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Chapter 1
Prologue
Prologue
The sexy stranger didn’t seek me out before leaving town. After the look we shared I expected him to book an appointment, but he never showed, leaving little doubt that I’d ever see him again.
I’m disappointed, but not shocked. He and I exist in a world that isn’t sure what to make of us, and sometimes that means pretending we’re not different. It’s one of the reasons I took this job at the spa, giving massages to tourists passing through town. I can be myself in front of strangers. Maybe even have a connection with them, albeit a brief one. It’s better than nothing. And it protects my secret.
Living in a tiny resort town where everyone knows your name, your business, and what you had to eat that day, it’s a rare feat to have any privacy. And yet, there are things I need to keep to myself, at least for now. I imagine my handsome stranger can relate to that.
He’s part of a small crew that makes motocross videos, traveling the country for months on end to film in new places. It makes privacy even harder to come by for him than it is for me, which I guess is why I expected to see him again. If anyone can understand how a temporary connection with a stranger can be a lifeline that keeps you sane, I would’ve thought it’d be him.
Oh well. I suppose there will be other men.Other tourists.I just really liked the look of that one.
Chapter 2
Jace
I’drecognizethosebroadshoulders anywhere–I committed them to memory last month–and since then, I’ve been dreaming about what they’d look like under the shirt that hugs them. And that light brown hair with a hint of curl at the ends? God, how I want to thread my hands into it, and feel the silky strands glide between my fingers. My heart still races when I think about the way he looked at me–his steely gaze full of desire. What I’d give to feel that way again…
I wanted him right then and there, but years of masking my emotions kept my expression in check, and my body frozen in place. He was similarly guarded, and frankly, his gaze was the only hint of him being affected by my presence at all. But it was enough.
I’m not sure which of us broke the stare first, though I do remember shooting glances at each other for the rest of the afternoon. And when I rubbed my shoulder, sore from hoisting the camera around, he suggested a massage. To everyone else it was an offhand comment, a friendly offer. I knew better. It was an invitation to explore this thing between us. One I planned to take him up on, until our sponsors disrupted the schedule.
They sent us to Moab to film with some other riders, a task we barely completed since my best friend and star rider, Axel, had his mind stuck on his girl, Lennon. She wasn’t his girl at the time, but he wanted her, and he went back to Katah Vista to claim her. I thought about going too, trying to find my sexy masseuse, Blake. But aside from that brief encounter at the bar, we didn’t have any other contact, and I didn’t want to come off as a stalker. So, Axel went to Katah Vista, and I went to Arizona to get ready for the first competition of the season.
I don’t usually regret moving from one place to the next—traveling the world to film dirt bike videos and competitions with my best friend is a great life—but leaving without being able to act on the moment I shared with Blake made me feel sort of hollow. Like I was missing out on something that could’ve been great. Yeah, that’s a weird thought to have after a simple look. Doesn’t change the fact that I asked “what if” a few times. Now, I might finally get my chance.
Axel and Lennon decided to get serious and he moved there a few weeks ago. I thought about tagging along, but I scrapped the idea at the time. I didn’t want to crowd them, and I didn’t have much of a reason to return to Katah Vista beyond the single look from a sexy stranger. Fate seemed to have other plans, though, because here I am, sitting in this pub miles away from Katah Vista, and my sexy stranger happens to be sitting right in front of me. I’m not usually one to believe in such superstitions, but what else could it be? It can't be a coincidence. Unfinished business, maybe? Regardless, I won’t waste my chance to explore whatever this is between us. Not again.
Standing over his shoulder, I speak just loud enough for him to hear me over the commotion of the busy restaurant. “Is this seat taken?”
He stiffens at the sound of my voice, turning slowly, as if he’s unsure what he might find. Finally, I’m staring into the face I thought I might never see again.
Although I suspect we’re close in age, Blake looks older. More man than boy, like he has to shave daily instead of once a week. It gives him a ruggedly handsome look compared to my boyishly attractive one.
His hazel eyes blink rapidly as he takes me in, confusion etched in his features. “You’re…”
“Jace.” I give him my hand.
“Blake.” He takes it, and thick, strong fingers brushing against the back of my hand. The contact makes me shiver, and I swear I feel him do the same.
“I remember. May I?” I point to the barstool next to him. He nods, jaw shifting subtly as he fights a smile.Does that mean he’s happy to see me?
The bartender sets a coaster in front of me before I can say anything else. “What can I get you?” he asks.
“What’d you get?” I ask Blake.
“A burger. And a pale ale.” He lifts his glass, signaling that he’d like another.
“I’ll have the same,” I tell the bartender, who drifts off to place my order as I turn my focus back to the man beside me. His hazel eyes beam with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. “What brings you to Utah? Vacation?” I ask.
“Work actually.” He licks his lips before taking a sip of his beer, and I have to tear my eyes away before my mind can wander toward what else I’d like to see him do with his tongue.
“For the spa?”
“My other job. Or at least I think it will be.”
