Chapter 8
Arianna
I’m nervous as Dallas drives me to the estate after work. I’ve never been to the Wilde mansion. I’ve heard about it over the past two years, mostly as a mysterious place not many people have visited in recent history.
That’s changing now that Old Man Wilde is gone and his grandsons have begun to take over. Dallas and his cousins seem genuinely interested in revitalizing both the estate and the town.
Dallas reaches over and squeezes my thigh. “You’re fidgeting.”
“Mmm hmm.” I’m freaking out for a variety of reasons.
For one thing, he insisted I change into the white cotton dress from last evening.
The man followed me upstairs after I closed the library and ordered me to change into the white dress, keeping the white lace bra but not permitting me to wear panties.
The dress isn’t long. It was never meant for wearing out of the apartment. It’s one of many comfortable items I own that never see the light of day. I can’t believe I’m sitting in Dallas’s car so scantily dressed with my naked ass touching the seat.
Another reason I’m nervous is that I have no idea what Dallas intends to do with me at the mansion.
I know we aren’t going to have sex because he’s made that clear over and over.
He has a way of making me wet and needy with just a look, and I assume that’s going to increase tenfold as soon as we arrive.
The thought of being aroused all evening makes me warm and tingly.
Also, I have the oddest, most irrational feeling that the mansion itself is going to somehow suck me in and never let me go. Claire went to the mansion with Ryder after her ex, Smith, harassed her, and she never left. That was only a few weeks ago, and now she’s married and pregnant.
Reagan also went to the mansion after she was harassed by Tiago’s ex-girlfriend. She never left either. Now she’s married and probably also pregnant. Does the mansion itself have some sort of pull on everyone?
I’m breathing heavily as Dallas approaches the elaborate gate. A man I’ve seen in town steps out of a little gatehouse, waves at us, and opens the electronic gate.
I glance back at him as Dallas pulls forward. “Do you need security?”
“Yes. We should have taken more precautions after Claire was attacked. If we had, Tiago’s crazy ex-girlfriend wouldn’t have been able to get on the property and harass Reagan.
Someone staffs the gate at all times now.
” He glances at me. “It’s three of the jobs that have been added to employ people in town. ”
I nod. That part is good. I know people are relieved that the Wildes are hiring more and more people from the town.
When he pulls up behind the mansion and turns off the engine, he twists to face me and takes my hand. “There’s no reason to be so stressed, baby. The only people here right now are Claire and Ryder. You know Claire.”
“And Gretchen,” I point out. She’s the estate manager. I know she’s one of the few people Old Man Wilde kept on for decades, even after he became a recluse and let the mansion fall into disrepair.
“And Gretchen.” He frowns. “Do you not like Gretchen?”
I gasp. “Of course I like Gretchen. There’s nothing not to like about her.
She’s a gem. A total sweetheart.” She comes into the library to read or check out books occasionally.
I know she’s kind. I also know she works for the Wildes and that Claire and Reagan are uncomfortable being waited on by the older woman.
I won’t feel right about it either. Dallas has told me she cooks for them, which includes dinner tonight.
Dallas kisses my fingers before climbing out of the car and rounding to help me climb out.
I smooth my dress down and take a deep breath. This is it. If I get sucked into this mansion and never escape, will it be so bad?
I grip Dallas’s hand tightly as we step into a warm, inviting kitchen through the back of the house. Everyone I expect to be there is in the room, and they all look up at me with smiles.
Gretchen is at the stove, stirring something in a pot. “Hello, Arianna.”
“Hi,” I say weakly. I think my knees are going to give out.
Claire is sitting on a stool at the island, but she jumps down and comes toward me. Before I know it, I’m embraced in a huge hug even though I only have one arm to return it with because Dallas does not let go of my other hand.
Ryder follows his wife at a slower pace and pulls her back against his chest when she releases me. “Welcome to the estate, Arianna. Make yourself at home. If you need anything, ask. If you get lost, shout.”
My eyes widen. “Lost?”
Dallas chuckles. “The place is large, and apparently, our great-grandfather, who drew up the original plans and had it built in the early nineteen hundreds, was a crazy, eccentric man. There are rooms none of us have explored yet. It’s easy to get turned around and confused.
Maybe keep your cell phone on you for a while,” he teases.
Surely he’s exaggerating.
We follow Claire and Ryder toward the island, where Ryder lifts his wife by the hips and sets her back on the stool.
When he bends to brush an errant lock of hair out of the way and kisses her neck, I bite my lip.
It’s so sweet and endearing. I wonder if he’s just as bossy and controlling as Dallas. I suspect he is.
“Lemon-lime soda, baby?” he asks gently as he heads for the fridge. He shifts his gaze to me next. “What can I get you to drink, Arianna?”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
Dallas releases my hand to set his palm on the small of my back and guide me to the stool next to Claire.
I gasp and turn ten shades of red when he lifts me to sit me on the stool the same way Ryder did to Claire. As soon as my sore ass hits the cool surface of the stool, I rush to tug my dress under my butt. Hopefully, no one got a view of my pink skin.
My mortification increases to astronomical levels when Ryder chuckles on his way back from the fridge, saying, “I guess you two are closer than I realized if you’ve already spanked her hard enough to make her wince.”
Claire swats at his arm as soon as he places her soda down. “Stop that. Arianna just got here, and you’re already teasing her. She’s going to run from the house and never come back. Plus, then Dallas will be grouchy and mad at you.”
Ryder chuckles, his eyes dancing with mirth as he glances at me. “My apologies, Arianna. We’re a bit open around here. You’ll get used to us quickly.”
Claire groans. “That was a terrible apology, Ryder.”
He tugs his wife’s braid, forcing her to tip her head back, and kisses her. “Just telling it like it is.”
A wave of emotions wash through me. Shock to horror to what I’m embarrassed to recognize is arousal. This might be caused by the fact that Dallas has set a hand on my back and slid it up to cup my neck. When I look at him, I see a very heated gaze reflecting back at me.
I shudder.
Dallas grins. “How about if I give you a little tour before dinner?”
Ryder nods. “Better let her choose some rooms upstairs. Brody is going to be here this weekend. Even though he insists he won’t be staying in town long, I suspect he’s lying to himself. He’ll end up needing a few rooms soon, too.”
Pick some rooms? What the heck is he talking about?
I’ve only been sitting here a few minutes, and Dallas lifts me off the stool as fast as he set me there. Suddenly I’m on my feet, fingers threaded with his, following along behind him.
“Dinner will be ready in an hour,” Gretchen calls after us.
“Thank you, Gretchen,” Dallas responds as he hurries me toward the back of the kitchen, where I realize there is a set of stairs.
“Dallas, slow down,” I grumble as he tugs me up the steps. He’s relentless, though. Soon, we reach the second floor, where he continues down a long hallway before stopping to open a door and lead me inside.
I know this is his room because his scent fills the space.
He shuts the door and locks it before spinning me around and flattening me to the door.
My pulse picks up instantly as his hands come to the sides of my face. His gaze is intent, brows furrowed as he searches my eyes, looking for what? Suddenly, he growls and kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in a decade.
I forget where I am as he holds me planted to the door, scrambling my brain cells with his mouth, using his tongue to devour me.
When he finally releases my lips, I’m panting and dizzy. “What was that for?”
He draws a deep breath in through his nose. “Now that you’re here in my space, I lost control for a minute.”
A shiver races down my spine. I kind of like being in his space, too. It feels oddly right. My racing heart slows as he eases back a few inches, not taking his hands from me. “I should let you look at some of the other rooms on this floor. I picked this one at random. We don’t have to keep it.”
I frown. “You talk like I’m moving in.” Goosebumps rise on my skin at the thought.
“Baby, you are so totally moving in here as soon as you’re ready. You might as well choose which rooms you want before Brody gets here and claims another one.”
I decide to focus on one thing at a time. “Who’s Brody?”
“My older brother. He owns a construction company in Texas. He’s coming to help us get started on some of the renovations in town. He’s bringing one of his best foremen, Haden, to handle the estate while he concentrates on the town itself.”
“But he’s not staying?”
Dallas chuckles. “He thinks that now. There’s something about this mansion that lures us in and doesn’t let go, though. I suspect he will get sucked in just as hard. We’ll see.”
I lick my lips. “I’m not moving in with you, Dallas.”
He smirks in that way that makes my pussy wet. It’s so cocky it should infuriate me. He’s so sure of himself. But I find I like his oddly bossy side. That smirk is the only indication I need to know Dallas is so sure of himself about this that arguing is futile.