“And what you need,” he growled as he finally lifted his mouth from hers, “is to be fucked. Hard. Just like this.”

Tessa’s mouth fell open in a silent scream as he did just that, plundering her body like a rampaging pirate. He slid his hands beneath her buttocks, angling her pelvis up so that he could reach even deeper inside her, could fuck her even harder. It was then that she shattered, the orgasm so intense that she feared she might lose consciousness for a time. She was barely aware when Ian followed her moments later, his dark, sweat-dampened head thrown back as he emitted a long, low sound that caused the bed to vibrate.

They were both shaking, their bodies sweaty and hot as they clung to each other, neither of them able to speak or think. Tessa was finally able to turn her head and brush her lips against his bare shoulder.

“God, Ian, that was - amazing. You’re amazing, the most wonderful lover I could ever imagine.”

He threaded a hand into her damp hair and held her head still for his kiss. “So long as I’m the only lover you’re imagining.”

“Mmm.” She sighed with pleasure beneath his kiss. “You know you’ve ruined me for any other man. Especially after tonight. You might have to carry me on board the plane tomorrow.”

Ian chuckled, rubbing slow circles around her still-quivering belly. “Just say the word, darling. I’m always happy to oblige.” He sobered then, brushing strands of hair off her neck. “I was too rough, wasn’t I? Too demanding.”

“No.” She clutched his arm. “Never. I love it, love when you’re wild and hungry, as though you can’t ever have enough of me.”

He groaned, pulling her into his arms. “That’s because I can’t. You’re my obsession, you know that. No matter how many times I have you, it’s never enough. Even now I want you again.”

She gave a little whimper as she felt the evidence of his words, as his semi-hard penis began to lengthen and harden against her thigh. “Oh, I, um, don’t know if I can,” she confessed reluctantly. “At least not yet. I’m sorry.”

“Hush, love.” He kissed her tenderly. “And there’s nothing to be sorry about. God, far from it. I told you that morning in Lake Tahoe that you need to tell me if you don’t feel like making love.”

She caressed his cheek. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Ian. I’m just, ah, a little tender is all. I mean, you’ve ravished me not once but twice in less than an hour. I think I just need a little time to recover.” She winced as she lifted herself off the pillow and tossed it aside. “And maybe a hot bath, too.”

He cursed softly beneath his breath, wrapping her up gently in his embrace. “I knew it was too much,” he groaned. “But when I’m inside you and you’re making those little sounds, I just lose all control. All I can think about is taking you as hard as I can, marking you, making sure you know you’re mine.”

“Ian.” She brushed her lips against his forehead. “You know I am. And I love it when you’re rough, when you lose control, when you make me lose control. I never knew I could feel so much. You’re so amazing, so skillful. It makes me -” Her voice trailed off, unwilling to confess her renewed jealousies and insecurities.

But Ian wasn’t so easily deterred. “What, love?”

She shook her head. “Nothing really. Just me being silly again.”

He propped himself up on an elbow as he gazed down at her, an expression of mock sternness on his gorgeous face. “Tessa, you know I’ll get the truth out of you one way or the other, so why don’t you just save us both some time and tell me?” He cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb almost absently over her nipple until it was fully erect.

“Ohh, that’s so good,” she breathed. “Is, ah, this how you plan on getting the truth out of me?”

Ian grinned. “No, love. This is just because I’m a horny bastard and can’t keep my hands off of you for even a minute. But you will tell me, so best get on with it.”

She sighed, half in resignation and half in pleasure as he began to pluck at her nipple. “It’s just - I can’t stop thinking about how - well, how experienced you are. In bed, I mean. And, well, that makes me wonder about the other women and I drive myself a little crazy with jealousy. It’s been a day for that, after all, what with those women at the pool all lusting after your body, and Dinora trying to flirt with you all during dinner, and well, like I said, you’re such an amazing lover that I don’t like to think about how you got so good. And then I start -”

Whatever she was about to say next was cut off by the pressure of his lips against hers, kissing her with exquisite tenderness. As he lifted his head, his hand softly cupping her cheek, she wanted to weep with joy at the way he was gazing at her.

“I love you, Tessa,” he told her fiercely. “Like I’ve never loved anyone before. I didn’t know what it felt like to love a woman until you came into my life.”

“I know.” She turned her face into his palm, her lips brushing against his skin. “It’s the same for me.”

His long fingers trailed down the side of her neck to her collarbone, and eventually back down between her breasts to circle around her nipple. “I’ve told you that there have been very few women in my life, and that is the unvarnished truth. And as for this supposed sexual prowess that you’re convinced I have - I’ve got to confess to always having been rather, ah, boring in that regard. At least until I met you, darling.”

Tessa’s bewilderment grew. “What does that mean?”

Ian grinned. “I mean that you’ve inspired me, love. You’re my, ah, sexual muse, so to speak. The things we do together - the positions, the enhancements, and most certainly the frequency - it’s all largely been the first time I’ve done any of those things, too. Before you, I more or less stuck to what you’d call the basics.”

Astonished, she pushed herself up to one elbow, too, so that they were now laying on their sides facing each other. “But how can that be? I mean, how could you have just thought some of it up? Like tonight, with the pillows just now. And before, in the dressing room, the mirror -”

His grin deepened as his fingers continued to tweak her nipple. “Well, it’s not from watching dirty movies or reading books on the subject. I, ah, just recalled some of my brother’s escapades, stories about his numerous and frequent sexual encounters that I was unfortunately regaled with far too often over the years.”