I knew one thing.
Ivan had made me forget for the first time. And for that reason alone, he was unique among all the men I’d known since falling from grace.
I want to hear ‘my lord’ shouted from your pretty mouth when you get there.
An interesting request, yes, but fitting considering he was one in real life and living a sort of lordly life in a mansion filled with priceless art. The mixture of his allure was over-the-top intoxicating for me. As we both breathed and came down from the high of incredible pleasure, Ivan seemed almost pained if I had to put a name to it. Just before reaching up to untie my hands he looked longingly at me as he pulled himself slowly out of my body. He stayed on top of me though, still holding power over me with that searching expression he had sometimes as he rubbed first one wrist and then the other. Very gentle and caring touches that comforted me and helped me to believe I could trust him. My mind was far from quiet, though. Racing thoughts of What just happened here? or even more critical, What now?
I sensed Ivan was as deep in thought as I was about what had "just happened." D/s sex is different than straight sex, and we'd now crossed over the vanilla line most definitely. We both knew it, and yet we only each knew what we each knew.
I also didn’t like to reflect on all the other women who’d been underneath Ivan Everley, and realized my predecessors had to number in the hundreds.
“What is that frown for?” he asked softly.
“Hmmm?”
“You frowned and your pretty eyes grew dark.” He traced a finger to the corner of my eye, the gentle touch feeling extremely intimate to me.
“How many times have you done this, Ivan? What’s my number in the long line of conquests?”
"Here? At Donadea? I already told you I don't bring women here. Your number is one."
"Seriously? I'm to believe that you've never had sex here before. Oh-kay—you know that how sounds, right? Really, fucking, implausible."
"It probably does sound implausible, but I can assure you it's the truth. I don't have any motive to lie to you, Gabrielle. In the few years since I inherited the place, I've used it pretty infrequently, mostly as a retreat away from the city. I've never had guests here at all. Apart from the staff who live and work here, it's only me. You really are the first."
"Well, that is…really surprising to hear, Ivan."
"I know, but there hasn't been anyone I've wanted to invite here before I found you," he said clearly, his green eyes twinkling at me. "I'd love for you to feel at home here and to stay for as long as you wish."
"You realize this is a lot more than just a weekend to get a leg over, as was suggested when you kidnapped me from the wedding.”
"I know. And I thank you for being such an accommodating captive. You get an A+ for attitude and pluck, Miss Hargreave. But I'd hoped you were feeling much the same as me—this has become a lot more than just a shag weekend." He kissed me again because it's just what Ivan did whenever we talked. He kissed his way through our conversations. "Certainly been a lot more than that for me. Although, I should probably tell you you've been the very best leg over I can ever recall, Miss Hargreave."
"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.”
Wow. He had no trouble expressing his desires. In a way, his directness relieved me. It was honest. The only way I could operate anymore. He’d said he wanted me submissive when we fuck. The “when we fuck” was key to his request. It was also the only time I would consider such a thing. Yeah, I’d learned that lesson the hard way.
“I understand, Ivan,” I said, realizing he needed a gesture of consent from me. “I know what you're asking of me.”
“And?” His expression didn’t change beyond the raising of an eyebrow and a slight tilt of his head.
“I think I need a little time to consider it,” I said softly, steadying myself to tell him the rest, “because it's been a long time for me to be in this kind of…relationship with someone. I—I don't know if I can—or if I want—to do it again."
My words just seemed to make him more determined to convince me. I could see the wheels turning inside his pretty head as he switched on the persuasive charm and blasted me with it. "I'm sensing a dominant partner hurt you in the past, and did terrible damage to your trust, confidence and most of all your self-worth. It ended badly, and while it's not my place to ask you to share any part of that story with me, you can if you ever want to. I'd love to know the name of the fucking shit so I can make his life a sodding misery for daring to harm a hair on your lovely head," he told me while touching a finger to my hair and tracing it firmly, and I might even say, possessively around my ear.