Never anything less than a gentleman, he escorted Maddie to the hotel lobby, where he came to a halt. “Would you care to join me in a nightcap? The bar’s still open.”
“I shouldn’t—I have work tomorrow. Although I don’t suppose a small one would do much harm. What about the car and driver, though?”
“The car’s mine, and the driver only turns into a pumpkin at midnight. We still have over an hour before I’ll have to walk home.”
“Do you live far from here?”
“Twenty miles or so.” He’d yomped further on joint exercises with the Royal Marines, but a taxi would get him home faster. “Don’t worry. Let’s go and get that drink.”
The bar was still fairly busy, but Guy managed to find a table for two in a quiet corner. A couple of the chairs had been whisked away by guests at other tables, leaving only a low-backed leather sofa. An obliging waiter delivered their drinks—a cognac for Guy and an Armagnac for Maddie—and after the first sip, Guy prepared to ask the question that had been preying on his mind for the last half-hour.
“Given that you’re here with me now and you haven’t slapped my face, dare I ask if I’ve earned the privilege and honour of a second date?”
“I haven’t slapped your face yet,” she corrected, with a smile more mischievous than reassuring. “The jury’s still out on that one.”
They made small talk for a while, and by the time their glasses were empty, the bar was too. Only one barman remained, and he looked none too happy about it.
“It’s getting late,” Guy observed. “I’d better escort you to your quarters.”
“You don’t have to. It’s not as if I have far to go.”
“I don’t care. I’ve never not seen a lady to her door, and I don’t intend to start with you.”
Arm in arm, they made their way back to Maddie’s accommodation. Guy wished the night could go on a little longer, but there were no more excuses.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me tonight,” he said as they approached the door. He released her arm but caught hold of her hand, lifting it for a kiss. “It’s been a great pleasure, Maddie.”
“The pleasure was all mine. It’s a long time since someone asked me out to dinner. You made it a very special evening—thank you for asking me.”
“And has the jury delivered its verdict yet?”
“It has, and I’m afraid that verdict is…. guilty. Very, very guilty.”
“Of…?” Though he projected an air of calm confidence, Guy was more nervous than he’d thought possible.
“Not giving me any reason at all to slap your face.”
“Then the chances of you agreeing to a second date…?”
“Better than even.”
“In that case, you’d better give me your mobile phone number, so I can call you tomorrow and sweep you off your feet for date number two.”
“I have to supervise an event tomorrow evening, but after that, I’m available for the rest of the week.”
“Excellent. One question—do you have a valid passport?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
“No reason. Before I go, though, there is one more thing.”
The question was in the tiny frown that creased her brow. This, however, was one of those occasions where actions spoke louder than words. A finger under her chin tilted her head to precisely the right angle. All evening he’d wanted to kiss those lush, pink lips, and he was done waiting. Startled by the unexpected intimacy, she stiffened for a fraction of a second, before surprising him in turn by parting her lips and inviting him to deepen the kiss.
Impulse and instinct overwhelmed gallantry. A step forward, and he’d backed her against the wall, limiting her escape routes. Still she didn’t protest. Flames of desire licked through him—desire not for a woman, but this woman. She engaged his mind and his senses the way no other woman had, not since Liz, and he wanted her.
“Are you going to slap my face now?”
“Why do you want to know? Afraid you’ll like it?” She stroked his cheek, smiling when her palm encountered his beard.
Interesting. “Tease. I should spank you for that.”
Her breath hitched, her pupils dilated, and colour stained her cheeks. Even more interesting. Guy stroked the blush with his knuckle, as if he could feel the heat in it. “But I’m not that easy. I never spank on a first date.”
“How about the second?”
“That depends, but if we get to a third, all bets are off.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Their second date started with an early Eurostar departure for Paris, for a day of sightseeing followed by a casual dinner in a little bistro off the tourist track.
Though Guy had often been to the French capital before, the purpose of his visits had been business, with little chance for leisurely pursuits. Seeing it through Maddie’s eyes was a whole new experience. He’d especially enjoyed the way she’d sneaked her hand into his while they’d been taking in the views from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Thinking she might suffer from acrophobia, he’d asked if heights bothered her. She’d simply said no, and carried on holding his hand.
They’d caught the last train back to London, exhausted and still stuffed with fine French food and more than a couple of glasses of excellent wine. Once again, Guy had arranged for a chauffeur to meet them with the Rolls-Royce. By the time they reached Remington Grange, it was close to midnight, and once again, he escorted Maddie to her accommodation.
“Thank you for a wonderful day, Guy. I think it’s safe to say, I’ve never been on a date quite like that before.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I can’t believe you’ve never been to the City of Love before.”
“What can I say?” A whisper of sadness drifted across her face. “A long time ago, there was one man I would have gone to Paris with. He went there on business a few times, but he never asked me to go with him.”
“He was a fool.”
“You won’t get any argument from me on that score.”
“Are you still in contact with him?” He sensed the man had been important to her, and Guy wanted to know if he was still serious competition. For a woman as lovely as his Maddie, years meant nothing.
“I haven’t been for a long time. I’ve heard he’s changed, but…when it comes to relationships, I’m a firm believer there’s no going back. You can only go forward.”
Memories of another pair of eyes looking at him with openness and honesty assailed him. While the ones in front of him were the colour of rich, dark chocolate, those other eyes had been an exquisite shade of jade green. Even after all this time, Guy had never come across anyone with eyes the colour of Liz’s.
“In that case, Maddie mine, how do you feel about going forward to a third date?”
Eyebrows raised, she shot him a questioning look. “‘Maddie mine’?”
He gave her his most disarming smile. “What can I say? I like alliteration.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Hmm. I wonder what alliterates with ‘Guy’.”
He had any number of suggestions. “Gorgeous. Gallant. Gregarious. Glorious. Gracious—”
She laughed. “Oh no, I’m not letting you get away with that gratuitous display of self-aggrandisement. Let me think. How about… garrulous? Or grandiloquent?” Her head tilted to one side, as if she were giving the matter more intense thought. “How about guarded?”
“Guarded? What makes you say that?”
Her head tilted to one side. “I accuse you of being ‘garrulous’ and ‘grandiloquent’—not the most positive of traits—yet you challenge me on ‘guarded’. Why?”
“I’m curious. Tell me.”
“Guy, it’s no big deal. We’ve only just met. It’s normal to be at least a little cautious at this stage, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps so, but I hope I can convince you to revise that opinion on date number three. A spanking has a tendency to lower defences.” He wondered how she’d react to his off-the-cu
ff comment.
“It does?”
With a cocktail of curiosity and apprehension, it seemed. “When delivered or received as pleasure,” he elaborated.
“You sound very knowledgeable on the matter.”
He wasn’t about to answer the implied question—not yet. “You haven’t run for the hills.”
“I haven’t, have I?”
Her enigmatic smile gave him something to think about. And think about it he did, from their goodnight kiss to the moment he flung himself into a bed that had never seemed colder or more empty.
Every second of the day had been special, but what played on his mind most, though, was that last, flirtatious exchange before they’d parted company. His mouth had run away with him, something that never happened. It should have earned him a slap, but instead had served up an intriguing helping of food for thought.
The thought of being spanked fascinated her. The thought of delivering that spanking lit a fire inside him, the like of which he hadn’t experienced in a long time. Without a doubt, he wanted Maddie, and the way she’d kissed him when they parted led him to believe the feeling was mutual.
So now he was faced with the very real situation he’d only considered in theory. Assuming their relationship progressed, what if she was interested in only the mildest of adult games—or wasn’t interested at all? Could he lock away an intrinsic part of his nature and hide it from her indefinitely?
Even considering the matter felt wrong. He hated deception of any kind, which could be considered ironic, given the nature of much of his work. Then again, deception in the name of national security was an entirely different animal from deception in intimate relationships.
He switched off the reading light and allowed the night to enfold him in its embrace. Perhaps everything would look clearer in the morning.
>>><<<
Their third date was at Stonehaven, although he did wonder if technically it did truly qualify as a date, given the location.
Guy gave a languid stretch, crossed his legs at the ankles, and pillowed his head on his hands. He should have done this more often. Who knew that lying in the sunshine could be so therapeutic? All the opportunities he’d wasted over the years, when he could have just kicked back and enjoyed this, his favourite tranquil, wooded corner of the estate. He closed his eyes again. The sound of the stream flowing nearby was about to send him to sleep.
Maddie had lost that particular battle a while ago. She was curled up beside him on the picnic blanket, her head in his lap, and every so often a soft snore emanated from that direction. Even that little sound made him feel more carefree than he had in… forever.
It was a pity Ros and Simon hadn’t been around to meet her, but then again, he wasn’t sure he was ready to make news of his relationship with Maddie known to his family yet. What he had to ask Maddie couldn’t wait until he was. It was time-critical, and he wanted her in an agreeable mood when he asked it. A delicious picnic, accompanied by a couple of glasses of fine wine, was a good start. Waking her up to ask that question probably wasn’t the smartest idea, though. He could wait. Listening to summer birdsong was a hardship he could endure for the prize he stood to win.
“Oh, good grief.” Maddie sat up with a start, putting some unwelcome distance between them. “Please don’t tell me I fell asleep.”
“You fell asleep.”
The groan she gave was almost as cute as the snuffly noises she’d been making. “I only closed my eyes for five minutes.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I didn’t snore, did I?”
“You did.” Not laughing at her horrified expression was an interesting challenge.
Her ensuing whimper of acute embarrassment was reflected in the way she wrapped her arms around her legs and let her head drop against her knees. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey. Come here.” He kept his tone light-hearted as he coaxed her into returning to him. Her blush was delightful. She seemed to blush a lot around him. “You didn’t sound like a buzz saw, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I was loud enough for you to hear me—that’s bad enough.”
“Wait till you hear me.”
Her blush deepened. His libido surged.
Guy considered the implications of what he’d just said. Whatever his musings on the matter of delayed gratification might have been, it appeared his libido was fixated on the idea of bedding Maddie sooner rather than later. Maybe his libido had the right idea, and he should just run with that—take her to bed now and see what developed.
“So, I was wondering, in the light of what you just said, if you had any idea about when that might happen.”
Maddie had shifted position and was lying on her stomach with her weight on her elbows and her chin in her hand. Guy let his gaze travel over her back, appreciating yet again the curves of a backside begging for the sound slap of his palm. His imagination took flight at the thought, creating a future where she not only knew about his predilection for sadism but welcomed it. He’d have her like that but naked, with her legs parted so he could explore the treasure between her thighs. Not to mention how pretty she’d look with a jewelled butt plug in place.
“Guy?”
“Hmm?”
“Is everything okay? You looked miles away there.”
“Forgive me. I was, but I was thinking about you.”
“You were?” She rolled to one side, giving him a beautiful view of her breasts, and the hint of lace beneath the V-neck of her shirt.
“I was. One of the things I was thinking about was kissing you.”
“Oh. Was it good?”
“Very, but I was also thinking I might need to follow it up, just to ensure reality still matches up.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.” She got to her knees.
“I’m glad you approve.”
Guy wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him. Unable to resist temptation, he planted a hand on her backside and squeezed, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure that vibrated against his lips.
“Warming… me up… for that… spanking?” she managed to get out between kisses.
Guy stilled. Where was she going with this?
“Just thought I’d ask, since this is our third date.”
“You like the idea?” Please God.
“I like the idea of you doing it. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
He had to disabuse her of the notion of apologising for honesty. That trait would be valued and cherished in the kind of relationship he’d love to have with her. “I should spank you for that.”
“For saying I like the thought of you spanking me?”
“For apologising for saying it. You should never apologise for being honest. And if we’re going to discuss that, you should know I insist on honesty at all times. Think you can handle that?”
She chewed her lower lip. “You’re a scary man, Sir Guy.”
For once, he didn’t correct her about the use of his title. In the context of this conversation, it was… fitting. If she only knew. She’d run for the hills if he went full sadist on her. “You didn’t answer my question, sweet one.”
“I can handle that. So, are you going to spank me?”
“Do you think I should?”
“I think you should do whatever you deem appropriate for the circumstances.”
What he deemed appropriate would most likely be highly inappropriate for someone like Maddie. How would she react if he told her he found pleasure in having his woman’s eyes shine with tears from what he was doing to her? Could safe, sane, consensual mean anything more to her than the dictionary definitions of the words?
His eyes narrowed. Her breathing was noticeably more rapid and shallow, her posture open and inviting. She was an intelligent woman. Even if only through popular culture, Guy had no doubt she was acquainted with the shallower waters of his favoured lifestyle. As he continued his examination of her expression and her body language, a question formed in his mind.
“Hypot
hetically, if I were to tell you to lie over my lap with your bottom bare, how might you react?”
Her eyes widened, but not with shock or horror. “Hypothetically, I think I might be interested in finding out what it feels like, so hypothetically, I might do it.”
Yes, and if she were to lay over his lap now, she’d have no doubt about how her words affected him. Hell, this woman could get him hard. “Then do it.”
He kept his voice soft, but the edge of command was clear. She pushed away from him, and with a wiggle of her hips, shoved her trousers down her thighs, along with the scrap of white lace that had shielded her mound.
She trimmed, as he’d thought.
Maddie inched forward on her knees, and then draped herself over his lap. With one hand, he lifted her shirt out of the way, while the other stroked the soft, smooth skin of her rear. He trailed his fingers over her curves, and a flash fire of desire burned him up.
“Thank you for your trust, Maddie. Because we haven’t set out any rules, or discussed limits, if what I do becomes too much for you, just tell me to stop and I’ll stop. Okay?”
“I understand.”
He wouldn’t insult her intelligence by asking her if she was sure. Instead, he turned his attention to the enchanting sight laid before him. He was also struck by the air of calmness around her—her head was pillowed on her forearms, and she seemed quite content. Perhaps he’d underestimated her awareness of the lifestyle.
His palm moved over her skin in circles to warm her up. Enthralled though he was, Guy wouldn’t let that get in the way of monitoring her condition. At the first sign of distress, he’d bring an immediate end to this experiment.
“Do you know how desirable you look right now?”
“My bottom’s too big.”
Guy rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Says who? I happen to think it’s irresistible.”
And the kind of bottom he could do unspeakable things to, if she were the kind of woman who found pleasure in having unspeakable things done to it. Maddie was truly gorgeous, and if she gave him half a chance, he’d happily take on the mission to convince her of it.
No Going Back (Club Aegis Book 6) Page 5