The past
“Where are we going?”
“Keep your eyes closed.”
It was a miracle that I’d agreed to the blindfold, and probably a sign I should have been questioning my sanity. But Lincoln had a surprise, and he talked me into going along with it while holding out on letting me come. He plays dirty in bed.
From beneath the cloth over my eyes, everything was dark, and I was terrified someone was going to see us together, even though he promised he wouldn’t let that happen. He didn’t seem to understand how big of a disaster it would be if we got caught. I couldn’t imagine dealing with the fallout. Maybe his attitude was different because he was used to having power, and I was used to having none. Either way, I couldn’t risk it.
“Okay. You can look now.”
I pulled the blindfold off and found we were surrounded by walls of green. “Where are we?”
“The maze.”
I looked at him like he was crazy. “What maze? Where?”
“The Gables. I used to play here as a kid. It was—”
“You brought me to The Gables?” I covered my mouth to cut off my screech. In a much quieter tone, I asked, “Why would you do that?”
The excitement faded from his features. “Because you won’t let me take you on a damned date, and as much as I would love to stay in bed and do nothing but fuck you, you deserve better.”
The simple words of his statement hit me hard in a place I’d been keeping armored against him.
“You can’t say things like that to me,” I whispered, looking away.
Lincoln’s fingers lifted my chin. “I can and I will. We’re both better than that.”
“I can’t—”
“I know. And that’s why we’re here. Unless it’s a garden party night, the maze is usually empty. It’s fine. We’re safe.”
I wanted to believe him, but my apprehension wouldn’t completely fade. Still, when he looked at me like that, like he thought I was worth so much more than I could ever conceive, it made me feel things I shouldn’t. It also made me let him have his way.
“Fine.” I conceded and leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips. “You win.”
Lincoln’s smile seemed to brighten the entire world. “If all it takes is a million-dollar garden to make you kiss me outside the walls of the cabin, then I’ll bring you here every day.”
Instead of focusing on the sweetness he kept dishing out, I latched onto the other part of the statement. “A million dollars? Are you serious?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. My great-grandmother went over the top when she expanded it.”
I couldn’t even comprehend that much money. Or how easily Lincoln talked about it. That was one thing that would always separate us like an impenetrable wall.
I was broke. He was richer than sin.
“Come on. I didn’t just bring you here to stand around. We’re going to play a game.” His smile morphed into a mischievous grin I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist.
Why am I so weak when it comes to him? I decided I didn’t care right now. I just wanted to keep that look on his face.
“What kind of game?”
“I’m going to give you a head start to find the center, and you’re going to leave me clues about which direction you take.”
“Clues?”
“In the form of clothes.”
I jerked back. “Oh, hell no. Not happening.”
“You always say that . . . but eventually you change your mind.”
He took my hand, but I pulled it free and poked him in the chest with my index finger. “Not this time, rich boy. You wanna play that game, you’re stripping.”
Lincoln’s smile widened. “Fine. But when you find me naked, I’m not going to be responsible for what happens.”
Somehow, against all odds, a flutter of excitement built inside me, even though objectively I knew this was a terrible idea.
Indecision warred in my brain, and Lincoln, who read me way too accurately, must have seen it.
“Give me a two-minute head start, and don’t you dare leave me here alone, Blue.” He pulled me against him and took my lips in a hard kiss.
I swallowed, still second-guessing this, but I repeated his words. “Two-minute head start.”
His grin widened. “Just so you know, you’re the most fun I’ve ever had.”
Before I could reply, or even absorb the words fully, he disappeared into the maze.
As soon as he was out of sight, my reservations came flooding back.
This is the best worst plan ever. We’re going to get caught. With Lincoln naked.
And yet, I counted to 120 and darted in the direction he went. Within fifty feet, I hit a fork.
Shit. Which way? I peered down each path and spotted a shoe down one. A smile tugged at my lips as I imagined Lincoln dropping it for me.
Maybe this is kind of fun.
I ran to the shoe and grabbed it, heading down the corridor of hedges, excited to hit another choice. When I did, I found another shoe. And then a sock. Another sock.
Then his shirt.
Now we’re talking.
My man liked to go commando, so there might not be much left now.
I froze where I stood.
My man?
What the hell?
Uh. No. He’s not my man. He’s a fling. That’s it. That’s all. It’s just a rebound. A forbidden rebound.
Even as I told myself this, I knew I was lying.
Lincoln Riscoff had already turned me into an addict, and I was dangerously close to feeling things about him that I shouldn’t be feeling. He’d cast a spell on me . . . otherwise, there was no way I’d be standing in the maze at The Gables right now. Before I could think more on it, I heard a whisper.
“Blue, I’m starting to get cold over here.”
My head jerked to the right and everything faded away except for the knowledge that Lincoln was naked and not far away.
I wasted no time heading for the shorts I saw on the ground, but before I could reach them, Lincoln’s arms wrapped around me and he picked me up from behind. A burst of laughter broke free from my lips as the clothes and shoes I’d gathered dropped to the grass.
“A little eager to find me?”
“You’re naked, aren’t you?”
His breath was hot against my ear. “Is that all you want from me? My body? Shame on you. You know I’m more than that.”
I did know, and that was the problem.
I swallowed and turned in his arms. “I sure don’t want you for your name or your money.”
Once again, I succeeded in sucking the lightheartedness out of the moment. Lincoln’s features darkened, but not with anger.
“That’s one of my most favorite things about you.”
His mouth crushed against mine, and he devoured me. I lost track of how long he kissed me, standing naked there in that maze. My hands were everywhere, skating over his hard muscles as I gripped his shoulders.
“I want you,” I whispered.
“Who’s there?” a man called out.
We both went silent. I attempted to tug out of Lincoln’s arms, but he held me tight.
“Lincoln Riscoff. Who’s asking?” There was something about the confident way he said his name that made it clear he didn’t expect to be challenged.
I pulled harder and he finally released me as someone came around the corner of the final hedge that led to the center of the maze, and I ducked behind Lincoln’s back.
“Sorry, sir. Didn’t expect to see you . . . I’ll just be going then.”
I recognized the voice. It was a guy my aunt Jackie dated occasionally. He was a groundskeeper here. Shit.
“And you won’t be mentioning this to anyone either, will you?”
“No, sir. Of course not, sir.”
I could picture him trying to sneak a glimpse over Lincoln’s shoulder to identify who was with him, so I didn’t risk a look.
We heard him shuffle away, and I stayed huddled until Lincoln turned around. I immediately stepped back and reached down to grab the pile of clothes and throw them at him.
“We have to go. Now. Right now. We can’t—”
Lincoln yanked on his shorts and snagged my wrist to pull me back into his arms. “Stop panicking. It’s fine. He’s not going to say a word. If he does, he knows he’ll lose his job.”
“But—”
“Whitney. Stop.” Lincoln didn’t usually use my name, and it got my attention more effectively than anything else would in that moment. “I’m not going to let anyone find out about us. Nothing bad is going to happen to you because we’re together. I promise.”
His gaze said he was sincere, but in this, I wasn’t ready to trust his confidence.
“You can’t promise that. We both know this isn’t going to end well. It can’t.”
His expression darkened. “We decide how this ends. Only us. And unless you tell me right now that I mean nothing to you, I’m not letting you go.”
I opened my mouth to say the words that would set me free from this craziness and save me from self-destruction, but nothing came out. The thought of never seeing him again made me sick to my stomach.
“You can’t say it. I know you can’t, even if you want to be able to. I see you, Whitney. I see you so fucking clearly that I never want to look at anyone else ever again. Do you get what I’m saying?”
I dropped my forehead to press against his bare chest and breathed in the pine-and-citrus scent of his skin. “I’m scared.”
His arms wrapped around me, and he pressed me tightly enough against his strong body that I actually thought he could protect me from the world.
“You don’t need to be scared, Blue. You have me.”