“Not yet, no. I have an appointment with the personal shopper Ian uses at Neiman Marcus for this Friday. I’m not at all sure what I ought to be wearing to such a formal event.”

“Well, I’m sure your friend - Julia, is it? - will be happy to help you out.”

“Julia’s very busy at the moment, actually,” demurred Tessa. “Her wedding is just over three weeks away, and I wouldn’t even think of asking for her opinion right now. Ian thought that, well, that maybe you’d be able -”

Joanna smiled. “I’d be delighted, dear. And I’ve been to so many of these events that I can advise you on exactly the right dress to buy. What of your friend’s wedding? Do you have a dress for that yet?”

“Not yet, no. Things have been rather hectic with our schedules lately, what with the business trips and all.”

“Well, we can kill two birds with one stone and find you a dress for that at the same time. I think that it would be nice for us to get to know each other a little better, don’t you? After all,” added Joanna kindly, “it seems that my son is intent on keeping you around for a very long time to come. And I know it would please Ian very much if you and I became good friends, don’t you agree?”

Tessa’s face lit up with a gorgeous smile as she nodded enthusiastically. “I do, yes. Very much. Thank you, Mrs. Gregson. You’re so kind, just like Ian.”

Joanna squeezed the girl’s hand. “You should call me Joanna, dear. Though I expect that one day very soon that might change to what Ian calls me - Mother.”

***

Ian grinned. “She told you that, did she?”

Tessa couldn’t believe she’d actually confessed what his mother had told her earlier today. “I’m sure she was just being polite.”

He shrugged. “Well, my mother is always polite. Unless she happens to be chasing after one of my nephews. That’s usually when the gloves come off. My mother can be quite feisty when the need arises. I suppose that’s what happens when you spend your life surrounded by men.” He pulled the pink cardigan sweater down her arms. “But Mother never says anything she doesn’t mean, polite or not. And she definitely meant that last part she told you.”

“Oh. Well, that was nice of her, I suppose. Though I don’t know how I’ll be able to actually call her Joanna, much less, er -”

“Mother?” finished Ian helpfully. He held onto her arm as she stepped out of her shoes.

Tessa shrugged. “I mean, it’s not like that’s really likely to happen.”

“Isn’t it?” He slipped his arms around her waist, touching his forehead to hers. “We’ve never talked about getting married - you’re not ready for that just yet. But make no mistake, Tessa - you will be my wife one day, sooner than later.”

She stared at him open-mouthed, completely taken aback by his very matter of fact statement. But before she could even think of a reply, he was turning her to face away from him.

“Now, unfortunately, I do have an early start to the day tomorrow, so let’s get you out of this very pretty dress so that I can finally satisfy my curiosity about what you have on underneath.” He nuzzled the nape of her neck as he slowly lowered the zipper. “I appreciate that you chose to wear something a bit conservative to meet my parents in, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t fantasize all damned day about what lacy bits you have on underneath.”

Tessa closed her eyes as he worked the dress down past her hips, kneeling at her feet, and urged her to step out of the fabric. She gasped as his arms circled her hips from behind, and she felt his lips on the small of her back. His fingers toyed with the waistband of her tiny white lace thong.

“Mmm, all ladylike and proper on the outside with your pretty dress and little heels,” he murmured, his hands caressing the bared cheeks of her ass. “But underneath you’ve got on these very, very sexy undies that make you look like a pinup girl.” He slipped his finger beneath the lacy band of her sheer, thigh-high stockings. “God, I love these. They always make your legs seem even longer than they are.”

Tessa was trembling as he turned her slowly in his arms, his hands splayed over her buttocks as he nuzzled his face against her crotch. “You smell delicious,” he rasped. “I can already tell you’re wet, just from your scent. Let me see, love.”

She couldn’t stifle the low moan that escaped her throat as he pushed aside the fabric of her thong and slid two fingers deep, deep inside of her slit. She clutched at his shoulders as he continued to pump his fingers in and out of her in a steady rhythm. “Ian, oh God, that’s so good,” she whispered. “But – please. Your - your parents will hear us.”

He laughed softly. “No surprise to my father that I’ve been dying to shag you all day. He’s probably wondering why we didn’t sneak off for a quickie in between tea and dinner.”

Tessa felt like her entire body was flaming with embarrassment and not just her face. “Oh, my, God, he is not! And we can’t do - that with them right next door to us.”

Ian grimaced. “I’ve never been able to figure out why the second largest bedroom in this house is right next to the master suite. I suppose it would have been bad manners to move my parents to the room at the end of the hall, given that it’s the smallest, wouldn’t it?”

Since Ian was still intent on pleasuring her with his fingers, Tessa could only nod in agreement, not trusting herself to open her mouth for fear she would emit another, louder moan. But when she shoved a fist inside her mouth to stifle the noise, he grinned and took pity on her.

“Let’s try this, shall we?” He stood and hoisted her over his shoulder, her legs dangling down the front of his body as he carried her fireman-style inside the walk-in closet. He set her down before closing the door, then turned to face her.

His gaze lingered on the heavy swell of her breasts, still encased in a lavish white lace bra. “Well, now that I’ve gotten a good, long look at you - Jesus, you’re breathtaking, Tessa - there is no possible way I’m not having you tonight.”

She nodded, her eyes lowering to the huge bulge of his erection against his trousers. “Is it - will this be private enough? I would be absolutely - mortified if your parents heard me, you know -”

He laughed wickedly. “Moan? Pant? Make all those wild noises you love to do when you’re aroused? Well, you might want to tone it down a bit, but I don’t think they’ll hear us in here. Of course, if you really want to make sure, I’ve got a solution.”