Ivy sliced through the water, legs flashing. Heeding Sebastian’s previous instructions, she swam with determined resolution toward the waterfall and the rocky outcropping. Upon reaching the ledge where the waterfall tumbled, she let loose an unladylike whoop of triumph and hoisted herself up. Standing beneath the onslaught of water, she cupped her hands to hold the liquid, laughing in delight as it streamed through her hair.

The water sluiced over her. “If you could have something just like this installed in our chambers, I’d be so grateful.” Turning slightly, Ivy expected to see him near the shoreline. Today was the first time braving the swim from shore to waterfall and breathless with exhilaration, she wanted to share her accomplishment. "Sebastian? Where are you?"

He was not along the sandy bank or anywhere near the large boulders where they laid earlier, soaking up the warmth of the summer sun. Stepping carefully to where the mist drifted up from the rocks below the ledge, she peered into the churning depths of the blue-green water. Concern wrinkled her brow.

"Lose something?" Sebastian's amused chuckle tickled her ear. Pulling her against the hard security of his body, he held her tight.

"Oh!” Ivy turned to wrap her arms around his neck. "Sebastian Cain, just what do you think you are doing?” With gentle fingers, she traced the red scar on his shoulder. “Swimming that distance? Your wound hasn’t fully healed...”

"My shoulder is fine.” Sebastian silenced the admonishments with a kiss. "I would not have attempted it otherwise.” Tugging Ivy closer, his hands rested lightly on her waist. The thin silk of her chemise barred his fingers from touching bare skin. "How should I divest you of this? It’s in my way.”

"Oh no, you don't,” she giggled, squirming closer so it was impossible to lift the chemise over her head. She wore the flimsy garment when they swam although Sebastian pointed out with a wicked grin he almost liked it better when she did.

Seeing his eyes flare with ardent purpose, Ivy knew if she did not find a way to block him, she would find herself devoid of clothing. Sebastian’s singular objective was to divest her of garments every time they came to the stream, while he scarcely conceded to wearing anything at all. Only her insistence he must wear something resulted in an undergarment which by itself was almost indecent. Hanging low on his hips, the cream colored linens created a tantalizing image of sheer maleness hovering on the verge of wild abandonment, drawing attention to the pale gold rows of muscles lining his abdomen above the drawstring closure.

"I've no intention of allowing whatever you have planned.” Ivy’s hand rested against his chest, playfully blocking him.

"Well, you’ve gone mad,” Sebastian murmured, kissing the tender curve of Ivy’s neck where it met the slope of her shoulder. “You, my love, will allow anything I wish. Won’t you?”

Ivy trembled. Sebastian was right. She would give him anything. And she was mad. Insanely, utterly, madly in love with her husband. She ran a careful finger over the puckered scar marring his flesh. An inch over and he would have died, Dr. Callahan said. He very nearly did, weakened by the poisoning and blood loss.

Shuddering at the thought, Ivy stood on tiptoe to gently kiss the mark. The specialist called to render an opinion expressed amazement that not only did the earl escape with relatively minor repercussions, he also failed to suffer the customary bone fragments common with such shoulder wounds. A miracle, everyone claimed.

Once treated for her bruised jaw caused by Gabriel's blow, a broken nose courtesy of Ivy’s fist and a puncture wound from the brooch, Sebastian ensconced Rachel at one of his most secluded estates. A well-paid, dedicated staff of nurses attended her day and night. Although Sebastian wished to have his aunt incarcerated, Ivy did not. No, Rachel would live out her days in relative comfort. Comfortable and banished, knowing the genteel treatment she received was due to Ivy’s mercy and intervention on her behalf. Living in isolation with the knowledge of what she had done to her own son.

Within their small circle, everyone believed it a foolish proposal, considering Lady Garrett’s peculiar state of insanity. But eventually, Ivy gained the stonily opposed Gabriel to her side, her father, and even Sara. Sebastian was the last to be convinced forgiveness was the first step in moving forward with the rest of their lives. Ivy thanked him with a thousand kisses when he finally agreed.

"Hmm,” Sebastian sighed, drawing her back to the present. "I've something to show you, should you care to see it.”

"You are wicked.” Ivy laughed softly. "I know precisely what it is. I feel it against me.”

"You’ve a naughty mind, my love,” he replied indignantly, tweaking her nose. "Come along and careful now. It can be slippery here.”

They moved along the rock ledge to a point where the waterfall and the wall met. Stepping through a curtain of rushing water, Sebastian disappeared then reached back to pull Ivy by the hand into a small cave.

Hidden behind the waterfall, the secret space was illuminated by captured sunlight. Reflections of the arrested sunbeams shimmered and danced upon the rough walls, rainbows of color captured and held. Natural outcroppings of stone eased away from the walls of the cave, smoothed by eons of moisture, ledges carved out and smoothed until they were as comfortable as seats. Ancient, bizarre symbols marked the stone, some representing the sun, moon and stars. Ivy wondered who might have chiseled them so many years ago.

"Why did you not tell me of this before?" Ivy breathed.

There was no time to explore or ask further questions because with impatient hands, Sebastian stripped away the wet chemise, yanking it over her head to toss it to the side. Warm hands cupped the fullness of her breasts, his thumbs rubbing the hardened points of her nipples. Ivy quivered, desire roaring through her veins. She forgot about the drawings.

"Discovering new things has its own rewards.” His whisper was dark. “Don’t you agree?"

Ivy's hands rested briefly on the band of his drawers before she pushed the linen down. With a little shimmy of his hips, the garment fell to the floor and was kicked aside. Sebastian captured her mouth, drawing her in, tasting her. He walked backwards, dragging her to a ledge along the wall closest to the light filled entrance without breaking the kiss.

A natural seat existed there, molded from stone and high enough to sit upon. Sebastian sank on it, pulling Ivy so she straddled his lap. With no pressure on his shoulder in this position, she would control the pace, at least until he decided the pleasure too much to bear. Without preamble, he surged up, his erection filling her, swallowing her startled cry until nothing but low moans escaped her.

Ivy braced her hands against the wall of the cave behind his head, her fingers sketching the rough lines of the rock and carvings of what might be butterflies or maybe birds. The aching quickness of Sebastian’s possession was a reminder of his impatience that very morning. She had teased and taunted him with softly voiced concern for his injury until Sebastian finally rolled from the bed with a growl. Very easily, he had yanked her to the edge of the mattress and before Ivy could scramble away in a giggling escape, he slid into her. His hands held her hips, high and steady, until her legs wrapped about his waist and she surrendered all to him.

The experience that morning was a decadently wicked experience; her arms stretched above her head, desperately gripping at the sheets while her husband drove her to a fierce climax before finding his own release. The remembrance sent a sharp thrill singing to Ivy’s core as Sebastian filled her now. Breaking off the kiss, she stared down into his eyes. Pools of silver in the reflected sunlight, they gleamed with love, adoration, and honor. For her.

Overwhelmed, Ivy’s movements stilled, and Sebastian instantly responded. He understood her so completely she did not even need to speak the words aloud.

"I know, little butterfly, my love,” he whispered, his large hands coasting down her back. "Sometimes, it truly is too much to contain- all the happiness, the joy. Despite my wickedness, God decided I deserved you and I’m so damned grateful. I will always love you, Ivy, but you already know that.”

Ivy’s voice trembled. "I don't want to contain this joy, Sebastian. Ever. I don’t care if all of London, all the world, believes us to be crazy fools, I adore you. I’ll never hold back from showing it, saying it, shouting it. I thought once you had destroyed me, but you woke me from a dreamless sleep, a dull existence in a colorless world. You woke me to perfectly ruin me and I would not wish it any other way.” She kissed him fiercely, their mouths fusing as their bodies surged together.

When she whispered "I love you” over and over in his ear, Sebastian echoed the words as the world spun away, shattered and knit itself back together until only the two of them existed.