The long-term? Santa María. Had he finally lost all common sense? Certainly, reality had slid back these past two days. Being with her had been like living some sort of dream. A dream where he could look at himself in the mirror without being revolted by what stared back at him.
A dream where he could continue the secret writing project he'd started before his accident without feeling as if he was tainting the very memory he wanted to preserve.
He stared down into her face, a face flushed with pleasure from the activities of the day or, he thought semi-cockily, from kissing him. All at once he wanted to blurt his very innermost secret to her.
He stopped himself just in time.
Permanent wasn't part of his vocabulary. He wasn't about to seek it out now. And, really, he should thank his lucky stars because Raven knew his flaws and had adequately cautioned herself against getting too close.
So why did the thought not please him?
His phone rang and he happily abandoned the questions that threatened to flood him. But he didn't abandon his hold on the soft body of the woman next to him. Delight curled in his chest when she slid closer.
'De Cervantes,' he answered.
The conversation was short and succinct. And it raised every single hair on his nape to full, electrifying attention. Feeling slightly numb, he ended the call.
'What's happened?' she asked.
'One of the drivers has pulled out of the remaining races.'
'Can they do that, pull out without warning?'
He shook his head. 'I've never had a driver pull out before. Normally I have them begging to race.' She didn't miss the frown in his voice. 'But he's just been offered a race seat for the coming season and it's an opportunity of a lifetime. I recognise how important that is to a young driver.'
'So what does that mean for your event?' she asked, pulling back to stare up into his face.
He looked down but didn't really see her. The thoughts tumbling through his head both terrified and excited him at the same time.
'They can find a replacement if they search hard enough...'
Raven pulled away further. He wanted to tug her back but he couldn't seem to summon the strength it took because of the feelings rushing through him.
'Or?'
'Or...the general consensus is that I should step in.'
'No,' she said. Naked fear pulsed through the single word.
He finally focused on her, felt a burn in his stomach from the impact of her searing look. 'No?'
'You're not ready.'
'Shouldn't I be the judge of that? And didn't you say yourself I was almost healed?' he asked.
'Yes, almost! As your physiotherapist, I strongly do not recommend it. You could reverse everything you've achieved in the last several weeks...'
'If I crash?'
She paled a little, and he felt a tug of guilt for pushing her. 'I won't answer that. What I will say is that you're the head of X1 Premier Management. All you need to do is make a single phone call and any one of dozens of drivers will fly out and take your driver's place. You don't have to do this. Please don't do it.'
The naked plea in her eyes struck deep. The unsettling angst of a moment before subsided as he traced his finger down her face.
'Dare I believe that you care about me, just a little bit?' He couldn't stop the question from spilling out. But, once it was out there, he needed to know.
'I care, Rafael. More than a little bit, I think.' The naked truth struck them both. Their eyes met, locked.
Breaths held until the banking helicopter jolted them. The sight of the villa sprawled beneath them made Rafael want to swear. Instead he activated his phone again.
'Angelo-' he addressed his second-in-command '-call around the teams, find out if there's any driver who isn't testing and offer them a place on the newly available seat on the All-Star event. You know which guys I rate the most. Tell them they're guaranteed a spread in the next issue of X1 Magazine and my personal endorsement of whatever charity they choose. Oh, and I want a driver on his way to the racetrack in Los Cabos by the end of the day.' He ended the call and looked down at her.
'Now what?' he asked softly as the helicopter blades slowed to a halt.
Her smile held such radiance he found it hard to breathe. 'Now, I may let myself adore you a little bit more...see where it takes me.'
He regretted that he wasn't healed enough to swing her into his arms and carry her off to his lair. But he was well enough to drag her from the helicopter to his bedroom. And he made sure he kept her fully occupied until neither of them could move.
* * *
'You never told me what was in the package,' Raven murmured, drifting somewhere between I-can't-move satiation and a drugging need to experience that mind-bending pleasure all over again.
The wicked grin he sent her way made her heart pound all over again. He left the bed and she could no more help herself from visually devouring him than she could stop breathing.
He picked up the package from the foot of the bed and returned it to her. 'This may just buy me a few more Brownie points.'
That got her attention. She dragged herself up to lean on one elbow. The sight of his naked chest threatened to fry her brain cells. 'What is it?' Her mind whirled with the possibilities, then latched onto what she wanted it to be. Could it be the rest of his manuscript?
Her senses now on a high, she stared down at the box, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. 'What's in the box, Rafael?'
He lifted the lid. All she could see were sheaves of wrapping paper. 'See for yourself.'
Carefully, she lifted the sheer paper. The first items made her heart knock in her chest. And not in a good way. Praying she was dreaming, she nudged the material aside with her finger and looked underneath. Each layer held more of the same.
'Naughty underwear? That's what you got me?' Raven let the garments drop back into the box, unable to stem the cold wave of hurt that washed over her. She wasn't even sure why it hurt so much. But it felt as if she'd climbed a mountain only to look back and find out that she'd only taken a few steps.
He looked genuinely stunned. 'You don't like it?'
'What's wrong with my own underwear?'
His perplexed look deepened. For the first time, Rafael looked seriously nonplussed. It would have been funny had it not been so far from funny.
'I didn't...I just wanted to...' He stopped, a flush lighting his high cheekbones.
If someone had told her as little as a week ago that she'd be sitting in bed discussing naughty lingerie with Rafael, she'd have laughed herself blind.
Now, she forced herself to glance at the lacy silks and delicate satin bows that didn't seem as if they would stand up to any overt pressure.
'That's not even my size, Rafael. I'm a size twelve, remember?'
His flush deepened. 'I have a feeling you'll punch me when I tell you I don't have a clue what size underwear you wear or what yours look like. By the time I get to your panties, I'm nearly insane with lust. Damn it. I've got it spectacularly wrong, haven't I?'
'Not all wrong. You got my favourite colours right.'
He picked up the package and flung it across the room. Then he tugged her close. 'Is there any way I can make you forget the last ten minutes?'
Against her will and certainly against her better judgement, she glanced at the lilac silk material caught over a chair back. It seemed so delicate and forlorn.
'I don't need expensive lingerie to feel sexy. If you don't want me as I am-'
He caught her chin between his fingers. 'I do,' he breathed. 'Let me prove it...' His head started to descend.
Raven's gaze swung once more to the basque. Pulling herself from his arms, she walked, naked, to the garment and plucked it off the chair. Carefully, she rubbed the material between her fingers and turned. Rafael's breath caught as she slowly traced the warm silk over her body.
A glance from beneath her lashes showed a definite effect on him.
Pure feminine power washed away her misgivings. With a wanton smile she'd never have believed herself capable of, she sauntered back towards him.
'You need to understand one thing, Rafael.'
He nodded but his eyes were riveted on her breasts. 'Sí?'
'You promise never to buy me lingerie again as long as we're together. I choose my own underwear.'
He swallowed and nodded.
Raven glanced down at the panties and shook her head. 'I can't believe you thought I was a size eight,' she muttered.
'Por favor! Forgive me.' He wet his lips in such a blatantly sexual way, a blush suffused her whole body.
'You're just saying that so I hurry back to bed.'
'Si. And you can forget the lingerie if you wish.'
'And give up the chance to see you sweat. No can do.' She slowly, deliberately swept her hair to one side before sliding the lace-trimmed garment over her head.
She nearly bottled it then, but the scorching intensity in his eyes had the direct effect of firing up her courage. The soft lilac tulle basque hugged her breasts in such a blatant caress, she bit her lower lip to stop a moan of excitement. She turned, then glanced back over her shoulder.
'Are you going to help me with the laces?' she rasped.