From beneath the cloth over my eyes, everything was dark, and I was terrified someone was going to see us together, even though he promised he wouldn’t let that happen. He didn’t seem to understand how big of a disaster it would be if we got caught. I couldn’t imagine dealing with the fallout. Maybe his attitude was different because he was used to having power, and I was used to having none. Either way, I couldn’t risk it.

“Okay. You can look now.”

I pulled the blindfold off and found we were surrounded by walls of green. “Where are we?”

“The maze.”

I looked at him like he was crazy. “What maze? Where?”

“The Gables. I used to play here as a kid. It was—”

“You brought me to The Gables?” I covered my mouth to cut off my screech. In a much quieter tone, I asked, “Why would you do that?”

The excitement faded from his features. “Because you won’t let me take you on a damned date, and as much as I would love to stay in bed and do nothing but fuck you, you deserve better.”

The simple words of his statement hit me hard in a place I’d been keeping armored against him.

“You can’t say things like that to me,” I whispered, looking away.

Lincoln’s fingers lifted my chin. “I can and I will. We’re both better than that.”

“I can’t—”

“I know. And that’s why we’re here. Unless it’s a garden party night, the maze is usually empty. It’s fine. We’re safe.”

I wanted to believe him, but my apprehension wouldn’t completely fade. Still, when he looked at me like that, like he thought I was worth so much more than I could ever conceive, it made me feel things I shouldn’t. It also made me let him have his way.

“Fine.” I conceded and leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips. “You win.”

Lincoln’s smile seemed to brighten the entire world. “If all it takes is a million-dollar garden to make you kiss me outside the walls of the cabin, then I’ll bring you here every day.”

Instead of focusing on the sweetness he kept dishing out, I latched onto the other part of the statement. “A million dollars? Are you serious?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. My great-grandmother went over the top when she expanded it.”

I couldn’t even comprehend that much money. Or how easily Lincoln talked about it. That was one thing that would always separate us like an impenetrable wall.

I was broke. He was richer than sin.

“Come on. I didn’t just bring you here to stand around. We’re going to play a game.” His smile morphed into a mischievous grin I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist.

Why am I so weak when it comes to him? I decided I didn’t care right now. I just wanted to keep that look on his face.

“What kind of game?”

“I’m going to give you a head start to find the center, and you’re going to leave me clues about which direction you take.”