“I’m thinking it might all be a big disappointment for you,” I wonder aloud.
Pearce clicks his tongue.
“There you go again,” he smiles. Slowing the car to look over at me, feeling like he’s gonna pull over and teach me a lesson after all, but he keeps driving.
“Back in my office, in the limo this morning. Did I feel disappointed?” he asks with a widening smile.
The memories are still so fresh for both of us I can’t help but smile at him, shy now. Embarrassed instead of unsure of myself.
Hearing him talk about it so calmly, making it all so normal. It makes it easier to answer him and easier still to tell myself I might not be half as bad as I think I am.
“You were pretty far from disappointed,” I recount, making him chuckle.
“And even with my old timer memory you seemed to have a pretty good time of it too, yeah?” he asks, and before we know it we’re both laughing.
Laughing like I never have before.
Pearce can drive me nuts with his attitude, but he can make me smile, laugh or wet just as easily.
A single look or a touch from his hand. A word or a phrase and he’s doing it to me all over again.
Letting me know that I’m his.
After taking a series of winding roads, I figure maybe Pearce is stopping after all. Maybe he needs gas or something.
When I spot the huge building behind gleaming wrought iron gates, I figure he’s either kidding me again or maybe he’s made reservations at some flashy hotel without me knowing.
“Here we are,” he says eagerly as the gates open silently as his car approaches.
His unseen powers extend to everything, it feels like.
When the gates close behind us I have to ask, but I’m suddenly worried I’ll feel out of my depth again when he answers.
“Uh… Where are we?” I finally manage, looking out the window at the sprawling gardens, the huge and beautiful double-story building.
Like something from a history book, this is an old style colonial house that’s been fully restored. Making me feel like we’ve driven back in time until I spot the satellite gear on the roof.
And the helipad.
Pearce doesn’t answer me, just lets the place speak for itself as he slows to a crawl up the crunching gravel drive, parking right out front of the main door.
“Cabin in the woods, huh?” I ask him dryly, but shaking my head and laughing when he shrugs innocently and leaps out to rush around to my side.
Opening my door, he extends his arm and welcomes me formally.
“It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you to Master’s Hall,” he says in a stuffy voice, bowing low and waving a hand towards the huge oak door with a gleaming gold brass handle.
I glance back inside the car, the sight of my box of belongings suddenly seeming out of place.
Almost makes me wish I’d left it behind. Like I don’t need any more reminders of the past from now on.
“We’ve got excellent internet,” he assures me, gripping me firmly and starting to walk me to the door. “And like I said, anything you need or want? It’s just an online order away…”
I know now that he’s not just being polite or even trying to show off.
Pearce really is giving me practical instructions on how things are gonna be from now on.
The realization stuns me, but at the same time, it gives me a tingle all over my body to match the one he gives me when he has a hold of me like this.
The door opens when he pushes it, and I can’t help but gasp at what’s inside.
We could be in a luxury downtown penthouse, or we could be in an older historical home.
The fixtures and furniture are all modern, but the building, staircase, and woodwork are all restored originals.
A tricky interior design job to pull off, but Pearce has nailed it.
Somehow, I just know it was his design and planning without him even having to say so, but I still feign a little surprise when he tells me so.
“I did as much work as I could myself,” he says with pride. “Back when I had more time… When I thought—”
He almost says something but stops himself. Checking what looks like a logbook by the door.
“Ah, good! The staff has all been and gone, so we’ll have the whole place to ourselves,” he booms loudly, his deep voice filling the huge space as he sweeps me up off my feet and kicks the door closed behind him.
“I think we can start our tour in the bedroom. What do you say?”
With the intensity of his eyes on mine, and the feeling of his thick arousal prodding my rear as he climbs the stairs how can I say no?
Chapter Sixteen
Pearce
I had plans for this place. All those years ago.