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“You sound upset.”

“I am upset,” he said sharply. “But I am not upset with you . ”

“Okay.” Poppy heaved a deep breath. “Rai, I’m truly sorry. Can you… Will you call me tomorrow night? I’m sure the transcripts market will be deadsville by then. It goes from feast to famine overnight.”

“Very well.” Rai’s voice lowered. “Poppy, I have hungered for you since the moment we parted, and I shall be only half alive until we meet again. Please tell me, is there anything I may do to serve you?”

Oh god, she was going to cry after all. “You’ve already done it.

I feel like such a—” She forced herself not to fill in the blank with any of the things Brendan had called her.

“Thank you. I’m really glad you called. I…

I also…hungered for you.” She could feel her face turning red, but she didn’t care.

Rai was so open and honest; he deserved open honesty back.

“Do you hunger for me now?” His voice was like dark chocolate, deep and rich.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Good.” He breathed into the phone a few more times. “Perhaps tomorrow you will have good news.”

“Maybe.” And maybe javelinas might dance a flamenco in my front yard.

God. She hated how cynical she was now. Except that she didn’t have the space to be blindly optimistic.

“I shall call again tomorrow,” Rai said.

Poppy glared at her computer again. “You didn’t tell me how your day went. I… I have time for that, at least.”

“It was well. Quite educational.”

“Are they making you attend more training?” There, that made her feel better. Toilet paper sales training had to be at least as mind-numbing as endless political commentary; while she didn’t wish misery on Rai, not at all, it did make her feel less alone. “You poor thing.”

“I am not… Yes. I learned a great deal. It is as Bruce Lee says. ‘I do not fear the man who has practiced ten thousand kicks once. I fear the man who has practiced one kick ten thousand times.’”

Poppy giggled wondering what sort of toilet paper sales tricks needed to be practiced as much as karate. “So you like Bruce Lee?”

“I…do not know him,” Rai said. “It is an inspirational quote for salesmen. I wish to be excellent at…my craft.”

“And you practiced selling things ten thousand times. ”

“It does not matter,” Rai said, sounding annoyed again. “Poppy, are you certain I may not come see you?”

Crap. She’d let herself fall into the conversation again. “No. Or yes, I’m sure. I have to get back to work.” She sighed.

Rai was silent for a long moment. “Poppy?”

“Yeah?”

“You are still speaking with me?”

“Yeah.” Poppy laughed, feeling ridiculous. “I’m just being silly. I know I have to go, but I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“Nor do I.” He kept on breathing.

“One of us has to,” Poppy said at last.

“I do not wish to.”

“And you don’t do anything unless you wish it,” she teased.

“Do you wish me to say goodbye?” His voice was soft, perhaps even sad.

“Not really. But… Okay. I’ll say it. Goodbye, Rai. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Goodbye.”

Poppy waited several seconds for Rai to hang up, but when he just kept breathing, she steeled herself and disconnected. And god, how besotted was she that she immediately missed the sound of his breaths? It hadn’t even been sexy heavy breathing. Just…normal breaths.

That had made them sexier.

She set her phone aside and turned back to her computer. A moment later, her phone chimed with a text notification.

Glorious Poppy. I have learned to use emojis. I send you many kisses. Rai.

The text was rounded out with the smoochy-face emoji she’d sent him yesterday, repeated a few dozen times. She laughed despite herself and typed a quick reply.

Thank you. I can’t wait to kiss you again for real tomorrow.

She hit send. And then she closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and powered off her phone.

No more distractions. She had work to do, work she’d been lucky to get.

She could make it to Tuesday.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Rai lounged in his tub, sulkily scrolling back through his text messages. Three days worth of text messages. Three days and he had not seen Poppy once! It was unbelievable.

Monday had been a nightmare. He had quickly learned that condoms could not be worn if he was not fully aroused, and while he was not ashamed to pleasure himself, by the fifth test he had found the process tedious and uncomfortable.

By the time he had sampled them all, he had been in pain.

But at least he had narrowed down his preferences to four boxes; he would let Poppy choose the final victor.

He hoped she would prefer the ones with the rainbow colors. They were a trifle less comfortable than the other options, but the bright blue one he had tried had looked quite well on him.

But then there had been the disappointing phone call, and worse, the text silence that went on all evening.

He had sent several messages after her sweet words about kissing, but she had not replied until he was already soaking for the night.

When he’d heard the chime, he had leaped out of the water immediately and rushed to where the phone was charging.

I had my phone turned off so I could work but I got your messages just now. I finished those jobs but I have a few more for tomorrow. I’m so tired ugh. I hope you have a good day of training tomorrow. I can’t wait to talk to you again!!!

Rai hadn’t bothered parsing what her emojis might mean, just started typing as fast as he could. It was not very fast yet, but he was improving. His spelling had improved as well; the phone did not change his words as much as it had the day before.

Sweet Poppy. I have spent my evening watching the humorous movie you recommended, as well as another which explained why coffee is for closers only.

I am most glad that I am not a purveyor of real estate and thus may purchase coffee any time I wish.

I have also mastered the art of the condom this day, and look forward to hearing your cries of completion tomorrow at five.

May your sleep be restful. I will dream of your sweetness.

He had manfully swallowed his frustration and refrained from further messages, leaving his phone and returning to his full tub. He would see Poppy Tuesday, and all would be well.

But the next day, though they had exchanged several promising texts, Rai’s phone had chimed just a few minutes before five o'clock. He’d eagerly called up the new message .

Bad news. I mean, it's good news for my wallet. Just bad news for us. I managed to snag a movie, and it’s going to take me all night to finish it so I can’t meet up. I’m so sorry! I promise I’ll make it up to you Wednesday.

Rai had stared at the message, barely even comprehending the words.

Another day of waiting, just so Poppy could pay for her mysterious mortgage?

Lightning had crackled from his skin, and he’d barely managed to shield his phone from it.

The lightbulbs in the room had popped in unison and his room had gone dark.

He did not care. The only light he cared about now was the glow of his phone telling him that he must still wait .

He needed to do something, anything, to free Poppy from her endless labor, from the dark shadow of the mortgage hanging over her.

But what could he do? Rai had hinted in his texts throughout the day that he could pay Poppy’s mortgage, but her replies had made it clear she would not accept such a generous gift.

And she had been just as clear that a visit would be a distraction.

In the end, he’d done the only thing he could think of. He had braved the dry heat of the afternoon—there were no storms to ride, further desiccating his mood along with his body—and gone to the coffeeshop, where the blue-haired woman had greeted him with surprised amusement.

“Just you tonight?”

Rai had ignored her and stalked over to the wall where Poppy’s artwork hung. He’d taken all three frames off the wall and brought them back to the register. “I wish to purchase these.”

She’d peered at him closely. “Are you all right?”

“I would perhaps like some water,” he’d said. “And I must purchase these immediately. I will pay the fees. Poppy must receive the three hundreds.”

“Let me get you that water first.” She had brought him a glass and a pitcher, silent as he poured and drank glass after glass, clearing her throat when he was done. “If you need me to call you an ambulance…”

“I am well.” Rai had pulled out his roll of hundred-dollar bills, peeling off four of them. He’d set them down, then gripped the edge of the counter, shaking. “Is this enough?”

“I’ll just get your change.” She’d pressed a button on the register, popping the drawer open.

“She must receive the money quickly,” he’d managed to say.

“I’ll call her right away. Did…did you need more water? ”

He’d nodded, and she’d gone off and fetched another pitcher, then watched him gravely as he drank it.

“You know,” she’d said when he’d finished, “Poppy’s pretty stubborn and independent.”

“I am aware,” he’d growled. The water had returned some energy to him, enough to fuel his return to the motel.

“Then you’re probably aware she wouldn’t take this well. She—”

“You must not tell her.”

“I won’t. I’m just saying.”

Rai had clutched at the counter again, this time in frustration. “This is all I can do.”

That had earned him a wry smile. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He’d given a final nod, taken his change, and begun his painful trek back to his room, where he had collapsed into his tub again, secure in the knowledge that he had rescued Poppy from some small portion of her burden.

She’d texted him later that night to share her good news, and he’d responded with appropriate surprise and pleasure.