“Why thank you for the compliment, Mr. Everley.” I liked hearing those words from him, I must admit. It was always wonderful to hear you were needed by another person. With Ivan, I’d already heard it from him many times. And didn’t that just make him all the harder to resist?

“Would you like a tour?” he asked in that way of his making it extremely difficult for anyone to say no. Charm came easily to Ivan and I could see how he used it to his advantage. I had to watch and learn if I had any hope of coming out of this experience in one piece.

“Of your art collection? Yes, of course.” I was assuming this was what he was referring to, considering we’d done nothing even remotely art related since he’d brought me here under the guise of evaluating his paintings. Hah! I’d done some evaluating all right, but it had nothing to do with art. The art of sex maybe. If his painting collection stacked up against his skills in the bedroom, then I was going to have a hard time resisting coming back to Donadea. Who was I kidding? I’d never be able to resist returning when I knew how badly he wanted me here, plus the promise of uncovering art treasures hidden away since God only knew, if the small sample of what I’d glimpsed from moving room to room around his house was anything to go on then I was in for the motherlode. I had a strong feeling his collection was going to be newsworthy for the art world.

“I thought I’d take you outside first if you don’t mind.” He smiled and gave me a peck on the lips before sitting up on the side of the bed. His body was a thing of male beauty to ponder as he sat looking down at me. His sculpted back curved in my direction while his hips faced away and out of sight. Now he’s being modest? Ivan’s physique was on the larger side, but his muscles were lean rather than bulky. Beautiful. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. Anywhere would do—arm, thigh, shoulder, ass—all were good places to start if you asked me.

“I’d like that actually, and Mr. Finnegan said he had my clothes from last time, so I don’t have to wear my dress from the wedding,” I told him while pulling the sheet in from the side to cover my nakedness. I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable lying exposed and bare in his bed.

He stilled my hand to prevent me. “No, lovely thing, don’t ever hide yourself from me when we are behind the door.” His hand moved to a breast and clutched it before finding the nipple and giving it a tight pinch. The sharp sting forced a soft pleasurable moan from between my lips. “And that is exactly the reason right there. The sexy sound you gave me just now? I want to enjoy you and hear more of those sounds coming out of your mouth when I touch you.” He smiled down at me, just one side of his mouth curling up. “And look at your beautiful body with my eyes. And to have you give to me your complete trust. I won’t ever do anything you don’t want me to do.” His eyes flicked up and down the length of my body with purpose and appreciation. “All I can see is an incredibly beautiful creature who, I think,” he paused with emphasis, “understands what I’d like from her.”