I clear my throat and shove myself away from him, needing to get away from him. “If you need anything other than sexual favors you just let me know.”

Before he can say anything else, I slip into my room and close the door behind me. I press my back into the door and sigh. Damn, I wish he wasn’t right. I do feel some strange pull toward him, but I’ll be damned if I give in to it and get my heart broken again.

I stay still until I hear his footsteps go back downstairs and then the front door shut. I slide down the door and take a deep breath. Trip is more intense than I’m used to. Sure, in a place overrun with men, guys come onto me all the time, but this one? He’s different. I’ve never had a man so sure of himself approach me like that. Most guys in come into the shop and tell me I’m hot or have a great ass and then get pissed when I don’t drop my panties fast enough for them.

I’m done dating jerks.

I have to put a tougher bubble in place around me. This guy isn’t going to take no for an answer, which may be a problem seeing as how I have to be in close proximity to him for a month. That, and the fact that he’s quite possibly the most attractive man I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Before I have time to think on it any further, my cell phone whistles with a text message.

Kara: Missed you at the Alpha Gamma Sigma party. These things aren’t the same without you. 

I smile as I read her message. Kara is a girl I met back at Ohio State. We were a package deal last year when it came to parties. I hate the fact that I dropped out of college after my spring semester was over this year. I hoped Kara and I would be together my entire time there seeing as how we were both studying to be psychologist.

Holly: Miss you too. How is everyone?

Kara: Everyone is exactly the same. Summer break didn’t change things much. 

Holly: Tell them I said hello.

Kara: Will do. Has Jackson begged for your forgiveness yet?

Holly: No, he’s been keeping his distance and only talking to me when he has business at the track.

Kara: He deserves a swift kick in the balls for what he did to you. 

The thought of Jackson and what he did to me makes my blood boil. The last thing I want to do right now is think about him. For the last two weeks it’s been torture seeing him around the town knowing how he betrayed me. For once I wish there was another track in town he could train on. He hasn’t been to the track since that night in my room, but I know he can only stay away so long. He has to have a place to train seeing as he’s becoming a professional rider.

Holly: Agreed.

My answer is simple. I hope it’s enough to pacify her so she will drop the topic.

I sigh in relief as her next text comes through.

Kara: Gotta get to class. Miss you! XOXOX

I shove myself off the floor and stuff my phone back in my pocket. Kara’s text couldn’t have come at a better time. The mention of Jackson only solidifies the need for me to be done dating guys for a while. And by a while I mean probably forever. I just can’t trust them, and if I can’t trust them why would I hand over something as precious as my heart? They’ll just destroy it for the hell of it.

Especially someone like Trip Douglas. He has heartbreaker written all over him. I would like nothing more than to completely ignore him with the hope that he and his sexy body disappear. I’m going to have to fight hard to deny him considering I’ve already tasted his lips and my body already wants him—a woman can only be so good for so long.

After eating my lone peanut butter sandwich, I decide it’s time to go back to the main office. As much as I would like to, I can’t avoid Trip forever.

I lock the front door behind me and the gravel crunches under my feet as I trudge towards the office.

Like everything else around here, this building has seen better days. The posts on the front porch could use a fresh coat of paint and the building itself needs a few upgrades. The red brick is dull and dingy, with some of the mortar between them cracking and peeling away. The bushes are in great shape though thanks to a day’s worth of sweat from me out here trimming them up. I remember that day fondly. I saw Jackson at the local mall talking to Stella Charles, the girl I’d recently heard he’d been sleeping with all last year while I was away at college. I took all my aggression out on our poor shrubbery that day.

Max leans against the porch railing in his black and yellow riding gear as I approach. “A little late for work aren’t you? How many times did you barf?” Max asks as I close in on him.

I give him my best scowl. “A couple, thanks to you.”

He laughs and his brown, floppy hair bounces. I stick my tongue out at him and his brown eyes grow wide before he rushes over and grabs me up in a big bear hug. “Is that any way to treat your best friend who was trying to break you out of a funk on your birthday?”

I smack his chest as I try to wiggle out of his hold. “Who said you were my best friend? I should hate you for how much you let me drink last night.”

Max sets me down and dramatically throws his hands over his heart. “That wounds me deeply, Holly. It’s not like I didn’t warn you.”

I pull his hands down. “Stop it. You know I’m kidding. What girl wouldn’t want a best friend as handsome as you?”

He gives me a lopsided grin. “That’s more like it. Have you seen the new man-meat in the shop? He looks a lot like that guy from last night, only today he’s got a hat on.”

I shrug and toss my blond hair over my shoulder. “It is the same guy. Good thing I didn’t sleep with him, huh?”

His eyes widen. “Holy shit! What’s he here for? Did he track you down?”

I shake my head. “He’s here to inspect the track for that investor Mr. Johnson told Dad about.”

Max raises his eyebrows. “Really? He’s not exactly what I expected.”

“You’re preaching to the choir. He’s a real piece of work too—so full of himself. The Gods-gift type, you know. I owe you one for saving me from him last night.”

He folds his arms over his chest. “You telling me we have another Jackson on our hands?”

Jeesh, does everyone have to bring up Jackson today? “Ugh. I hope not. Trip claims to actually have a brain.”

Max grimaces. “Trip? What in the hell kind of name is that? Who would do that to a kid?” I stay quiet and he notices. “You don’t think it’s a weird name?”

“I don’t know. It’s not so bad.”

“What?” Max bends down to look me in the eye. “Wait a minute. You like him. I thought we talked about this last night?”

I open my mouth to protest but Max’s laugh cuts me off, and I grimace before arguing. “I do not.”

I start to turn away as the heat rises in my cheeks, but he grabs my arm. “Oh no you don’t. Don’t deny it—you’re into him. How quickly you forget that I’ve seen that look on your face before. Admit it. You got a thing for him. You still want to bang him, don’t you?”

I shake my head and shove his shoulder playfully. “Maybe it’s you that has a thing for him.”

His face gets pale. He hates it when I hint at his sexual preference within earshot of others. After he whips his head from side to side, making sure no one overheard, he sets his eyes on me. “Sometimes I wish that you didn’t know so much about me.”

I grin, knowing I’m the only one who knows his little secret. “You know that’s exactly why you love me.”

He wraps his arm around me and turns in plain view of the window looking into the shop where we can get a clear view of Trip. “That’s way too much man for you, Holly. A guy like that will chew you up and spit your little heart all over the sidewalk. You need to steer clear of that tasty piece of dangerous ass.”

I roll my eyes. “Seriously? When have I ever been interested in that type?”