He disappeared inside, and I sank into a chair, finally able to breathe since he had entered the trailer. Oh. My. God. What had I done to deserve such punishment? I was able to avoid my cousin and my brother, but not him? My life was one big circus, and I was a clown in the middle of the ring, with no idea how to entertain the public.

No, not in the middle of the ring. In the middle of Main Square with everyone staring at me, at us, just like the day I left town and never looked back.

“Jess, wait,” Ryan yelled as I darted away. “Please, Jess, wait. Let me explain.”

I had never run so fast in my life.

A door opened and I jumped up, a little confused for a second, but then I remembered where I was and why.

“You’re Jessica?” a man asked, stepping in. He looked around thirty, with his skin dark from the sun, his blond hair cut short, and his dark eyes tired.

“Yes. How do you know my name?”

“Ryan told me. I’m Noah, the supervisor.” He extended his hand, but looked down at it, covered with dust and concrete, and pulled it back. His eyes, though, remained on me, examining me. If I had a jacket, now would be the time to pull it over me. “What can I do for you?”

“Alan sent me. I’m here to drop this off—” I pointed to the binder on the desk. “—and to pick up the report from last week.”

“Oh yeah, right. He called a few minutes ago.” He walked to the file cabinet behind the desk, glancing at me every two seconds. “With so much going on, I had already forgotten.” He scratched his chin, smiled at me, and then rummaged through a drawer. “Here.”

He pulled out a thick file and handed it to me.

I took it from him. “Thanks.”

Noah sat on the desk, crossing his arms. “So, you’re new in town.”

I frowned. “You could say that.”

“I’ve been here for a year now. Good, calm town. I think you’ll like it.”

I almost laughed. Jesus, he had no idea. This town was anything but calm. “Yeah, I think I will.” I retreated to the door. “Thanks.”

“I hope to see you soon,” he said, a huge smile across his face.

I nodded and left as if the trailer were on fire.

I had almost forgotten about Ryan when I reached the car. Before I could stop myself, I looked back at the houses, but he was nowhere I could see.

Since leaving town, all I wanted was to forget him, and now here I was, looking for him. Ridiculous.

With a heavy sigh, I climbed into the car and left the site, hoping my temporary insanity stayed behind with it.

***

Ryan

Hidden behind the frame of the second-floor window, I watched as Jessica drove out of the lot.

The band around my chest tightened.

She looked so beautiful and incredibly hot. Her brilliant hair fell over her shoulders and cascaded down to her waist, framing her perfect face. Those red lips, those dark blue eyes, those long lashes. That white shirt and those black pants molded to her curves. And shit, had she become a hot woman, or what?

Shit. I thought I was over her. Oh, how mistaken I was.

“Man, that girl is one hot babe,” Noah said from behind me. I turned to face him, my fists clenched. “Where do you know her from? Do you have her number?”

I took a deep breath and willed myself to ignore it. It wouldn’t do any good to become angry and violent because someone was drooling over Jessica. After all, she was hot, and if I became violent over every man who drooled over her, I would need heavy sedation.

I gritted my teeth, struggling with my control. “No, I don’t.”

“Bah. Well, no problem. If she’s working for Alan, I’m sure I’ll see more of her, and—” He winked. “—maybe I’ll score, huh?”

With a herculean effort not to punch Noah, I tried to make sense of the first part of his sentence. “She’s working for Alan?”

“Yeah.” Noah lost the smile. “Why?”

“Nothing,” I answered quickly, turning back to the window.

“Hey, isn’t your time up?”

I grabbed my cell phone from my back pocket and glanced at the screen. Four in the afternoon. “Yeah.” I walked past Noah. “I’m outta here.”

I ran out of the house, off the lot, and across the back street, where my car was parked. I slid inside, opened the windows, blasted light rock through the speakers, and rested my forehead on the steering wheel.

I closed my eyes and my thoughts betrayed me. For once, I didn’t fight it.

Her parents had been out all Saturday afternoon, at some work event, and Jason was helping Ethan at the racetrack. The house was ours, and Jessica was mine. I still couldn’t believe this beautiful creature, this angel, let me kiss her, touch her. I wanted more than just kisses and her touch, but for once, I wasn’t in a hurry, because every minute with her was perfect.

She looked out the window at the rain and then smiled at me, a wicked grin that did unspeakable things to me.

I smiled back. “What are you up to?” Without another word, she ran out the kitchen door and down the porch steps. I went after her, but stopped at the top of the steps. “What are you doing?”

Standing in the heavy rain, she just smiled.

Slowly, Jessica ran her hands along her hips, over her flat belly, and around her breast. I swallowed as the space in my jeans grew tight. She popped open one button of her shirt, then the other, then the next one, her eyes always on mine, her smile mischievous.

She slid off her shirt, revealing a tiny pink bikini. I groaned. Fuck, she was perfect. Just too perfect.

I took off my leather jacket and my shoes, and then raced to her. She giggled and sprinted away from me.

“Oh, hell no,” I said through gritted teeth. “Come here.”

Another giggle and she sped across the backyard. She had to know that the backyard wasn’t that big, and I was much faster than she was. I was going to catch her. I couldn’t wait until I caught her.

She stopped by the fence, knowing her demise was coming, but just as I was about to close my arms around her, she used the wet grass to skid away, ducking under my arms.

She yelped and giggled again. “I didn’t think that would work.”

I laughed. Her happiness was contagious. She was contagious. All of her.

My laughter faded and my smile was gone. I marched to her, determined not to let her escape this time. I backed her against the fence again, and this time, when she tried to duck past me, I was prepared. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me. I trapped her wet, glorious body between the fence and me.

Her laughter died as her eyes met mine. I saw as her pupils dilated, as desire shone in her blue eyes. I crushed her mouth with mine and she moaned, making it hard not to push her about sex.

Shit. I bumped my forehead against the wheel, hoping the pain would help me stay in the present. I was holding it together by a breath, and it was too hard for me. I wouldn’t be able to take much more of it.

She had been the best part of my life, and I had blown it. I lost her, I drove her away from me, and I had suffered for it. Suffered too much.

My fingertips found the scars on my neck and on my chest. I had had so many cuts, but thankfully not all of them left marks. These scars were the reminders of my mistakes, of what I had done and couldn’t fix.

My cell phone rang, and I turned the volume down before answering it.

“Hey, man.” Jason’s voice came through the line. “Luke, Ethan, and I are going to ride a bit. We’re thinking of going to Charlotte, and making a lap around there. Are you up?”

Soon, it would be the fourth anniversary of the abandonment of my bikes. I still had both of them. I still cared for them, cleaned them, fixed them, but I hadn’t rode them, or any other bike. Jason knew my answer, but I was glad I still had a friend who tried to pull me up from my own shit every now and then.