“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.
Chapter 3
Rude Boy
HOLLY
The 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.”