“Oh. I was hoping you might have Saturday off. Can you find someone to work for you?”
“Why should I?” She leaned into a hamstring stretch and smiled to herself. He was so fun to tease.
“If you don’t, you’ll miss out on the fun day I have planned for you.”
“Oh, really? Who says it’ll be fun? Lawyers have a different version of fun than toy designers.” Straightening, she lowered her heels off her porch to stretch her calves.
“I think I’ve got a bead on what a certain honey-blonde beautiful toy designer would think of as fun.”
She bit at her lip, thinking it would be fun to kiss him. “Let me see what I can do about work.”
“Okay. Call me back.”
He disconnected and she stayed in the hamstring stretch, smiling to herself.
“Haven’t seen a smile like that on you since you came to stay.” Haley and Isaac’s dad, Trevor, stood next to her front porch, smirking at her. “What’s his name?”
“Chance,” she said before she could stop herself.
Trevor’s face broke into a grin. “Hmm. You’re going to take a chance, are you?”
“Very funny.”
“Well, I expect to meet that young man before you go off smooching him, you hear?”
“Let’s get something straight, Papa Turnbow. Just because I’m living off your goodwill doesn’t mean you get to harass my boy toys.” Summer grinned at him. She really liked her friends’ dad.
“Ha!” Trevor chortled. “I can harass whoever I want if they come on my property.”
“I’ll make sure I meet him somewhere else, then.” She winked obnoxiously.
Trevor’s scowl was fierce. “Now, we aren’t having any of that. He’d better treat you good, get your door, walk you to the porch, and all that, or I really will pull out my old pals Smith and Wesson. They served me well when Haley was growing up, and when MacKenzie stayed here last summer.”
“Got it.” Summer laughed and shook her head.
“You bride pact friends always give me something to smile about.”
“Glad to be of service, sir.”
Trevor walked off, grinning. Summer was glad she was here. It seemed Trevor was as lonely for fun interaction as she was.
Summer pushed MacKenzie’s number. “Hey, friend, can you work for me this afternoon?”
“For sure. You haven’t taken an afternoon off the entire month you’ve been here.”
“I need the money,” Summer muttered, brought back to her sad reality.
“Hey, you’ll find an awesome company soon and be rocking it before you know it.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you doing something fun?”
“I don’t know what we’re doing.”
“We?”
“I’ve got a date.” She let out a little squeal.
MacKenzie laughed. “Sounds like he’s a cute one.”
“Oh yes, he looks like Channing Tatum, but cuter.” She hated that she lived a few miles from her friend but never saw her. She’d been going to dinner with Chance for two weeks and the only girl friend she’d bragged to was Taylor, and that was just a quick text conversation because Taylor was off touring Thailand.
“Whoa. I think the only man I know cuter than Channing Tatum is Isaac.”
Summer laughed. “You would.”
“Plan on me this afternoon, and I want an update on the date. Be safe, ’kay?”
“Don’t worry. I always carry my old pal, Mace.” She smiled, thinking how Chance would react if Trevor actually pulled out his old pals Smith and Wesson. Now that would make for a good laugh.
“Good girl. Talk to you soon.” MacKenzie hung up.
Summer called Chance back. “I’m in.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“What should I wear?”
“Do you have any biking shorts?”
“Chance,” she breathed. “You didn’t.”
“Yes, I did. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Summer hung up the phone and held it to her chest. Chance was taking her on a bike ride. She jumped onto the porch with another squeal, a bit louder this time, pushed through the front door, and ran to her bedroom. She needed to shower off the running sweat and get ready for biking sweat. Yes!
Chance drove into a well-kept ranch yard. Summer had texted him this address. She was finally confiding in him where she lived. It was close to where he wanted to take her on the ride, so it worked out great. She’d told him to go straight to the smaller house, as the guy in the bigger house would probably give him a hard time. He smiled. She cared if someone gave him a hard time. He’d felt conflicted over the past two weeks not telling her who he really was, but he put those issues from his mind. He was going to enjoy the day, and soon he would tell her the truth.
She opened the door and his resolve to not ever tell her the truth wavered. She was so beautiful, and when she looked at him with those blue eyes, they were filled with trust. Like she thought he was a great guy and would take good care of her. He really would, yet he was hiding something huge from her and it gnawed at him.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
Summer flung herself at him and gave him a tight hug. Chance took the hug willingly, wrapping his arms around her fit frame. She pulled back, but he wasn’t ready to release her yet. He loved her spontaneity. He’d been afraid she wouldn’t want him spending money on her, but her natural exuberance and desire to ride bikes seemed to win out.
“Thank you!” she gushed. “I’m so excited I could just hug anybody.”
Chance’s arms dropped away then. “Oh, so you didn’t want to hug me, I was just the only person around?”
“I already hugged Trevor, so I figured you deserved one too.”
“Trevor?” Jealous darts fired in his gut. Who was Trevor, and how was Chance going to push the guy out of the picture? She’d said nothing about Trevor at any of their dinner dates.
Summer smiled coyly and tilted her head to the side. Her long hair spilled over her tanned shoulder.
Chance couldn’t resist trailing his fingers through her hair, then gripping her shoulder lightly. “Who is Trevor?”
She giggled. “My friend, Haley’s, dad.”
Haley’s dad. She had told him about the older man, but called him Papa Turnbow. Chance forced himself to release her shoulder and smile at her. “Got to tease me every chance you get.”
She clucked her tongue. “I like seeing that jealous light in your eyes.”
“Do you, now?” He took a step closer.
She held her ground and grinned up at him. “Oh, yeah. It’s pretty cute.”
“Yeah?” He took another step and their bodies were inches apart. Feeling all kinds of brave because she wanted him to be jealous and she’d basically said he was cute, he wrapped his arms around her back again and pulled her flush against him. “You’re pretty cute, but I wouldn’t try to make you jealous.”
Her breath was coming in short pants as she gazed up at him, her blue eyes luring him in. “You’re just a better person than me.”
All romantic thoughts fled. Chance swallowed and released his hold on her. He wasn’t a better person. He was lying to her and felt partially responsible for her situation. Her eyes filled with confusion, but he couldn’t fill in the gaps. Couldn’t or wouldn’t? It was still too early to tell her about their awful connection.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
“Yeah. Let me grab my backpack.” She hurried back into the house, returning a few seconds later with a small backpack and two water bottles.
“You are prepared.” He tried to tease and lighten the mood again. For once in his life he wished he was more like Byron. His brother would’ve taken that kiss and then some, and not felt guilty for one second about taking advantage of the most amazing woman Chance had ever met.
“Even got my Mace packed in here.” She held the bag aloft and grinned at him. Her sparkling expression was back, and he hoped she didn�
�t wonder what in the world was wrong with him, backing away like that. Dumb conscience anyway.
“Oh, good.” He laughed uneasily. “You might need that.” Honestly, a shot of Mace would probably feel better than the guilt that was consuming him right now.
She laughed and walked in front of him to his rented Land Rover, pausing to look over the bikes on the rack. “You rented us Yetis?”
She knew her bikes. He shouldn’t be surprised. “Um, no. I bought these.”
“Oh.” She glanced down at the ground, then kind of squeaked out, “I don’t want you buying anything for me.”
Chance would gladly give her the bikes if she wanted them, especially with how guilty he was feeling about his role in her losing her job and designs, and by extension her ability to buy a Yeti for herself. “I bought them when I flew into Gunnison a few weeks ago. I like to have two in case I have trouble with one.”
“Oh.” Her smile reappeared. “Oh, good. I’m okay with being your backup bike rider.”
He chuckled. He liked her far too much. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her she was much more than backup to him or something cheesy like that, but he refrained and opened her door. Hopefully his guilt wouldn’t override his good sense and they could have a fabulous day together.
Chance parked his Land Rover in a dirt parking lot near the Judd River Falls trailhead, a few miles past Crested Butte.
“Hey, I just realized one of my favorite hiking trails is named after you,” Summer teased.
Chance grinned. “Favorite trail for your favorite guy?”
“You wish. So, where are we biking?” Summer changed the subject quickly. She was a little hurt and confused why Chance had backed away when she would’ve kissed him on her front porch. It had happened a few times. She’d say something and he’d get a little weird. She wasn’t quite sure what to think about that. Should she be concerned or just give him space?
“Are you up for an adventure?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“A tough climbing adventure that will leave us needing a hot tub at the end of the day?”
“Bring it on.” Her excitement mounted. She hadn’t had an adventure like she used to experience all the time with her closest friend from Camp Wallakee, Taylor, for too long. Was he going to take her to a hot tub after? Hmm. She didn’t mind the thought of seeing Chance in a suit. As shredded as his arms and calves were, she imagined his chest would be more than drool-worthy.
“Have you heard of the Pearl Pass Bike Tour?” The man himself interrupted her daydreams about him.
Her eyes widened. “Where they ride from Crested Butte to Aspen?”
He nodded.
“Yes! I’ve always wanted to do that.” She did a little dance and almost threw herself into his arms again. Doing crazy adventures that most people only talked about doing was her favorite pastime.
“Nice dance.” He grinned. “Are you okay if I have you back by tomorrow morning?”
Summer’s breath caught. Crap. He was going to push her, and she hated that. She tilted her head and gave him a challenging look. “As long as we’ve got separate rooms, big boy.”
“We do.”
The moment went slow and sticky as they stared at each other. Chance was going to be a gentleman, and he was accepting her terms. She hoped he knew what this meant for her to trust him enough to stay the night, even if it was in separate rooms.
He cleared his throat and broke the spell. “We’re not doing the whole route as they start a few miles back in Crested Butte, but I think it’ll be close enough for us.”
“Yay us!”
Chance chuckled. He pulled a bike off the rack and held it next to her. “I’m not a professional at adjusting these, but I can get it pretty close.”
“No worries. I’m a professional rider, so I can deal with it not being perfect.”
He laughed again and got busy adjusting the bike. When Summer climbed on, she smiled. “It’s perfect. Race you to the top.”
“You gotta give me a head start, Ms. Professional Bike Rider.” Chance grabbed his bike and secured his water bottles, then swung his backpack on.
Summer was excited about the challenge. She hadn’t been on a bike for a while and hoped she didn’t keel over climbing to the top of the pass, but she’d make it somehow, especially after she’d just bragged about being a professional.
The first couple of miles were pretty gradual and they could ride side by side and chat. It was pleasant with the sun shining and the air a perfect seventy degrees, but then the climb really started and the trail became single file. Summer insisted he lead the way and set the pace. Within minutes, she had no breath left to talk as her legs burned. She had no clue how far they’d gone, it felt like hours had passed, when Chance called over his shoulder, “Let’s take a break.”
“Hallelujah,” Summer muttered, stopping her bike and reaching for her water bottle.
“How are you feeling?” Chance propped his bike against a tree and walked back to her, taking her bike so she could stretch her shoulders.
“Humiliated.”
“What? Why?”
“I bragged about being a professional. I used to be able to bike and keep up with anyone. Tragically, I haven’t been on a bike in months and I am feeling it.”
Chance chuckled. “You’re doing great. I don’t feel like I’m slowing down at all and I bike at least once a week.”
“Thanks.” She wasn’t sure if he was being placating or not, but she’d take it. “Are we there yet?” She put a little whine in her voice.
He smiled. “I think we’re about halfway through the climb; then it’s all downhill from there. Rough downhill, but still easier than this. Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” she said dramatically, but truly her stomach was the least of her worries. She’d eat because it would give her energy and give her legs a break. Taking her pack off her back, she pulled out an apple. Chance propped her bike up against a tree and they sat on boulders as they shared his Luna bars and her apple. It felt intimate to be sharing a piece of fruit. Weird, but nice.
This bike ride reminded her of her favorite excursion through Costa Rica. She’d been with Jerome then, but she didn’t even miss him. She’d traveled through many countries, usually with a different boyfriend, but she hadn’t felt the connection to a man like she did with Chance. No matter how many times she tried to tease him and step away, he kept coming back, and she liked it.
“Thanks for planning this day. You’re a thoughtful guy.”
He kicked at a rock. “I try.”
“So, tell me something about Chance Judd. How do I know nothing about your family? I thought we were tighter than that.” Weird that family hadn’t come up the past two weeks at dinner, but they’d mostly talked about traveling and she’d shared a lot about her girl’s camp friends who lived in the valley, and of course Taylor, who she loved like a sister.
He glanced up at her and gave her that smile and irresistible dimple. She wanted to touch it. “Just the usual. Two parents. Older brother.”
She nudged her shoulder with his. “Hey, what do you know? I’m the usual two parents and one older brother too. I do have a little sister to add to the mix.”
“I would’ve liked a little sister. What’s she like?”
“Stinking cute and one of those take-on-the-world kind of girls. Kennedy’s just finishing up college, but then it’s going to be like, look out, here comes the first woman President of the United States.”
He grinned. “Good for her. You’re a take-on-the-world kind of girl too. Your parents must’ve done something right.”
She felt herself go red. It was nice he thought that of her, but right now she felt like she was at a stalemate. If she didn’t find a new employer soon, she might go nuts. She needed to create, not just the plans, but seeing it through to a product that was going to bring a smile to a child. If only she could afford to manufacture her designs, or get humble enough to ask her father for a
loan and his manufacturing contacts.
“Thank you kindly, sir,” she said, very smart-alecky so he wouldn’t know she was giving in to depressing thoughts. “So, what’s your brother like? Mine’s stuffy and boring. Nice enough guy, but a total suit, so we don’t need to talk about him.”
“Definitely don’t like those suits.” He winked, then crumpled up the Luna bar wrappers in his hand. “My brother’s a real pain. Loves women and making money. In that order.”
“Whoa.” She didn’t like his brother already. “Sounds like a real charmer.”
Chance studied the ground and rolled a pebble around under his biking shoe. “To the women he’s after, I’m sure he is.” He sighed. “He actually is charming. Everyone likes him, and he does good stuff too. He’s always finding a new charity to donate to, though most of the time it’s because the woman he’s currently dating is into that charity. He’s my business partner and he’s really smart and hard-working, honest, always watches out for people.”
“Good qualities. So why’d you turn out so different?”
“What do you mean?” He focused those blue-green eyes on her.
“You don’t seem like a womanizer or someone who’s caught up in money, even though you obviously have plenty.”
He shrugged. “I’d rather have one fabulous woman than a hundred empty-headed ones.” His gaze was burning into her now.
Summer had a bike helmet and funny-looking bike shorts on and probably stunk like sweat, but she’d never been so tempted to initiate a first kiss. Chance leaned toward her, and she moistened her lips and wished she had a breath mint. He lifted his hand and brushed at her mouth. “You had a Luna bar crumb.”
Summer laughed self-consciously and glanced down. When she looked back up, Chance was studying her. She didn’t know if he was going to make a move or not, and the silence was getting to be a bit much for her. “Have you found that one fabulous woman yet?”
He smiled. “I’m getting there.”
Summer grinned at him.
He stood and offered her a hand up. Summer felt a sudden chill. Was it the sweat cooling on her skin, or the fact that Chance could’ve kissed her again, but hadn’t? He either had the self-control of Captain America or he wasn’t into her. Dang on both.
The Daring One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance Page 5
