Claiming (The Submissive 8.5)

se.” She observed him, watching for any emotion. He never spoke much about his childhood. She’d only heard bits and pieces from him.

He caught her staring. “Why are you looking at me like that, little one?”

“I’m not sure if you’re happy or sad to be here.”

They’d made it to the front of the house, and even though she couldn’t wait to get out and explore the house and grounds, at the moment she was concerned only with the man at her side.

He parked the car, turned in his seat, and took her hand. “You’re with me, which automatically means I’m happy. The location doesn’t matter.”

“Just wanting to know if I should be prepared to slay dragons for you this week.”

“Little one. Don’t you know?” He brought her hand to his lips for a quick kiss. “You already have.”

Chapter Three

The next afternoon, Sasha stared out the window in the morning room. She thought that was a silly name, morning room. Did that mean you couldn’t use it after lunch? Why wasn’t there an afternoon room or an evening room? English people were funny.

“What’s the smile for, little one?”

She jumped at the sound of Cole’s voice. He strolled into the room, hands in his pockets, looking at her with that look. The one that said without words that he wanted to tie her up and do wicked, wicked things to her.

She dropped to her knees. “I was thinking about how impractical it is to have a room you use only in the morning.”

He dug his fingers into her hair and she moaned at how good his touch felt. “I suppose it is a bit impractical. Stand up and walk with me outside.”

She scurried to her feet. She’d been looking forward to exploring the grounds of his childhood home. He held out a hand and, with their fingers entwined, they made their way out the door.

They’d explored the inside yesterday and everyone else was scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Even though she was excited to see her friends, she was glad to have a couple of days alone with Cole.

They made their way past the rose garden and maze to a large expanse of open field.

“When I was a boy, there were sheep here,” he said. “I was a bloody terror, running around, playing viking warrior.”

Sasha looked over the field and in her mind’s eye, she could picture it: a four- or five-year-old Cole. He would have run across the grassy meadow, short, stocky legs pumping as hard as they could while he charged at the sheep. And in her mind, he held a stick as a sword. The image made her smile.

“Looking back now, it’s easy to see why my parents only had me. I was a handful and a half.”

“I can picture bits of it in my head, but honestly, I have a hard time seeing you as a child.”

He grinned at her and put his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll have to see if Mum has pictures.”

“Is she coming?” She’d yet to meet his mother. Of course, he hadn’t met her parents, either, but they had invited her brother over for dinner once.

“Here? No, I think she’s in Italy now.”

She nodded. From all accounts, it didn’t sound like she stayed in one place for very long.

“She’s never been very content.” He frowned. “With anything.”

His expression made her sad. She wanted to ask his mother what the hell her problem was. How could she not be content? She remembered his statement about people trying to change him. Was his mother one of the people who had always tried to change him? If that was the case, it was no wonder he never felt as if he could satisfy anyone.

“That’s a sad life. Never being content. Always traveling and never setting down roots.” She brushed his hand. “For what it’s worth, I think I’ll be content as long as I’m with you. No matter where we are.”

“There’s no one else I want to set down roots with,” he whispered. “But I want to do it in Wilmington. I’m glad I was able to purchase this place, but just being here has proven to me that home is in the States.”

“I’d move here if you wanted to.”

“Thank you, little one. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

She turned and put her arms around him, just wanting to show support. To simply be there for him. He sighed and kissed the top of her head.

They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for several long minutes. He gave her a squeeze and pulled back. “Right, so enough of melancholy. Why don’t I show you where I had my first kiss?”

***

Cole couldn’t hold back his grin at Sasha’s dropped jaw.

“What?” she asked.

“I had my first kiss, right down there.” He pointed to the old barn. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

She took his hand and they walked down the gently sloping hill to reach the small weathered barn. The building hadn’t been maintained very well. He was going to have to hire someone to keep the house and yard up. This place was too important to him to let it fall into ruin, even if he had no desire to live here full-time.

He let go of Sasha’s hand only long enough to open the iron gate and push aside the overgrown weeds.

“Ugh.” She followed behind, swatting at the tall grasses. “You have your work cut out for you here.”

“I’m going to hire some people to help me clean it up.”

She waved away a fly. “I certainly hope it wasn’t like this when you brought your girlfriend here to seduce her.”

“What makes you think I seduced her? Maybe it was the other way around.” He held open the barn door so she could join him inside.

“Really?”

He pulled her deeper into the barn, a place he hadn’t been for more than twenty years. Back then, it had smelled of grain and hay and sheep. Now it was all musty and dirty. “I was thirteen and she was fifteen.”

“Ohh, an older woman?” She pushed his shoulder. “Look at you.”

“Right? Mary Catherine was the vicar’s daughter. She had strawberry blond hair that had these perfect ringlet curls.”

“At fifteen?” Sasha’s nose wrinkled. “Ringlets?”

“It was natural and she hated it. Threatened to cut it all off.”

“Smart.”

“I liked it. I thought it’d be fun to pull. But she came over one day with her father for a visit. I was in here, helping with a pregnant sheep that was having some trouble. Mary Catherine strolled in like she owned the place and said, “I’ve decided I’m going to kiss you today.” I was in shock. She was so pretty and all the guys wanted her.”

The look on Sasha’s face was a combination of disbelief and fascination. He laughed and pulled her to his chest.

“Come here. I just looked at her with my jaw hitting the floor, much like yours is now. She gave me a smirk and walked over and kissed me.” He lowered his lips to hers for a quick kiss. “We snogged for a bit that day, and I fell even harder. Followed her around school for days until she broke my heart.”

“What happened?”

“She was only using me to get at my stepbrother.”

“The asshole kid who lived to get you in trouble?”

“That very one. I was devastated. Told my mum I was over girls for good.”

Sasha brushed some hay off her shoulder. “Hmm, that didn’t work out very well, did it?”

“No, it lasted about two weeks.”