Guy laughed. “Okay, we’ll stick with plan A. Come on, get your things and let me show you around your new British home.”
As she got out of her chair, Guy put his hand over hers, holding her in place. “I would like to talk to you more about what I overheard just now. You’ve definitely intrigued me, Gina.”
Their eyes met, and Gina’s heart skipped a beat. His hand held hers down firmly, and the serious expression on his face told her in no uncertain terms that he usually got his own way. What’s more, she didn’t appear to mind—him holding her in place, or the fact that he wanted to discuss Dominance and submission with her later.
She realized that he was waiting for a response, so she nodded her agreement. “Yes…okay then. I…I should probably get my coat now.”
Guy released her hand, and she scurried away. He watched her go, wondering just how serious she was about the lifestyle. She had complied with his request to talk further without any protest at all, and she had reacted nicely to his stopping her from leaving the table. Her eyes had widened, and her voice had taken on quite a breathless quality.
Gina trotted back down the stairs, coat and bag in her hands, and found Guy leaning against the bar, chatting with Andy.
Andy smiled as he saw her approach. “So you’re off to see your new country estate then. I took a quick look with Guy a couple of days ago, and I reckon you’re going to love it, pet.”
Gina obviously loved the way Andy had referred to her as “pet” in that great Scots accent. She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling as if flattered by the endearment.
“I didn’t realize it was in the ‘estate’ category. Guy, did you sell me short on the description?”
“No, no, that’s just my friend’s weird sense of humor. Andy, you know how these Americans are. She’ll probably sue me for misrepresentation or something.”
Andy laughed. “You can afford it, man.”
Gina scowled. “Hey, not all us Americans are like that, you know.”
“I know, love. But you’re really easy to wind up, though.” Andy leaned over and ran a finger down her cheek. “Only kidding.”
The three of them regarded each other and then started to laugh.
“Go along with you, my children,” Andy encouraged. “I’ll see you back here for lunch. It’s spotted dick for desert today.”
Gina looked up at Andy in astonishment, her coat half on, her arms still up in the air. “
Spotted dick?
Are you kidding? What in the hell is that? Oh, wait a minute. This is another windup, right? Okay, very funny.” She finished putting on her coat.
Guy raised one eyebrow and smiled. “No, actually it’s a traditional English pudding. It’s probably going to take you quite a while to get used some of our quaint English food and traditions.”
“No kidding,” she replied, returning his smile with one of her own.
He took her hand, and as they made their way out of the bar area, he turned his head and yelled at Andy, who was heading in the direction of the kitchen. “We’ll be back around twelve thirty. Keep the toad in the hole warm.”
He glanced at Gina, who was looking amazed at what he had said. “Yep—toad in the hole. Yet another great British tradition.”
She frowned. “Okay, I guess I can hardly wait, then.”
Guy laughed and led her through the huge old oak doors into the bright, frosty sunshine.
Gina glanced down at his large hand grasping her smaller one, and even though it might be just a friendly gesture, she admitted to herself that she hoped it might actually mean more than that. Five minutes later, he was steering his Jaguar round some pretty tight bends, and Gina was soaking up the gorgeous English countryside.
“You know, I studied Jane Austen at school. What, with the inn, and my room, and all this…” She swept her hand in front of her. “Any minute now, I expect to see Mr. Darcy come galloping across those fields in search of Elizabeth.”
Guy smiled, keeping his eyes on the road as he negotiated a particularly narrow piece of road. “Hmm, well, it’s more likely to be the local under-twelve’s riding group trotting across the fields on a bunch of fat ponies, but I get the idea.”
Gina laughed. He really was easy to be around. She took in those muscular thighs, encased in blue jeans, and the dark sweater accentuating wide shoulders and big arms. God, this was not the time to start indulging in the possibility of the two of them getting together.
She tore her gaze away and returned to the spectacular countryside. The overnight frost had covered everything in a brilliant white sheen. Huge old trees and open fields surrounded them as Guy skillfully navigated the car along narrow roads, with deep ditches on either side.
The sky was a brilliant blue, and the bright December sunshine made the magnificent view like something you’d find on an old-fashioned postcard.
Gina looked back through the front windshield just in time to see a truck coming down the road toward them. She had assumed, because of the narrowness of the road, it was one way only. But the truck continued rumbling in their direction. She glanced nervously at Guy, who seemed totally unconcerned, and then she let out a gasp as she realized that neither driver was going to stop.
“Guy, look out!” she screamed and curled up in her seat, eyes closed, knowing they were about to crash at any second.
She felt the car gradually come to a standstill and opened her eyes, unfolding her body as Guy switched off the engine. Turning toward him, she took in his calm expression, the small smile on his face, and his chocolate brown eyes alight with humor.
“Gina, English country roads tend to be narrow. We local drivers are very used to them.” He cupped his hand on her cheek. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“Th…this is a two-way street?” she asked, her voice wobbling.
“Certainly is,” he chuckled. “Welcome to the English countryside.” His expression became serious as he took in her shaking hands. “Come here,” he said in a firm voice.
Gina found herself moving toward his body and instantly began to calm down as two strong, muscular arms wound around her, holding her in a comforting hug.
“Good girl,” he murmured.
Guy held her for a long minute, gently stroking her back, soothing her, until she felt under control again. His closeness, as well as calming her, also seemed to be causing her body to feel sensations she hadn’t experienced in quite some time. Her breasts were tight against his chest, and her nipples hardened, sending a direct message to her pussy, which began to throb as he held her against his hard, muscular frame.
She started to pull away in embarrassment, but his grip tightened, and she realized that he was only going to let her go when he was good and ready.
Eventually, he released her and settled her back on the passenger seat. He ran a finger down her cheek and under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. “You are very cute when you blush like that,” he said.
It was like he knew exactly what she had been thinking.
“Thank you,” she whispered, not knowing what else to say.
His hand released her chin, and he started the car.
They drove in silence, Gina deep in thought. His actions, back there, had been obviously dominant—it had been an order, not a request, when he had told her to “come here.” He had calmed her quickly and efficiently. In fact, it was the best aftercare she’d ever had. Not that she had experienced too much of that during her disastrous attempt at a BDSM relationship.
She had to assume he actually was a Dominant, even though he hadn’t seemed serious when he had commented on changing their plans to incorporate her need to try his spanking bench. Oh my God—what if he had been serious? What if this discussion that was to come later meant that he intended to find out if she actually was a submissive? She had no idea how to read British men. He could have meant every word.
She would be way too embarrassed to confess her true feelings and needs to him. They had known each other less than a day. But she trusted him, and that came as a surprise. Maybe this was just what she needed: a fling with a gorgeous British Dominant, thousands of miles from her hum-drum life back home and a chance to find out if she really was a submissive at heart. Her mind was immediately bombarded with images of Guy standing over her, with her naked and restrained over his spanking bench. She could imagine him paddling her ass and then taking her forcefully from behind, his cock slamming into her, harder and harder, until she came, crying out, over and over.
Oh my God.
What the hell was the matter with her? She hardly knew him.
She kept her head turned firmly toward the window as another warm blush rose up her neck and face.
“Gina?”
Oh great, now she would have to turn, and he would want to know what she was blushing about
this
time. Why couldn’t she be one of those women who were never fazed by anything?
Plastering a smile on her hot face, she turned to him.
“Are you okay? You’ve gone very quiet,” Guy commented.
“I’m fine, really. Is it far now?” Gina asked.
“It’s about half a mile from here. We’re just about to enter Great Wickbury. Your cottage is set back from the road, just after the village square.”
Pushing her erotic thoughts to one side, Gina made herself concentrate on the scenery around her. It was totally charming. The road led into a little picturesque village straight from a holiday brochure with small cottages joined together, some with thatched roofs and all with tiny front yards covered in frost. Smoke came from most of the chimneys, and as the car made its way further into the village, Gina saw what looked like a war memorial placed right in the center of a large cobbled square.
Guy slowed the car down as he drove over the cobbles. “This whole square is closed on market days so people can walk around the stalls in safety. It’s quite a good little market, held every Saturday morning, whatever the weather, all year round. Your house is just down here.”
Gina realized she was holding her breath. After all these months, finally, she was about to see what the father she had never known had left to her. Whether it was an act of guilt or if he had just wanted her to realize that he had acknowledged her, at this point, it didn’t really matter.
Guy pulled the car in to the side of the road. “Gina, open your eyes and take a look.”
She opened them and turned her head. “Oh…My…God…” She grabbed his arm. “You’re kidding me, right? I mean, this has got to be a joke. The picture I saw didn’t do it justice at all. You told me it was a country cottage. This is a…I mean it’s…”
Guy laughed. “If you let go of my arm, we can get out and take a look around.”
“What? Oh, I’m sorry.” She hadn’t realized that she was still gripping his arm in shock and released him immediately.
A minute later, they both stood and studied the detached building in front of them. To Gina, it was the sweetest, most gorgeous house she had ever seen. She’d made a point of pouring over English country cottages online before she left the States, but nothing had prepared her for this. The walls were made of cream and gray stone of different sizes. It was bigger than she had imagined with wonderful old-fashioned leaded glass windows and a large arch-shaped wooden front door that had a huge ironwork latch and iron studs securing it to the wall.
“Thatch,” she murmured as she took in the beautifully shaped thatched roof that was shaped around the top of the upstairs windows. Two large chimneys stood proudly at either end, and a low stone wall, matching the house, ran the width of the property, with a wooden gate right in the center.
“It’s really mine?” she whispered.
Guy grinned, brushing a hand over her cheek. She really was adorable. So unlike all the seemingly spoiled little rich girls he had been surrounded by for so long.
“Yes,” he answered. “Your father took care of everything, including the inheritance tax. He even paid your council tax for the next year.”
Gina smiled and shrugged. “I don’t really know what council tax is, but if you say it’s been taken care of, that’s good enough for me.”
Gina turned to take in the house once more, and Guy’s thoughts began to wander as he studied her face. He wondered if she actually could be interested in dominance and submission, especially after overhearing that conversation. But that would almost be too good to be true. And since when did he have any luck with women? Andy had found the only sweet-natured, level-headed, intelligent submissive around here. Even at the club, all Guy seemed to attract were gold-digging, pushy subs who were only interested in what he could provide for them. His last two relationships, if you could even call them that, had been unmitigated disasters that had left him with such a bad taste in his mouth that he had decided to lead a single life, for at least a couple of years.
Still, there was something about Gina. He had loved her innocence and genuine pleasure at seeing her house for the first time. Maybe he would push her a little, see if there was a need in her that maybe he could fill. But that would have to come later. Right now, he had to personally show her around her new property.
Opening the gate, he led her up a narrow path to the front door. A local electricity firm van was parked in the small driveway to the right of the house.
“I took it upon myself to make sure all the electrics were up to standard. The electrician is a friend of mine, so I let him have a spare key. I thought he would be finished by now,” Guy stated, frowning.
“Oh, that was really kind. Thank you for being so thorough,” Gina replied.
They reached the front door, and Guy waved his hand in a grand gesture. “After you,” he said with a smile.
The door was unlocked, and Gina soon found herself in a hallway with polished wooden floors and doors leading off on either side. A staircase curved around to the upstairs, and the hallway carried on down to what looked like a kitchen. Gina almost ran from one room to another as Guy watched, delighted at her enjoyment.
“Holy crap, take a look at this kitchen. It’s incredible,” she yelled over her shoulder.
Guy joined her, chuckling.
“I hope you’ll be my first guest for dinner,” she said animatedly. “I’m a great cook, you know.”