Cinderella Busted (The Cinderella Romances #1) by Petie McCarty Read Free Book Online Page A

of air. It was that or pass out from lack of oxygen. “—g-going for a walk.”
    Her cheeks flamed with heat, and she hoped he couldn’t see.
    “A walk to your car?” he said flatly.
    Hank always said, “If you don’t like your answer, ask a question.”
    “How did you find me?”
    He still had one hand cupped on her elbow as though to ensure she didn’t bolt. If she did, she’d surely lose her slipper, and then where would Prince Charming be? She choked back a half-sob half-laugh.
    “Am I missing some humor here?” he asked gruffly.
    “No.” The meager light around them dissipated when more clouds drifted in to cloak the moon. She could no longer see the expression in his eyes, but oddly enough she could feel his expression—the anger and the hurt. “I just thought it odd where you found me and wondered—”
    “How I found you? I saw you slip out to the patio, and after you met Delia, I figured you intended to run, so I went out the front. If I figured wrong, I could always find you in the garden later. Evidently, I guessed right.”
    The moon broke free, and Lily could suddenly see the anger and hurt in his eyes. But he had hurt her, too.
    “Why did you bring me to your girlfriend’s house, to her party?”
    “Garrett asked me that same question this afternoon,” he said reluctantly.
    She raised her brows.
    “Like I told him, I couldn’t get out of going to this party. Delia set this up as a favor to Garrett. There’s clients here Garrett needs to see—we need to see—and I wanted to be with you tonight. I couldn’t wait.” He sighed resignedly. “Not one of the smarter things I’ve ever done, but I’m here, and with you. So, I’m not completely sorry.”
    “A favor to Garrett?” she asked, disbelieving.
    “ Yes to Garrett, and Delia is not my girlfriend.”
    She narrowed her eyes.
    “All right, she used to be my girlfriend, sort of.”
    “Sort of?” Lily wanted to believe him, but he was swiftly digging a hole for himself.
    “I do a lot of social events, comes with my job. When I needed a date on short notice, I usually called Delia. She was always willing to go.”
    “I’ll bet.”
    “The Palm Beach Post reports me in a serious relationship with every model or socialite I’m seen with. That too comes with the job.”
    “Are there a lot of models?”
    He grinned. “Well, I don’t like going out with ugly women.”
    She frowned.
    “That was a joke, Lily.”
    “And Delia? What does the social page say about her?”
    He sighed. “Some idiot wrote there were wedding bells in the picture, and she believed her own press.”
    “Somehow I think she’s too intelligent to get that idea strictly from the newspaper.”
    “However she got that idea, I didn’t give it to her. In fact, that’s why we don’t go out anymore. Delia just hasn’t given up.”
    Lily raised her brows at that.
    “It’s over,” he reiterated in a tone that brooked no disagreement.
    She sighed. “All right, now what?”
    “Let’s take a walk.” He took her hand and started for the garden.
    She balked, and he tugged on her hand. “I’m not letting you go, Lily,” he said softly.
    The carefully constructed wall around her heart shifted, and a flood of warmth escaped to seep down to her fingers and toes. She nodded and gripped his hand and could have sworn she heard an exhale of relief.
    Rhett’s grip held firm as he guided her through the still-empty garden and down a path ending at a dock that stretched out over the Intracoastal canal. The dock widened to a landing at the end with a bench on each side. He guided her to a bench, and they sat down. Never once did he relinquish her hand, which perpetuated the comfortable warmth enveloping her. He said nothing and seemed content with her presence and the silence. The groupings of clouds had all blown past, and glittering stars peppered the darkened sky like tiny accent diamonds around the solitaire moon.
    Lily almost said, “It’s beautiful here,”