MALIBU, CA

Isis Knox was walking, but she wasn't sure how. She nearly felt like she was on Ecstasy again, like she watching herself from outside her body. Terry Thorne's strong arm was around her shoulder, guiding her out of the studio. His suit jacket was slung over his other arm, hand casually in his pocket. How could he be so calm? She watched in some sort of slow motion as Terry wished Craig Foster goodnight, reminded him to lock up. Then he turned his attention on her again, and the single-minded focus was hypnotic. Blue fire in his eyes smoldered with desire warmed her soul and woke it from its long cold sleep. Terry led her down the stairs and towards the house in what felt like a well practiced dance. They moved in unison, matching stride for stride.

On the landscaped walkway, he paused to look over the dark water to the silver orb filling the sky, and asked, "Can we see the moon from your room, love?"

"Yeah," she breathed, thankful her voice wasn't shaking as hard as her knees. "From the balcony window."

A smile of appreciation touched his lips, and she saw his mind at work behind his eyes, as if he were choreographing the steps ahead. "Brilliant," he said, then conducted her forward again, into the house, darkened for the night.

Julie might have been there in the shadows, but Isis didn't see her, too intent on each step of the curving staircase lined with blue Spanish tiles. Up, up, to the second floor, until Terry stopped before the bedroom door, his hands resting lightly on her hips.

Those burning eyes again. "Are you sure, love?" he asked gently. "You're ready? We can wait if-"

Isis stopped his mouth with a kiss, soft at first, a little hesitant, until he swept in and claimed her mouth completely, driving away any lingering doubt. Terry's kiss firmly anchored her again in her own flesh as arousal coursed through her heating blood. Opening the door to the master bedroom suite, he paused a moment to take in the room and secure the lock. Moonlight spilled in from the open curtains, and reflected off the white linens that dressed the heavy teak bed. Then his mouth was upon hers again, his tongue deep and demanding, drinking her breath as he danced her backwards toward the bed.

Isis' fingers shook as she worked at the buttons of his dress shirt, pushed it down over broad naked shoulders to fall carelessly on the floor. Her breath hitched when he lifted the tank top over her head and cast it away, exposing her breasts to the cool night air. When she felt the backs of her knees touch the bed, she fell back into the mattress and he followed, climbing in over her. A whimper escaped her lips. Terrified, excited, she was both. She wrapped her arms and legs around his solid body greedily as his weight pressed her into the yielding feather bed. The warmth of his bare chest on her naked skin, the touch of light chest hair brushing her erect nipples, the heat of his swelling erection between her legs, everything about the moment overwhelmed her senses. She was inundated by his scent. Her body cried out for more.

Terry's deep purr came at her ear, his hips already stroking in a steady comforting rhythm. "Beauty," he breathed. "You in the moonlight. It's perfect. I always knew it would be perfect."

Her hand stroked down his back, and he hissed his breath at the sensation, loving the feel of her skin against his. Then her fingers were at his belt, struggling with the buckle pressed between them.

He chuckled at her impatience, whispered, "Easy love, we'll go slow …"

She drew back, wound her fingers in his thick curling hair, and pulled him back into another kiss. "No," she begged into his open mouth. "Want you, inside me now."

"Shh …" he hushed. "Too good to rush, love. Relax, let me do it."

Isis' shivered as he rolled them both to their sides, then smoothed a warm hand down her spine, sliding her track pants down and over the curve of her hip. She moved with his gentle but firm guidance, allowed him to undress her. Rising from the bed to stand at the edge, Terry gave the leg a final tug, and she was bare.

She covered her breasts with her hands as her chest rose and fell with heavy breath, at first shyly, then for the pleasure of touching herself. Her heart raced, beating so hard she thought it might leap out of her chest. Watching Terry's eyes intent on her hands, her face, she concentrated on him instead of her nerves, cupping and kneading her breasts, making a show of her arousal for him.

His tongue came out to wet his lips, his voice gone deep with desire. "That's it Isis, show me how you want to be touched."

The tinkle of his belt sent a jolt of excitement through her body. There in the light of the moon, Terry let his gray slacks fall to reveal black boxer briefs. She already knew his body was beautiful: broad shoulders and a deep chest narrowed to his waist and hips, slim but muscled, long strong legs. She watched intently as he pushed his underwear down and off. His cock bounced up lightly, already fully erect, long and thick, reaching for her from its nest of chestnut hair. The sight made her breath hitch and come heavier. She reached down to touch herself, felt the wetness flowing between her legs.

Isis thought she saw his nostrils flare at the scent of her arousal, his eyes hot on her sex. He paused there for a long moment, gazing on her black hair and tanned skin contrasted against the white sheets, and allowed her to do the same as he removed his watch, set it carefully on the nightstand.

"Christ, so beautiful," he breathed.

She couldn't stand to have him so close and not touch him. Kneeling up, she moved to the edge of the bed and demanded another kiss, reached down to take his cock in hand and stroke. He was so hard, so hot his flesh nearly burned her shaking hand. She could barely remember the last time she'd touched a man like this. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed it until that moment.

Terry gave a little groan of pleasure at her touch. She was hesitant at first, then emboldened by her excitement. He rocked his hips into her caress for a selfish moment, then drew back to look into her hungry eyes. He smiled, pleased with her eagerness. "You'll have it, all of it," he promised. "But first I need to see to you, love."

Easing her back into the mattress again, Terry laid his full weight over her, felt her legs open and encircle his hips. Her skin was so soft; it felt like being wrapped in satin. Kissing her deeply, he drew on her tongue as he thrust his hips against her sex without entering her, felt her lips part and beckon to him. He gasped at the heat of her pussy, sliding easily on copious wetness. Grinding into her, he felt her hips nearly rise from the bed, begging for him to take her.

"You feel so bloody good, love," he breathed heavily. "Talk to me, Ice. Tell me what you need."

She was drowning in that deep whiskey voice, never wanted to be saved. Isis was so excited it was hard to find the words, but she knew it would be worth the struggle if it meant she could hear that voice, feel it in her chest, all night. Finding her courage, she said with shaking breath: "Touch me Terry, like you did in the limo."

"Yeah?" he asked, a smile of pride touching his lips. "Did you think of that, love, while I was away?"

"Every day," she panted. "God, every night."

Terry gave a pleasured purr and rolled to his side in the bed, letting a hand roam over her body as if he were familiarizing himself with every inch of new territory. She closed her eyes with the pleasure of his touch, felt a big warm hand came up to grasp and knead the swell of her breast, then it moved slowly down her curving hip, reaching around to cup and squeeze her shapely ass. Isis gave another whimper, a moan of need and opened her thighs.

Terry chuckled low to himself. I know where it is, love, he thought. Stealing another greedy look, he admired the dark hair neatly trimmed between her legs, the lips of her sex swelling and pink, glistening with wetness. "Smell so good," he breathed before he captured her gasping lips in another devastating kiss. Terry let his tongue flicker on hers, felt her hips arch at the stimulation. He teased her lips open gently, bathed his fingers in her wetness, and slid deep into her sex.

Isis gasped into his mouth at the sensation of being filled, writhed in excitement when his thumb first lightly brushed her enflamed clitoris, then massaged hard and slow. All in perfect rhythm: his tongue, his fingers, his thumb. She felt like he was fucking her entire body. Reaching down, she took his swollen cock in hand and stroked, but he drew away, leaned to suck a pink peaked nipple instead as he continued to work her.

Her body rocked against his hand, arching for more as her skin prickled with sweat. "God, Terry," she panted. "So good."

"Good girl," he praised, his warm breath against her breast. "Keep talking. I want to hear you say my name."

"Terry," she moaned again, eager to please him.

"Mmm…" he purred. "This is what I wanted to do to you in that limo."

Shifting down the big bed, Terry kissed her breasts and belly as he made his way down. Parting her thighs, he bowed his head between her legs almost reverently. She jumped; the heat of his mouth, the soft hair of his beard on her sex was a gentle shock, like lightning up her spine. He lapped the length of her fissure with a broad flat tongue once, twice, three, and four times, until she moaned. Reaching for his head, she tangled her fingers in his thick hair and held him to her body, wordlessly demanding more.

"That's it love, show me," he breathed into her sex.

"God," she gasped as his tongue honed in, flicked at her swollen bud eagerly. "Just like that…don't stop, Terry. Oh God."

Thorne obliged heartily. Watching from between her legs, Isis was a fantasy come true. Her head was back, dark hair splayed over the white coverlet, her mouth open and gasping, hands on her breasts as he licked her pussy. Her excited whimpers and moans, her arching hips and coiling body, the scent and taste of woman made him so eager he could have come without even being touched. He rocked his hard cock into the soft bed while he pleasured her. Breathing deeply to cool his heated blood, Terry dipped his fingers inside again, found the sweet spot at the roof of her passage, and stroked in time with his flickering tongue. When he felt Isis' body vibrate with the inevitability of orgasm, he sucked hard at her little nub, and felt her explode beneath him.

Isis came with a shriek, grasping at the bedclothes, then his hair. She held him there and rocked shamelessly against the heat of his intimate kiss while the pleasure of her release rolled on and on. Seeing stars behind her closed lids, it felt like an eternity that she hung there suspended in time. Her body trembled all over, even as his tongue lapped softly, easing her down from the pinnacle.

"Terry, oh God, Terry," she muttered mindlessly over and over above him.

"Beauty," he breathed against her inner thigh, kissing her there, and smoothed some of the wetness from his beard.

Prowling up between her open thighs, Terry laid his weight over her again, delighted in the sensation of her body still shuddering with the orgasm he'd given her. Her mouth sought his hungrily, and he fed her kisses until her breathing slowed, her racing heart calmed.

"God, so good," Isis gasped in excitement, clutching at his broad shoulders. When she felt Terry's erection pressing between her legs again, his hot mouth nipping her neck possessively, she curled her arms and legs around him, never wanted to let him go. Smoothing her hands down his back, she kneaded the hard muscles of his ass, begged wordlessly to be filled.

Terry's cock throbbed with need. This was better than he had imagined, even better than the usual thrill of a first time. Isis was at once the halting virgin and an experienced lover. He felt honored to be the one to awaken her from her long sleep.

"Ready, love?" he whispered hotly, his own voice shaking with excitement as he looked down into the fathomless darkness of her eyes.

"Terry, now," she pleaded.

Touching her face, he drew her lips to his again, kissed her deeply. She tasted her own essence on his mouth, loved the softness of his beard against her face, and felt the pressure of his probing cock below. Once his hand had guided the tip to her core, he moved slow and sure, used his weight to ease his length inside inch by inch. Terry watched her face intently for any sign of discomfort, but she was so wet, all he saw was ecstasy; all he felt was her hips arching to receive him.

"Ah, Christ, Ice," he gasped, his hips surging slowly, working to open that tight little pussy. "So sweet."

Tugging her leg higher up on his hip, Terry drew back a little and rocked easily. He hissed his breath when he felt the final inch slide in, felt Isis' moan of pleasure from deep within her.

Isis was completely overwhelmed, the breath driven from her body by his overpowering strength, but more so by his gentleness. She was captivated by his eyes, lost in them. In that moment, she let it all go: the grief, worry, and responsibility, all the burdens of her life and just let herself be in the moment, anchored to Terry's solid body and even more assured presence. Safe in his arms, she felt his heart beat against hers and tears came to her eyes, but tears of joy. She felt whole again for the first time since she'd lost her man.

Terry paused at her silence, smoothed a tear from her cheek with concern. "Are you all right, love? Am I hurting you?"

He moved to draw back, but her fingers dug into his flesh sweetly, unwilling to let go. "Don't stop, Terry," she smiled through her tears. "You feel so good."

Finding her lips again, he plucked at one, then the next as he rocked a few long deep strokes, savored the tight squeeze of her cunt. "Christ, you feel like paradise," he purred. But she was so petite, he was afraid he might crush her. Kneeling up on the bed, Terry tugged at her hips, maneuvered her gently into his lap, his blue eyes intent on her lush body as he fucked in deep and slow. With her legs wide, he watched his cock slide deep again and again, glistening with her wetness. He watched her head fall back with each new thrust, felt her gasp and moan from the pleasure he was giving her. So good, he could barely believe it was real.

Isis watched Terry through her lashes, drawn along on a tide of rising passion she was helpless to escape. She opened her thighs wider, braced herself against the headboard, and urged him on with her pleasured moans. His body was so strong, but more than that, his will, his desire, his commanding voice.

"Stay with me, love. Look at me," he ordered, his voice gone hoarse and rough.

Isis watched his body as he moved, felt his surging hips begin to pound against her backside with the mounting rhythm of his lovemaking. She felt another climax building in her belly with the excitement of his driving need.

"God, so good Terry," she gasped, holding on tightly as her breasts bounced with his thrusts. "More."

Drawing her legs together, he put them both over one shoulder, guided her hip with the other and continued the long slow screw, skin slapping on skin, drawing it out until his body was shaking with restraint. Panting in short gasps with the effort, sweat beaded on his forehead as her pleasured cries turned to deep moans. Her velvet sheath clutched him greedily like a hungry mouth, until finally he released her legs, let them fall open, and mounted her again. She arched to receive him, and her ecstatic cries encouraged him to let go. Holding his weight on one strong arm, his body's need took over and he rode her relentlessly, mined for her pleasure.

Drops of sweat fell to cool her heated face, and she heard the sweet building moans of his own release racing up to take him. Her hands roamed over his face and hair, chest and arms, anything to give him a glimmer of the pleasure she felt at this moment. Finally, she braced her hands against his shoulders for purchase.

"Look at me, Ice," she heard him grunt. "Look at me when you come."

She forced her eyes open, watched his blue eyes watching her hungrily in the moonlight. So close, she was reaching, almost at climax. Raising her legs up higher, she shifted slightly, deeper into the mattress, and when he ground in to her body again, she felt the warmth that was building in her belly finally bubble over. Isis stifled her cries on Terry's hard bicep, bit him there as she panted out another explosive orgasm. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders hard enough to leave marks, but he never felt it, single minded in his purpose.

The light fluttering of her cunt forced him down into her arms again, the position of complete and total possession. He knew he should slow, let her recover, but his body's driving instinct to fuck wouldn't allow it. Terry was drawn in by her coming, washed away in the current of her passion. He held his breath, tried to stave back the inevitable, but it was useless. She felt so bloody good.

"Look at me, Terry," he heard her panting whisper at his ear.

Raising up on one arm, he looked down on her satisfied face, watched her panting lips and dove for them with a plaintive groan. "Christ, gonna come," he breathed in warning, but he was already there. Isis wrapped her arms around him as he fell against her, driving in with a last few desperate strokes, then felt his release rush out in a hot bloom deep inside her. His body hovered for a timeless moment as every muscle in his body tensed, then finally released with a growling cry, "Ah fuck, Ice…fuck…"

Terry's body juddered violently against her, and the powerful thrashing set her off again. She cried out again, ground against his cock, still so hard and buried within her, taking every moment of pleasure from the last of his generous strength. Finally, she felt him sag down against her, spent, his heavy breath panting at her ear.

"God, Terry," she murmured, exhausted, her body still singing. Cradling him in her arms, she kissed his face and forehead, wet with sweat, held his head as it rested against her breast. Long silent moments later, she'd nearly thought he'd fallen asleep, when he caught his breath and shifted his weight.

"Sorry, love. I'm crushing you," he murmured.

"No," she cooed, urging him back down. "Don't move. I love your weight." With a satisfied chuckle, she insisted, "I'm stronger than I look."

"I can see that," he muttered gratefully, eased down into the welcoming cushion of her body beneath him. Terry's flesh was buzzing. His heartbeat throbbed in his temples and in his slowly softening cock. He let her hold him like that for a long time, a blessed eternity, just listening to the sound of her gentling breath, drunk with the satiated glow of their lovemaking.

His voice sounded strange to his own ears, rough and deep, when he finally broke the silence. Smoothing her hair back gently, he looked deeply into her dark eyes. "Christ, love, that was…"

"Better than I could have imagined," she finished for him. "Worth the wait?"

"Worth every moment. Brilliant," he breathed against her lips, and plucked another kiss greedily. "But I knew it would be."

Snuggling back down into her softness, Terry found himself craving a cigarette, but not bad enough to leave her embrace. Without raising his head from her breast, he chuckled, "Wrapped up like this, I feel like your guitar, love. The red one."

She sought his blue eyes curiously. When she found them looking up from behind his unfamiliarly tousled chestnut hair, they glittered with mischief. "You saw that, huh? The Rolling Stone cover?"

"On the streets of London, no less," he purred, his finger teasing over her shoulder. "Henry's eyes nearly fell out of his head." Nearly ripped his trousers with the fat he cracked, too, he thought, but didn't say it.

"I'll sign a copy and send it to him." She petted his hair back from his eyes.

Terry grinned at that. "He'll be the hero of his unit."

Isis arched a brow, wondered, "So, what'd you think? Did you like it?"

"It's beautiful. You're beautiful." He punctuated the sentiment with a kiss on her shoulder. His erection gone soft and slipping slowly away, Terry shifted to his side next to her in the mattress. He put a hand behind his head, looking like a satisfied lion, his hair damp with sweat and wild around his face. His grin was wicked. "When did you sneak off to do that, naughty girl?"

Isis cuddled up to his solid body, propped her chin up on his chest to look into his eyes. "God, that was months ago. Publishing takes forever." Her dark eyes looked away, sparkling in the moonlight as she tried to remember. "You know what? That was Tokyo. We were on our way home." Her fingers played in the light hair of his chest, circling a flat dark nipple. "And I met this really hot insurance guy on the plane."

"Bloody hell," Terry grinned, surprised. "You mean only hours before we met, you were baring it all for the world to see?"

"Didn't bare a thing," she corrected playfully.

"Neat trick, that," he smiled in appreciation. "Not sure how I feel about sharing you now, though…" Terry reached down between her legs to cup her sex possessively, felt the cooling wetness of semen there. "Ah," he breathed, surprised.

Isis looked concerned. "What?"

"I've forgotten a condom. Christ, I never forget." He looked into her eyes, suddenly serious. "I'm clean, love; tested every six months. Company policy. Insurance business, you know?"

She felt a little bewildered, hadn't had to think about that sort of thing for so long. "Well you know where I've been," she smiled a little sheepishly. "No one's ever been in this bed with me except Kore."

He arched a brow, hesitated, then asked lightly. "Don't suppose you're on any sort of birth control, hey?"

Isis' eyes opened a little wide with surprise. "Oh my God. I didn't think about that. No, I'm not, Terry-"

But he cut her off, hushed her with a kiss and smoothed a hand over her cheek in reassurance. "Shh…no worries, love. Lots of options these days." Holding her attention with his eyes, he continued. "Listen, Ice. I meant what I said about leaving your account, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be a part of your life, understand?"

"My crazy life…" she sighed, sounding tired. "Well, you can't say you don't know what you're getting into. These last two months, you've seen the best and the worst of it." Leaning to kiss his lips, she whispered, "You're a brave man, Terry Thorne."

"Courage isn't being fearless," he breathed, his voice a low rumble. Pressed up against his chest, Isis felt his words as much as heard them. "It's just moving past the fear, doing it anyway. But you know that." Smoothing back a stray hair, Terry looked deeply into her eyes, showed the power of conviction in his gaze. "Your life isn't the storm so much as the eye in the center, love. Here, it's calm, and this is where I want to be, with you. Kore too. We don't have to let the chaos touch us."

Isis smiled, considered his words carefully. She felt the truth of them in her gut. "When I'm with you, it never does," she confessed. "How'd you get so smart, Boss?"

Terry scratched at his nipple absently, grinned. "The line between genius and insanity is often blurred." He giggled at her musical laugh. "Speaking of crazy, how was the hospital?"

"Not so bad, actually," she smiled. "Being away from Kore was hard, but I met a wonderful woman there, a therapist. She said a lot of things that made sense, helped me put the pieces together. I suppose I should have taken your advice to talk to someone a long time ago. I'm going to be seeing her regularly for a while."

"Good girl," he praised, kissing her hair. "No one's perfect, love. All that matters is that you're working towards something better."

Terry thought of Henry, and felt a touch of pride at the positive outcome from their recent time together. He felt stronger for it, more whole. And here with Isis, he felt nearly invincible. But at the same time, the long day was catching up with him.

Isis petted his beard lovingly. "You look beat, Boss," she observed gently.

"Jet lag's kicking in," he muttered. Terry looked into her eyes, plead his case. "Honestly, I'm usually good for more than one go, love. Maybe after a kip…"

"Do you hear me complaining?" she teased. "Anyway, it's late…"

Terry cupped Isis' face in his hand. "Mind if I stay?"

She arched a delicate brow, kissed the palm of his hand, and then pressed her cheek to it again. "I'd mind if you didn't."

He grinned with appreciation. Bloody good answer. Never heard that one before.

Rising from the bed, they turned down the coverlet and climbed between cool white sheets. Terry spooned up behind her, kissed her ear, and held her close.

"Mmm…" she purred in contentment. "Love the way you hold me, Terry. You know that's all I really remember from that night? Your body pressed against mine."

Terry leaned to kiss her shoulder again. "I'm glad, love." The rest of the night was better forgotten.

Her voice was growing heavy with sleep. "Want to run in the morning?" she asked.

He grinned into her hair, took in its floral scent, and reached around to cup a breast with his big hand. "Did you know that making love is the best cardio vascular exercise you can get? It's a full body workout. You might consider a spot of that before brekkie instead."

"Good for your heart, huh?" she chuckled. "Sure is good for mine." A few quiet minutes later, Isis felt his hips rock, his cock stirring against her backside. "Hey, I thought you were tired?"

Grasping her hip, his voice purred into her ear, "Suppose I got a second wind. Don't move, love. I know just what I want."

w

Moonlight faded to the rising sun. From the depth of sleep, Terry felt Isis stir in the bed, and watched through his lashes as she padded naked to the window to close the drapes against the morning light. Dozing comfortably, he heard the water run in the bathroom, then felt her cuddle back in bed. He reached for her, folded her in his arms again, content to sleep a bit later than usual. They'd gotten precious little last night. But after a few more blissful moments of rest, he heard someone try the door handle. His ears pricked cautiously, instantly awake. But it was only Kore at the door, looking for her mother. Probably not used to finding it locked. He smiled at the sound of the child's familiar voice calling, "Mama, morning."

Leaning to wake her with a kiss on the cheek, Terry whispered, "Ice? You're being called to duty, Mum."

"Mmm…" she murmured, fighting back the tide of sleep. Turning to see Terry's blue eyes open and gazing down on her, she smiled, offered her lips to kiss. "Give me just minute, I'll tell Shana to take her downstairs."

Slipping out of bed, Isis took the white silk robe from the arm chair next to the night stand and closed its tie around her nakedness. She went to the door and opened it carefully, but as she tried to whisper to Shana, Kore raced inside.

"Oh, no, wait baby!" Isis called.

Alarmed, Terry drew the sheets up to make sure he was covered. He thought for a moment to pull them over his head completely to hide, but it was too late. Kore was already climbing up into the king sized bed. He decided to smile instead.

The little girl was dressed in pink pajamas, her dark curls still mussed from her pillow. She halted abruptly when she saw him there, green eyes wide in surprise. But her pretty little face burst into a smile when she recognized him. "Tewwy!" she crowed happily.

Isis watched half terrified, half amused as her daughter giggled and fell upon him for a hug and kiss.

"Hello, Butterfly," Terry laughed his familiar greeting and kissed her cheek. "How's my favorite girl?"

"Good," she grinned, climbing up to straddle his belly fearlessly. "Where have you been?" the child demanded, her tone scolding. She bounced once with excitement, nearly knocked the wind out of him.

"Steady on, mate," he cautioned, chuckling. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes!" she cried with another bounce.

"Oof. Easy, sheila," Terry begged, held her carefully against her excited wriggling. "I had to fly to England to see my boy, Henry."

"Henry?" she wondered. "Will he play with me?"

Isis had to cover her mouth to stifle her laugh. Shana moved to retrieve the child, but Ice stopped her. Terry was doing fine, and she was dying to see how the interaction would unfold.

"Henry's a big boy," he smiled, his tone gentle and fatherly. "But someday he might come for a visit. Would you like that?"

Kore nodded enthusiastically, tossing her dark curls. A moment later, Terry watched the girl's expression change from delight to puzzlement. Her little brows drew together, thinking hard. She looked so much like Isis for a second that he was distracted. She asked without preface, "You sleep with Mama?"

Terry panicked, unsure of what to say. He looked to Isis for help, blue eyes imploring.

Isis came to his rescue, tried to coax her daughter away with an outstretched hand. "Sweetie, come on, time for breakfast."

But then it seemed to come to the child in a flash of insight. "Tewwy, were you scared?" she asked gently, concerned.

He blinked in surprise. "Scared?" he wondered, baffled.

Kore looked compassionate. "Sometimes, when I'm scared, I sleep in Mama's bed."

Behind the half closed door, Isis heard Shana's stifled laughter. She had to press her lips together tightly to control her own fit of giggling.

Terry raised his chin in a gesture of thoughtfulness, considered Kore's question carefully. He reached for her little hand, held it between his fingers.

"Actually, I was a little scared, sweetheart," he confessed. "But now it's all better." When he looked to Isis again, he thought he saw tears standing in her eyes. "Now go on, Butterfly. Go with Mum. I'll see you downstairs in two tics, all right?"

"Okay," she chirped. Kore shrieked with giggling as Terry lifted her up high with a playful roar, then set her gently on her feet at her mother's side. But when she took Isis' hand, she turned back to ask, "Tewwy, will you play with me?"

Terry propped himself up on his elbow, careful to keep his nakedness covered. "After breakfast? I'd love to. What shall we play? Catch?"

"Barbies!" she crowed.

He giggled that girlish laugh. "Anything you like, sweetheart."

Isis looked at him apologetically, commiserated; "Now you're stuck. She can play dolls for hours." Leading the two-year-old back to her nanny, she knelt and kissed her daughter's cheek. "See you in a little bit, good girl."

The child hugged her around the neck tightly before she took Shana's hand again. Waving from the doorway, Kore cried, "Bye Mama. Bye Tewwy!"

After Isis closed the door and locked it, she climbed back into bed. Looking down on him with embarrassment and concern, she apologized, "Terry, I'm so sorry."

He reached for her again, drew her into his arms. "Don't be, I'm not," he insisted with a grin. "Thought it went rather well, actually. She'd find out sooner or later, I suppose."

Isis smoothed her hand over his broad chest, down his taught belly and lower. "Do you intend to be scared a lot?" she teased.

"Terrified," he answered with a playful waggle of his straight brows. Rolling over her in the bed, he continued, "Petrified, horrified…whatever it takes, love."