Rebel's Bargain by Annie West

end this farce. ‘You detest me.’ She swallowed hard, telling herself it no longer mattered.
    Orsino tilted his head and that lock of hair tumbled forward. Poppy’s fingers twitched. She wanted to brush it back, feel its softness.
    ‘I’ll cut you a deal, Poppy. I won’t mention the past if you don’t. It has no bearing on this.’ His gesture encompassed the pair of them and the wall where he’d just given her the most exciting climax of her life. ‘The past is behind us.
But
the physical attraction isn’t. Why not enjoy it? Why not let it run its course so when we part this time it will be completely over? Then there won’t be any lingering shreds of … connection.’
    She stared, not believing what she heard.
    ‘You can’t be serious!’
    ‘Never more so.’ He raised his brows, managing to look impossibly superior. ‘That’s the difference between men and women. Men are pragmatic. We can distinguish lust from affection. What you and I share is steaming-hot physical desire.’
    As he spoke a pulse started up high between her legs.
    ‘You feel it, don’t you?’ His eyes gleamed, the lids lowering as he gave her a look that turned her knees to jelly.
    She shook her head. ‘Once was more than enough.’
    ‘Liar,’ he taunted. ‘That barely touched the surface and you know it. All it did was bring this out into the open. Now it will be even harder to ignore.’ He paused as if waiting for her to reply but her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.
    ‘At least think about it.’
    He waited till she finally, reluctantly, nodded—anything to end this conversation. Then to her relief he moved back, giving her access to the staircase.
    Her foot was on the first step when he spoke again.
    ‘One last thing.’ He paused. ‘I didn’t use protection. Do I have anything to worry about?’
    It took far too long for Poppy to fathom his meaning. When she did, it was with a sick churning in her stomach.
    He hadn’t used protection.
    She hadn’t even thought about it. How could she have been so caught up in desire that she hadn’t noticed? It was as if an irresponsible stranger had taken over her body.
    It was on the tip of Poppy’s tongue to announce she hadn’t been with anyone since him but she thought better of it. He wouldn’t believe it, or if by some miracle she could convince him, he’d see it as a sign she carried a torch for him.
    ‘No.’ Her voice was low. ‘You’ve got nothing to worry about on that score. But what about me? Are you safe?’ She remembered his multitude of partners in all those press reports and her insides tightened.
    ‘Don’t worry. I’m clean as a whistle.’ Yet the tension around his mouth told her there was something on his mind.
    She waited but he said nothing about the risk of pregnancy.
    Of course. He assumed she’d have that covered. No doubt he imagined her hopping from bed to bed. Frantically she calculated dates in her head, reassuring herself the chances of pregnancy were slim.
    That was another reason to veto his proposition. Getting pregnant to her ex would be a mistake even more momentous than her error in marrying him.
    Slowly she hauled herself up the stairs, conscious of Orsino’s eyes on her. Shame filled Poppy at the needy ache between her legs, sign of the weakness he’d reawakened within her.
    Yet even in the privacy of her room she couldn’t get his outrageous suggestion out of her head. It had a terrible, seductive logic, which just showed how off balance she was.
    She’d once made a catastrophic mistake, believing love could conquer all, despite what she knew about love turning women into victims. She’d loved Orsino with a passion that overrode sense, marrying him in a whirlwind of excitement. She’d ignored the voice of warning, telling herself their love would make it right.
    But it hadn’t been
their
love, had it? It had been hers alone. She’d fallen head over heels for him. But Orsino? He’d always held part of himself back,