Steam could easily pour out her ears after that last little salvo. But lady to the core, Lacey only shook her head. “I’m not your concern anymore, Philip. I’ll be inside after a moment.”
He shrugged and left.
Lacey looked out onto the estate where she’d spent her life trying to become what people wanted. Her head felt light from a mixture of grief that she still couldn’t quite hit the mark…and relief. Elation. For one second, Lacey imagined what Dev would say if he were here.
She could still remember swallowing almost-hysterical giggles the night he’d helped her climb out of her second-floor window and down the trellis. The incredible euphoria of forbidden thrills as they raced across the lawn, darting from tree to tree to avoid detection. Dev had had to muffle her giggles with his hand because she couldn’t hold them back.
Finally, he’d resorted to kisses. Hot, wet, deep, day-long kisses that had turned the champagne-bubbly giggles into moans and sighs.
Suddenly, Lacey knew what she wanted to do. She didn’t want to go back inside. She wanted to escape, to run away. To be free for just a little while.
One of the valets would take her home. She stepped off the porch and walked toward the parking area her father had built near the street. With every step, she felt giddy. Younger. Breathless in a scary, lighter-than-air way.
Devlin Marlowe was a born troublemaker and hardly a good example to follow, but she thought he’d be proud of what she’d done. Too bad he’d never know. If he did call as he’d promised, she wouldn’t see him. She had too much thinking to do, and in his own way, Dev was as overbearing as Philip.
But she was a free woman, at least for tonight. She would have to tell her parents soon, but for now, she felt like running.
And so she did, heels and all.
Circling through the neighborhood one last time, Dev was still kicking himself for not leaving her alone. She was a big girl. He shouldn’t interfere.
But he just wanted to know that she was all right.
Suddenly, he saw a form hurtle through the darkness, stopping to engage in intent conversation with the valet.
It couldn’t be. But it was. Lacey was gesturing, and the valet was lifting his shoulders. Her own frame sank in disappointment.
Dev started his car and rolled slowly toward her, letting down the passenger window.
“Hey, lady, need a ride?”
The valet started to protest, but Lacey turned and spotted him.
Her smile blossomed. “He’s a friend,” she explained to the valet who was still busy urging her to return to the house. “Thank you so much for your help.” She turned to Dev. “Do you have any money?”
Dev retrieved a twenty and handed it to her.
Lacey gave it to the flustered valet. “Please simply tell Dr. Forrester that I’ve gone home with a headache. And tell my parents I’ll talk to them later. Tell them I took a cab, all right?”
The man shrugged, then walked away, muttering.
Lacey opened Dev’s door. “I’m not going to ask what you’re doing here. Just drive, okay?”
Dev studied the odd, febrile excitement on her face. “Well, I am going to ask. What are you doing, Lacey?”
She placed a hand on her stomach, then drew a deep, ragged breath. She turned to him, her voice a little shaky but her smile growing wider by the moment. “I think I’m making a jailbreak.”
Dev was so surprised, he laughed out loud. “You sure you want to do this?”
She breathed deeply again, shaking her head. “I don’t want to think.” But then she grinned, and it was like a full moon breaking through the clouds. “But I didn’t have to climb down a trellis this time. Now will you please get me out of here—fast?”
“You got it, lady.” Dev hit the pedal hard, and his tires screeched.
Lacey clapped her hands together, three quick claps in succession. He heard a small squeal erupt from her throat, then dissolve into nervous laughter. “I just got formally un-engaged—not that I ever agreed in the first place. My mother will be furious.”
But she looked delighted.
“Where to?” he asked.
“I should go home…” A faint frown appeared.
He waited for her upbringing to assert control.
“Is that what you want?” It would be the smart thing—but not, he realized, what he wanted. “Or is it what you think you should do?”
Lacey glanced at him. Across her features, indecision chased worry…hard on the heels of temptation.
“I probably should…” Then she smiled. “But I don’t want to.”
He shouldn’t feel this kick in his pulse. He’d left the rebel behind years ago, he’d thought.