Her long, slender legs move her voluptuous body right to me. There’s a confidence in her step that’s undeniable and makes her really fucking sexy. Sure, there are women who would turn any man’s head around me all the time, but this one has something special. Too special for someone like me, but it still sort-of hurts my ego that she turned me down. I’m not used to that.
Holly walks around the counter to face me and I smile. As much as I wouldn’t mind fucking this girl, I need to keep my dick in my pants. I need her on my side—sleeping with her would only complicate the hell out of this business deal.
No way do I want to deal with a woman I’ve one-nighted for years to come. That’s just bad for business.
She sighs and holds out her hand. “I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I’d like us to start over. I’m Holly.”
I take her dainty little hand into mine, and as much as my dick is urging me to use my typical game on her, I refrain. I squeeze her hand and give it a couple firm shakes. “Trip Douglas. I look forward to working with you, Holly.”
Her eyes narrow for a split-second, but as soon as I let go of her hand and shove both of mine deeply in my pockets to show her I’m done trying to be touchy-feely, her expression changes and a polite smile touches her lips.
She’s got a great fucking smile.
As my fingers itch to touch her soft skin again, I roll them into fists and fight the urge. As hot as I think she is, nothing can ever happen with her. I can’t give into the want I feel for her.
“Can we go over the books later? I was actually getting ready to grab lunch,” Holly says. “We can start afterwards.”
“Great,” Mr. Pearson says as he comes out of the office. “Holly can show you to your room when she gets her lunch.”
Her head whips in his direction. “What do you mean
his
room?”
Mr. Pearson frowns at Holly. “I forgot to mention that part, honey. Trip will be staying in the guest room while he’s here. We talked about it when I showed him around earlier. It’ll be good for him to be with us and see how we operate this family business.”
She opens her mouth to protest about me staying in her home, but quickly closes it when her dad tilts his head and slides his gaze toward her. Mr. Pearson was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I’m here checking out the track. He wanted me to feel welcome and expressed to me how much he hopes this deal works out.
Their family house is located on the same property as the track, literally a stone’s throw from the office. It’ll save me from having to drive back and fourth from that shitty hotel I stayed in last night. Besides, it’ll be nice not to live in a hotel for once while I’m on the road.
I watch Holly fidget. I can tell the idea of me staying with them makes her uncomfortable. That’s not a good sign if I want my plan of making her like me to work. “Mr. Pearson, it’s fine. I don’t mind staying at the hotel.”
He dismisses me with a wave of his hand. “Don’t be silly, son. Staying in a hotel is pricey. Do you know what a month’s stay would cost? We have a spare room and we’d be happy to have you. Besides, Mr. Johnson from the bank already has my contact information and knows that he can contact you here for updates. I want your boss to know we are a trustworthy family.”
Shit. I forgot about that. Does it make me a tool for lying to them about the fact that I’m really the investor? I hope not. I’m not doing it to be cruel. It’s just important to me to keep my identity concealed. I want to see how my money will be used on a daily basis. I don’t want any special treatment getting in the way of that.
When I sent my investment banker on the quest to find me a business opportunity involving motocross, I couldn’t have been more pleased when he found me this sinking diamond in the rough. Mr. Pearson has fallen behind on his payments and the bank is only a couple of months away from foreclosing. It was once a lucrative business, but for some reason, over the last couple of years, business has drastically declined. That’s why I’m here. I want to figure out what makes this place tick, discover if my money can help fix it up and put this place back on the map as a premier training facility for riders.
But, I don’t want the Pearson’s to know all that. For the time being I’m happy having them think that I’m just some biker sent here by their bank.
I nod, believing that, in order to play my role of a poor biker guy, staying with them is best. “Okay then. Sounds great. I already have my things in the car, anyhow. The place I stayed in last night had the most uncomfortable bed. I planned on finding a new one today.”
“Fantastic. Honey, would you mind showing Trip his room,” Mr. Pearson says with a sparkle of excitement in his eyes.
Holly sighs heavily before saying, “Come on. Follow me.”
Mr. Pearson smiles at Holly like a proud father. That must’ve been some talk in that office. Before I turn to leave, I extend a hand to him. “Thanks again for having me out, Mr. Pearson. I know the investor is really excited about the business.”
Our hands clap together on contact. “Call me Bill. Mr. Pearson was my father.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.”
Bill asks, “What’s your boss like? Mr. Johnson wouldn’t tell me much about him—only that he’s a man with a lot of money itching to get his hands into something dealing with motocross.”
Bill seems like a nice guy, and he would probably be okay with who I am. I seriously doubt he’s a fan and so he wouldn’t flip his shit if he found out, but I resist spilling my secret. I simply shrug. “He’s a good guy. I’ve known him all my life, but he prefers to keep a low profile. My friend recently came into a lot of money. He loves the outdoors and thought this business would be a great fit with his adventurous streak. He knows I like to ride bikes and that I’m good with business and large dollar amounts, so he asked me to come here and check out the place. I’ve got his information and, after the month is over, I’ll report back to him with my opinion.”
He nods. “It’s nice to know we’re dealing with a decent guy. For a minute there I was starting to worry he was some big name celebrity who really wouldn’t give a crap about wanting to turn this place around.”
That makes me laugh and I shake my head. Bill Pearson may be smarter than I initially thought. “You’re right. Celebrities are a pain in the ass. But trust me when I say my friend has the best of intentions when it comes to this place.”
I turn towards Holly, who is waiting for me patiently by the front door.
I pull my ball cap down further over my brow to cover more of my face and slip outside with a girl who I’m convinced hates me. That is, until she looks at me and smiles.
It’s then I notice that not only is she hot, but she’s beautiful. I mean, I knew she was pretty, but out here with the sunlight on her hair, wearing a smile that could light up the entire fucking world, my breath actually fucking catches. I shake my head to clear all those sappy thoughts away. What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t think like that. Ever. If I ever said something like that around the guys, I would never hear the fucking end of it.
The expression on her face fades just as quickly as it appeared as she catches me shaking my head because I’m disgusted with myself. “Dad likes you. I hope you’re a good guy and do right by him and this place.”
Great. She probably thinks I was being a jackass or something. If I told her the truth about why I was shaking my head, it would be ten times worse. I need to keep myself in check and remind myself to stay focused. Seeing Holly Pearson naked, moaning my name below me can never happen.
T
he metal keys feel like lead in my hand as I pull them from my pocket to let us into the house. The idea of sleeping under the same roof as this sexy man makes me feel a little uneasy. Even though I would never allow anything to happen between us, it doesn’t stop my eyes from lingering on him longer than they should—I’m only human and I’m not blind. I’m going to admire the view even though I know his breed of asshole is bad news. I’ve seen the way he is with women and I will not allow myself to be some conquest to him.
“This is a nice place,” Trip says from behind me as I twist the key and push the door open.
“Thanks. It’s not much, but it’s home,” I answer politely and glance over my shoulder at him, knowing he’s only saying that to be nice.
Trip stares up, studying the rafters in our unfinished porch. The idea that he’s judging us on the looks of the place makes me stiffen. Like most things around here, Dad never had the time or money to get around to actually completing it. Not that he doesn’t want to, but things cost money, and that’s one thing we haven’t had very much of in a while. At the rate we’ve been going, we’re lucky to keep the electricity on.
I open the door wide and step back. “Welcome.”
He smirks and shakes his head before sweeping his hand out in front of him. “Ladies first.”
I roll my eyes and shrug. I flip on the light in the small foyer as Trip closes the door. Even though it’s two in the afternoon, we still have to waste electricity running the lights all day because of how dark it stays in this old farmhouse. I was just a baby when Grace, and Dad bought this place. It had been a fixer-upper, but had all the potential for my dad to realize his dream of opening a dirt-bike track. Twenty years later it still needs a lot of fixing.
As a kid, the condition of this place used to embarrass me, but now that I’m older and understand the concept of money, I’m just glad we have a roof over our head. I don’t care what people think about me anymore.
“How long have you lived here?” Trip asks as he walks around, peeking his head in the living room and the kitchen to inspect the place.
“All my life.” My feet find the first step on the staircase. “Your room is up here.”
His eyes follow the staircase to the second level. “I was thinking, why not start with a tour of your room instead?”
I shake my head as he follows me up the stairs. “That’s never going to happen.”
He laughs behind me. “If denying how much you want me makes you sleep better at night, have at it.”
At the top of the landing I turn around and Trip stops one step below me, so our eyes are level. I’m about two seconds from ripping into him and telling him how disgusted I am that he doesn’t even remember me, but I decide if he’s going to play dumb, than so am I. “There are two bedrooms up here. The door to your right is mine, and the door on the left is yours. The door at the end is the bathroom. We’ll have to share it.”
His green eyes dart from one side of the hall to the other, checking out the tan walls and white doors with caution. “So it’s just the two of us up here alone?”
I tilt my head and narrow my eyes. “Is that going to be a problem for you?”
He sets his foot on the top step and leans into me a bit, closing the gap between us. “Not for me, but can’t say the same for you.”
I fold my arms under my boobs, drawing his attention to my chest again. I could kick myself right now for not putting my uniform top back on. “Why would that be a problem for me?”
Trip smirks. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you giving me the old fuck-eye. I’d say in a week or so I’ll have to keep my door bolted shut to keep you from sneaking in and having your way with me.”
I let out a bitter laugh. What a self-centered jerk. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not my type.”
He studies my face. After a few seconds he raises his eyebrows as it appears he’s had a flash of memory, because a gleam of recognition flashes in his eyes. “You sure about that? It didn’t seem that way last night.”
The blood drains from my face. Shit. He
does
remember. “That was a drunken mistake. I wasn’t myself last night. Trust me that won’t be happening again anytime soon.”
“I told you, sweetness, I can read people. It’s sort of my thing. Sooner or later you’re going to have to admit to yourself that you’re into me. I drank a lot at the bar and I thought you looked like the girl from last night, but I wasn’t sure. Not until just now, that is. In this dark hallway, you look just the same as you did last night. You wanted me too. I know you did. I could feel it in your kiss.”
“Like I said. You’ve got no chance in hell with me.”
“Really?” He laughs heartily and steps onto the landing in front of me and his face is suddenly serious. “I’d say you were pretty damn close to allowing me to have my way with you last night. If your boyfriend hadn’t dragged you away, we would’ve had a great time. Where is he now, anyway?”
“My love life isn’t your concern.” He steps closer to me and I shake my head and take a step backwards. He’s trying to bait me into playing his game by closing the distance. “This isn’t going to work on me, you know.”
Trip scrunches his brow. “What isn’t?”
I wave my hands in front of me, directing attention to his body. “This...your whole bad-boy charm. I’m immune to it. I don’t sleep with guys I don’t know.”
He traces a line down my arm with his finger. “Sweetheart, I haven’t even begun to charm you yet. When I do, I promise I won’t have to ask twice to get you naked. You’ll be begging for me to take you and make your body feel good, just like you were last night.”
I roll my eyes and try to pretend my heart isn’t pounding fifty miles an hour. “You are so full of shit.”
He licks his lip, and stares into my eyes so intensely I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from making any noise while under his powerful gaze. “I know you’re trying real hard to make yourself believe what you’re saying. Honestly, I find your self-preservation charming. But I happen to know women are defenseless when I set out to seduce them.”
I lift my chin. “I highly doubt you can get any woman you want. I hope that’s not what you’re trying to do with me, because if it is, I can assure you, you’re failing miserably.”
“When I decide I want something, I get it. Always. Failure isn’t in my vocabulary.”
The determination in his eyes makes my legs weak. There’s no doubt in my mind he can get
most
women to do whatever he wants when there’s pure alpha male radiating from him. But I’m not most women, and he won’t be making me another notch on his undeniably sexy bedpost any time soon.