And then it happened.

Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to please him. It was as startling as it was powerful. A driving force within me. I was falling into my role just as easily as if it had always been like this between us.

“Yes,” I said. “Please show me.”

The expression on his handsome face along with the kiss he gave me let me know that I’d made him happy, too.

“First you tie me to your bed, and then you blindfold me. You are quite kinky, Lord Everinghamwich.” I couldn’t resist the tease as I let him lead me along a path somewhere on his vast property. He’d taken us in his Willys Jeep for part of the way, pointing out various landmarks to mark the edges of the estate. I knew I wouldn’t remember the finer details. Donadea was big, I deduced that much. The countryside of Northern Ireland was some of the most scenic I’d ever experienced in the UK, so I could understand Ivan’s attachment to this place. If I owned a gem like Donadea, I’d want to sneak away from London every chance I got.

“You have no idea, Miss Hargreave, of the depths to which my kink abounds, but I have hope of enlightening you on the matter,” he said silkily, delivering the perfect comeback capable of shutting me up.

Now why was that statement giving me tummy flutters when less than twenty-four hours ago I wanted to brain him with a bat? He had the charm factor down for sure. I felt excited as he worked on untying the blindfold, which was really just a linen table napkin he’d tied around my head, wondering what he wanted to show me so badly.

I gasped when I discovered exactly what it was.

A garden folly with a round stone gazebo-like building set amongst the prettiest natural landscape set alongside a small pond, complete with a table and chairs and what appeared to be a picnic lunch. “This is just—”

Words were impossible as I walked toward the pond’s edge and saw fat Japanese koi in flashes of orange, white, and yellow swimming lazily toward me, probably in hopes of food. The scene was so quintessentially romantic it literally screamed “Jane Austen novel.” And I had my own version of Mr. Darcy charming the pants off me. For reals. “You arranged this picnic for us?”

“Do you like it?” he asked from behind me.

I spun around and faced him, unable to do more than just shake my head at him.

“No?” His expression gave nothing away, and I knew it was time to tease him some more.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, but I don’t like it.” I turned away and walked back toward the fish and waited, wondering how long it would take him to react.

He came up behind me again but didn’t put his hands on me this time. “Not a fan of picnics?” he asked quietly.