Cinderella Busted (The Cinderella Romances Book 1)

by Petie McCarty

  “Dear God in heaven, when I saw you tumble—” His voice faltered. “I tried to get there—”

  She pressed her lips to his neck. “You did,” she whispered. “You saved me.”

  He swallowed hard. “I’m going to take you to the couch and check you out for anything broken.”

  He strode across the foyer with her body clutched tight to his chest.

  “I don’t think anything’s broken. My knees ache and one shoulder, but just bruises and a few scratches,” Lily said.

  As they reached the great room, footsteps pounded down the stairs. When Rhett turned, they watched Delia scurry through the open front door.

  “The little fake,” he growled.

  “She sabotaged my propane tank.”

  “I heard.” His eyes flared black with menace. “Don’t worry, she can’t hide. I’ll find whatever hole she’s scurried to.”

  Rhett took her into the great room, laid her on the couch, and methodically checked for broken bones. He sat back on his haunches and blew out a sigh of relief when he found none. He offered Lily ice for her bruises, but she only smiled.

  “I’m okay. I ducked, covered my head, and rolled.”

  “I noticed that,” he said ruefully. “Smart girl.”

  “I was terrified more than anything.”

  He gently traced a knuckle across her cheek. “No more terrified than I was.”

  The swath of heat across her cheek was nothing compared to the hope heating up her heart. Terrified meant he cared, right?

  “Really? You were terrified?”

  His answer was to gently pull her into his arms and mold her body to him. He nuzzled her neck and her hair. She gloried in his touch and his arms around her, but niggling doubts remained. So much of what Delia spouted had a ring of truth.

  Rhett must have felt her tense up. He released her and sat back again on his haunches.

  “Delia had quite a lot to say,” Lily said softly.

  “I’m sure she did.” He looked grim. “I only heard part of it.”

  He sat silent as though waiting for her response.

  Why didn’t he explain? She stared into his eyes and saw concern and . . . Was it possible? Vulnerability? Did he want her to make the first move?

  If so, she would start at the beginning. “Delia said you went for a walk. You were waiting for her to join you.”

  He stared for several long moments as though collecting his thoughts.

  “Only the first part is true. I didn’t know she was here.” He sighed. “Now you’re frowning. If I carry you, do you feel up to a trip to our beach?”

  Our beach?

  She held up her arms, and he wrapped them around his neck, then scooped her up. He carried her out across the terrace to the deck, down the steps, and over the dunes. He didn’t speak until he reached the edge of Sea Turtle beach.

  “When I tried to get you back the first time, I stayed out here for hours one night plotting how I would go about it.”

  The first time?

  “I came back this afternoon when I realized I couldn’t let you go. Came back to start my plotting all over again. I was ready to stay a week if need be.”

  “Put me down. I can stand.”

  She hated that her words made him look so hurt, but when he set her down, she folded her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest. He didn’t move for a long moment, then his arms came around her. She felt his body tremble.

  “Give me a chance, Lily. I deserve a chance. I didn’t do anything wrong. Intentionally anyway. I may have handled this stupidly, but I’m innocent.”

  Lily knew she should trust him, but she needed his explanation, needed to hear the words.

  “Delia said you ran back to her, that I was too much trouble.”

  “Come here.” He took her hand and led her a little way down the beach. He pointed to a spot just above the tidewater line. “Here is where I came and sat after my walk.”

  Her gaze followed where he pointed to a depression in the sand. She blinked, then gasped. Next to the depression, a series of coral chunks, small rocks, and scallop shells spelled out a name—Lily.

  “Does that look like I was waiting for Delia? Finding the shells and coral on the beach helped me think.” He shrugged. “Hell, it worked the first time.”

  She stared up into his eyes and waited. His move to make now.

  “You know Delia set up your propane tank or hired someone to do it, so I’m thinking I’m off the hook for the fire.”

  She nodded slowly.

  “I had no idea Whittenhurst was trying to run you off your land, Lily. I swear it. Whittenhurst had gone out on his own. He told BDC the Jupiter property was off the market. Garrett did some investigating and found Whittenhurst intended to use minority partners to buy your nursery property, then turn around and sell it quick with Whittenhurst and his boys making an egregious profit.”

  “Either way I lose,” she said curtly.

  “No!” he said angrily and took a step forward. “I wouldn’t’ve let that happen.”

  She fought the instinctive urge to step back.

  “I didn’t know it was your property,” he ground out.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You make it a habit to buy property you haven’t seen?”

  “Dammit, Lily! I only worry about short lists, parcels that have made it through the selection process. We buy or flip too much property for me to be aware of each and every parcel. I have teams to make property selections for me.”

  His expression grew pained, and he raked a hand through his hair. “Teams I thought I could trust. Unfortunately, Whittenhurst leads those teams, so I’ll accept blame for their selection. I stand responsible for the consequences produced by my teams.”

  She felt a twinge of sympathy for him. He’d had his own betrayal today, and the circumstances obviously did not sit well with him, yet his integrity pressed him to take responsibility.

  “And you knew nothing about the Jupiter parcel on your supposed list?”

  “Only that an available Jupiter parcel of one hundred acres on the Intracoastal was prime golf course development property. I’ve wanted to do a development close to home for a long time.”

  Aghast, she cried, “You would have turned Bloom & Grow into a golf course?”

  “Hell no! I didn’t know,” he said defensively. “I didn’t check on all this until it was too late.”

  His agonized gaze trapped hers, and she felt a strong urge to wrap him in her arms and comfort him. But—

  “When Whittenhurst decided to cut us out and go for the purchase on his own, Aidan called Garrett and me to tell us Whittenhurst had approached him for the flip sale. Aidan was as furious as we were.”

  “But not as furious as me,” Lily said solemnly.

  He looked chagrined. “No, not as furious as you. You had every right to be furious, too.”

  She nodded again slowly.

  “I swear I would have stopped Whittenhurst if I had known. I wouldn’t let him do that to you. You have to believe me. I know how much your nursery means to you.”

  Her heart rolled over as she watched him standing there with his emotions exposed, waiting for her decision. He met her gaze, his now steely-eyed. The always-proud Rhett Buchanan. Yet her answer meant the world to him.

  Deep in her soul, she could feel his need to hear her answer. “I didn’t believe it. I only wanted to hear you say it,” she said softly.

  His eyes widened. He took a step forward and moved to reach for her, but suddenly froze as through awaiting her permission.

  “I know you would never willingly take Bloom & Grow from me,” she whispered.

  “Oh Lily.” He reached out before she could shift away and cupped h
er cheek in his large palm. She felt his fingers tremble against her skin. “Tell me you trust me,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

  She wanted to tell him. Her heart said to tell him. She opened her mouth, willing the words to come, to end at least part of this horrible betrayal that lay between them like an impenetrable stone wall surrounding an ancient fortress. Except her heart was the fortress protected by the wall.

  One betrayal down. One betrayal to go.

  “What about yesterday? In your bedroom?”

  His shoulders slumped, and he glanced away.

  Lily’s heart sank.

  Rhett found himself on a narrow precipice with Lily—halfway up the mountain of forgiveness—and he could feel his feet slipping with no visible handholds or footholds.

  Lily stared at him, eyes wide and accusing. How could she not accuse when she had found him lying spread-eagle atop Delia’s prone form wearing part of a towel and Delia wearing next to nothing at all?

  The edge of the precipice crumbled away and forced him flat up against the mountain. He could not give up. He had to find a way.

  “I didn’t know Delia was there,” he tried.

  “You said that about your walk tonight.”

  He resisted the urge to clench his teeth. “She has a habit of showing up when you least expect her,” he managed without growling.

  Lily’s eyes narrowed. Wrong thing to say. More of the precipice crumbled away. She looked ready to bolt, bruised knees and all. He could not let that happen. He may never get another opportunity. He had been going for broke his whole life. He had to make his stand here and now and let the chips fall where they may.

  “When I left the charity gala, I took Delia straight home when we left.” He grimaced and qualified, “Straight to her home, and then I left. Alone.”

  Lily’s eyes went wide with surprise.

  “And we were together again at the barbecue only because I asked her to play hostess,” he explained, though the look on Lily’s face said he might be prodding at gaping wounds.

  She confirmed his suspicions. “Single guys ask their girlfriends to hostess parties for them.”

  He exhaled hard. “Yeah, well I might have, except mine was off gallivanting with Aidan Cross.”

  “You weren’t exactly speaking to me at the time.”

  “Look, I know that, and we made up after the barbecue. I’m just bringing it up to show you I haven’t been with Delia.”

  “Well, you were certainly with her yesterday,” she retorted.

  Lily backed up another step.

  The precipice gave way until Rhett balanced only on his toes. He had feared this would be the skirmish that lost the war. He could not provide a believable explanation, not for what Lily had seen. The unfairness of it had his hands curling into fists.

  “Dammit! Delia ambushed me,” he shouted, all the unfairness of his position congealing in his gut. “She let herself in and ambushed me when I came out of the shower.”

  She stared at him in open astonishment.

  He sensed his hand- and foot-holds had just vanished.

  “She had a key,” Lily reminded him softly.

  His shoulders slumped in defeat. The bitch did have a key yesterday.

  Anguish ghosted across Lily’s eyes before her expression shuttered and had Rhett wanting to howl at Delia and Chester Armstead and Whittenhurst and everyone who had conspired to keep him and Lily apart.

  The last crumbs of the precipice disintegrated beneath his feet, and he grabbed hold of her shoulders—his belay line. He could not let go. If he cut the connection, all would be lost.

  He gently squeezed her shoulders until she met his eyes. “Delia set me up. She did have a key from way back, but I was going to have the locks changed.” He added, with no small amount of chagrin, “What with her organizing the barbecue, I just didn’t get around to it.”

  The only sound in the moments that followed was the rhythmic crashing of waves against the shore. The moon had eased past the cloud cover to brighten the beach and the water. The resultant moonlight cast thousands of sparkles across the waves as they collapsed against the sand.

  “I was in the shower when Delia snuck in with the champagne and spread all those damn rose petals on my bed, then she grabbed me when I came out of the bathroom.” He willed her with his eyes to believe him.

  Lily’s eyes glistened in the moonlight. “You didn’t want her there?”

  He fought back the roar and whispered vehemently, “Hell, no! The only way Delia could get into my bedroom was to sneak in.”

  She blinked, and his heart beat unevenly at the tear that escaped down her cheek.

  “Delia lied to you. All lies. There was no game to seduce the little gardener, and I could never forget you as long as I live.”

  Lily blinked, another wayward tear escaped, and the sight wrenched at Rhett’s heart.

  “Do you mean it?” she asked softly.

  His throat suddenly too thick for words and fearful of saying the wrong thing, he only nodded.

  She stared, wide-eyed, for a long moment as though waiting for him to say something. He knew what he felt, but he had never said the words, not even back in his young and stupid college days. Not since the car accident hijacked his parents and left him alone. He couldn’t move, couldn’t get the words out.

  Suddenly, Lily turned. She was leaving!

  “Lily, wait!” he blurted. “I’ll go find Delia and drag her back here and make her tell you the truth.”

  Lily kept walking. His heart skipped a full beat. One more. The now-familiar tug and pull near his heart began anew only now he recognized the ache for what it was.

  “I love you, Lily!” he cried out.

  She wheeled around to face him.

  He took a chance. Held out his arms. “I love you,” he said softly. “Have from the beginning. Always will.”

  She flew into his arms, and the wave of relief felt so vast and overwhelming the force of it took him to his knees and Lily with him. He crushed her against his chest in a bear hold for fear she would get away.

  Rhett’s arms were around her again. Lily never dreamed she would hear those wonderful words “I love you,” and she buried her face in his neck. Her senses exploded with the sensual impact of his remembered scent.

  He settled back and gently pulled her onto his lap. She cuddled as close as she could possibly get and tried not to burst with the joy that had her blood singing through her veins. His arms remained tight around her as though she would try to escape.

  “I thought I had lost you forever,” he whispered hoarsely into her hair.

  “I know,” she whispered back. “I thought I had lost you, too.”

  He tilted her chin up and brushed his lips across hers. She pulled free, and she felt him stiffen for a moment until she wrapped her arms around his neck. He groaned and covered her mouth with his, kissing her with a passion that left no doubt as to his feelings for her. His tongue stroked hers over and over as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Each sensual stroke deepened the kiss until she felt as though they made love with their mouths and forged an irrevocable bond and promise never to be separated again.

  When he finally pulled back, she felt woozy from the sensual overload and way relieved to hear his labored breathing matched hers.

  “Oh, Lily,” he said almost reverently. He cupped her cheeks and rested his forehead against hers for a long moment until she heard his breathing even out. As he gazed into her eyes, his expression suddenly grew tense and then guarded.

  Oh no. What now?

  He swallowed hard. “Why did you come here tonight, Lily? I have to know. You showing up here at the house seemed like a downright miracle.”

  She smiled at him and shook her head. “I came with the
excuse of getting my clothes back and hoped you would explain everything.”

  He looked stunned. “What if I hadn’t?”

  “I hadn’t gotten that far. I only hoped you still cared about me and would want me back.”

  “You must have been so angry with me over that scene with Delia. Why would you—”

  She held two fingers to his lips. “Interfering friends.”

  He stiffened. “Garrett? He told you?”

  She shook her head. “He told Tammy.”

  He was on his feet in an instant. “If you talked to them, then you knew everything before you came.”

  She rose to her feet, stared him square in the eyes. “I wouldn’t say everything, but enough to make me come here. Their explanation didn’t mean anything unless the words came from you.”

  “And now? Can you trust me? I would never cheat on you.”

  His deep voice had gone hoarse with longing and infused every nerve ending in her body, launching tingling sensations she could not—would not—subdue. Over the last twenty-four hours, her heart had felt broken first, then shattered. She refused to look back. Not here. Not now. Not ever. She refused to let Delia’s lies pummel her emotions.

  “There can be no love without trust,” she told him.

  “Love?” He went deathly still. “What are you saying? Exactly?”

  “Trust comes with love like breathing comes with lungs. Till death do them part.”

  “And?”

  “And I love you,” she whispered.

  He stared intently. The only sound came from the encroaching waves as they slapped the sand behind them.

  “Say it again,” he said finally. “I want to be sure I heard you.”

  “I love you, Rhett Buchanan,” she said, enunciating every word.

  “That’s it!” He grinned. “I knew I heard you right.”

  He grabbed her around the waist and swung her high in a circle. “I love you back, Lily Foster!” he shouted up to the moon and stars.