“YOU’RE ALL FLUSHED. Are you feeling okay?” Her best friend Lisa wore a concerned look.

Jessica flopped onto the bed in her hotel room and let out a long unsteady breath. “Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry. It’s just been a crazy day. Kind of glad it’s over.” Kicking off her shoes, she flexed her toes. Three weeks, and the symptoms still hadn’t improved. That can’t be good.

“So, your new dress is pretty hot, lady. It really came from Brooks Brothers?” Lisa giggled.

“I know, I thought the same thing before I put it on. But I love it.” She thought for a second about the young man who purchased the dress. “Remember the guy who crashed into me? The asshole? He bought it.” Jessica flashed a sheepish smile.

“Really. Didn’t turn out to be such an asshole after all, huh?” Lisa shook her head. “You get fired up way too quickly, Jessie. It’s really not becoming.”

Jessica threw her hands up. “I know! What can I say? It’s just my personality. I’m impulsive. Sue me.”

“Tsk-tsk. I bet he liked you. And now you’ll never know since you were such a bitch.”

Jessica tossed a pillow at her and picked up the room service menu. “I’m tired, can we just get something delivered up here? I really don’t feel like going out.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Lisa shot her a warning look. “You’re coming to the gym with me. One of the guys at the office gave me trial passes to the athletic club around the corner so we don’t have to use the crappy hotel gym. Now change.” She threw Jessica’s workout clothes at her. “You’ll feel better after a run.”

“You’re so pushy. Has anyone ever told you that?” Jessica pulled off her dress and tossed it on the bed. “Hey, do you remember one night a while back? You called me to meet you at Aero, you were with those hedge fund guys?”

“Oh, yeah.” Lisa sighed, a wistful look on her face. “I definitely remember that night. Why are you bringing it up now?”

“Well, I’m sure you didn’t realize it at the time, but, um…I didn’t make it home that night.”

Lisa tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Really, Jess? Did you think I was that far gone not to realize that you were leaving with a guy?”

Jessica’s mouth dropped open. “I was so careful…I even had him meet me at the door.”

“Not careful enough.”

Jessica shook her head. “I can’t believe you knew and never called me out on it.”

Lisa shrugged. “If you wanted me to know, you would have told me. So, whatever.”

“Well, I ran into whatever at Stanford this afternoon.”

“He was a student? Younger than you?” Lisa’s voice filled with excitement. “He lied about his age to get you to sleep with him?”

“He definitely didn’t lie about his age. And no, he isn’t a student. He’s actually an alumnus, but that’s beside the point. I’m not really sure why he was there, to be honest.”

“Wow, Jessie, so your seedy past came back to haunt you.” Lisa pulled her hair up into a ponytail. “Did he recognize you?”

Jessica bent over to tie her sneakers. “I have to tell you who he is before I answer the rest of your questions because you’re going to flip.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense!” Lisa screeched.

Jessica allowed a tiny little smile. “Paul Emerson.”

Lisa stared at her for a minute. “Are you kidding me, Jessica?”

“No. I most certainly am not.”

“Whoa. You know he’s ridiculously successful, right? Owns the top venture capital firm in the country for technology start-ups? He’s also brilliant and graduated with honors from Stanford.”

“None of that stuff came up when we met. Neither did his last name, which is why I freaked out when he introduced himself.”

Lisa giggled. “So you spoke to him? And he recognized you? How did you even leave it that night?”

“Well, I slipped out of his penthouse the next morning before he got up. You know I was in a bad place back then and he was a fantastic diversion. But we never exchanged contact info or anything. We barely even talked. I figured I’d never see him again. And now I’ve got an offer for a business meeting that can really help me get that promotion.” Jessica shook her head. “Crazy, right?”

Lisa giggled. “Agreed. What happens now? Are you totally turned on by him? I can’t believe you! One of the most powerful business people in the country and you went home with him, leaving him all high and dry the next day. I bet that never happened to him before!”

Jessica laughed. “That was probably the biggest impression I left. It was the first thing he mentioned.”

“So what are you going to do now—call him and set up a meeting? You could play hard to get and wait for him to call you.”

“Having him as a connection would be great, but I don’t want it to go any further.”

“Jess, are you insane? You’re dismissing Paul Emerson? If he wants to see you again, I think you’d be cracked not to give it a shot. Do you even understand what kind of doors he could open for you and your new business venture?”

Jessica furrowed her brow, studying her reflection in the mirror. “Come on, you know I’m not an opportunist. And nothing happened anyway. It’s not like he asked me out or anything. He made an offer, but I feel like it has strings attached.”

Lisa smiled. “He’d be a fool if he didn’t want to see you again. He’s probably just playing it cool. After all, he does have quite a reputation as a ladies’ man.”

Jessica scrunched her nose. “Yeah, that’s not really me, Li. You know I don’t go for that kind of guy. That’s more Rochelle’s type.” Both of them laughed at the too-true reference to their old college roommate. “I don’t know, I mean, he’s hot as hell but not really genuine. There has to be more than just a physical attraction, Li. I mean, at least there does for me.”

“Touché, Jessie. I know you’re going to do what you want but just consider his offer. You’d have power with his connections, think about it. And who knows what it might blossom into?” She flashed a wicked smile.

Jessica shrugged. “I know it sounds tempting. But I’m not anxious to get involved with a guy on any level right now.”

“Jessie.” Lisa put a hand on her shoulder. “I know you’re going through a lot and it’s scary. But closing yourself off isn’t the answer. Not every guy is going to be like Drew. And if it’s not Paul, then fine, but do you want to risk not finding the happiness you deserve because you were too afraid to give someone new a chance?”

Jessica groaned and collapsed on the mattress. “Don’t I have the right to be at least a little gun shy right now? The guy who told me he was going to love me forever took off when I needed him most. Do you know what that kind of rejection feels like? No! Because you’re smart and you don’t let anyone in! Li, I’m scared to death about my future. I have no idea what’s going to happen to me and I can’t deal with any more uncertainty.” She peered up at her friend and grinned. “I want to be like you.”

“Jessie, you could never be like me. It’s just not the way you’re built. And that’s a really good thing. You have so much to offer, stop being afraid. Drew was an ass. Don’t let his bad judgment hold you back.” Lisa grabbed her iPod from the nightstand. “Plus, we’ve already established the fact that you’re not the love ‘em and leave ‘em kinda girl. A pro would never have been as sloppy as you.”

Jessica snickered. “That was a nice pep talk, Li. I’m still not convinced, but good effort.”

Lisa swiped at her. “Gee thanks. Now move your ass off that bed. We need to get out of here before we lose any more motivation. I’ll treat you to some frozen yogurt afterward, though it pales in comparison to Paul Emerson. Come to think of it, adding him to the mix would be a much more delicious treat, don’t you think?”

Jessica sighed. “I really should have kept my big mouth shut.”

JESSICA STRETCHED HER hamstrings in the privacy of the cardio room, grateful for some peace and quiet. Lisa opted out of running when she spotted all the eye candy in the main weight room.

She set the belt speed on the treadmill to medium and popped in her ear buds. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead only a couple of minutes later. “Jeez, already?” The air was so thick with humidity and she gulped some water. “Why it is so freaking hot in here?”

She hopped off the belt without bothering to pause the machine and set one of the wall fans to the highest speed. “Mmm, so much better!” She stepped back onto the treadmill, closing her eyes as the strong breeze passed over her.

Jessica squealed as her body yanked backwards from the force of the belt, her feet struggling to keep up. Shit! Arms flailing, she grasped at the sides of the machine to regain her balance but the belt speed was too high. With a muffled scream, Jessica flew off the treadmill and landed on her backside with a thump. She sat still for a second, stunned and out of breath, but thankful that nobody else was around to witness her crash landing.

“Wow, that was some fall, are you okay?”

She didn’t turn around. Instead, she covered her eyes. Please tell me I just imagined that.

“Excuse me? Are you okay?”

That voice again. She wasn’t alone after all.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to acknowledge the worried bystander.

He was holding her iPhone for the second time that day. “Foo Fighters, good choice.”

Jessica did a double take as she locked on those brilliant blue eyes. “You again.”

He laughed. “I suppose that tone indicates that you are, in fact, okay.”

“The word okay is relative.” Jessica tried to stand. The young man rushed over and held out his hand.

“Thanks.” She grimaced as the pain shot down her leg. Her right knee must have twisted mid-flight. As if numb feet weren’t enough. “Dammit.”

“Come on, let’s get you to a chair.” He put an arm around her as she limped to the sitting area.

“I’m such a disaster.” Jessica surveyed her ripped running tights. “I loved these too…”

“Does your leg still hurt? Do you want some ice?” She looked up and smiled at the concern in his voice. It felt nice to have someone worry about her. Nicer still that it was a hot guy with a heart-melting smile.

“I think I’ll survive.” She cleared her throat. “Listen, I’m so sorry for the way I treated you this morning.” She blurted out the apology, still embarrassed at her behavior. “Why are you being so nice to me? I don’t deserve it.”

“Um, because you’re hurt and I’m not a monster?” He winked. “I just want to help. I’m sure you’d do the same in my position.”

Jessica smiled. “You don’t even know me, and here you are giving me all this credit I may or may not deserve.”

“Yeah, sometimes, I just get a feeling about people.”

Sitting back in the chair, she regarded the handsome young man standing in front of her. How strange that they should meet twice in the same day, at a gym she didn’t even belong to, while she was on business in California. Maybe it’s fate…no, no, no, that’s just a ridiculous concept. She didn’t believe in that crap. Coincidence, yes, but fate? Way too strong a word. “Will you please tell me your name now?”

“It’s James. Thanks for finally asking.” His playful smile tugged at her heartstrings.

“James. That’s a nice name.” She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear as the voice in her head erupted. Argh, I wish I didn’t care what your name was! But I’m still here. And judging from the pain shooting up my leg, it looks like I’m going nowhere fast. She smiled at him. But maybe that’s not such a horrible thing.

“So glad you like it, Jessica. How’s that leg of yours doing? Think you’ll run again?”

She flexed her leg to loosen the muscles. “Feels a little better. You know, I thought I was by myself when I flew through the air. I didn’t realize anyone else came in. I feel a little humbled right now.”

James laughed. “We all have our moments. Lucky for you I don’t hold a grudge.”

“Lucky, indeed.”

Her phone bleeped with a text from Lisa. So many hot guys out here! When are you going to be done?

She clicked off the phone and returned her attention to James. “Thanks so much again, for everything. I don’t want to hold you up at all, if you have to go…”

“It’s cool, I already finished my workout. I was just going to run until my friend gets back. Not that I wanted to. You saved me.”

“As long as I could return the favor.” Jessica’s heart skipped a beat. Did I really call this guy a total asshole before? Hmm, maybe I’m the asshole. He’s got no reason to be nice to me after how I behaved. Stressed or not, I was horrible. She swallowed a smile. He’s obviously a pretty patient guy. Well, that or a glutton for punishment.

James went to the vending machine and brought back two bottles of water. “Are you thirsty?”

“Yes, thanks. A fall like that takes a lot out of you. I don’t get this winded when I’m running!” Laughing, her phone beeped again, this time with a text from Jake in New York. She breathed a sigh of relief as she read the message. He came through for her after all. At least there was one person at work she could trust. That data was imperative for her meetings tomorrow. Just one less thing for Charlie to bitch about.

Jessica sent a reply and then shook the phone in the air with a triumphant smile. “Sorry, I was waiting for something from my home office.”

“Where’s that?” James asked.

“New York. I’m out here on business—we got in a few days ago.”

“Really…so what do you do?” There was a trace of disappointment evident in his voice. He couldn’t be…interested in her? Could he?

She launched into an explanation of her new venture. “Do you know much about the whole technology start-up industry?”

James nodded. “I run an interactive gaming website here in Palo Alto with my best friend. Started it up a few years ago in Cambridge when I graduated from MIT.”

Jessica let out a low whistle. “MIT, impressive. I graduated from Boston University a few years ago, too. Why are you out here now? I mean, why’d you relocate?” She straightened her leg again and massaged the hamstring.

“I needed a change of pace to work on some potential investment opportunities. Tech companies fare better out here, at least early on.” He averted his eyes with the quick response.

Jessica suspected something else was behind the move, but she let it go. Why so evasive, James? What happened in Cambridge?

“So, tell me more about this consulting practice.” James sipped water as he turned the focus back to Jessica’s work.

“It’s a brand new idea and I’m so excited about it! We build strategies for taking start-up companies public and get them in front of potential investors. We take care of all the paperwork, planning, accounting and legal matters. It’s a niche market right now and Silicon Valley really is the place to be. There’s a ton of moneymaking potential if we pick the right clients up front, and I’ve been doing a lot of research to figure out exactly which companies should be on our hit-list.” Jessica paused, a teasing smile on her lips. “Am I boring you with all this?”

He gulped the last of his water. “Trust me, I’m hanging on every word.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, why is that? Or is it just an act to see if I’ll hang out with you a little longer?” Jesus, why am I being so flirty? Her pulse picked up speed as a lopsided grin lifted the corners of his mouth. Um, because he’s ridiculously adorable, sweet and obviously interested. And much as I try to convince myself that I’m not in the market for a relationship, it’s really nice to have someone look at me this way again.

“Wow! You really don’t mince words, do you?” James smirked. “I happen to have a professional interest in your work and I’d like to educate myself further.”

She cocked her head. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Could you be any more vague? Or are you just that into playing games?” Jessica raised an eyebrow at James and crossed her arms.

“Maybe you’re just a very convincing salesperson. Maybe your excitement is contagious and it’s making me want to find out more.”

“Listen…” Jessica leaned forward. “I’m very dedicated to this effort and yes, I’m happy to talk about it, but let’s get real. It’s not the most entertaining topic of conversation. So why don’t you cut to the chase and tell me why you’re so riveted.”

James ran a hand through his thick dark waves.

Oh, they look so soft. I wonder how it would feel to… Argh, stay focused Jess!

“Well, my partner and I are working with some investors right now and if we get funding, a public offering is the next logical step.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? I want to hear all about it! Tell me more about your company! How many employees do you have? Are you working with a lot of investors? Is it—?”

“Whoa! Hang on there! I think I need a notebook or something. Anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of demanding?” James chuckled.

Jessica took another sip of her water. “As it happens, I hear that quite often. Now are you going to tell me what your company is all about or what?”

“When I was a senior at MIT, I built an interactive gaming website and it’s taken off. A monthly membership package lets users access a set of standard video games, form teams, compete virtually, and interact with the whole member community. We also offer a feature that lets members watch games – either through their computers or televisions, since people seem to love competition but not everyone likes to play. Our services work to satisfy all.” He grinned and stopped for a second. “Do you play video games at all?”

“I never really saw the point.” She grinned. “But it’s still interesting, so keep going.”

“Well, membership exploded when we introduced an option for exclusive access to games that haven’t been released yet. We established a lot of partnerships with gaming companies to do test marketing for them and we’ve also been working on some celebrity endorsements. You’ve heard of fantasy leagues, right?” Jessica nodded. “The celebrity athletes that endorse the sports games play each other in fantasy teams using our web services. It’s gotten huge buzz, and no other competitor comes close to offering our scope of services.” He winked. “We’re pretty cutting edge.”

Jessica stared at James for a few seconds. “Holy cow. That’s an awesome concept. I mean, congratulations on all of it. Now I totally get why you are so interested in me, I mean, my work.” She corrected herself with a sly grin. Oh come on, Jess! Really? “So what’s the deal with the investors?”

“LazerShark is hot right now. A lot of investors approached us to discuss partnership opportunities and we’ve met with several, but my partner is holding out for one in particular. Things were kind of in upheaval when I first moved back but now everything’s coming together for us.”

“LazerShark…” Jessica wrinkled her forehead. “Is that some kind of gaming lingo?”

James snickered. “Yeah, it’s used a lot in role-playing games. Lasersharking is the action of adding extraordinary elements to an object or situation to make it more interesting. It's a reference from the movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Ever see it?"

"Not really my type of humor." She flashed a sheepish smile.

James winked. "Well, it's kind of fitting for our business model."

“Aha. I like cool names that have some relevance to what a company actually does. Sounds like that one will definitely stick with your audience. So your partner was cool with moving the company out here?”

James shook his head. “We only started working together when I got back to Palo Alto. We grew up together and he’s a pretty entrepreneurial guy with a good head for business. It was a great decision for us to sync up on this. We have a solid team, a lot of interns from Stanford since they come cheap. You just offer a bunch of stock options and they come running.”

“Wow. This is just so random! I mean, here I am, trying to build a business in Palo Alto and there you are, a potential client!”

A loud screech erupted into the air, interrupting Jessica’s next thought.

She stood up, wincing as she shifted her weight. “Shoot, that sounds like…” Jessica poked her head around the column. “Lisa.” She flashed a smile at James. “I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to run. That’s my friend.”

“Let me help you out.” James started to follow her but Jessica pointed out the group of guys that formed around Lisa.

“I think we’ve got all the hands we need right now, but thanks. It was really nice meeting you again. Good luck with everything.”

Jessica saw the disappointed look in his eyes before she turned away. Why is he staring at me like that? He did hear me say I live three thousand miles away, right? And if that didn’t scare him off, there’s plenty more that will send him running.

She limped over to Lisa.

But the nagging voices kept plaguing her.

Twice in one day in California, Jess? What if the universe is trying to save you from yourself after all? Don’t let him walk away. Stop being so afraid. You can’t hide behind work forever.

With a backward glance, she let out a defeated sigh. James was nowhere in sight.

Oh well, I guess I’ve officially blown off the universe too.

“COME ON!” LISA pouted. “We’ll just go for one little drink, I swear!”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “So now you’re rearing to go? A few minutes ago, you were writhing in pain. That was certainly a miraculous recovery.”

“Look, I’ll just pop a couple of Advil and it’ll be fine!”

Jessica shook her head. “Listen, I know you don’t want to disappoint your fan club but I can’t go. I’m too backed up with work that I should have done while I was wasting my afternoon at Stanford and my ass is killing me from that fall. I’m going back to the hotel.”

“Please?” Lisa clasped her hands. “I shouldn’t go out with strange men, it would be irresponsible of you to let me go without a chaperone.”

Jessica snorted. If only these poor guys knew what they were getting themselves into. “Don’t try to guilt me. You’re a big girl and I’d be more concerned for them than for you.”

Lisa flashed a wicked smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t.” Jessica pulled the rubber band out of her hair and brushed the thick waves cascading over her shoulders.

“It would be a really great opportunity for us to spend some time together—”

“Li, I love you to death but it’s not happening. Come on, you know I have to meet with Charlie and he’s going to be all over me if I don’t get this crap done in time.”

“Fine.” Lisa zipped her gym bag. “Let’s go back to our boring hotel. But don’t forget the frozen yogurt. If I’m stuck dateless, I need some other kind of treat.”

Jessica grinned, slinging an arm over her friend’s shoulder. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Lisa threw a wistful glance to her new friends as they left the gym. “I hate you, Jessie.”

“Trust me, you’ll thank me when you’re not nursing a hangover tomorrow morning. You’ve got a big day too.” Jessica looked around one last time before they left. Still no sign of James.

“What’s wrong?” Lisa’s eyes lit up. “You were looking at those guys, weren’t you? Having second thoughts?”

Jessica giggled. “No, I was looking for someone else. You’re not going to believe who I saw tonight.”

“Oh Jesus, another ghost from your past?”

“Kind of.” Jessica twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “Remember the guy from earlier today? The coffee, Brooks Brothers…?”

Lisa gasped. “You’re kidding! And you didn’t tell me? I wanted to get a look! What happened?”

Jessica felt a pink blush color her cheeks. “He kind of…witnessed me flying off the treadmill.”

“No!” Lisa erupted into hysterics. “Could you be any more spastic around this guy today?”

“I know!” Jessica joined in the laughter. “But he was really sweet about it. We talked for a while in the cardio room. He bought me a water.”

“Must be love.” Lisa winked. “Then what? Did you give him your number?”

Jessica shook her head and flashed a sheepish look.

“Why not?” Lisa demanded. “You said he was hot and nice, what’s the issue?”

“Um, about three thousand miles, Li? Where the heck would this be going? Who knows when and if I’ll be back after this trip is over? You come out here all the time for your job but Charlie likes me where he can see me. And that’s Manhattan. You know that.”

“Technicality. I’m not saying it would be perfect but not trying is giving up an opportunity to get to know someone who might turn out to be great for you.” Lisa put a hand on Jessica’s shoulder. “You’re not using the long-distance thing as an excuse, Jessie. It’s the same thing you do with your job.”

Jessica looked at her sneakers. “I know.”

Lisa sighed. “Sweetie, don’t you see? This situation is perfect! You could get to know each other without rushing things. You could go as slow as you want!”

“It’s not like he asked for my number, Li.”

“If I know you, he was probably reading your ultra-clear signal to screw off. Am I right?”

Jessica laughed. “Not exactly. We were interrupted by your moaning and once I saw you were hurt, that kind of ended things.” She shrugged. “Anyway, he probably wasn’t interested. Like I said, he let me go and didn’t try to find me again. Maybe I didn’t make such a huge mistake by walking away.”

“Listen, I can’t make all of your fears magically disappear. Believe me, I wish I could. I know you’re afraid and that you’re hurting. But you’re my best friend and I want you to be happy. You deserve it. You can’t avoid relationships because you’re afraid of rejection. Drew is a scumbag, forget him!” She smiled. “So next time the universe drops a hot guy in your lap, promise me you’ll give him a shot, okay?”

“Fine, I’ll take it under consideration.” Jessica chuckled. “Believe it or not, I want to move on.” But I’m still scared…and even though everyone wants me to be happy, nobody understands what I’m going through. Is it so horrible that I want to protect myself?

“SO SHE’S THE one you got the dress for? Nice work, man.” Chris panted as he spun around James and dribbled the basketball down the court. He jumped to take a three-point shot. “And…swish!” Chris grinned. “You didn’t ask for her number because…?”

Because I’m an idiot! James ignored their undeniable chemistry, walked away without so much as a second glance. Yet something about her was so intriguing. Jesus, I don’t even know her last name but I can’t stop thinking about her. What the hell is up with me?

James snapped into action and grabbed the ball. A rush of adrenaline propelled him down the court and he leapt into the air for a layup. At least my focus isn’t completely shot.

“Show off,” Chris grumbled as he chased the loose ball.

James smirked. “She’s only out here on business. Lives in New York. What could happen?” He dove in front of Chris and slapped the ball out of his hands.

“Hey!” Chris yelled.

James chuckled as he made the three-pointer. “You’re so competitive, man. Give it a rest.”

Chris glared as James passed the ball back to him. “New York, huh?”

“Yep,” James rolled his eyes. “Figures, right?”

“I don’t know, man. Seems like a dream situation to me. Couple of hot nights, then she’s off to the East Coast. Can’t get too tied down if you live so far apart, right?” Chris snickered.

James groaned. “Of course you’d see it that way.”

“Okay, I’ll be serious now. You need to get out of your own head, Jay.” Chris stopped in his tracks and tucked the ball under his arm. “I know the past few months haven’t been easy, but it’s time to get back in the game. You need to stop feeling guilty about your dad and get on with your life. I’m sorry if I’m out of line, but it’s just really good to finally see you excited like this over a girl. You should do something about it.”

James sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I lost my chance.”

“No you didn’t.” Chris raised an eyebrow. “You know where she works, right? You can get in touch with her if you want. If she made that much of an impact on you, you should go for it. And do it soon because I need your head screwed on straight. Have you forgotten we’re supposed to be running a multi-million dollar gaming business here?” Chris nudged him with the ball.

How could I forget? I’ve been burying myself in LazerShark since Dad died. And I’ve done a really good job of keeping everyone out. Until now.

James stretched his arms overhead and let out a deep sigh. “So you think I’m starved for female companionship?”

Chris grinned. “I think it could drastically improve your coding capabilities. Way more effective than playing around with your light saber, pretending to be Luke Skywalker.”

With a snort, James grabbed the ball again and took off toward the net. “Come on, you know I haven’t done that in at least a year.” He leaped up and sank the ball in the net. “Did you forget that you used to play Darth Vader, with your own light saber?”

Chris folded his arms. “Touché. You know what I’m saying. Going out on a date would be good for you. Anything else that happens would be icing on the cake.” He flashed a wicked smile. “Find her, Jay. You need more than an Xbox One to keep you warm at night.”

James took a swig of water. “You’re a real ass, you know that?”

“Yes. But I keep things interesting.” Chris trotted toward him and smacked the ball away. “Think about it, man.”

Finding her wouldn’t be too difficult. But do I even want to start anything? I don’t know when she’s heading back to New York, if she has a boyfriend or whether she’s even interested in seeing me again. It’s not like she gave me her number or anything. Hell, I’ll look like a stalker. Is it really worth the risk?

He drained the last of his water, lost in thought. She’s gorgeous, no question about that. But her looks aren’t what drew me in. It’s her passion, her intensity, her drive. She’s so strong and secure, that aura is sexy as hell. That’s what I want, she’s what I want. So yeah, I think it’s definitely worth the risk.