Finally, she seems to overcome whatever she was mentally tripping over and she smiles. She shakes her head and stammers, “Oh, sorry, I…um…I, uh…Drogheda…”

“Drogheda what?”

“She’s made breakfast for you. Come and eat before it gets cold.”

I see her eyes dart over my shoulder, to where Trick is standing. Does she know?

“Okay, I’ll be right up.”

She gives me a shaky smile and reluctantly turns to walk away. I get the feeling she wants to look back, but doesn’t.

When she’s out of sight, Trick appears at my side. “What was that all about?”

“That was my mother. I don’t know what her problem was. Maybe she saw us and knows something’s up.”

“I don’t know if it’s that or not. Weird.”

“Yeah, weird,” I agree.

“So, breakfast time, huh?”

I roll my eyes. “Yes. Drogheda would kill me if I skipped breakfast. She goes to so much trouble because she knows it’s my favorite meal.” I pause. “Well, second favorite.”

“What’s first then?”

“Dessert!” I say, licking my lips dramatically.

“Mmm, do that again,” Trick growls, his eyes locked on my lips.

“What? This?” Slowly, I drag my tongue along my top lip. Trick’s pupils dilate, swallowing the beautiful pale green of his irises. I feel his reaction deep in my stomach, in that place he can touch without even trying it seems.

When I finish, his eyes move up to mine. In them, I see everything that I’m feeling, eating away at him like it is at me. “Oh, you’ll pay for that.”

“You think?”

“No, I know. You’ll be at my mercy all weekend. All I can say is you’d better bring your game face, because it is on!”

“Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a promise. A promise I very much look forward to keeping.”

His gaze heats up and it’s all I can do to remember my name, let alone that I’m supposed to be up at the house eating Drogheda’s delicious breakfast. If I had my way, I’d be somewhere enjoying some delicious Trick instead.

“You’d better head up to the house before I forget my manners and lure you off somewhere to ravage you.”

I laugh, not because it’s funny but because there’s nothing I’d like more. Damn him and his control!

“Breakfast,” he says, tipping his head toward the main stable doors. “Go while you can.”

“Are you hungry? Can I bring you something to eat?” I ask, my wits and my manners finally returning to me, albeit slowly.

I really didn’t mean to be provocative, although Trick would probably never believe that.

“Good God, woman! You’re killing me!” He runs his fingers through his hair and turns to walk away. When he gets a few feet from me, he turns around and walks backward. “Don’t get too satisfied. Save some of that appetite for this weekend.”

He smiles and winks at me before disappearing around the corner. I think I might die from wanting him to come back.

CHAPTER THIRTY - Trick

I can only hope spending the weekend with Cami will curb my appetite for her. Surely it’s a physical thing. Surely. I’m too young to fall in love with the wrong girl. I mean, hopefully I’ll always be too young for the wrong girl. Not that Cami’s really wrong in that sense. It’s just that things with her would be so complicated. Her dad’s a big deal, she comes from money, everyone expects her to marry into greatness. That’s more drama than I’ll ever need in my life! I’ve had my fair share already. I’m ready to get her out of my system and move on.

That’s why I’m sure it’s physical. That’s the only explanation.

Right?

“So we get to meet your girlfriend?”

Grace is practically vibrating with excitement. She views any girl in my life as a potential playmate and big sister.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Gracie.”

Her grin is so big it shows off the twin dimples in her cheeks. “But you like her, right?”

“Yeah, I like her.”

“Then maybe if you ask her nice enough, she’ll be your girlfriend.”

If only life was that simple. But rather than telling Grace about how cruel and twisted and complicated life really is, I scrub the top of her head. “Maybe she will. We’ll see.”

“Yay!” she exclaims, running off excitedly.

“She’ll probably come back out in yet another dress.”

I laugh. “Probably. She wants to make a good impression. I feel like I’m hosting a princess.”

“To Grace, you probably are,” Mom says, shaking her head. Grace is full of all the life and love and hope our now-smaller family so desperately needs. “So, you haven’t said much about this girl.”

She’s trying to be all casual, so I play along and shrug. “Not much to tell. She’s just a girl. No big deal.”

“Where did you meet her?”

“At Lucky’s.”

“Now, you know what I’ve told you about girls you meet in bars.”

I look down at my tiny mother. She gets like this sometimes, all fiery. Her hands are on her h*ps and she’s loaded for bear. It’s easy to see the girl she once was, all full of piss and vinegar, the one my father fell in love with. I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I think you might’ve mentioned that a time or two.”

“And yet you pay so little attention to it. Why is that?”

“Uh, because I’m a guy.”

I can tell she wasn’t expecting that answer. She rolls her eyes, but I see the corners of her mouth twitch. She’s trying not to smile.

“They’re here! They’re here!” Grace squeals as she runs, Mach-1, into the kitchen, pulling a different dress over her head as she goes.

Mom looks at me and grins, straightening her short brown hair. “Do I look okay? I’ve never met a princess before.”

It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “You look fine. And don’t ever ask me again why I don’t bring many girls home. Just remember this.”

She punches my arm and I wink at her. She’s come a long way in the last few years. She’s sporting a few more gray hairs as a result of all she’s been through, but she’s still smiling. That has to count for something.

I go to open the door, but Grace slides across in front of me. “Let me get it.”

“Okay, but introduce yourself before you attack her, k?”

“I will, I will.”

I shake my head as I watch her dance from foot to foot. It can’t be healthy to get this excited over having a visitor. Then again, we have so few, maybe I should be getting more excited.

But then, when I hear Cami talking quietly, I realize I’m plenty excited. I’m instantly thrown back in time to the little sounds she made and the words she whispered when her body was wrapped tightly around mine.

Yep, I’m plenty excited.

I readjust in my shorts and turn my mind to something else, like the horse I’ll be looking for this weekend. Anything to take my mind off Cami and that incredible body of hers.

I hear Grace’s gasp and know she sees Cami. That’s kind of the way I felt when she looked up at me after I dumped beer down her shirt.

“You must be Cami,” Grace says in her most grown up voice. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Grace, but you can call me Gracie.”

“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Gracie. This is my friend, Jenna.”

“Hi, Jenna.”

When there’s a long pause, I figure I should step in and help. “Why don’t you invite them in, Grace?”

Grace doesn’t even look in my direction. She doesn’t stop smiling either. Her focus is straight ahead and slightly up, on Cami’s face.

She finally pushes the door open and I see Cami step through, followed closely by Jenna. Grace takes Cami’s hand and leads her into the kitchen.

“This is my mom, LeeAnne.”

I watch as Cami smiles brightly and extends her hand. I don’t really notice anything’s amiss until Cami’s smile fades a little and she starts to look uncomfortable. I look over at my mom and she looks like she’s seen a ghost.

“Mom, what’s the matter?”

She says nothing at first, just stares at Cami like she’s grown a second head. “Mom.” I prompt. She jumps a little, like I scared her out of a daze or something.

“What?” She looks confused, but then she shakes her head, like she’s snapping out of a spell. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m so happy to meet you, Cami. Please forgive me, I’m…I’m a bit out of sorts this morning. Late night. You know how that goes.”

She relaxes into something closer to her normal self, but not quite. I doubt it’s strange enough for Cami to notice, but I certainly do.

What the hell?

“What up, Gracie girl?” Rusty says as he busts through the door.

Grace squeals and leaves Cami to throw herself at Rusty. It gives me the perfect opportunity to break up our tense little party.

“So, let me get my bag and we’ll head out.”

Cami nods, her smile tighter than usual. I’m sure all sorts of crazy things are running around in her head. And I’d love to give her a rational explanation for my mother’s bizarre behavior, but I’ve got nothing. I just hope she doesn’t think I’m not telling her something. Because the truth is, I have no idea what got into her.

In record time, I’m back in the kitchen ushering Cami toward the door.

“Wrap it up, man,” I say to Rusty, who’s still wrestling with Grace. “We’ve got to get on the road.”

With a little more prompting, I finally get everyone to the door. Grace runs to give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then Mom follows suit.

“Bring me a horse,” Grace says.

“Be careful, son,” Mom says, her face now just…sad.

“You,” I say to Grace, “Not this time, but maybe I can find one to get pretty soon. And you,” I say turning to Mom. “Of course. I’m always careful.”

I start to walk away, but Mom grabs my arm. “I’ll be working when you get home, but I’m leaving something on your bed for you. Tend to it first thing, will you?”

Well, that’s cryptic.

I frown. I can’t help it. She’s acting really weird.

“Okay, I will.”

She nods and smiles then both she and Grace say in unison, “Love you.”

“I know,” I return, just like I always do. “You, too.”

I lead the way outside. I notice Cami is hanging back a little. Rusty and Jenna are talking about something and Cami’s walking quietly behind them. Getting a better grip on my duffel, I turn around and walk right up to Cami, surprising her when I bend down and throw her over my shoulder.

She squeals. “What are you doing?”

“This is all part of the VIP package. Didn’t I tell you?”

“No. You must’ve left out a few details.”

“Oh, well, I’ll just tell you as we go then. No big deal.”

I hear her laugh again. It soothes me, possibly more than it does her.

I carry her to Rusty’s car first. “Where’d you put her stuff?” I ask him.

“It’s in the trunk.”

“Let me get it out.”

“We’re going to the same place, man. Just leave it.”

“Nope. I’m taking no chances. You jokers could get lost or something and I’d be stuck with a woman who has nothing to wear but my t-shirts. She’d seduce me and I’d let her because I’d be helpless against her charms. Then I’d build us a hut on the beach and we’d never leave. Grace would be devastated and Mom would kill me. You see how ugly this could get?”

“Hey!” Cami exclaims. I grin when I feel her muscles clench with her chuckle.

“I’m just telling the truth. You can barely keep your hands off me. You know it’s true.” She slaps me on the butt. “See? But it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m irresistible. It’s my curse.”

“Poor guy! Born irresistible. What a nightmare,” she quips.

“We all have our burdens to bear.”

“Here,” Rusty says as he pushes two huge bags at me. “Take her shit and go. I can’t stand to listen to your constant self-deprecation for one more minute. Good God, man! Have some faith in yourself.”

Jenna and Cami laugh. Rusty shoots me an evil grin and I cart Cami back to my car, letting her down at the passenger side door. After stowing our stuff in my trunk, I open her door and usher her in with a flourish. “You’re riding in style, today, Miss Hines. Not one, but 500 horses will be delivering you to your destination. So, mount up!”

With a smile, she slides through the door and onto the original vinyl seats. I shut the door behind her. As I skirt the hood, I look in and see her smiling at me through the windshield. Watching me. There’s something just…right about seeing her in my car.

I push the thought away.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE - Cami

I listen to Trick talk about the horse he hopes to find, one he’s seen on two other occasions and is hoping to adopt when the town thins the population. It’s strange because as he talks about his dreams for “one day,” I realize I’ve never felt so…invested in someone else’s dreams before, in their plans or ambitions. But when Trick paints the picture of his future, of what he wants out of life, I find I’m in the dangerous position of putting myself into the empty space beside him in all those visions.