He sat back in his chair, his eyes going golden. “Really? She’s giving you trouble, today?” His gaze grew hot.

Flames licked over her skin. She tried rubbing him again, but his fingers tightened over hers. He pulled her hand out of his lap and bit the ends of her fingers, sending a spasm of liquid heat rushing to her melting center.

“It’s hot as hell knowing you need my cock buried inside your burning little body. I should torment you a little bit and wait until you’re begging me.”

She leaned close to him, licking at his ear with the tip of her tongue. Her teeth raked the side of his neck. “Or maybe you’ll be the one begging.”

He groaned softly. “You’re killing me, baby, with all these women surrounding us. And believe me, they’re sneaking peeks. I can hear their whispers and their laughter.”

“I’m just obliging them. They want to know what kind of package my man is delivering,” she whispered and tugged at his earlobe with her teeth.

“I think they’re judging whether or not I have enough strength to resist a little temptation from a she-cat.”

“Or enough manhood to do something about it,” she countered.

He rose so fast he knocked the chair over. With one swift motion he picked her up, rolled her over and deposited her on his shoulder, head down his back. One hand clamped tight just under her bottom as he stepped off the porch and headed toward the barn. Laughter followed them, the sounds of both men and women.

“What are you doing?” Isabeau grabbed his shirt with both fists and hung on as he strode across the uneven terrain.

“Proving my manhood, beloved. I certainly don’t want you—or that pack of women—to think I can’t handle the job.”

“No one’s replacing you, crazy leopard man, that was called teasing.”

“Totally foreign concept to me,” he said and yanked open the barn door. “Proving manhood I understand.”

She was laughing so hard she could barely hold on. “Put me down, cave man.”

“I am the ruler of the forest and I’ve captured my mate.”

Rio stepped in front of him, Doc at his side. “You can put your little captive there down, Tarzan, and back off.”

Conner whirled around to face Felipe and Marcos coming in on his left. Felipe shook his head and snapped his fingers. “Give me the girl, ape man.”

Conner growled a warning and spun to his right, only to be blocked by Leonardo and Ruth Ann Gobel’s husband, Dan.

Leonardo held up his hand. “I don’t think so, not on her wedding day. Give us back our sister.”

Conner whirled around in circles, Isabeau laughing uncontrollably as they were surrounded by the men. Most were sixty or seventy, but they looked stern and uncompromising.

“Hand her over,” Doc ordered.