Chapter 13
GABRIELLA
He led me into the study on shaky legs. I was still a little in shock I think, at what had just happened between us.
After yesterday’s kiss I knew things had changed between us, but this, this was beyond my imagination. What did it all mean?
I had nothing with which to measure this against; first a dream job and now the most beautiful man in the universe wanted me. It was almost too good to be true.
He sat me in one of the comfortable chairs in front of the desk before moving around behind it.
I noticed that his face had changed and was now set in very serious lines and it made my tummy cramp a little.
He took a key from his pocket and opened a drawer, removing a thick leather-bound folder and placing it on the desk in front of him. Only then did he look at me.
When he brought his two forefingers together under his nose with the thumbs under his chin and just gazed at me, I knew I was in trouble; that brought me to the edge of my seat.
“Do you know how close you came to danger today little Gabriella?” His voice, so smooth and cultured, held no danger but it was in his eyes.
Somehow it made my heart beat faster. I could only shake my head as my eyes seemed transfixed on his.
“What did you see happening in your life, your future?”
“I don’t understand.” My hands begun to shake with nerves, why was he looking at me like that?
“It’s a pretty simple question Gabriella what were your hopes and dreams for the future? Marriage perhaps, a family?”
“Oh that, yes of course, after I’d made something of myself I guess. I’ve always wanted those things.”
“Make something of yourself, what exactly does that mean?”
“Well you know, I’ve told you before, I wanted to be more than a farmer’s daughter. That didn’t sound right, I love my life on the farm, I love my family and I’m proud of my dad. I just didn’t want to spend the rest of my life there. Is that bad?”
I wrung my hands in confusion suddenly not so sure of myself. Had I made my parents feel less than, because of my dreams of getting out and away? I’d never thought of it before.
“Why would it be bad?”
“I don’t know, I just heard myself saying it and it sounded, almost ungrateful I guess; which isn’t true at all.”
I looked at him pleadingly because I didn’t want him to think that way about me.
I sounded a little too much like aunt Marion, who seemed to want to distance herself from her past. I didn’t want that, I just wanted…more.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, we all want that. It depends on the more and how we get it.”
“I guess.” Still, the way he watched me, those eyes piercing me, made me feel there was something coming.
Wasn’t it strange that even now, with him watching me like a predatory animal about to bring down its prey that I still found him so irresistible?
My body still hummed from the things he’d done to me in that room, and my secret places were wet and tingling.
I wanted his hands and his mouth on me again, now. Instead I squirmed in my seat, and awaited whatever came next.
He tapped his fingers on the folder and seemed to be thinking over something.
“I’m about to change your life’s plan Gabriella, in a very big way. I’m told these things are usually handled in a very different way, but I’m not one to follow the crowd. I make my own way.”
I had no idea what he was talking about but held my tongue so that he would go on.
For some reason my breath hitched and my knees began to shake. I bit into my lip to help quell my nerves but it didn’t seem to be working.
“Have you ever heard of a dominant Gabriella?”
“No, what’s that? I mean I know what the word means but I don’t think I know what you mean.”
Was he saying that he was bossy? I think I already knew that, I could tell by the way he spoke on the phone when he was conducting business. Not rude, just very forceful. I kinda liked that too.
“A dominant is a man who has to possess his woman completely, at least this one does. You asked me before if I’m now your boyfriend, since that’s what you understand we’ll start there.
I will be that and more to you. The only difference being that your freedom will be limited, very limited. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”
“I think so, maybe; do you mean that you want to control me?”
“Yes.”
My tummy jumped at the one word and my mouth went dry. There was a little bit of fear beating in my chest, but there was also something more; like something unfurling inside me, a blossom opening up in bloom.
“What do I have to do?” I was lost here, I think I knew what he was getting at, but maybe I was wrong.
I know nothing of these things. I have experience only with the relationships I’d witnessed as a child.