“Look, there’s a card,” Amelia says, pulling out an envelope from the box.
I open it and smile.
Darling,
Tonight will be spectacular.
Later, I’ll finish what we started.
See you at eight o’clock.
~ Your Dirty Brit
I bite down on my lip, my body already tingling at the thought of his plans for us, and for the nickname he signed the card with. And the promise of finishing what we started.
“What does it say?” Amelia asks, already reaching for the second box.
“Just a note letting me know when your daddy will be here to pick me up.” I tuck it into the back pocket of my jeans picturing Callum as more than the doting father he is.
It’s easy to imagine him as my dirty Brit. We started something weeks ago and it is high time we finished.
Satisfied with my answer, Amelia opens the next box, revealing a pair of three-inch heels the same shade of red as the gown. I slip them on my feet. Perfect.
“Do you know how to waltz?” Amelia asks.
I laugh. “No. But I can salsa?” I twirl Amelia around me and dip her dramatically until she’s cracking up, then I tickle her, making her hysterically happy.
“Okay, want to help me with my makeup?”
She claps her hands excitedly as I take the dress and shoes upstairs with us. Before I slip it on, I need to carefully choose my undergarments.
Tonight is going to be special, and I want to make it memorable. I think I have a red thong and I’m pretty sure my black push-up bra will work with the dress. As we climb the stairs toward my bedroom, my body warms up. I am excited for the event, but I am much more excited for the finale.
* * *
“You look so pretty,” Amelia says, standing on my bed watching me as I put on the final touches of makeup. “Doesn’t she look pretty, Daddy?”
Callum leans against the doorframe, dressed in a tuxedo that is tailored for his long, muscular frame perfectly. A soft smile curves on his lips as he takes me in. “You’re right, Amelia, she looks stunning.”
My fingers shake as I place my lipstick in the matching clutch and stand. The dress is so much more than anything I’ve ever worn, and I feel beautiful. It hugs my curves in a flattering way and I know Callum can’t help but look at my ass. A flutter of excitement swirls in my body. I want him to think I look sexy - I certainly think he is.
But I’m also nervous. This gala is more than just a fancy charity event. There will be royalty there, some of Britain’s most influential people.
He has hired a sleek black town car for us, and Amelia squeezes my hand when she sees it pull up from the front window. Barb, the cook, has agreed to stay with Amelia tonight and I know she wishes she were old enough to join us.
“Maybe I could sneak in,” she says, looking up at her father. “No one would notice.”
“I know you want to join us, sweetheart, but it will be much too late for a six-year-old. When you’re sixteen, we can talk. Deal?”
She twists her lips but eventually offers her dad her hand. “Deal.”
He kisses her cheek, then he reaches for my hand. “Shall we, darling?”
Darling. The term of endearment sets a million butterflies to flutter in my stomach. And my cheeks warm as he leads me to the car. I feel like a princess and it has absolutely nothing to do with the gown and shoes. It has to do with the way I feel in Callum’s presence. The way he looks at me makes me believe he only has eyes for me. If I could bottle this moment, I would, and dole out doses of it every time my confidence started to lag. Because right now, I feel invincible. I feel seen in a way I never have before.
But I’m already bracing myself for the end of summer.
I want to stay present, be in the moment, but it’s hard, knowing how much of my heart I want to offer Callum.
All of it.
“I have something for you,” Callum says when we’re in the car, he pulls out a long, velvet box and hands it to me.
“What is it?”
He chuckles. “Open it.”
I do, and if I thought I was in some kind of fairy tale before, I know I definitely am now. I run my fingers along the string of diamonds and rubies. “It’s beautiful, but it’s too much.”
“You’ve done so much for Amelia,” he says, taking the necklace from the box, then placing it around my neck and clasping it. “I wanted to show you my appreciation.”
The necklace is probably worth two months of my salary, maybe more.
His fingers still rest on my neck and his gaze lingers on mine like he has more to say.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
His head tilts and his lips brush mine, soft, and yet needy. The man makes my body melt, but it’s more than that, he’s claimed a piece of my heart. And so has his daughter.
But as we pull to a stop in front of a castle, I can’t help the insecurities that rise inside of me. I may be playing Cinderella tonight, but the clock will eventually strike midnight, and I’ll be back on a plane to Seattle, to live in the real world again.
“Are you okay?” Callum asks, palm on my cheek.
I nod, not trusting my voice, and he helps me out of the car.
“You have nothing to worry about,” he says, taking my hand. I want to believe him, but as we walk into the grand entrance of the castle, my dress suddenly feels a size too small. Everyone looks regal, poised, like they understand this world.
As we walk, Callum has my arm, whispering in my ear, “That is Duchess Lydia, and over there in the corner is my late mother’s sister, Lady Marlena. Oh, we must go say hello to Rochester.”
Every word he speaks makes me feel more out of place. I knew he was an earl, but this is not a Hallmark Christmas movie of a regular girl getting swept into royalty. This is my actual life, there are no cue cards, no script. I fumble for my words.
“I’m Dina,” I say after Callum introduces us. “Dina Pacheco.”
“Oh.” Rochester’s eyes light up. “Of the Pachecos in Valencia?”
“Uh, no. Of Seattle.” My smile falters after a few minutes of small talk with Callum. When he walks away, I exhale. But there’s no time for deep breaths, Callum continues to glide around introducing me to people. As we move, I take in the decadent ballroom - chandeliers dripping with gemstones, gold gilded ceilings, and tables laden with lavish desserts.
“You’re being so quiet,” he says as we walk away from yet another conversation of small talk.
“I’m just thirsty.” As if hearing me, a waiter offers us both flutes of champagne. “Thank you,” I say warmly.
Callum and I clink the rims of the bubbly before I take a sip. “Better?” he asks.
“Getting there.”
His hand rests on my back. “You sure you’re alright?”
“It’s a different world than I’m used to.”
Callum shrugs. “Eh, this dodgy crew?”
“Dodgy? Yeah right.” I roll my eyes. “Callum, everyone here is so...refined.”
“You just don’t know their old English dirty secrets.”
I lick my lips and lean in, close to his ear. “I thought it was you who was the dirty Brit.”
He laughs as a middle-aged woman with bright blue eyes, and silver in her hair, trailed by an attractive girl who is probably close to my age, walks over to us.
“Callum, dear,” the woman drawls. “It’s been so long.”
“Catherine.” Callum takes her gloved hand and presses his lips to her knuckles, then gives a curt nod to the other woman. “It’s nice to see you. It’s been years.”
“It has. You remember my daughter, Sarah.”
“I haven’t seen you since you were a girl.”
Sarah smiles, and I see the way her eyes take Callum in, greedily.
Callum must notice it too, because his hand moves to rest on my lower back. “I’d like to introduce you to Dina Pacheco.”
“Pacheco,” Catherine says, pursing her lips. “Is that Sp
anish?”
“Portuguese actually,” I say, trying not to squirm under the woman’s scrutiny. “But I’m actually from Seattle.”
“Really? And what brings you to London?”
“I...uh...I’m Amelia’s nanny.”
“Well now.” Catherine’s smile grows, and I swear I can feel her already plotting how to get Callum away from me. Her attention is back on him when she says, “Well isn’t that nice of you to give her this experience. I’m sure it’s not every day you meet Lords and Ladies in Seattle.”
Callum tenses. “It was lovely seeing you, Catherine, but we should—”
“Don’t be so quick to run off. You haven’t even asked Sarah to dance. It’s her first season you know.”
Callum’s jaw bounces. “I don’t think—”
“It’s alright,” I tell him.
He glances down at me, brows drawn down, but Catherine doesn’t give him a chance to back down. She takes his hand and places Sarah’s in it. I see the way his jaw clenches before he leads the girl on to the dance floor.
“Don’t they look perfect together,” Catherine says, then turns her focus to me. “Sarah was one of Margaret and Callum’s junior bridesmaids when they married. It was such a beautiful wedding.” She clicks her tongue. “It was so tragic when she passed. And that poor little girl, being raised without a mother. It’s just heartbreaking. I’ve heard she’s quite the handful.”
“Amelia has a lot of energy, but she’s the sweetest little girl. Callum has done a wonderful job raising her.”
Catherine makes a sound in the back of her throat, and she narrows her eyes at me. “Still, a little girl needs a mother. I’m sure you’ve done an adequate job taking care of her, but Amelia will be a lady one day. She needs women of influence teaching her the ways of the world. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I force a smile, knowing exactly what the woman is plotting. My gaze travels back to where Callum and Sarah are waltzing across the dance floor. Catherine was right, they do look good together. All the confidence I’d felt before we left the house seems to fizzle. I know this is a short arrangement, but for the last few days, I’ve allowed myself to fantasize about it being more.
Now, standing here with an empty champagne glass, I feel deflated. Callum is not only an older man, a father, my boss - but he is also an earl.
Looking at him dancing with Sarah, I realize that while I may look the part of a princess tonight, at the end of the day, I’m a cook from Seattle with no plans past this summer.
Chapter Nine
Callum
“I’m sorry about Catherine’s behavior,” I say when we’re in the car. When I reach for her hand, I feel her tense.
“It’s okay,” Dina says, looking out the window. “She was right, I don’t fit in there.”
“Don’t do that.” I cup her jaw and force her to look at me.
“But it’s the truth, Callum. It was a lovely night, one that I’ll remember forever. But I don’t have some fancy title, and I never learned how to waltz, or look down my nose at commoners...” I shake my head. “I mean do you guys learn that at school or something?”
I sigh. “I’m sorry she made you feel that way. But I don’t care how others see you. Because I see you, Dina.” I drag my thumb across her bottom lip. “You’re sunlight. And happiness. And joy. And I’m glad you’re nothing like those people.”
“But I don’t fit in your world.”
“You fit here,” I tell her, taking her hand and placing it over my heart. “You fit in my life, and Amelia’s. Before you came, I was spiraling, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever have enough room in my life for someone other than Amelia. But you...” I draw her hand to my mouth and kiss it. “You somehow made room. You make everything bigger and brighter and better.”
Her lips tremble and she sucks in a breath. “Callum—”
“Let me finish.” I pull her closer, needing to touch her, terrified of losing her.
Before I can say anymore, the car stops, and I realize we’re home. Dina doesn’t say anything, but I can see a million emotions in her expressive eyes. We get out of the car and instead of going into the house, I unlatch the side gate and take her to the back garden. There’s a lovely gazebo outside, covered in fragrant jasmine, and with the light of the moon filtering down on us, it’s where I want to tell her how I truly feel.
I take her hand and lead her to the cushioned bench. Sitting beside her, I reveal my sincerest feeling. “I know this was a job for you, and maybe that’s all it will ever be. But for Amelia and me, you’re more than just a nanny, Dina. So when you say you don’t fit in, you couldn’t be more wrong. You make us fit. I...want you to stay. Maybe that’s selfish of me to ask, but Amelia needs you. I need you.”
She swallows, searching my face. “I’ve worked my whole life learning how to be comfortable in my own skin,” she tells me. “I don’t want to go backward. And tonight ... tonight—”
“Tonight you were put in a terrible position. I asked you to come as my date but then let people believe you were the nanny.”
“I am the nanny,” Dina says with a sad laugh.
“No. You are so much more than that, Dina Pacheco. You are the woman I am falling in love with.”
Tears fill her eyes and she squeezes them shut. Shaking her head. “You can’t mean that.”
“Why?” I ask, cupping her cheek.
“I can’t even waltz.”
“I don’t want a woman who can waltz.”
“What do you want, Callum?” she asks.
“I want a woman who can make chocolate cake with a six-year-old, who can make a stiff earl relax, who brightens every room she enters...a woman who makes me feel alive again.”
Dina is smiling now, and she wraps her arms around my neck. “Oh Callum,” she sighs. “I’m falling in love with you too.”
My heart fucking bursts with pride. This is what I want. Her.
“Good, because if I have to walk you in the house in that dress, without a goodnight kiss, I might never recover from this case of blue balls.”
Dina laughs, standing and taking my hand. “You will certainly be getting a goodnight kiss. And if I get my way, plenty more.”
It doesn’t take long to lead her into the house, to tell Barb goodnight, and lead Dina upstairs. We pause outside Amelia’s bedroom for a moment to make sure she is sleeping soundly, and then we slip into the master suite.
Finally, with the door closed, the lights low, I turn to her. “Dina,” I whisper, my hand running along her back, sliding down the zipper of her dress. “You are divine.”
She closes her eyes, her long lashes mesmerizing, her full lips tempting. But I don’t have to merely wish. Hope. Pray. She is mine.
She lifts her chin, offering me her mouth. I take it. I kiss her like we have all the time in the world. And maybe we do. Screw her contract, right now I am looking toward forever.
Her lips are as soft as I remember, but as our tongues swirl, it’s obvious that our need has grown as we’ve waited to make love. And now I am glad for waiting.
It’s Dina’s first time and I want it to mean something. To be about more than lust, sex, desire. Now it is about true feelings. A deep connection.
She helps me out of my tux, unbuttoning my dress shirt slowly, our lips leaving a trail of kisses up and down one another’s bodies as we strip to nothing. She steps out of her dress, in nothing but a red thong and a black bra, and I am in nothing at all.
I run my hand over my thick length, stroking myself as she unhooks her bra. When it falls to the floor, I groan at her beauty. Every inch of her is delicious. And it is mine.
Pulling her perfect tits to my mouth, I suck and tease her nipples, until she is whimpering, her need growing. I ease her panties off, running my hand between her legs, feeling her sweet, tight pussy nice and wet.
“God, you feel good,” I tell her, my cock eager and hard.
She murmurs her agreement, stroking me as I touch her. It feels
so good, opening up like this, knowing that we are both on the same page. “You’re so fucking wet, darling.”
“What do you plan to do about that?” she asks with a smile.
“All sorts of things, love.”
The word love seems to bring down any barriers that might be left between us. She gives herself over to me, and as I lift her bare body and place her on my bed, her hands roam all over me. “I need more of you, Callum. Please.”
“I won’t make my princess wait,” I tell her, leaning over her perfect body. My thick cock runs over her as I roll her on top of me. “Come here, sweet one,” I tell her. “Let me lick that pretty cunt of yours.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “I guess you are a dirty Brit.”
I smirk. “I’m a man of my word.”
“Good,” she says, smiling as I playfully smack her rear. “Now what should I do?” she asks.
“Turn around and let me take a good look at your sweet pussy.”
She does as she’s told, straddling me backward, and I ease her pretty butt closer to my mouth. I need to lick her up and down, and when I start, she is whimpering with pleasure. I’ve only just begun and already the sweet juice of her pussy is on my lips. She drips for me, the pleasure so obvious, her need mounting.
I won’t lead her further than my perfect virgin is ready for, so I continue to lick her pussy, my fingers flickering against her tender folds and I suck her clit hard until she is gripping the bed sheets, moaning my name.
“Oh Callum,” she pleads. “Don’t stop.”
Of course I won’t. I keep tongue fucking my princess until she collapses against my cock. And that is when she intrinsically realizes what else she might do. She strokes my cock tentatively, as if getting to know a new friend, and when her tongue rolls over my tip, she begins purring, a new kind of pleasure spilling over her.
Dirty Brit: Love Without Limits Page 4