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.

“Hmm?”

“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 how that 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 plus 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.”