"The ladies playing cards painting is a Mallerton. You know more about your art than you think. And it's not in his catalogue. A new discovery, previously unknown work of Tristan Mallerton just hanging here on your wall."
It pleased me to see her so thrilled with her discoveries. I also felt a great sense of relief a qualified professional was finally here to take on the project. Did I ever expect the qualified professional would be someone like Gabrielle Hargreave?
Ahhh—no. Never in a trillion years. I still had moments believing she was really here again, and not a figment of my imagination.
That my professional conservator was one in the same as the gorgeous woman I'd been obsessed with ever since the night we'd met in a mistaken identity situation?
Priceless indeed.
"Well, I'm happy you were the one to find it, Gabrielle. I'm sure there'll be more discoveries once you get a chance to see everything."
"Oh, I can only imagine at this point. I've only seen in here so far, but the art is not restricted to just this gallery, it's everywhere all throughout the house, Ivan."
"I know. Imagine having to look at it day after day fully understanding it's being neglected but not doing anything to remedy the situation. That's been an unpleasant weight hanging over my head until now. A true sword of Damocles." I circled my tongue over that spot I loved on her neck, just below her jaw and felt her shiver in response to the touch. Feeling that shiver through my tongue? Downright obscene. But everything Gabrielle did just made me want to touch her, kiss her, or fuck her. "But now, it's your problem to deal with and I feel free." I spoke the truth, even if I neglected to share with her that I also felt like I'd won the National Lottery by buying only a single ticket.
"Well, it's a fine problem to have from my perspective. I could get used to this you know." She sighed dreamily as she leaned all her weight against me, still facing the art.
"My lips on your neck?" I asked hopefully.
"More like your lips on my neck while I stare at your priceless art collection."
"I can make that happen for you any time you like. This room has locking doors." My mind started running with thoughts of us in here together—fucking wildly amongst the paintings. "Finally putting this room to good use after decades of desertion. I like the way you think, Miss Hargreave, but I'll be honest that I'd hoped you were feeling a bit more hooked than merely 'used to it' by now."
She scoffed. "I am. Oh my God, how could I walk away from all this now that I know it's here? This is beyond anything I could've ever imagined even in my wildest dreams. Your collection—it's incomparable, Ivan, and somehow, by some miracle I've been tasked with uncovering it. Once people find out what you have here, they're going to demand to see it for themselves—"
"No!" I tightened my hold on her. "Nobody else will come," I growled in her ear. Then I turned her around sharply to face me, clutching her shoulders in a tight grip. You're what's incomparable, my extraordinary beauty. "I only want you…here," I tried to explain, but knew it wasn't coming out sounding the way I wanted her to hear it. "And nobody else will be invited, Gabrielle. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Please understand me when I tell you that I do not allow strangers in my home. Others begin coming here and start poking around in my life? That won't be happening. Never at Donadea—I will not have others fucking about with bloody goddamn everything that's well and good with y—"
I clapped my mouth shut. Turned off the spigot to the word spew that was shocking even to me. I must be out of my mind saying this kind of territorial shit to her. I knew my rant came out a lot harsher than I meant it, but Gabrielle accepted my tirade without any additional commentary.
She couldn't possibly know the real reason I guarded my privacy at Donadea so dearly. It was the only place untainted by the ugliness of my recent past, and barely at that. I meant it to stay untainted. Nothing from the outside was going to penetrate this place and spoil the only parts of my life that were good and special. Not ever. Did Gabrielle know she was included in the part that was good and special? Probably not. I doubt she'd believe me even if I told her. It wasn't the way in which she and I exchanged…yet. I needed time to get us there. Time, I didn't particularly have. I'd have to fight hard for more time with her—keeping my kitten happy and content here with me, away from outside influences. Secrets would be exposed once I was forced to share her with the stupid twats who'd try to take her away from me somehow, some way. I'm fully aware of my first-class arsehole status as a human male. Flunked out of Being a Human 101 but aced Assholery III. Gabrielle might've been mocking me when she said it, but she was spot on. And yet, she's giving me a second chance. I don't deserve her, but even so, I'm taking her. Kitten's already mine. She was mine when she fell into my arms at Taunton Station. Third time's the charm. Fact.
She's mine.
Right, I'm an arrogant prick who does not share well at all. And I won't be sharing her just yet. The whole sodding world can fuck right off, I only just found her. I'm not apologizing for feeling this way either—I fucking won't. Been there, done that once before, and it nearly ended me.
But it doesn't have to be the end of the story for me. I know this. I'm not to blame for all the fucked up shit in my life, even if I realize I'll have to be the one to fix it. I can do better. I want to do better—for her, and if I become a better person, maybe there can be an us?
Expecting blowback from my harshly worded speech, I braced myself for it, but it didn't come. Gabrielle surprised me yet again, as if my rant couldn't faze her in the slightest. Interesting.
Instead, she offered me a small tilt of her head before lowering her lovely eyes in deference to my wishes, her submission crystal clear.
The effect of such a lovely gesture raced straight to my cock, by way of my heart. Then the beauteous Miss Gabrielle Hargreave with the green eyes and the mahogany hair, the goddess art specialist from the University of London, the fiery little sexy kitten who needed to be tamed by a master who understood her worth, the extraordinary woman whom fate had dropped directly into my path for a third time, followed it up with an encore. Perfectly wonderful words of her own.
"Agreed. No invitations then. It can be just me for now…my lord…Rothvale."
Words that would seal the deal for me.
Challenge in her green eyes, she was fully aware what the last directive might do to me. Such a naughty kitten. Making me fall in love with her just little bit more than before.
I moved my hands from her shoulders where I'd been holding her and slid them up her neck to stop at cupping her cheeks. "Does that mean what I hope it means? An agreement to what I proposed to you earlier?" Bringing both of my thumbs to her neck and pressing them over her pulse points, I was desperate to feel the beat of her heart as she told me something good and wonderful. Just fucking desperate.
Kitten is going to say yes.
Add to that the sight of my hands on her neck? Exquisite.
"Yes, Ivan, it means yes. I've considered it, and I want to be here, and be with you, while I evaluate the Donadea collection. I'll go behind the door and give to you my submission once said door is locked and we are alone together. Which also means no exhibitionism for me. No club scenes either, I won't do that or go to one of those places. I'm a private person and have zero interest in putting on a sex show for anyone other than my partner…ever. If that will work for you, then my answer is yes."