Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) (94 page)

“That’s mighty presumptuous of you,” I mumble.

“Only because I know it’s
true
. I know you, Lilly. We’ve gone through too much for me to not.

“You’re scared. Frightened. And confused. And now that I can speak freely?” He looks down at his chest, and places a hand over his heart. “The feelings I feel building for you, in here? They terrify me, too. I’ve never dealt with their like before. All of them stem from you, Lilly. Because I love you. Because you have shown me the true meaning of the word.”

“Not very well,” I quip, “if the past week has been any indication.”

He chuckles. “I am not perfect, Lilly. For you, I will make no claims to be. You have seen every side of who I am. Some of those sides—you know this—they disgust me. But if you guide me…if you hold out your hand, and maybe take the lead…I will try to change them. Not just for you. Not just for me.”

He stands, and pulls me up along with him. He wraps his arms around my body and holds me tight.

“But for us,” he whispers.

Chapter Twenty-One

I wake up the next morning utterly refreshed and find the bed empty once more.

“Shit!” I curse. “Shit, shit, shit!”

I don’t need to look at the time to know that it’s way past the hour I was supposed to arrive at the office.

Jeremy—that bastard!—left without me again.

How am I supposed to prove myself capable if he won’t even let me come in to work? What the hell was the point of the employment contract if I’m not even allowed to make good on my duties?

When he gets back tonight, we’re going to have a long, hard chat about exactly what it is he expects of me at Stonehart Industries.

I take a quick shower. As I do, I wonder about our talk last night. Was it a failure? Or was it a vague type of success?

I don’t have any answers about Hugh: Why he got the collar; how he got the pictures; why he showed them to me. At least I know why Jeremy despises the name so much—thanks to Fey’s text.

I marvel at the way things are unfolding. Jeremy told me the story of taking over his father’s company. I assumed after that, he’d just dismissed the man, taking everything from him and throwing him into poverty.

That was naïve of me. If Jeremy’s father had been as successful as I imagine him to be, tossing him aside would have been extremely wasteful. I know the story of Jeremy’s childhood from Charles. No matter what, he respected his father.

And so, it seems, after Jeremy took over the company, he brought the man into his.

What about Jeremy’s brothers? Are they somewhere within Stonehart Industries, working for him, too? Have I already met them without knowing it?

Expose the truth behind one secret and ten more spring up in its place. That’s what it feels like living with Jeremy. I know why he chose me. I know about his vendetta against my family. But I don’t know much else.

The man is, despite the intimacy we’ve shared, still a complete mystery. The things he’s capable of—kindness and compassion included—continue to surprise me. I doubt I’ll ever come to grips with the many faces that are Jeremy Stonehart.

I check my phone after my shower, hoping—wishing—for a message from Fey. Anything that would let me know she’s at least received my voicemail.

There is nothing.

I can’t fight the disappointment that wells up inside. It’s been days since I called her. Enough time has passed for her to get back to me.

It seems that I have truly lost her. The realization saddens me.

I go downstairs, bumping into Rose along the way. She smiles at me. “Nice to have you back, dear,” she says, touching my arm.

Lose one friendship, and gain another? At least Rose and I are on speaking terms again.

“Hey Rose,” I call out just before she turns a corner. “Do you know where the car keys are?”

She stops and turns around. “Yes. But are you sure that’s a good idea? Simon is available—”

“I don’t want to deal with Simon,” I say in disgust. “I got to drive a little bit on my trip, and I’ve missed the feeling. I’ve got nothing else to do today, and Jeremy doesn’t have a problem with me leaving. Don’t worry,” I add after a short pause, “I’ll come back.”

“In that case,” she says, “Sure. I’ll show you. Just follow me.”

***

A few minutes later, I’m sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle I didn’t even know Jeremy had.

It turns out there’s a carport, filled with exotic cars, that I somehow managed to completely overlook. It’s a separate building, not connected to the main house, nestled a few minutes away in a clearing on Jeremy’s property.

There were Porsches and BMWs and Maseratis and even a Lambo. I asked Rose if Jeremy ever drives them himself. She shook her head, and said, ‘Not for years.”

Apparently, he’s more of a collector than anything else.

All the expensive cars intimidated me. I didn’t want to somehow screw one of them up by driving it improperly. So I chose the simplest I could find, and also the smallest: a Porsche 911 Carrera.

Still, it took me a few minutes to come to grips with the fact that
I
was about drive a Porsche. Growing up, as a little girl, I didn’t exactly have a fascination with cars. But hanging around boys more than girls definitely made me appreciate automobiles more.

I start the engine. It purrs to life. I get goosebumps from the soft vibration. I suppress a giggle, too, then take my foot off the brake, and roll forward through the open garage doors.

I take it slow at first, winding my way over the path leading to the gates. The car controls like a dream. The Toyota I drove in Maine is nothing compared to this. In comparison, the Toyota felt like I had to struggle just to get it to turn. The Porsche seems like it can read my mind, and knows where I want to go before I even steer it.

I drive through the gates and put my sunglasses on. Not because it’s all that bright, but because I didn’t want pictures of me smeared all over the magazines.

Not that I intend on getting out. I just want to experience the freedom of being able to drive around. However, after the Greek restaurant episode, I know that I can’t be too careful.

I take it slow on the residential streets around Jeremy’s mansion. I just want to explore the area. It’s astounding to think that I’ve been living here for so long and still have no sense of the surroundings.

I don’t see many houses. I do see lots of expansive estates. Much like Jeremy’s place. The residences are hidden somewhere deep on the properties.

The streets are all quiet and empty. Maybe that’s to be expected in an area like this during the day. I doubt there’s paparazzi watching me. So I roll down the window to feel the wind. I can taste the salty tang of the sea. Mixed with the pure, clean, easy-to-breathe air that comes from the evergreens, it swirls around me and fills my lungs. I breathe it in deeply.

I turn onto a side street. Some ways down, I spot a woman walking two golden retrievers. She’s wearing a tight-fitting black and pink tracksuit that clings to her body like a second skin. Her long blonde hair is tied back in a ponytail. She looks around my age.

Just as I’m about to pass, she stops and waves at me.

I gawk for a second, spooked, and instantly start to roll up the window. I catch myself halfway through the motion and stop. What on earth am I afraid of?

“Hey!” she calls out as I pass. “Hey, we’re neighbors, right?”

I stop the car beside her on the road. “Yeah,” I say. “I guess we are. How’d you know?”

“The license plate.” She offers a wry smile. “That’s Jeremy Stonehart’s car, isn’t it?”

“You know him?”

“Oh, we’ve met in the past. Once or twice.” She winks.

My defenses instantly go on high alert. “What do you mean, you’ve ‘met’?” I ask, feeling an unexpected surge of jealousy consume me.

She laughs. “I’m just teasing, babe. I recognize you from the magazines. And I know the Stonehart residence is around here somewhere. Don’t worry. That man’s all yours.”

“I’m not worried,” I say, trying to protect my pride.

She cocks her head to one side. “You sure look worried to me. Anyway, forget it.” She sticks her hand out. “I’m Tracy.”

I hesitate for a split second, then reach out through the window. “Lilly,” I say.

“I know,” she giggles. “But it’s nice to meet you properly. You’ve driven past me a few times this last week—or was it the week before? Anyway, I always see you in the back of that limo.”

“Really?” I ask. “I’m surprised that you could see through the tinted glass.”

“I’ve got killer vision,” she shrugs. Then she taps the shades over her eyes. “And polarized sunglasses don’t hurt.”

One of the dogs barks at something in the trees and surges forward, jerking Tracy his way before she gets him under control.

“Anyway,” she says, “these two are getting restless. I’d better go. It was nice to meet you, Lilly. Hope to see you around.”

“Bye,” I say after her back.

Lose one friend, gain two more?

***

Jeremy arrives in the evening.

“I heard you went on a little ride today,” he tells me after I greet him with a kiss. He smiles. “I’m glad you’re taking advantage of the luxuries available to you.”

“It was so much fun!” I gush. After saying good-bye to Tracy, I took the Porsche to the freeway. Zipping around other cars and feeling the power of the engine was a thrill unlike any I’d experienced yet. “I think I could get used to it.”

“Where’d you go?” Jeremy asks, then listens to me rattle on and on while he changes out of his suit into something more casual.

We sit down for dinner, which Charles serves himself. He sees the good mood Jeremy and I are in. From behind Jeremy’s back, he offers me a wide, gracious smile, followed by a wink. I nod at him and smile back.

“Lilly,” Jeremy says, after we’ve retired to an adjacent living room, wine glasses in hand, “I have to be in Boston tomorrow. I’ll stay the weekend. I know that’s where you grew up. I’d like for you to join me. But my schedule will be completely full. We won’t have time for each other. Still, I’d like to ask: Do you want to come?”

“When will you be back?”

“Late Sunday night.”

I consider the offer. While it might prove interesting to visit the place I was born, two more six-hour flights in the span of a few days don’t exactly appeal to me.

“And it’s all business for you?” I ask.

“That’s right,” he says. “I mean…” he looks over the rim of his glass at me, that seductive glimmer in his eye, “I might be able to make time for you, here and there…especially if you look as stunning as you do now…but, yes,” he hedges. “You’d be mostly on your own. Here or there. Your choice.”

“Then I’d prefer to just wait,” I tell him. “You know how good it is after we’ve had some time apart.”

“Yes,” Jeremy coughs. “But I’m not gone yet.”

And with that, he puts his glass down, tugs me into him, and kisses me—hard.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning, I wake up to find Jeremy already gone. It seems like it’s becoming a habit with him.

I stretch out leisurely, basking in the memory of last night. Jeremy was sweet and tender. He cared for me in every way. He made me truly feel exotic.

Shit, but I forgot to ask him about the things I’d intended to. Well, I didn’t really
forget
. I just didn’t want to spoil what we had by bringing them up.

But when he gets back on Sunday night, it’ll be time for me to demand answers. Once and for all.

I get out of bed and wander downstairs. After a full week off work, I feel peculiarly useless.

But wasn’t the point of you working just to get closer to Jeremy Stonehart? a small voice reminds me. Isn’t that what you managed to do since getting back from Maine?

I guess that’s right. I had a fearful few days where I thought I’d blundered badly with Jeremy. Now, at least, I am assured that I have not.

That’s more important to me than any position at Stonehart Industries. I haven’t forgotten the promise I made to get back at Jeremy. But, as expected, that process will take time. Lots and lots of time.

Time that I have? Most definitely. There is no pressure to get anything done sooner rather than later. In fact, I’m quite comfortable where I currently stand.

But how long will it last? I wonder. A year? Two? More?

I don’t know. And I don’t know what comes after. I can’t deny my growing feelings of affection toward Jeremy Stonehart any longer. They’re there. If he continues to act the way he did yesterday, they will prove tricky to overcome.

But I’ll find a way. I always do. The worst is behind me.
That
I’m sure of. And if I’ve survived this long…started to prosper, even…then I have no doubt in my ability to continue to do so in the future.

There’s a light drizzle outside. I feel the itch to get behind the wheel again. I have nothing better to do today. Besides, why not take advantage of my situation and have a little bit of fun?

So I have breakfast, then shower, and change, and go pick up the keys. I debate trying another car—a more
powerful
car—but then decide against it. The Maseratis and Lamborghinis of the world still intimidate me. I’ve got to take it slow, and move my way up in the same way you would training for a marathon. You don’t dive in head-first and run 26.2 miles on your first outing. You build up to it.

That’s the sort of reasoning that finds me back behind the wheel of the Porsche.

But, only minutes later, I’m cruising down the highway at break-neck speed, pushing the edges of my comfort zone further and further.

I hear sirens behind me. My heart leaps to my throat. I panic. Was I going too fast? My breathing ratchets up a few notches. A mixture of dread, guilt, and apprehension wells up inside.

But then I look into the rear-view mirror, and see that it’s just an ambulance in the distance. I breathe a sigh of relief, merge lanes to let it pass, and promise myself to be more careful in the future.