In truth, Will had a dozen important things to take care of today, but Jeremy was like a bright, mystical sphere that beckoned him closer, a breath of something clean that made him feel young instead of jaded.

And then there was Harper.

Beautiful, unique Harper with all that tightly leashed passion inside of her just waiting to be set free...

“We really can’t,” she protested at the exact moment Jeremy said, “That would be way cool.”

The traces of the woman with her arms over her head in his car were disappearing fast. Much too fast, as she said, “We’ve imposed long enough. This was far more than we expected.”

“Spending time with both of you hasn’t been any imposition at all.” He grinned at Jeremy. “No one has ever enjoyed my cars as much as you have. And the truth is that I like showing them off.”

“Can we, Harper? Please.” Her brother rocked on his toes, hands behind his back, his notebook clutched tightly in his fingers.

“You can follow me over in your car and leave when you’re ready,” Will added.

“Where do you live?” Her tone was wary, but at least she wasn’t still completely shutting down his idea.

“Portola Valley.”

Jeremy’s notebook was now tucked under his arm, his palms pressed flat together. He stood right in front of Harper mouthing, Please, please, please.

Will knew it was dirty pool to let Jeremy do all the convincing, but the boy wanted it as much as Will did. He recognized the moment Harper relented. She shot out one sharp breath, and shook her head in a quick move as though she was telling herself she was an idiot—or a softie.

“All right. But we can’t stay long, Jeremy. Mr. Franconi is a busy man.”

“I thought you were going to call me Will.”

“Sorry, I forgot.”

But he knew she hadn’t. She didn’t forget a thing, he could easily see that. She was simply trying to put distance between herself and that fast ride in the car. And him, most of all.

“We’ll follow you,” she said, “but please don’t drive too fast or I might lose you.”

Oh, he wasn’t about to let her lose him. Just like he wasn’t planning on losing her. “No fast driving on the way over,” he promised.

One thing she’d learn about him was that he always kept his promises. Will had been anything but honest in his youth—far from it, as he’d done countless things that had given Susan and Bob gray hairs—but they’d also been the ones to teach him the power of his word. Will hadn’t broken a promise since he was eighteen. His tattoo burned on his arm as a perpetual reminder of the things he’d done and the people he’d hurt.

“Can I go with Will?” her brother asked.

“Jeremy,” she admonished softly. “You shouldn’t invite yourself along like that.”

“But I already invited myself to see Will’s cars,” Jeremy said logically, “and he said yes to that.”

Jeremy certainly had a way about him, Will thought with a smile. The kid’s great attitude was contagious. “No problem, buddy, you can drive with me.”

As for Harper, he’d make sure she drove with him again, too. Only next time, he’d take her so far and so fast, and make it so good, that she wouldn’t dream of asking him to slow down.

CHAPTER FOUR

It wasn’t just a house. It was a whole compound. The private road leading to Will’s home was a twisting half-mile up into the hills, past rolling fields of grass, scrub, trees, and other natural vegetation. Harper followed his car into the circular drive surrounding a rock fountain.

The house was like something out of a Frank Lloyd Wright photo book, with a wide, sweeping pathway of slowly rising brick steps surrounded by meticulously shaped flowering shrubs and artful rock formations. What she could see of the massive house was on two levels, one set farther back than the other, almost as if they were completely separate. A continuous line of windows flowed across the front, turning fluidly at the corners. Perched on a hill, there was an expansive valley view out the back. From the angle of the house to the drive, she could see an infinity pool, water pouring over its edge like a waterfall. Below that was a putting green.

Sticking behind Will, she steered her car into another drive, around a rock garden adorned with cacti and succulents, and headed up an incline. The garage he’d spoken of was actually two buildings, one opposite the other. She counted eight doors in each as she tailgated Will into the interior concrete pad between the two structures. One door slid up silently, and he pulled the Challenger inside.

She climbed out of the modest sedan she’d purchased several years ago based solely on its excellent safety record, and her heels clicked on the concrete as she headed to the open garage door. Lights came on inside, revealing several expensive cars whose value she could only guess. Probably a million dollars in gleaming metal, at the very least.

Will swept out a hand. “Welcome to my playground.”

Jeremy was already racing down the row of cars. “It’s down there.” Will pointed. Then her brother was gone, shooting toward the silver Aston Martin he’d been drooling over for ages.

“I see he likes speed,” Will mused, “in more ways than one.”

“After the accident,” she said softly, “he had to learn to talk and walk again. So now he feels he has to keep moving so his joints don’t rust up like the Tin Man.” Those were Jeremy’s words, ones that always made her smile.