Ian had chosen a similar color palette - a black suit and pristine white shirt, though he’d chosen to forego a tie this evening. He looked dangerous and almost devilish dressed that way, especially since he hadn’t shaved in two days. Tessa always found his stubble to be extra sexy, loved it when he looked a bit more casual and laidback.

The intense sexual chemistry that always existed between the two of them continued to simmer at a slow burn that grew hotter and more intense with each passing hour. By the time midnight drew near, especially after several more glasses of champagne, she was - well, horny for lack of a better word, and becoming increasingly anxious for the party to wrap up so that they could return home and really usher in the New Year.

She shivered as Ian wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him, and had to stifle a little groan when he nuzzled the side of her neck - one of the most sensitive spots on her body, a fact he was very well aware of.

“I know that particular look you had in your eyes a few seconds ago, love,” he murmured seductively. “I know it very, very well. It’s the look you get when you need to be fucked for several hours straight. Am I right?”

“Shh!” she whispered urgently. “But yes, you’re right. Isn’t it midnight yet?”

Ian chuckled, his hand slipping teasingly down over her belly and lower still. “What’s wrong, darling? Are you that anxious? If it’s really that bad, Tessa, I’m sure Nathan and Julia wouldn’t mind if we slipped inside one of their guest rooms for a few minutes.”

She clamped her fingers with surprising force around his wrist, halting his progress. “You can’t be serious!” she hissed beneath her breath. “I mean, you aren’t - are you?”

He laughed huskily, hugging her a bit tighter. “No,” he assured her. “You know very well that having an audience is not something I’d ever permit. So you’ll need to wait - ah, let’s see now.” He checked his watch. “Less than five minutes until midnight, love. We can make our excuses after that. Jet lag, you know.”

To distract herself from the almost unbearable sexual need strumming through her body, she tried to find a more neutral topic to discuss.

“It’s barely a week now until our, um, anniversary,” she pointed out. “The anniversary of our first date, that is.”

“I know what you meant, love,” Ian assured her gently. “Though the argument could be made that it was really the day before our first official date that we ought to be commemorating.”

Her cheeks grew hot as she recalled that fateful evening in Ian’s office nearly a year ago - the evening that had changed their previous employer/employee relationship into that of passionate lovers.

“I, um, don’t disagree,” she murmured. “How do you propose we celebrate?”

His smile deepened suggestively. “I was thinking a very romantic dinner at Le Mistral for starters. Though we don’t necessarily need a private room this time.”

“Mmm, that sounds wonderful,” she agreed. “For starters, at least. Though I might have had a slightly different idea for how we might celebrate. One that included a visit to your office, preferably at the end of the workday when you were all alone, and we could, um, possibly re-enact the -”

Ian placed a finger over her lips, shaking his head while trying unsuccessfully to control his mirth. “A very interesting scenario for sure, love. But I think I prefer my idea - dinner at our favorite restaurant, followed by a very long evening in our bedroom. And the next day we could -”

He was interrupted by Nathan’s announcement that there was now less than a minute until midnight. Ian and Tessa gathered around in a semi-circle with all of the other couples here tonight - the Atwood’s family, co-workers, friends - and then laughingly counted down from ten as a group.

“Five, four, three, two, one!”

There were cheers and whoops all around the living room where everyone had assembled, quickly followed by embraces and kisses to ring in the New Year.

Tessa and Ian were no exception, though the kiss they shared was far more passionate, and lasted considerably longer than any of the other couples’ did. He had her pinned against a wall, her arms looped around his neck, and was within seconds of grinding himself against her when Lauren’s very loud, very sarcastic comment made him freeze in place.

“Jesus, you two. My parents are right over there, and I guarantee they aren’t into exhibitionism. Take it down a notch, okay? I swear, the two of you shouldn’t be allowed out in public,” grumbled Lauren.

Ian lifted his head, meeting Tessa’s gaze and expecting her to look thoroughly embarrassed. Instead, her blue eyes were twinkling with mirth and she wasn’t able to contain her laughter.

“I agree with Lauren,” she murmured in amusement. “We should get ourselves somewhere very, very private as soon as possible.”

He returned her grin. “I concur. Let’s make our excuses, shall we? Though I’m guessing after that kiss everyone just witnessed they won’t believe you’ve got a sudden headache coming on, will they?”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Gregson. But I suppose it’s really more like evening by now, isn’t it? Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all? My, ah, services are entirely at your disposal.”

Ian glanced up in surprise from the report he’d been reviewing, and then grinned broadly at the sight of his gorgeous fiancée posing rather provocatively in the doorway. “And a very good evening to you, Miss Lockwood. To what do I owe this very unexpected pleasure?”

Tessa walked - more like slinked - inside the office, closing the door behind her, and then very determinedly engaged the lock. “If I have my dates right, Mr. Gregson, then I believe it was exactly one year ago, nearly to the minute, when we, ah, shared our first kiss.”

He grinned, leaning back in his chair and watched with great interest as she perched her shapely ass on the edge of his desk. She crossed her long legs at the knee, deliberately letting her dark blue pencil skirt hike high enough up her thighs to expose the lacy tops of her stockings. It didn’t escape Ian’s notice that the skirt and blouse she wore were very similar to the outfit she’d had on a year ago.

He ran a hand up over her knee until he reached bare skin. “We shared a great deal more than just a kiss, darling,” he reminded her suggestively. “And if my cell phone hadn’t rung when it did, we would have continued, er, sharing things with each other.”