Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Posey

I sit at the small kitchen table hunched over my laptop. I’ve commandeered this place to do most of my work as Lex and I eat our meals at the island counter. My fingers fly across the keys as I schedule the next week’s worth of social media posts. It’s part of my daily grind as a romance author—planning out graphics, captions, and hook copy for Instagram and Facebook. This time, I’m using some particularly sexy graphics to tease my latest book release coming out next month. It’s a historical romance set in the Scottish Highlands so of course I have a gorgeous, muscled man in a kilt with the wind blowing his long hair. The image pops off the screen, and I carefully insert the purchase links, making sure everything looks seamless.

Lex, fully dressed and ready to go, stands just behind my chair, peering over my shoulder. His interest is casual but soon he leans in a little closer, brows furrowing as he reads the caption for one of the posts.

“‘He’s dangerous, reckless… but oh so irresistible,’” he reads aloud, his voice low with amusement. “Is this about me?”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “Hardly. This guy’s the brooding, silent type. I’m still working out how to write someone as obnoxious as you.”

Lex laughs, nudging my shoulder with his. “Brooding, silent, dangerous… I could pull that off.”

I glance up at him and raise an eyebrow. “You? Brooding?”

Chills run up my spine as he puts his nose into my neck and nuzzles me. “You never know, Posey. I’ve got layers.”

It feels too good. Too intimate and tender and loving, and my heart can’t develop a liking for it.

So I push him away. “Layers like a stinky onion?” I tease, finalizing the last post and closing the laptop with a satisfied sigh.

“A sexy onion,” he corrects, voice rich with mock seriousness. “Now, come on. I want to get on the road before midday traffic picks up. My parents will be expecting us.”

I take a deep breath, my nerves firing at the reminder I agreed to go to Lex’s parents’ house for the weekend. I remind myself that today is only another casual day—just friends with benefits, despite how my heart sometimes somersaults in my chest when I look at him.

“Give me five minutes,” I say, standing up and stretching, feeling the tightness in my back from sitting too long.

Lex taps his designer watch and stares at me pointedly. “You’ve got two.”

I stick out my tongue at him but hurry to finish packing. He’d told me to pack light since we’re only staying the night. When I step from the bedroom with my overnight bag slung over my shoulder, Lex is already waiting by the door, his own bag in hand, looking at me expectantly.

“You weren’t kidding about the two minutes,” I mutter, shaking my head as I follow him out of the door.

I freeze on the top step outside, my jaw dropping at the sight parked in the driveway. A sleek, low sports car glimmers in the morning sun, all aggressive curves and impossibly smooth lines. Its orange paint looks almost liquid, and my insides flips at the idea of riding in that thing.

“What is that?” I ask in awe.

“A McLaren 720S Spider.”

“And it’s yours?”

Lex flashes me a playful grin as he swings open the door. “Yeah. Thought we’d take something a bit more… fun.”

I glance around, see the Urus parked in its regular spot. “Where did it come from?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper, as if the magical sports car fairies made a special delivery overnight.

Lex takes my overnight bag and moves to the back of the Spider. “One of the Crown Velocity guys brought it over this morning. Thought you might want to take it for a spin.”

As he opens the tiny trunk that has no room for anything more than our two small bags—I understand why he told me to pack light—I ask, “You’re going to let me drive that?”

He shrugs, like it’s no big deal. “Why not? She’s a beauty, isn’t she? Seven hundred and twenty horsepower, zero to sixty in two point seven seconds. You’ll have fun.”

“I can’t drive something that powerful. I might wreck it and I can’t afford… well, whatever the hell this thing cost.”

“Around two hundred and fifty thousand pounds,” he says, as if commenting on nothing more than the price of an apple in the grocery store.

I nearly choke, my palms growing clammy at the mere thought of driving something so expensive and powerful. “Lex… I don’t know if I can.”

His smile softens but his tone is determined. “Of course you can. Come on, Posey. It’s a car, not a bomb. I’ll talk you through it.”

I hesitate, glancing at the McLaren and then back at him. “What if I crash it?”

“You won’t,” he says confidently. “And if you do, well… I’ll get another one.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m serious.”

“So am I. You’ll be fine. Come on, it’ll be fun.” He tosses me the keys, and instinctively I catch them, the weight of the moment sinking in.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. “Fine. But if we die, it’s on you.”

“Deal,” he says, clearly enjoying himself. He takes my elbow and marches me to the driver’s side.

“You’re insane,” I mutter, eyeing the car nervously as he opens the driver’s door.

I expect a confidence-boosting speech but instead, his hand goes to the back of my head and he kisses me deeply. I immediately sink into it, unable to even think about pushing him away. Flashes from last night assault me, the three times we had sex, as if we couldn’t get enough of each other. The last one… Lex pulling me into his arms, spooning me until we fell asleep, holding me all night. Another assault to my heart because these are not the actions of two people having a fling. Truthfully, he should have returned to his room. I should have made him.

Lex pulls back and I blink away the hazy fog he created with that blistering kiss. “It’s automatic.” He sweeps his hand toward the open door. “Well, sort of. You can switch to manual mode with the paddle shifters. You’ll love it.”

His hand on my shoulder, I let him push me down into the driver’s seat. The interior feels like stepping into a spaceship—everything sleek and futuristic, leather and carbon fiber everywhere.

“Okay, first thing’s first,” Lex says as he climbs into the passenger seat. “Push the brake, then hit that start button.”

It takes me a moment to adjust the seat after I place the keys in the center console box and as instructed, push the button. I jump as the engine roars to life with a deep, guttural growl that sends a thrill up my spine. It’s like the car is alive beneath me, waiting to be unleashed.

Lex grins, clearly enjoying my reaction. “All right, just ease out of the driveway. It’s got a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, so you won’t control the shifts in automatic mode. But once we’re on the highway, I’ll show you how to use the paddles.”

I grip the steering wheel, my insides a mix of excitement and nerves, and carefully back out. The McLaren is surprisingly easy to handle at low speed, but there’s a coiled energy beneath the surface, like it’s itching to go faster.

When we hit the highway, Lex reaches over and flips a switch on the center console. “All right, now you’re in manual mode. Those paddles behind the wheel? They’re your gears. Left side downshifts, right side upshifts. Give it a try.”

I glance at him, hesitating for a second before pulling the right paddle. The car surges forward with a burst of speed, and I can’t help but laugh. “Oh my God!”

Lex grins. “Told you. Next thing, you’ll be begging me to get into the simulator to experience those g-forces.”

I hit the paddle again, and the car responds instantly, like I just gave it a shot of adrenaline. “This is insane!”

“Open it up a little more,” he urges. “Don’t be shy.”

“What’s the speed limit?” I ask, looking down at the speedometer.

“Seventy miles per hour.”

“I’m at seventy-five,” I say, easing my foot off the gas.

“Don’t be a baby. Punch it,” he dares.

Fuck it. I press down on the accelerator, and the McLaren rockets forward, the engine howling as the speedometer climbs. I grip the steering wheel tight, but it’s exhilarating. The car hugs the road like it’s glued to the asphalt, and with each shift of the paddles, I feel more in control, more confident.

“How fast are we going?” I ask, now afraid to take my eyes off the road.

“Fast enough to make me proud,” Lex says, laughing. “Just keep it smooth. The car will do the rest.”

I run it fast for a few more miles but then back it down to the posted speed limit. Lex gives me a side grin, a knowing look on his face. “I knew you had a secret penchant for speed.”

“Oh yeah… how’s that?”

“Because you are no-holds-barred in bed,” he says smugly.

My head jerks his way and I stare at him, astounded. “Why would you say that?”

“Oh, come off it, Posey. You’re a tiger and you give me a run for my money.”

I want to argue with him because from past experience, I would consider myself a more timid lover, but he’s not wrong. Lex has brought out my wild side that I can’t seem to control when we’re tumbling around in the sheets.

“Tell me more about Broadway,” I say to change the subject. It’s the town in the Cotswolds where his parents have their vacation home away from London.

We chat amiably, but I get distracted as soon as we near his hometown. The landscape changes from open fields to picturesque villages with honey-colored stone cottages and charming thatched roofs. The narrow streets wind through the town, and it feels like we’ve stepped into a different world—one where time moves a little slower.

“This is stunning,” I murmur, glancing around at the quaint buildings and cobblestone streets. “It’s like something out of a movie.”

“Welcome to Broadway,” Lex says, gesturing toward the town ahead. “Quaint little village, isn’t it? A far cry from London.”

“It’s definitely not like Broadway in New York,” I say with a grin as we traverse the charming streets.

We drive through the town center, passing stone cottages, old-fashioned shops, cozy-looking tearooms, and an ancient church with a towering spire. The town is quiet and peaceful, with just a few people walking along the streets or sitting outside at cafés.

On the other side of town, we enter back into the country and only a few minutes down the road, Lex has me pulling up to his family’s estate. He gives me the code to enter in a metal box and the iron gates smoothly swing open. I’m still buzzing from the drive and the beauty of the Cotswolds. The house is just ahead, nestled among sprawling gardens and surrounded by fields.

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.”

Lex grabs our bags while I have no choice but to accompany his mother, listening to her gush about how good it is to have Lex visit.

Standing in the great foyer is a tall man with the same dark hair as Lex but shot through with gray. “Charles Hamilton,” he greets, his handshake firm, his smile kind. “We’ve heard a lot about you, Posey.”

My head swivels to Lex, an eyebrow raised. “What exactly have you been saying?”

Lex gives me that patented smirk that makes me want to knock it off his face with a kiss. “Just that you’re totally hampering my lifestyle.”

Lex’s mom waves him off. “Oh, stop it, Lex.”

The twinkle in his eye gives me butterflies. His gaze slides from me to his mother. “Actually… we’re having a fling.”

“Lex,” I exclaim, my face heating from the blatant admission.

He laughs, puts his arm around my shoulders and draws me in. “Don’t get all shy, Posey. A fling is a perfectly acceptable relationship for a hot shot race car driver like me.”

I know my face is now scarlet, and I can barely breathe. “Lex—” I stammer, but before I can finish, his mother laughs.

“A fling, huh?” she teases, raising an eyebrow, and I can tell by the tone of her voice she doesn’t believe a word of it. “Well, dear boy, I don’t recall you bringing any flings home before.”

Lex winks at me. “Exactly, Mum. I don’t.”

What does that even mean? On its face, he’s confirming his mom’s assumption that he’s just teasing about us having a temporary, sexual relationship but on the other, one could argue he means that this is more than a fling.

Ridiculous. While I’m the one who suggested our boundaries, I did it knowing that’s what Lex would respond best to. He’s in no way, shape or form ever going to get tied down in a committed relationship and by my setting the tone to give him what he wants, it’s the best way to protect my heart.

“Lex is a scamp,” Tori says as she leads us into a formal living room. “You can never trust a thing he says.”

I’m floored when I take in the grandeur as Tori moves to a tea service laid out on a sideboard.

The room is bathed in natural light that filters through tall windows framed with heavy, floor-length drapes in a pale sage green and gold brocade. The high ceilings have ornate crown molding while the walls are painted in soft ivory, except for one wall that’s adorned with what looks to be silk floral wallpaper in complementary tones. Oil paintings of beautiful landscapes hang in ornate gilded frames. The furniture looks delicate and expensive with carved wooden legs and luxurious upholstery. A grand fireplace dominates one side of the room, its mantelpiece made of carved stone, displaying silver candlesticks, framed photographs in gold and a large antique clock. Above the fireplace is an oil portrait of the Hamiltons—Tori, Charles, Lex’s sister Claire and of course, Lex, who looks to be about ten. He had the same messy dark hair and piercing blue eyes, dimples threatening, and you can see back then he was going to grow up to be stunningly handsome.

Tori offers us steaming cups and while we chat, I notice her glancing at me every so often, almost as if she’s studying me. But it’s not uncomfortable—it’s more like she’s curious.

While we sip at tea, Lex’s parents grill him about the Bahrain Global Prix coming up, focusing on his preparations. I hear the worry in their tone, but it does not overshadow their extreme pride in his career.

Eventually, attention comes back to me and Lex’s father says, “Tell us about your work as a sports journalist, Posey.”

I freeze, teacup poised halfway to my mouth—how could I have been so stupid as to not think they wouldn’t want to know about me personally? And while I’d love to tell them all about the real me, I can’t do that. I can’t admit the ruse.

I shoot Lex a panicked look and he conveys with the hike of one eyebrow that he had not thought about it either. Before I can even stammer out something that wouldn’t be a full-out lie to these lovely people, Lex says, “You know what… it’s getting late and I figured Posey might want to go for a ride before dinner.”

“A ride?” I ask.

“On one of our horses.”

I gape at Lex. “You didn’t tell me you have horses.”

He smiles innocently. “Thought I’d leave that as a surprise.” He shrugs. “Surprise.”

“Wow,” I murmur in amazement. “I can’t envision you riding horses. Not fast enough for you.”

Lex’s parents laugh as does Lex. He shakes his head. “I don’t ride. Never took to it, but Mum does. She wanted to take you, which was why I was trying to hurry you out the door this morning.”

“Oh,” I murmur, but there’s no controlling my wide smile. “I didn’t bring any riding clothes.”

Lex’s mom beams. “You’re dressed perfectly fine. Now, I’m going to get changed and I’ll take you out to the stables.”

?

Lex and his dad stay back at the house, weirdly in charge of dinner. I say weirdly because with a house this big and their money, I assumed they would have a chef. Tori assured me as we walked out to the stables that Charles was an amateur chef and dreamed of quitting his law practice to open a restaurant.

The stables are beautiful, the horses magnificent. The groom has two rides already tacked and I’m helped up onto a beautiful bay gelding named Dash. Tori is on a red mare named Spree and she leads me across a pasture and to a trail that meanders through some woods.

As we ride, I try to steer the conversation, asking questions about Lex’s childhood, funny family stories, and Tori’s passion for riding. I’m enchanted by everything she tells me because it paints such a beautiful family life and humanizes Lex even more than before.

We plod along, the air crisp and fresh. There’s something about the peacefulness of the countryside, the gentle rhythm of the horses’ hooves on the trail that puts me more at ease than I’ve been since arriving in England. Tori’s warmth and outgoing personality make me trust her.

When we reach a quiet clearing, I feel a sudden need to come clean. “I need to tell you something,” I say, my voice softer than I intended. “It’s about why I’m really here.”

She halts her horse, and I do the same. Her expression is unreadable. “Go on.”

“I’m not a journalist,” I confess, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “I mean, I am writing a piece, but… I’m really here to research a romance novel I’m working on. Lex is the only one who knows, and I feel awful for lying to everyone else, especially the people at Crown Velocity. But I didn’t think anyone would welcome me to this world if they knew the truth.”

I continue rambling for a good five minutes, telling her everything from the start of this harebrained idea to my panic in her sitting room when I was asked about what I did for a living.

When my words trail off, there’s silence, and I brace for disappointment, for judgment. But then she surprises me.

“Well,” she says slowly, her eyes softening, “that explains why Lex has been so smitten.”

I blink, taken aback. “Smitten?”

She laughs, nudging Spree forward a little. “He’s never asked to bring a woman here before and you may not know this, but he and I communicate frequently by phone and text. He mentions you a lot.”

“He does?” I ask.

She nods. “And as for your secret… well, I won’t lie, I’m surprised. But I understand why you did it. But if Lex is good with keeping your secret, then so am I.”

Relief floods through me, and I nod, grateful beyond words. “Thank you.”

She gives me a kind smile. “Just promise me one thing—don’t hurt my son.”

My head jerks back at the request and I pull on the reins a little too tight. My horse scoots sideways before stopping. “I would never. I mean… there’s no reason to. He’s just going to help me learn all the ins and outs of formula racing and then I’m headed back to the States as soon as the Bahrain race is over. We’re just friends.”

Tori stares at me, those same sparkling blue eyes that Lex has. “You’re more than just friends. I don’t know what you are, but given the way my son talks about you, given the fact he is keeping your secret and given the fact he brought you to our home when he’s never done that before, I know there’s more. So please, don’t hurt my son.”

I want to assure Tori that our relationship is casual and can’t even cross into a territory where feelings could be hurt, but that would be a lie. I know I’m already at a point that it’s going to sting when I leave.

So I give her the promise. “I’d never intentionally hurt him. But I am leaving, so I don’t want you to think this is any kind of serious relationship.”

“Mmm,” she says, her disbelief evident and highlighted by the knowing smile on her lips.