Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
I press the brakes, just to sit there and stare at it a moment. Smaller than Spencer’s estate, it is no less magnificent. The three-story structure is made of gray-colored stone that has weathered beautifully over time. Steep gabled rooflines covered in charcoal-colored tile and mullioned windows give it an old-world charm. The stone facade is complemented by climbing vines that aren’t in bloom yet but my romantic, creative heart envisions purple wisteria.
The landscaping is carefully manicured with evergreen hedges trimmed into neat shapes and a garden path leading to the front door. Nothing has come up yet, but I can see it so clearly… beds filled with tulips, irises and other vibrant splashes of color against the neutral hue of the stone house.
It looks like the kind of place that has generations of stories hidden within its walls.
“How could anyone ever want to live anywhere else?” I breathe out before easing on the gas so the car creeps closer forward.
Lex is silent so I glance at him and he’s watching me thoughtfully. “It can get quite boring here,” he says.
“Not to me.” I point up to one of the windows on the third floor. “I’d sit at a desk to write so I could look out over the grounds in the winter, and in the warm weather, I’d sit on the patio to look at the rear gardens.”
Lex chuckles. “How do you know there are gardens back there?”
“I just know it,” I say, smiling assuredly at him. “How could there not be?”
Laughing, Lex playfully tugs on a lock of my hair. “Well, you’re not wrong. I’ll give you the grand tour.”
Lex directs me where to park and as I turn off the engine, I realize my heart is racing for another reason now—the prospect of meeting Lex’s parents, of stepping further into his world.
“Ready?” Lex asks, glancing over at me with a grin.
I nod, taking a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
When I agreed to go to his parents’ this weekend, I really wasn’t thinking straight. I mean, he’d just destroyed me with orgasms, but in the bright light of day and far removed from the intimacy of the bedroom, I find myself wracked with nerves. Somehow, meeting a guy’s parents feels… loaded. Even though we agreed it’s just a fling.
“You’re quiet,” Lex says, clearly sensing my unease. “Everything all right?”
I force a smile. “Yeah, just… I don’t know. Meeting your parents feels like a big deal. I mean, it’s not, because we’re just friends, but—”
“Yes, we’re just friends,” Lex interrupts, chuckling. “That’s what I’ve told my parents. They know you’re a reporter shadowing me.”
“Do they know what I really am?” I ask, a touch of panic rising within.
“Of course not,” he replies easily. “So you don’t have to be worried that I’m going to introduce you as my girlfriend because—”
“This is just a fling,” I insert.
“A fling,” he agrees as he opens his door to step out. “And I don’t bring flings home to the parents.”
“Do you bring any girls here?” I ask.
Lex pauses, looks back at me with a wink. “Does sneaking one of the village girls into my bedroom window when I was fifteen count?”
My mouth drops open and I can’t tell if he’s serious or not. But then he’s gone from the car and I’m left with a jumble of emotions. I’m relieved he’s presenting me as a friend, and yet there’s a very tiny part of me that wishes it weren’t that way.
As soon as I step out of the car, the front door swings open. A petite woman I assume to be Lex’s mom walks out. She has crystal blue eyes and graying blond hair worn in a sleek bob, her cream-colored, wide-leg pants, heels and baby blue sweater are quite elegant. I feel completely underdressed in my jeans.
She hurries down the steps with a smile that lights up her entire face. “Lex!” she exclaims, pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
He hugs her back tightly, and my heart trips to see his eyes close as if to savor the embrace. “Good to see you, Mum.”
Then she looks at me, and the warmth in her eyes settles my nerves a bit. “And you must be Posey,” she says, stepping forward to embrace me like we’ve known each other forever. “I’m Victoria but you should call me Tori. It is lovely to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine,” I say, smiling as she pulls back.
“My Lex has been quite complimentary about you,” she says, giving me a knowing look that makes my heart flutter. “Including the fact that you seem to be keeping him out of trouble.”
She shoots him a “mom look” and then turns back to me, linking her arm with mine. “Come inside. I’ve got a tea service set up.”