“More,” she whispered to him, her teeth biting into the flesh of his shoulder.

Ian emitted a sound that resembled a growl. “Your wish is my command, you little witch,” he rasped.

He hefted her a few inches higher as his thrusts picked up speed, his hips pistoning with an almost frenzied motion as he drove her to the very edge. His breathing grew harsh, and she almost recoiled in alarm at the ferocious expression on his handsome face. She could tell that he, too, was close, oh, so close, and she whispered the words that she knew would bring him over.

“I love you, Ian,” she murmured in his ear.

And that was all it took, those four words. Ian shouted out her name, giving one final, powerful thrust, and brought both of them to a stunning, blinding climax.

Tessa’s legs slid bonelessly from around his hips until she was standing on her own two feet, though standing was a bit of an exaggeration. She held herself up with one hand braced against the wall, fighting off the urge to melt into a puddle of goo right there on the shower floor. Her legs were quivering as though she’d just run a marathon, and the steam encompassing the shower stall wasn’t strictly from the heat of the water.

Ian, too, looked more than a little unsteady on his feet, and it took him long seconds to recover enough to give her a wicked smile.

“Well, then. Good morning to you, too, love,” he teased, bending down to give her a quick kiss.

Tessa laughed, handing him a bar of soap. “I’d say that makes up for being interrupted out by the pool earlier.”

Ian scowled. “Don’t remind me. Hopefully Colin has learned his lesson by now.”

As they finished showering and toweling off, Ian told her about his conversation with his brother, ending with how he’d shoved Colin rather unceremoniously into the pool. Tessa couldn’t help grinning at that part.

“Serves him right,” she stated firmly.

“I agree. And a far less violent alternative to what I’d originally planned - blackening one of his eyes,” muttered Ian darkly. His hand cupped her naked breast. “Though if he’d actually seen these beauties naked, I wouldn’t have hesitated to make sure he couldn’t see out of one of his eyes for a week or so.”

Tessa sighed with pleasure as his thumb whisked over her nipple. “Mmm, that’s so good.” Her head fell back against the wall as Ian bent to lick the same reddened peak. “But, ah, wouldn’t he still have been able to see out of the other eye?”

Ian grinned evilly. “No. Because Selina would have blackened the other one for him. She may be small in stature, but I understand she’s quite fierce. An uncle of hers owns a martial arts studio in Hong Kong, and Selina studied with him for years.”

Tessa gave a small shudder. “Maybe that explains it then. She is rather terrifying, isn’t she? I certainly wouldn’t want to confront her in a courtroom.”

He nodded. “Agreed. She has something of a formidable reputation among the legal circles in Hong Kong, and her Chinese nickname translates to something like the Legal Leopard - because she’s known to be as bloodthirsty as a big cat. That was one of the many things that Colin found intriguing about her. And terrifying or not, she somehow managed to tame a rake like my little brother.” He gave her breast a light squeeze before murmuring in her ear, “But for myself I’d much rather have a soft, cuddly kitten.”

She frowned. “I’m not sure I like that idea. I don’t want to feel weak and helpless, Ian.”

Ian shook his head, his hand cupping her cheek. “That’s not what I meant. Kittens might be small and somewhat fragile, but they’re also very playful and like to get into mischief. And they can also be extremely affectionate.”

Tessa grinned, her good humor instantly restored. “Meow.“

He returned her grin, though his was far more lascivious. “Actually,” he drawled, “I was looking forward to making you purr instead. But that will have to wait for later, I’m afraid. Breakfast will be served in less than half an hour, so we’d best get a move on.”

She wrapped an oversized bath towel around her body sarong style, her eyes roving hungrily over Ian’s bare, powerfully sculpted torso. She was still hungry for him, the quick, frantic coupling in the shower nowhere near enough to satisfy the almost constant craving she felt for him. Tessa licked her lips as her gaze dropped to where he’d wrapped his own towel around his waist, wondering if he was already growing hard beneath the fabric.

“Tsk, tsk,” he scolded teasingly, giving her a playful chuck on the chin. “I know that look all too well, darling. But we’re going to be pressed for time as it is. Besides, between our swim and the shower, I’ve had enough of being wet for this morning. And since the shower is the only place we feel comfortable, ah, indulging ourselves, we’ll have to wait until this evening.”

She glanced at the antique, four poster bed that dominated the bedroom they shared. “We could be extra quiet,” she pleaded. “I promise I won’t moan once.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard that one before, Tessa,” he scolded in mock severity. “I’m not sure you’re capable of stifling yourself, darling, even with a scarf tied around your mouth. Not to mention the fact that this bed has a very loud and very annoying creak, as you’ve already noticed. It may be an antique from the eighteenth century, but it’s far from ideal for any sort of, ah, activities.“

“Yes, well, from what I’ve read, married couples in the eighteenth century rarely ever shared a bed,” Tessa pointed out. “So they probably weren’t overly concerned if it squeaked now and then.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body - which, predictably, was very, very aroused. “Ah, but most husbands in the eighteenth century didn’t have a wife as hot as you are to share their bed,” he whispered naughtily. “I guarantee you if they did they would have spent a great deal more time in it.”

She sighed in resignation, resting her head on his shoulder. “Are there any beds in this entire place that weren’t built three hundred years ago? What about a sofa? Or a chair. We could make do with a chair, couldn’t we?”

Ian guffawed. “I don’t think there’s a single piece of furniture in this entire villa that’s sturdy enough for the way you and I, ah, cavort. Apparently couples in the eighteenth century didn’t believe in rowdy sex.”