Learn English – What do you call the period between having sex

nounssingle-word-requests

If a couple are having a romantic or sexy get away where they're staying in bed and having sex and otherwise hanging out – is there a term use for the periods where they're not actually in the act of having sex?

Perhaps pillow talk is the closest term I can think of here – but this seems to refer to the act of just talking, whereas I'd like to encompass anything else they might do – like eating, watching TV etc.

eg.

During [something period] we had a tickle fight, I organised my to do list, and she knitted some socks.

I'm looking for something you might use in a romance or sexy novel.

Best Answer

You can consider refractory period.

In human sexuality, the refractory period is usually the recovery phase after orgasm during which it is physiologically impossible for a man to have additional orgasms.

Though it is generally reported that women do not experience a refractory period and can thus experience an additional orgasm (or multiple orgasms) soon after the first, some sources state that both men and women experience a refractory period because women may also experience a moment after orgasm in which further sexual stimulation does not produce excitement.

Wikipedia

OED has a gender-neutral definition:

Psychol. a period after orgasm during which further sexual arousal or orgasm is difficult or impossible.