Shrugging like the answer didn’t annoy him, Damiano threw his leg over the bike and turned on the engine. He revved it once before saluting them, kicking off to speed in the direction Aria had gone.
Blinking, Eris turned her attention to Gabriel again. “What on earth was that?”
“Relationship drama,” he groaned, turning to nod to the house.
Damiano and Aria had been so distracting, Eris had almost forgotten they were there to see his home, not two visitors.
“They aren’t problematic, just… eccentric.”
“What word are you putting in?” she asked curiously, watching as he slid the remote into his pocket before opening the door with a gold key.
“I’m not going to if he keeps up these antics like a child,” he scoffed, holding the door open for her. Once Eris stepped inside, all thoughts about the duo she’d seen briefly fell away.
The house was big and clean, just like Gabriel. It had sleek lines and simple paint on the walls, the Victorian aesthetic from outside still showing in the architectural details within. The whole place had archways between rooms, and a lot of the furniture she could see from the front door was made of rich wood, matching the design.
She let everything else fall away, stepping further into the place. The ground floor had a large kitchen and a spacious living area, complete with a fireplace. There was a large nook betweenthe two spaces with a six-person dining room table, and it reminded her a lot of the design of the cabin at Rawhide.
But Gabriel’s house had two stories, and she could see a hallway jutting out in either direction from the main space. He was right; the house did seem to have a maze-like quality.
“Go explore,” he breathed, his hot breath on her ear making her jump. “I’m going to put my stuff down and check a few things since I’ve been gone, but feel free to look around. I have no secrets from you, Eris.”
A shiver shot down her spine, and even if they were just here for a couple hours, she couldn’t wait to see if anything new unraveled about Gabriel. Giving her free reign of his house felt like a true game of trust, and suddenly, the plug in her ass felt like a much bigger deal.
If this was like a maze… there could be a hunt. Her sore nipples throbbed at the idea, but, like a glutton, she couldn’t wait for more. Nodding, she turned and kissed his throat, right over his pulse point. “Yes, Master, if you trust me to snoop.”
Gabriel chuckled, his hands circling low on her hips. “You, Eris, I trust with my everything.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Gabriel
It barely took him twenty minutes to handle a few small things and shoot off a text, but he gave Eris more than an hour of looking before he went to find her. He’d seen the way her eyes drank in the designs of his home, her interest in his residence spurring him to give her plenty of time alone before he interrupted. Once he had his sights set on her, he fully intended to fulfill her fantasies again.
He didn’t have to prowl around the house to find her, and he had her favorite mask propped up on top of his head instead of wearing it around. The sounds of unfamiliar voices caught his attention, along with static, and it only took a few seconds to put together that she was on a phone call. She was in one of the rooms toward the end of the southern hall, and he made his way in that direction.
Curious to discover who she was talking to, he leaned against the wall and peeked around the corner instead of sneaking in to play with her.
Eris had her phone propped against a book, but he couldn’t make out the screen. She was currently standing on a chair, a cup in her hand, and she appeared to be trying to revive one ofhis houseplants. The maid service that rotated through biweekly usually took care of that, but he could see the sorry state the plants were in compared to the greenery curated by the Ranch.
“I say go for it,” the voice said, carrying through the phone. He didn’t know who this could be, but he recalled vague mention of both a sister and a close friend. “Things grow in Montana, right? Get another plant job.”
“It’s called a nursery,” Eris replied, stretching up on her toes to reach the next plant. It wasn’t the best placement for plants, but until right this moment, watching her teeter on a chair, he hadn’t thought much about it. The housekeeping team had someone tall enough to handle it, and he tensed, just in case she slipped in that precarious state.
“Jobs come and go, Eris,” the other person said, a playful tone to her voice. “Guys who make you cream are forever.”
“Vivian!”
He bit his lip to keep from laughing. Eris abandoned the plant to jump down from the chair. He leaned back a bit, but her attention wasn’t on him as Vivian continued speaking. “Eris, stop being daft. You went back to Montana a second time for a chance to see him.”
“No.” There was an adorable pout in her voice, and Gabriel peeked around the corner again. She had her back to him, tapping her foot against the ground. “I came back for my fantasy.”
“Which includes him.”
Eris huffed but didn’t refute it. “Did you secretly go talk to Tara while I’ve been gone? I don’t remember ever telling you the… details about my experience.”
“Hon, you know I read the email you sent. And yes, Tara texted me. We have a bet going on how long it’ll take you to fold and extend your trip.”
“That isn’t going to happen!” she shrieked.