It had been every man’s dirtiest fantasy come true - the ultimate wake-up call - and Ian was really no different than most men when it came down to it. But he was definitely starting to feel the effects of missing out on some sleep this morning, especially when his voracious young lover had also kept him up rather late the night before. Tessa, he thought with a rueful smile, was quickly becoming rather insatiable.

Matthew grinned. “Has anyone told you what a lucky fucker you are? Seriously, almost every guy at the club would cut off their left nut to trade places with you right now.”

Ian groaned. “I’d advise them to hold on to both of their testicles, especially if they have a wife or a girlfriend as, ah, eager as Tessa. Sometimes I wish I had a spare pair.”

Matthew laughed uproariously. “Christ sakes, Ian, just how often are the two of you getting it on anyway?”

“Every single day.” Ian enunciated each word slowly. “Usually multiple times. So far I’ve been able to keep up with her, but I’m half afraid she’s going to wear me out.”

“Well, if you need help keeping your woman satisfied, you can always ask Jesse,” joked Matthew. “When he saw you walk by with Tessa one day last week, he made some predictably crude comment like ‘Dude, I would tap that anywhere, anytime’. And then he finished up by saying it wasn’t fair that you had two sweet rides - first the Jag and now Tessa.”

“Is that right?” Ian’s fist clenched and unclenched, and his mouth tightened in annoyance. “Well, I had already planned on pummeling that young punk into the mat the next time we sparred. Now I might consider upping the ante.”

Matthew grinned, taking a sip of his iced tea. “Yeah? Whatcha got in mind for our young Casanova?”

Ian winked before reaching for his own glass of tea. “Making sure Tessa is present to watch us. And that she’s wearing as little as possible.”

“You’re an evil bastard as well as a lucky one,” conceded Matthew. “But that would serve the little shit right. He does like to flirt, not to mention brag about all the pussy he gets. Though I’m just guessing you’re getting a hell of a lot more action than he is. And I know you’re getting way more than I am. Hell, you probably got more last night than I’ve had in a month.”

The tone of Matthew’s voice clearly betrayed that things weren’t as they should be in his marriage. Ian had met his wife on several occasions, and couldn’t really say if he liked Lindsey Bennett or not. She’d been pleasant enough, if a bit on the flirty and empty-headed side, which hadn’t bothered him nearly as much as the rather careless, off-handed manner in which she treated her husband. Matthew was just about the nicest, most decent man Ian had ever met, and he had never allowed his somewhat sudden good fortune to go to his head or change the person he was.

Ian frowned. “Everything all right with you and Lindsey? How is your lovely wife, by the way?”

Matthew grimaced. “She’s fine. A little more generously endowed these days, however. She, uh, just had her boobs done - against my wishes, I might add. Call me crazy, but I just hate all that fake shit women insist on having done to themselves.”

“You’re not crazy,” assured Ian. “I’ve never been a fan myself. Fortunately for me, Tessa is, ah, a natural beauty.”

A grin crossed Matthew’s face, his good humor quickly restored. “Since I haven’t seen a pair of twenty-four year old tits since I was twenty-four, tell me - do you feel like weeping every time she takes her top off?”

Ian shook his head. “More like saying a prayer, mate. Thanking Christ that she’s all mine, and then begging Him that I don’t wake up and find it’s all been one big wet dream.”

“Jesus.” Matthew looked more than a little awed. “Well, all I can say is enjoy all this while it lasts, because honeymoons definitely end sooner than later. Take my word for that. Besides, all of us forty-something’s at the club are rooting for you. You’re sort of our role model, you know.”

Ian speared a forkful of salmon, but paused before bringing it to his mouth. “You don’t think I’m making an ass of myself, do you? I mean, Tessa tells me all the time that she doesn’t think I’m too old for her, but, well, it does weigh on my mind a lot. Especially when young bucks like Jesse are salivating over her.”

Matthew waved a hand in dismissal. “Jesse salivates over most anything with a pair of tits. God, I’d better keep him away from Lindsey and her new D cups – I’ve heard he likes older women, too. And you don’t have to worry about Tessa. I’ve seen the two of you together a few times, don’t forget. The girl’s got it bad for you, Ian. Even with every guy in the gym giving her the onceover, the only one she’s ever paid attention to is you.”

Ian nodded. “I appreciate that, mate. And I guess I must be doing something right, considering her, uh, eagerness. Now I just have to find a way to keep up with her.”

Matthew chuckled and indicated his plate. “Maybe you should have ordered a cheeseburger like I did. You know, extra protein, red meat, that sort of thing.”

Ian sighed. “I’ve already tried that. Unfortunately, all it seemed to do was raise my cholesterol by twenty points.”

“There’s always Viagra.”

“You don’t get it, Matthew. Getting an erection is never a problem with Tessa. Christ, it’s like taking a triple dose of that stuff with her. The problem - if one is selfish enough to think of it that way - is having enough energy to get through the day.”

“You’re right. You are a selfish prick to even think of this as a problem. A gorgeous, sexy, and horny twenty-four year old girlfriend would be most men’s favorite spank bank fantasy. So, as I see it my friend, you’ve really only got two solutions to your, er, situation.”

Ian regarded him warily. “And what exactly would these solutions entail?”

Matthew gave him an evil grin. “Cutting her off to once a day, or fitting in time for an afternoon nap. And since I’m guessing there’s no way in hell you’d even consider the former, maybe you should make sure there’s a comfy pillow and blanket on hand in your office.”

***

Late May

Tessa didn’t think she’d ever get tired of the view from the deck of this house. Even though this particular morning happened to be crystal clear, and the winds were calm, she wouldn’t have minded in the least if it had been cool and foggy, or even rainy and windy instead. The ocean view was breathtaking, mesmerizing, and she thought she could happily sit out here for hours with a mug of tea and a good book, much as she was doing right now.