What Vanny Wants

CHAPTER 5

The car pulled up to a beautiful, one-storied Victorian house to Ethan’s left with tall chimneys coming out of the roof. The red-bricked house had large glass windows and an elaborate entrance. She knew the area well; they were at Hyde Park. The plants surrounding the house were exotic but what caught Vanessa’s attention were the two hefty men standing at the bottom of the stairs leading to the front door.

Guards everywhere, this just makes things harder, she thought to herself as she spotted three more guards walking around outside the house.

One of the men standing in front of the house came to open the door of the car for them. As soon as Ethan stepped out, the man spoke to him in a gruff voice, “Switch is waiting for you at the office sir.” Ethan nodded once, looking up to the first floor of the house as though he could see through the walls. He turned to the hefty man and said, “Take her to the pool house,” before walking towards the front door.

“Wait!” Vanessa called out, getting out of the car, “Where are you going?”

But he just kept walking and eventually disappeared into the house. She felt a surge of anger and hurled a string of curse words at the closed door.

“This way ma’am,” the guard jerked her attention away from the door. She nodded to the man and he led her to the back of the house.

The pool was designed to look like a mini waterfall, with aquamarine colored tiles to give it an authentic look. The pool house was a bungalow with a semi-detached roof. The guard, who told her his name was Sam, showed her around the house. There was an open kitchen with a fully stocked fridge and an island, the living room was a step-down and fully rugged, there were two bedrooms with views of the pool and a small study. It was a comfortable house. She just wished the bloody man had at least put her in the main house.

Smiling at Sam, Vanessa briefly thanked him as she closed the door behind him. She locked it twice for good measure as soon as she was sure the guard was out of earshot and went prowling.

She searched the entire bungalow but couldn’t find anything. No creaking floorboards or loose bricks, no safes or locked boxes. The entire house was clean; Ethan was serious about the trial period.

Vanessa had found a fully stocked closet attached to a bathroom in one of the bedrooms during her search. There was even a drawer allocated to underwear and she made a mental note to give him hell for it later. Every single item of clothing was her size and Vanessa had a feeling Sasha had told Ethan.

She was soaking up in the hot tub when she heard the doorbell ring. Getting out of the tub and donning a robe she found in the bathroom, she hurried to open the door. Ethan stood at the other side of the door and looked down at her, taking in her entire attire of a bath robe with a blank look on his face. Vanessa felt a blush rising up her neck it was soon replaced with irritation as the man stepped into the living room, forcing her to step aside.

“I never asked you to come in,” Vanessa stated as she shut the door.

Ethan staring at her with one raised eyebrow gave her the reply she needed and she muttered “whatever” just loud enough for him to hear as she walked to the fridge in the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. She could feel his eyes on her as she drank slowly, taking unhurried gulps.

Vanessa dropped the bottle on the counter, and turned to face him. As she leaned forward on the island she said, “How did you know my bra size?”

Not missing a beat, Ethan replied, “I assure you, I’m well versed in women’s lingerie.” Noting the blush that stained Vanessa’s cheeks, he chuckled.

He had struggled to keep a neutral face when she opened the door in nothing but a robe. Her smooth olive skin looked even more attractive with droplets of water glistening on it. It had taken a colossal amount of his self-control to keep his arousal down but now he felt like teasing her.

“Tell me, wife, were they to your liking?”

“No,” Vanessa replied as she cleared her throat and stood upright, “I prefer simpler items.”

Ethan walked around the island to face her, resting one elbow on the island and leaning towards her. “Do you mean those virgin white bras with innocent trimmings gracing the top of the cups and a cute little bow in the middle?”

He had a smirk on his face and she had to take a step back from him.

Oh he’s no caveman, he’s a wolf. And he’ll huff and puff and gobble me right up if I’m not careful.

But before she could give a reply, he had already turned and was stalking towards the door. “Dinner is by 7 at the main house and you can use the back door to get in. Don’t be late now darling, tardiness isn’t Blake behavior and you’re now a Blake.” He shut the door softly behind him.

Checking the time, on the clock to her right, Vanessa realized she had 3 hours before dinner. More than enough time to get her stuff from Mary’s apartment and be back in time for dinner. Heading to the closet, she randomly picked the first set of underwear she laid her hands on and took out a pair of jeans, a black top with a leather jacket and a shiny pair of ankle boots.

It wasn’t until after she wore the underwear she had chosen that she realized they were the most scandalous pair she had ever worn. Groaning inwardly, she put on the rest of her clothes and grabbed her wallet before stepping out of the house. She locked the door and put the key in front pocket of her jeans as she walked quietly to the road, skillfully avoiding the patrolling guards.

She took more time than she planned getting her stuff out of Mary’s house because she met Bob there. The man kept going on and on about how he and Mary would miss her but Vanessa gave him the middle finger as she left anyway.

Getting back to Ethan’s house she realized it was almost 8 and swore softly to herself as she hurried to the pool house, barely taking note of the lack of patrolling guards. She met the door unlocked and she quietly opened it to find a very furious looking Ethan and about ten body guards.

“Where the bloody hell have you been?!”