Preston and I walked the circular path weaving in and around the garden. It was fitting for I realized right then that there was nowhere for us to go. We were both where we belonged.
Both of us Cinderella.
“What was it?” I asked.
“August didn’t anticipate me not being a total shithead like him. He didn’t think I’d marry Delilah and let her have her freedom. We became friends over the last six years and I’m not about to force the unhappy life on her that he’s forcing on us.”
“Why is he forcing it? Why was it so important that Delilah be paired up at thirteen?”
Preston stopped and turned to me, taking my other hand and holding them between us. “There is a reason, but it’s not for me to say. It’s my choice to spill my family secrets, and it’s her choice to do the same.”
“I get that,” I agreed, “but not why she’s dumping drinks on me and revealing your sex tales.”
He laughed. “Fictional sex tales. That damn tutu is going to haunt me.”
I found myself smiling too. They say confession is good for the soul, and it definitely felt good to know the truth.
You should try it sometime, a voice taunted.
I pushed it and thoughts of Carter down.
“It’s simple,” he went on. “Our parents want us to put on a good show that we love and care about each other, so that no one looks into why we’re being shotgunned down the aisle. Not even my father knows the full story of what went on with Darren.
“Whoever we secretly hook up with on the side, stays on the side, and Delilah’s just as invested in playing the part. If our marriage falls through, her father would again make her choose between losing everything or marrying the man he picks out. And the next guy might not be as nice as me.”
“Oh.” Against my will, sympathy for Delilah crept in. “She’s trying to protect her future and thinks I’m in the way.”
“My fault for giving her that impression. I just can’t seem to stay away from you, Belle Adler. Those powers are strong.”
I smiled though I replied, “Don’t joke. Your future is at stake too. That beast wearing a skin suit can’t be allowed to control your company or your family with his knowledge of Darren. Why didn’t you just hit it and quit it when you had the chance?”
Preston gave me a long look. “Why do you think?”
I buried my face in his chest, hiding my silly grin. The alarms were sounding the retreat. Warning that sweet words were spinning their web and time was running out to get free. The last time the warnings went off, I met a boy on a pebbled beach who offered to teach me how to sail.
Nathan Prince was a tragically glorious accident that shredded me to pieces. It was a terrible idea to open myself up to another when I knew, and agreed, that we couldn’t last past the summer.
“Then let’s have the summer.” It slipped out as—like Preston—my need for him wrestled my self-preservation into a headlock. “If we have to keep it a secret, then that’s what we’ll do. Delilah doesn’t have to worry and you won’t have to choose between your family.”
“The summer,” he repeated. “What about after?”
I closed my eyes. “I don’t have to tell you that this can’t continue past your wedding, right?”
“No.” A warm hand rested on my hair. “You deserve more than being my mistress.”
I backed out of his hold, tugging him after me. “Projected time to make-up sex adjusted to eight minutes.”
PRESTON AND I LAY TANGLED in my sheets. I drowsed on my stomach, eyes closed as his fingers traced a path on my back.
“Thirteen,” he announced. “Thirteen little brown birthmarks on your legs, back, and two on your stomach.”
“I inherited them honestly,” I murmured. “Moles all over my mom too.”
“I inherited double-jointedness. Want me to show you again?”
“You’ve showed me twice,” I said, laughing. “We’ve got to sleep at some point.”
“That point doesn’t have to be now.”
He lay on top of me, pressing me into the pillows. I couldn’t name why I felt so at peace wrapped up with Preston Desai, but it was possible I didn’t need to understand everything.
“So what do we do now?” I asked. “Meet on your private terrace? Sneak into my room at night?”
“Sneak into my room,” he corrected. “Someone noticed me going into your room the first time. Mine is at the back where it’s off-limits. We’ll have our privacy.”
“From the other guys but what about your mom? You said she wants you keeping up the act too.”
“Mom is in bed by ten and up at five every day. Weekday or weekend. Holiday or a standard-issued Tuesday. If we work around her, we’ll be fine.” He pressed a kiss to the back of my head. “Are you fine? With hiding, I mean.”
“I wish we didn’t have to hide. It’s been a long time since I’ve entertained the thought of a relationship. I reconciled myself to a lifetime of occasional hookups, but then I had to accidentally run into you again.”
Preston glided a finger down my thigh, popping goose bumps in his wake. It was a solid reminder for why I no longer regretted that second meeting.
“We have more good reasons to hide than we do coming out and blowing up your engagement to Delilah. It kills me that a man like August Winthrop should get what he wants. It’s even worse that he should succeed in destroying your family.”
Another finger joined the first. The two tapped a melody on my bare flesh. “What if we’re star-crossed lovers meant to run away together?”
“I despise Romeo and Juliet even more than Cinderella.”
“Typical.”
“Hey.” Laughing, I smacked his thigh. “You don’t know what about me is typical yet.”
“But I’m going to find out.”
“Yes.” I raised my head to receive a slow, lingering kiss. “You are.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Mm-hm,” I replied.
“That insane siren theory. Where did that come from?”
“No need to call it insane.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I meant batshit crazy. That’s the one we settled on.”
I giggled. I also couldn’t understand how he kept getting me to do that, but discovered another reason to agree with Rosalie. There was something about goofy Du Pont boys and their big golden eyes.
“You don’t trust anything that comes out of a handsome man’s mouth,” he continued. “Was it a bad breakup? Was it... Nathan?”
“No,” I whispered honestly. “This started way before Nathan.”
“Do you want to tell me?”
I hesitated. Confession may be good for the soul, but there was something to be said for knowing when to keep your mouth shut.
I thought of Preston holding me on the playground.
“I had this friend,” I began, “who got into a bad situation with a dangerous man. She got away from him, but a man like this doesn’t give up. He doesn’t accept n-no.” I stopped, took a breath, and tried again. “He chased her across the country. Tracked her down wherever she was and charmed, bought, lied to, or hurt anyone who stood in the path to her.