When his phone had rung in the middle of a meeting he’d almost let it go to message, but he’d somehow known it was her. He’d picked it up, and then he’d realised what he was listening to. He could still feel the acrid fear and panic that had seized his innards.
His churning thoughts halted as Rowan stepped away from him to go into her room. ‘Will you be okay?’
Rowan looked at him. She knew she should say yes, that she’d be fine, thanks, and goodnight, but her mouth wouldn’t work. Just for tonight. Please just let me have tonight, and tomorrow I’ll get on with the rest of my life.
She faced him and lifted her chin slightly. ‘Would you …? I mean I know that you don’t—that we aren’t—’
She stopped. She couldn’t even string two words together. She turned in mortification and shame but felt Isandro tug her back.
‘Do you want to sleep with me?’
Colour scorched her cheeks. She couldn’t look up. ‘Not like that … but, yes, please. I don’t want to be on my own.’
Without a word Isandro took her by the hand and led her along the hall to his door and into his room. In the dim light he undid the belt on her robe. She started to protest that she had nothing on underneath, but he just shushed her. He slipped the robe from her shoulders and then stepped out of his own clothes until they were both naked.
He brought her over to the bed and waited till she was in, then he got in the other side. Rowan thought he was just going to let her lie alone, but immediately she felt the heat and hardness of his body as he pulled her in close to his chest, his legs cupping her bottom. She could feel his body stirring against hers and she shifted slightly.
He pulled her closer, a possessive arm around her belly, and whispered in her ear. ‘It’s okay. It’s something I can’t help with you so close. Go to sleep, Rowan.’
Heat and pleasure and warmth and safety fizzed through Rowan’s veins. She finally allowed herself to relax back against Isandro’s chest. Let his warmth and the strength of his body seep into her bones and skin. She’d said she hadn’t felt cold earlier, and she hadn’t. But now she realised that she had. She’d just blocked it out. It was a coldness the like of which she hoped she’d never experience again. It was the coldness of hopelessness, and even throughout everything she’d been through before she’d not felt it until today.
She knew she must have slept for a while, because when she woke a little later she could feel Isandro’s arm heavier around her. More of a dead weight. She felt in that moment as if she could quite happily lie like that for ever.
Emboldened by knowing that Isandro was asleep, she ran her hand lightly up and down his arm, leaving her hand to rest over his. It felt strong and big, the fingers long and capable. Vibrant and alive. She turned her head to try and see his sleeping face and he moved. She tensed. She was going to break the spell. He’d wake, forget everything that had happened, wonder what on earth she was doing in his bed …
Rowan froze. Isandro moved again and she could feel him against her bottom. He wasn’t as hard as before, but he was coming back to life. Her cheeks grew warm in the dark as his hand started to move lazily on her belly, upwards, to the curve of her breast. He cupped it lightly.
Rowan’s breath stopped. She sucked her belly in as his hand moved up and over her breast fully, trapping her hardening nipple between two fingers, squeezing gently. There was no point trying to play dumb. Her whole body was humming, singing, and she could feel him move restlessly against her, now rock-hard and big.
About to say Sandro, she stopped, remembering his mocking words from the other night. ‘Isandro …?’
‘Shh.’
He pressed kisses all down the back of her neck onto her shoulder. Fire was raging between her legs and Rowan could feel herself parting them in a tacit plea. Isandro took his hand from her breast and smoothed it down in a sensual journey, over the indent of her waist and out to her hip, down her thigh and back up, before going between her legs and opening her up to him. She felt him guide himself between her thighs, seeking the hot, moist juncture.
She gasped when he found it, and his hand came back around her belly to pull her into him even more, fingers long and searching, seeking and finding that spot. He surged upwards in one move and he was there, where she ached for him, thrusting deep. Rowan twisted back further and he came up on one arm, bending down and meeting her mouth with his. His kiss was gentle. The whole experience was so gentle it was breaking her heart. He was careful to stay away from the sore side of her mouth.
His head moved down. He was setting up a rhythm that was fast hurtling her towards nirvana, and when his mouth found one hard peak, thrusting forward flagrantly, and suckled fiercely, nirvana broke all around her, within her. She clutched his arm, his own tempo quickened, and with one last surge she felt him come deep inside her.