She struggled to open her eyes. “I don’t know… if I can… wait.”

“Of course you can. Because you know what will happen if you don’t?”

Her eyes flared wide. “No, please.”

“Yes, Katherine. Do it or I won’t let you come for a week. Only a week this time, Katherine. That’s not as bad as a year. Now, I know you can do it if you try. You learned how to wait in Hong Kong, didn’t you? I need an answer.”

“I’ll try.”

“That’s not good enough, Katherine.”

She took in a deep breath. “I won’t come.”

“There you go, baby. I knew you could do it. Now take your time. I’m not in a rush to climax. Jesus, Katherine, don’t get all pissy. Don’t I get a turn?”

But two minutes later, when it was obvious she wasn’t going to be able to stem her orgasmic momentum, he slid his finger along the top of his erection, found her clit, pressed gently, and whispered, “Here, baby, let me help you.”

She tensed, shook her head.

“No rules, baby. I’ll come with you, okay?”

Throwing her arms around his neck, she dropped her head into the hollow of his throat, whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” and began shuddering.

“Everything’s good, baby,” he whispered, feeling her spasms begin. “We’ll go together.” Holding her hips, his fingers splayed wide, her orgasmic screams echoing in his ears, he forced her thighs wider and drove deeper into her. He grunted with each powerful thrust and quickly came like he’d never come before, like he’d been starved for sex, like there was nothing in the world but need, sensation, then spectacular, fission-level relief.

For a man who’d had enough orgasms for ten lifetimes, he knew he was operating outside the normal perimeters of his life with Katherine. All he could think about was screwing her again. Wanting more. Right now. This second.

But she was shaking, so he caressed her shoulders, her back, comforting her, stroking her, soothing her. He kissed her lightly on the top of her head, her temples, on the curve of her cheek, until her tremors stopped. Then he turned her face up to him and kissed her mouth, gently, then deeper when he shouldn’t, when they should get dressed and join the party.

She started to tremble again.

His cue to be sensible. He raised his head and sighed softly.

“We better make an appearance.”

She groaned. “Do we have to?”

“I wish we didn’t.” He ran his hand through his hair, stared out the glass door to the darkened courtyard. Frowned. “Come on, baby.” He sat up a little straighter, lifted her away from his shoulder, smiled faintly, and kissed her once on her pouty lips. “We’ll make our excuses and leave as soon as we can. I promise.”

EIGHTEEN

They were backing out of the bathroom kissing when they heard a disgusted, “Euuwww! Kissing again!” Quickly disengaging, they found six children staring at them: the two older girls smirking, the boys clearly revolted, and Ellie wide-eyed in her pajamas, clutching a teddy bear.

“Ready to play chess?” Nicole said with a world-class grin.

Dominic wanted to ask, How long have you been here? but he didn’t really want to know. “Give me a couple minutes, Nicole. We have to check in with your mother.”

“How long?” Nicole did a teenage eye roll that was part sass and part know-it-all. “We’ve been waiting quite a while.”

He gave her a bland look. “I’ll be up in five minutes. Now go back upstairs. You shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

“Mom didn’t know where you went so we looked for you, that’s all.”

No shit. Stop grinning. “Fine, good. Set up the board. I’ll be there soon.”

As the children disappeared down the hall, Kate muttered, “Please, tell me that was a mirage and they really weren’t here.”

“Relax. Nicole’s the only one old enough to know anything. The others are too young.”

“Oh, good, that makes me feel better. Only one child knows we were fucking.”

“You worry too much,” he said casually, taking her hand and moving away. “Come on. Let’s get this over with. The sooner we make an appearance the sooner we can leave. And the sooner I have you in my bedroom”—he grinned—“doing things for me.”

“If you want me to do things for you,” she said, giving him an unblinking stare, “I’m going to need a time frame for departure.”

“Um—that sounds grumpy.” He flashed her a smile. “Am I doing penance for something?”

“If you hadn’t walked away from your sister, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“I’d be happy to take the blame,” he said. “But you can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself.” He shot her a teasing look. “Or are you a better actress than I thought?”

“Shut up,” she grumbled. “And I could have waited.”

“No, you couldn’t. You should be thanking me,” he said blandly, dipping his head and kissing her lightly on the cheek. “I showed you a good time.”

“You’re impossible,” she muttered.

“Just trying to keep up with you, baby. I’ve never met a more impossible woman—and I mean that in the nicest way,” he dulcetly said.

She sighed softly. “I’ve just never been outed like that before.”