff of her breath on his bare flesh as she spoke. ‘Only you.’
Orsino made himself ignore the way that sounded
almost like a vow. This was simple physical attraction. And the sooner they sated it, the better.
He drew her into the bedroom and lay her down with exquisite care on the bedspread. He feared one wrong move and he’d lose what little control he had left.
‘I love your hair,’ he admitted as he splayed the wet tendrils wide, like a fan of rich garnet.
‘I love yours.’ Her hand went to his forehead, brushing it back where it threatened to flop over his forehead.
Her touch was light, barely there, yet he felt it with a force that made something sing within him. That’s what Poppy did to him, what she’d always done to him.
‘Say it again.’
‘I want you, Orsino.’ Her hand traced a line of fire across his new scar. She traced it down to his eye then slid her hand up and into his hair and his heart thudded. ‘I need you.’
‘Good.’ He tried to smile but the tension in him was too great. He clasped the back of her hand and turned his face to press a kiss to her palm. ‘So in this we’re equals.’
After a moment she nodded and he moved away.
At her gasp of distress he did manage a smile after all. ‘I’m just getting this.’ He held up the box of condoms he’d put on her bedside table while she showered.
There was that blush again across her breasts and throat.
Possessiveness filled him. She’d admitted her hunger was for him alone, but he knew an overwhelming urgency to banish Poppy’s previous lovers from her mind.
His body wasn’t as strong as he liked. Plaster encased one forearm and one hand still didn’t work properly, but that didn’t prevent him lavishing the attention on her that she deserved.
Orsino planted tiny kisses up her rib cage, feeling her shiver and shift beneath him, then nuzzled the fragrant, soft skin of her throat where a pulse beat frantically. The scent of berries and aroused woman grew headier as he lavished kisses down her other side, pausing low on her hip where a tiny heart-shaped scar had always fascinated him.
With lips and tongue and hands he explored her supple legs, the groove at the back of her knees, where she was so sensitive he had to hold her steady, using his weight to anchor her.
He loved her writhing beneath him, a prelude to what was to come.
Smiling, he inched his way up her thighs, fingers trailing a butterfly-light tracery across tender ivory flesh.
She gasped when he reached the junction of her thighs, her legs parting beneath him.
‘So eager,’ he crooned, blown away as he always had been by Poppy’s unabashed sexuality. She gave
herself up to him completely. He hadn’t let himself remember that in five years. Now the reality of her in the flesh was almost too much. He longed to slide up her body and thrust hard and fast till they dissolved in ecstasy.
But he was determined to imprint himself on her. He’d make sure she knew at the deepest level it was him giving her what she needed.
Poppy tasted sweet and salty, a tang of pure feminine delight on his tongue and lips. He nuzzled closer, enjoying her hoarse gasps and the way she held his head in tight fingers that betrayed everything she felt.
One last, long, luxurious lick and she bucked hard beneath him, right off the bed, only his body weight holding her steady.
He felt shudders race through her, jerking her limbs, and saw the bright flare of ecstasy under her skin. But it was the way she cried his name, like a benediction and a plea together, that unlocked something he couldn’t name.
Finally, when she lay still beneath him, he rose to lie beside her on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open and the drowsy contentment he read there warmed him in places he’d forgotten existed.
‘Now, Orsino.’ Her lips curved in a tiny, siren’s smile.
‘But I’ve only just started.’ His hand slid to that damp triangle of dark curls as his head bent to her
breast and he finally allowed himself the freedom to suckle her breast.
It was a long time later when Orsino finally rose on his elbows above her.
His body throbbed with the tension of denying his own gratification so long, and with the effort required of his still-recuperating body, but it was worth it.
Poppy was his, branded by touch and taste and climax after climax till there could be no doubt in her mind or her heart that she was his.
Orsino stilled, frowning. This wasn’t about hearts.
She lay limp beneath him, her body glowing and perfect as he held her close and slowly, excruciatingly slowly, slid home.
Her eyelids rose, her expression the sweetest he’d ever seen. Warm arms wrapped around his back, soft legs tightened at his waist. And suddenly, before Orsino had a chance to feel triumph, his body surged high and hard, his breath ragged as he reached breaking point. With a great roar of pleasure his head arched back and his climax broke upon him, wave after wave of crashing ecstasy.
When finally he came to his senses he was a dead weight crushing her to the bed, his head cradled against her damp, scented neck, his heart thundering against her, her name echoing in the still air.
Reluctantly he dragged himself up on his elbows, despite her clinging hold. His ribs ached but he
didn’t care. He lowered his head, not ready to meet her eyes. One thing was certain. If their loving had branded her as his, the process worked two ways. He felt bound to Poppy as he hadn’t for five years.
How did that fit with his plan to bed her and walk away?
‘No, I
CAN’T
, B
ETTINA
. That’s the trouble.’
Poppy paused just inside the tower door and let it swing shut behind her. The simmering frustration in Orsino’s voice caught her attention.
Who was Bettina? What had she done to make him so edgy?
Jealousy stabbed Poppy between the ribs and she knew a terrible fear at the realisation.
For four nights she’d shared Orsino’s bed. Nights of frantic passion, untold bliss and early mornings of languorous loving that left her glowing.
She should be horrified and ashamed that she’d capitulated, giving herself to Orsino again. But somehow she’d managed to block out the voice of doom that sniped in her ear. She got through each day hour by hour, not letting herself think beyond the moment.
From the open door to the sitting room she heard Orsino’s tread, heavy across the ancient floor.
‘I’ve tried that but—’ A loud clatter made her jump. Orsino swore. ‘No, no, I’m fine, Bettina.
Sorry. It’s these damned eyes. I can see, almost, but every so often I misjudge distances and walk into things.’
There was a pause and the sound of scraping.
‘No, that wasn’t the laptop. I almost wish it was—it’s driving me crazy.’ Another pause. ‘I know, I know, patience.’ He spoke on a long sigh that dragged across her skin.
Poppy moved till she saw Orsino, silhouetted against the lowering grey sky through the window. His shoulders were hunched as he thrust one hand through his hair.
A tingle of heat swarmed up her backbone and her stomach muscles clenched, just from the pleasure of watching him.
That had to be bad. When just looking at him made her body react.
Her lips firmed. There was nothing wrong with enjoying physical attraction, the new Poppy told herself, so long as it was just that. Nothing … complicated by emotions.
They’d finished shooting early when the threatening skies had finally opened in a downpour and she’d hurried back here, brushing off an invitation to join the others.
It struck her as she drank in the sight of Orsino’s big, bold frame that she’d never questioned how he occupied his time while she worked. They’d each been careful not to extend their conversation beyond what happened in the bedroom. But knowing
Orsino and his appetite for action, being cooped here without something to do was way out of character.
Now she felt overwhelming curiosity. About what was on that laptop. And about Bettina.
She stepped closer and his head snapped round. Poppy rocked back on her heels as their gazes locked and desire punched hard and low.
Just like that!
Wanton images filled her head. She and Orsino tangled together on the wide couch below the mullioned window. Orsino naked on the rug before the crackling fire, beckoning her close. The dark fire in his eyes as he drove her to climax then held her as the world faded into a blur.
‘Don’t worry, Bettina. I’ll try again later. Bye.’ He didn’t sound in the least loverlike.
Poppy told herself his relationships didn’t matter to her. But she lied. Was Bettina his lover? Distress squirmed in her belly. She schooled her face to hide it.
‘You’re back early.’
She shrugged, nodding to the rain pelting against the glass. ‘We filmed outdoors but the weather beat us. We’ll work inside tomorrow.’
He slipped his phone away and shoved his hands into his pockets. He didn’t reach for her and she wondered if she’d intruded on something. His wary stance put her senses on alert.
Deliberately she wandered closer, looking casually
towards the enormous fireplace, noting the laptop open on an ottoman and a bundle of papers on the arm of a wing chair.
She kept her expression neutral as she met his eyes. No dark glasses today.
With a flick of deft fingers she undid her coat and shrugged it off, trailing it over the back of a tapestry-upholstered chair. Something flickered across his face and was gone.
‘You don’t seem pleased to see me, Orsino. Am I interrupting something?’ She was close enough now to see he wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended. His gaze was riveted on her lips, still a glossy rich crimson from today’s shoot. His big hands clenched at his sides and his chest rose mightily as if he struggled to inhale enough oxygen.
Good. She’d hate to be the only one feeling needy.
‘Orsino?’ Poppy paused, letting her mouth form a musing pout and feeling a pulse of satisfaction at his distracted stare. She moved closer, wondering if it would be too obvious if she slicked her tongue over her mouth.
Why not? Tentatively she swiped the tip of her tongue over her lower lip. His jaw tightened and cords of tension appeared in his neck.
It was deliciously empowering, knowing Orsino was as vulnerable to her as she was to him.
She told herself that was all she wanted: a purely
physical relationship. So where her next words came from she didn’t know.
‘I couldn’t help overhearing. Is there some problem with your computer?’
Orsino’s face was blank, only his eyes were alive, fixed on her mouth with an intensity that sent arousal glissading through her.
‘Orsino? Have I got lipstick on my teeth?’
‘No.’ His voice was a scraping bass note that made her skin prickle and her nipples tighten. ‘You have the sexiest mouth I’ve ever seen. I can’t get enough of it.’
Poppy blinked, stunned at his admission. Generous lover though he was, he rarely hinted at the depth of his passion. He let his body do that.
‘In that case—’ she drew an unsteady breath ‘—I’ll make sure you get all you want.’ Poppy stepped in, skimmed a light kiss across his lips then moved away, her eyes drifting deliberately down his tense body. It trembled beneath her gaze and she smiled.
Oh, yes, she
did
enjoy the pure no-holds-barred physicality of this new relationship.
‘Witch.’ His voice was husky. The fine hairs along her neck and arms rose in response.
She arched her eyebrows. ‘You enjoy it. You know you do.’
His mouth tugged up at one side, a long dimple cleaving his cheek. It was Poppy’s turn to stare, transfixed by the masculine potency of that smile.
She cleared her throat. ‘Your laptop. Is it damaged? I heard something fall.’
Orsino stepped back, arms folding over his chest.
‘No. I walked into a side table. My vision’s still not right.’
‘Give it time,’ she found herself urging. ‘You always were impatient.’
His eyes narrowed and she wondered if he’d accuse her of overstepping some imaginary line. Instead he nodded, one hand plunging through his hair again, leaving it rumpled and effortlessly sexy.
‘So everyone says.’
‘Bettina, too?’
‘You heard?’ For a moment she wondered if his brows would descend in a scowl because she’d eavesdropped. Instead he shrugged. ‘The woman has the patience of Job. She has to have, working with me. She can’t see why I’m not the same.’
‘She’s your secretary?’ Bubbles of something—relief?—fizzed in Poppy’s bloodstream. Not another woman then.
He nodded. ‘Though for how much longer if I can’t pull my act together, I don’t know.’
‘It can’t be that bad, surely.’ Organising one of Orsino’s mountaineering trips would take effort but surely it wasn’t that complicated.
His mouth flattened as his hand slid down to scrub the back of his neck. ‘It is when I can’t read vital documents and decisions need to be made.’
‘Can I help?’
The words were out before she realised it. They took him by surprise too, given the look on his face.
‘Help?’ He made it sound like a foreign word.
‘With the laptop. If you’re having trouble opening the document …’
He shook his head. ‘Oh, I can open it. For an inveterate adventure seeker I’m surprisingly techno-savvy.’ His lips quirked up in a dry half smile. ‘The trouble is my vision.’ His voice faded on the last word as if it was something he didn’t want to admit. Despite herself, Poppy felt something clutch inside her at that unexpected evidence of his vulnerability.
He’d always hated admitting weakness. The fact that he shared this now seemed ridiculously important. She told herself she was imagining things and forced herself to focus.
‘Would you like me to read it to you?’
His hand dropped to his side and his brows arrowed in a frown.
‘That would be …’ Abruptly he shook his head. ‘Thank you. But no. It’s a big document, a spreadsheet, not an email.’
Curiouser and curiouser. What sort of spreadsheets would Orsino need?
Then the reason for his hesitation hit her. It probably detailed his impressive income and investment portfolio.
Who would want to share that with his soon-to-be-ex-wife just prior to their divorce?
Poppy waved her hand. ‘It was just a thought. Don’t worry about it.’
He stepped forward and the scent of heady spice and cedar infiltrated her brain. How she’d miss that when they went their separate ways.
‘You’d really do that? It’s tedious stuff.’
She spread her hands. ‘I’ve finished early. My time is my own.’
Yet she was offering to spend it with Orsino. Not indulging in hot, frantic sex, but to read him a spreadsheet. What had got into her? What had happened to keeping her distance?
‘It can’t be worse than wearing a corset for hours, waiting for my leading man to get his lines right.’
‘That bad, eh?’ A glimmer of amusement lit Orsino’s dark eyes and it struck her how attractive his smile was. Not just sexy but … appealing.
‘You have no idea.’ She took a deep breath and stretched, revelling in the freedom of minimal underwear after the restrictions of the outfit she’d worn today.
Orsino’s gaze dropped to snag on her breasts and instantly her nipples beaded, pushing against the thin fabric of her T-shirt. Excitement ignited deep inside and spread, making her quiver.
Poppy dropped her arms and turned to the fireplace. The intensity of that reaction was too unsettling.
‘You want me to read this document?’
‘That would be helpful, thanks.’ Unlike hers
Orsino’s voice was cool and even. Had she imagined that hungry stare?
‘Sure.’ Eager for distraction, she moved away and dropped cross-legged before the padded ottoman where his computer sat. He took the big wing chair just behind her. If she leaned back his legs would support her.
Poppy squashed a stray thought about how cosy this was, the sound of the rain battering the windows and a fire throwing warmth across the Oriental rug. Just her and Orsino …
With a sharp intake of breath she blinked and reached for the computer. Daydreaming about relaxed evenings by the fire with her husband wasn’t healthy. Once she’d mistaken his passion for love. She needed to keep her wits about her and remember the rules.
Ignore the past, since it hurts too much.
Ignore the future, since we have none.
Live in the now.
Keep it simple.
Her heart lurched as for a moment forbidden memories invaded—hurtful memories. Then she slammed a lid on them. Better to pretend those were two different people than tear herself apart trying to explain how she could want Orsino and he her after what had gone before.
‘What document did you want me to read?’
Orsino leaned forward and took the laptop from her hands, clicking through files.
Trying not to react to his beckoning heat, she stared at the screen. All the documents were enlarged for easy reading.
‘You can’t read that?’ Poppy looked at the large font and her heart sank. She’d thought his vision was improving. He seemed so capable now, able to move about with ease. Though it struck her that she rarely saw him anywhere but in bed or the bathroom.
A cool little ripple cascaded down her spine.
‘I can read those.’ After a little fumbling he opened a document and passed the laptop to her. ‘But following the lines and footnotes on this spreadsheet is beyond me.’ He paused and she felt his breath warm on the back of her neck where she’d piled her hair up. ‘My sight is still distorted and it makes this stuff too difficult.’
‘I’m not surprised.’ Vast rows and columns of figures filled the page. ‘You really need to do this now?’ Surely it was better for him to rest and recuperate.
‘If you’ve changed your mind—’
‘No. Of course not. Which worksheet do you want?’
‘Might as well start at the first. Can you start at the top and work your way down?’
It didn’t take long to realise the report had nothing to do with blue-chip investments or property. Nor was it about climbing or rally car racing or any of the extreme sports for which Orsino was feted.
‘Can you go back a line?’ She heard the scratching of pen on paper. He could see enough to write then. The tightness in her chest unravelled a little.
She recited dates and figures. ‘What is this, Orsino?’
There was silence for a few moments apart from the scratch of his pen and the soft thunk of embers in the fire.
‘Expenses. Medical treatment. Food. Maintenance.’
‘I gathered that.’ She peered at the figures again. ‘But for whom?’
‘For an establishment I deal with. Now, if you’d—’
‘What sort of establishment?’
Orsino’s reluctance to talk intrigued her. What was he hiding? And even more intriguing, what had happened to the man who barely stood still long enough even for a wedding photo? Who now found the patience to sit churning through reams of figures?
‘Orsino?’
He shifted behind her as if the chair was no longer comfortable.
‘It’s a rehabilitation centre.’
‘For …?’ This was like drawing a tooth.
‘For people who’ve been injured by landmines.’
Poppy put the laptop down and swung around.
He ignored her while he scrawled another note in large capitals.
‘And?’
Finally the pen stopped and he looked up, his face unreadable.
‘Why are you going through these reports?’
He shrugged those mouth-wateringly broad shoulders but this time Poppy kept her eyes on his face, sensing this was significant.
‘You know my expeditions raise money for charity.’
‘I do.’ Her heart had been in her mouth more than once as she’d watched him succeed at some daredevil stunt, filmed from a distance and broadcast on television. ‘But what’s that got to do with this—’ she waved her hand ‘—administration?’