Grace and I had almost reached the midway when a plate of cheese fries flew through the air like an errant missile and crashed into my chest. Warm gooey cheese ran down the neckline and settled between my breasts. Grace stood back and laughed, then she did the unthinkable. She pulled a fry from my shoulder and dipped it into the cheese on my neck.

“Manna from heaven,” she said.

I gave her a dirty look.

“What? I’m eating for two, and I’m hungry.” She reached to grab another fry, but I swatted her hand away. Who in the hell throws food at unsuspecting people? I scoured the area around us, and my eyes landed on Ryker and Nate, who stood wide-eyed and silent next to the ring toss booth.

Dust kicked up around me as I stomped toward them. Nate took the coward’s path and hid behind Ryker.

“Did you do this?” I pointed down to my chest, which was a big mistake because it only focused his attention on my nipples, which puckered and pebbled underneath the thin cotton.

Ryker smiled as he locked his eyes on the pert little nubs pushing into the fabric. “I hope so,” he said in a cocky way that sent shivers down my spine.

“You’re impossible.” I turned around and marched toward the food tent where they were bound to have napkins. I wiped at my chest until most of the cheese was gone, but it was useless. My pale pink shirt was now stiff with coagulated cheese and orange oil stains.

When I looked up, Ryker stood in front of me wearing nothing but an open leather jacket. A large tattoo I couldn’t distinguish crossed his upper chest. He held his plaid flannel shirt out as a peace offering. Behind him were Grace and Nate, who were talking animatedly as if I hadn’t just received a cheese shower.

“I think you owe me some cheese fries,” Ryker said.

My jaw almost hit my chest. “You’re kidding, right?”

He pushed his shirt into my hands and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Yes, I’m kidding. Now let’s get you changed before the rodents take notice and begin to swarm around you en masse.”

At the mention of rodents, I happily followed him.

He walked me toward the outhouse while Nate and Grace walked behind us, still deep in conversation.

Once inside, I removed my shirt. It was a total loss, so I tossed it into the trash bin.

I brought Ryker’s flannel shirt up to my face and inhaled his scent. Clean. Fresh. Manly. I slipped my arms inside and rolled the sleeves up a few times, but they still hung below my hands, and the length dropped down to my knees. There was no doubt that I looked ridiculous. Maybe like that kid in the movie Big when he returned home in the suit made for a man.

My hands ran softly through my hair, and I pinched my cheeks to rosy them up. I didn’t know why, but I wanted to look presentable for Ryker. Despite our rocky start, we’d developed a friendship over the past few weeks. Once I’d gotten past his disagreeable behavior, he’d turned out to be a decent man.

He waited for me outside the restroom and laughed at the way his shirt swallowed me up. How could it not? He was built like a Mack truck, and I was built like a Mini Cooper.

“Let me help you.” He walked forward, and I noticed how he’d zipped his jacket halfway up, leaving a peek of tattoo showing on his chest. It was a shame because I could have looked at his abs all night long. They were their own kind of entertainment. In fact, I’d bet women would pay to sit and watch his abs. They could line hunky men up and call it something like “The Ripples and Ridges Revue.” I’d certainly pay for that show.

“Haven’t you helped enough?” I said without a hint of agitation. I was happy Ryker was here, and judging by the look on Grace’s face, she was getting on well with Nate. It wasn’t the I’m-going-to-eat-you-alive look that Grace normally gave men. This was different, and I was glad. Maybe she’d learned something from her less-than-desirable situation.

“Let me fix this,” he said. He reached for the hem of the shirt, and when he got both ends in his hands, he tied it at my waist, then went to work on the sleeves. Somehow he cuffed the fabric and then buttoned the wristband over the mass so that the sleeves fit me, in a way.

“How did you know how to do that?”

He shrugged and said, “We got a lot of hand-me-downs as kids. I got good at making things work.”

“I’d love to hear about that sometime.”

He weaved his hand under my arm and led me toward the rides. “Someday I’ll tell you.”

We waited in line at the Ferris wheel because that was the only thing Grace could safely ride. When it came time to get on, she jumped ahead of me and climbed into the car with Nate, leaving me alone with Ryker.

“You can thank me later,” she yelled as her car moved up, and the next car became available for Ryker and me.

“After you,” he said with a flourish of his hand. I entered first, and he followed.

As each car filled with passengers, we lifted higher into the air. It was late May, and the air was crisp and cool. I wrapped my arms around my body, feeling the chill run through my bones. Before I knew it, I was leaning into Ryker trying to steal some of his heat.

“You cold?”

My teeth chattered. “Freezing.”

“I’d give you my shirt, but I already gave it to this cute little thing who spilled cheese all over herself.”

With indignation I sat up straight. “Is that how you’re playing this? You’re going to pretend you didn’t lob a plate of cheese fries in my direction?”

He laughed, and it was good to hear him laugh. It wasn’t something that happened often, and I liked the sound of him happy. In fact, I liked it so much that I decided to make it my mission to keep him laughing.

“It was an accident.”

“The least you could have done was offer me a wiener.” The words were out before I processed them.

His eyes glittered with humor. “I’m still happy to offer you a wiener if that’s what you really want.” He lifted his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to his side. “How about we start with getting you warm?”

Little did Ryker know, but I was already sizzling hot for him. My insides burned while the frigid night air cooled me from the outside. Hannah was a lucky girl. Or was she? She wasn’t here with Ryker tonight, I was. It wasn’t a date—he had come with Nate—but why had he left her at home? I wasn’t going to ruin the moment by asking. Maybe they weren’t exclusive. I shook that thought straight out of my head once I replayed Hannah’s words: “The eyes are fine, sweetie, but keep your hands off, okay? Hawk is mine.” Those were exclusive words.

The Ferris wheel went round and round until it finally slowed to a stop, letting Nate and Grace off. She looked up at us and saw Ryker’s arm around me, and she smiled. I shook my head, trying to tell her she had the wrong idea, even though deep inside I wished it were different. Fury, Colorado, would be a totally changed experience if I was sharing it with someone, but I wasn’t.

Grace cupped her mouth and yelled up at me, “Nate is taking me to the diner. I’m hungry for real food. I’ll see you at home.” She gave me a wink that I’m sure no one missed and pulled Nate in the direction of the parking lot. That poor man didn’t know what hit him.

“Looks like we’re on our own,” Ryker whispered in my ear. “What’s next?”

I had lots of nexts that I’d rather do with him, but I pointed to the Scrambler, and that’s where we went once we got off the Ferris wheel.

What was I thinking? The Scrambler was a brain-bruising ride that threw me in several directions at once. When we got off the ride, I was happy that I hadn’t eaten anything prior. I looked up at Ryker to see whether he was rethinking his cheese fries, but he didn’t show anything beyond pure exhilaration on his face. It was like this was his first carnival.

Like a kid, he raced me from ride to ride, trying to get it all in before it shut down for the night. A light mist started to fall, causing my skin to chill.

“One more thing and then we’ll go.” He sounded so excited that I didn’t have the heart to say no even though my feet ached and my body was numb. “Let’s go in here.”

We stood in front of the mirror maze. The roadie took our tickets, and we entered alone. Most people sought the adrenaline of the rides so the mirror maze, in my experience, was often overlooked.

We walked around trying to find our way out, but the maze was unforgiving. We found ourselves walking in circles until Ryker got the crazy idea to split up.

He headed to the right and pointed me to the left. “Last one out is a rotten egg.” It was such a childish thing to come out of this big man’s mouth, but I was never a quitter, and I loved a challenge.

“You’re on. Loser buys our next meal.”

He yelled over his shoulder, “I already got you cheese fries.” Then he disappeared.

There were a million mirrors around me. All reflections of me. I saw myself from every angle. It was when I didn’t see myself that I knew I was going in the right direction. Up ahead I saw the reflection of a man, but it wasn’t Ryker. To my right I saw a woman that I didn’t recognize. Behind me faces flashed in the mirrors, but no one was really there. My heart pumped at a pace that left me dizzy. My mind played games with me. I saw Grams and Gramps. I saw my mother and a man with blond hair who looked familiar, but I didn’t know who he was. I saw a baby and a row of motorcycles. I heard screaming, but there were no voices. My blood pounded out a rhythm that was almost deafening. I grabbed my head and slid to the ground. I’d never experienced such terror in a place that was supposed to be fun.

I called out his name. There was no answer, so I yelled louder. Still nothing. I closed my eyes. Blood. Shattering glass. It all played like a movie behind my eyelids, and I knew I’d just remembered my past. Not the good memories like baking cookies and finger-painting, but the crash that took my parents away, and all I could do was cry.

Curled in a ball against a mirror, I waited to be saved. I kept my eyes closed, afraid of what I’d see in the reflection of the mirrors.

“Ana, are you okay?” Concern filled Ryker’s voice. On his knees in front of me, he wiped the tears that fell from my cheeks. “What happened?”

I took in a choppy breath. “I don’t know. I couldn’t find my way out, and then the mirrors …”

“What about them?” He pulled me into his arms and lifted me to my feet.

“They showed me things I couldn’t remember. I saw the car crash that killed my parents. Glass and blood was everywhere.” I covered my face and sobbed.

Ryker pulled me close and held me until I stopped blubbering. “It’s going to be okay. Memories are like that. They attack you when you’re not expecting them. Let’s get you home.” I nodded into his leather jacket, then looked up into his face. What I saw there melted me. He cared. He knew what I’d just experienced. The pain of his own torment was written all over his expression. He stared at me, and his eyes softened. When his lips came down to claim mine, I didn’t hesitate to kiss him back. I needed his comfort. I needed his strength. Something told me he needed the same.

His tongue stroked mine in a delicious way that sent the fear away and replaced it with desire. He explored my mouth like he was searching for something more, and I wanted him to find it there, but then I thought of Hannah, and I was mortified. I wasn’t that girl. Realizing what I’d done, I pushed him back and turned to walk away, but I twisted my ankle and fell to the ground.

“Shit, shit, shit!” I yelled and grabbed my right ankle.

Ryker was back on his haunches in front of me.

“What’s wrong? Why did you turn and run?” He looked like I’d slapped him in the face. “Was it the kiss?” There was a silent hurt that faded his blue eyes.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you. You have a girlfriend. I’d never make a move on someone else’s boyfriend.”

Ryker’s expression was priceless. It was like I’d told him the sky was green and the grass was blue.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he asked. “I’m not with anyone and don’t you dare apologize. I liked the damn kiss.” He picked me up and carried me through the maze. When we got outside, he set me down and asked for my keys. “I’m driving.”

I handed them to him without argument. My right ankle ached when I put too much pressure on it, and pressing on the gas pedal for the next thirty minutes didn’t sound appealing.

He offered me a piggyback ride, but I declined. The kiss was tempting enough that I didn’t need to wrap my legs around his waist and have my girly bits pressed tight against him. I limped all the way to my Jeep while he scowled at me.

Ryker looked like a badass, but he acted like a gentleman. He opened the door and lifted me inside even though my ankle was feeling much better. Once I was buckled and safe in my seat, he made his way around the car. I stared at him every second, wondering what was happening between us. He was a man of sharp contrasts. One moment he was sunshine, and the next a thundering storm. He was sweet and savage. Saint and sinner. Sexy and sinful. And he was single. That bit of information made me smile.

He climbed in and adjusted the seat to fit his long legs. The engine choked and sputtered, then finally growled to life. “When was the last time this thing had a tune-up?”

I gave him a confused look. “Huh?”

He shook his head. “You’ve got a lot to learn. Let’s start with some facts. I’m not anyone’s boyfriend. Where in the hell did you get that idea?”

I shifted in the seat to face him. His profile showed a nose that had been broken more than once. His jaw was strong and covered in a shadow of facial hair that gave him a rugged look. He was the hawk I’d been looking for, and now that he was single, maybe he could be mine.

“Hannah told me that you were hers.”

Ryker’s hands gripped the steering wheel. He shoved the car into reverse a little too roughly and backed us out of the parking space. “She’s a handful, that girl.”

It wasn’t my business, but I wanted to know. “Have you ever been with her?”

He gave me a quick sidelong glance. We were moving forward, driving down the highway toward Fury. Big raindrops hit the windshield. He flicked on the wipers, and they screeched with every swipe. “You need new wipers too.”

It didn’t escape me that he hadn’t answered the question. I turned and looked out the window. We sat in silence for seemingly a lifetime until he finally answered my question. “I’ve never been with her. Not one kiss, one feel, or even a quick fuck.”

I snapped my head in his direction. “Then why would she say that to me?”

“Because she wants it to be different.” He turned toward me. “You’re the first girl I’ve kissed in months, and I plan to do it again the minute I get you home.”

Not wanting him to see the desire in my expression, I turned around just in time to see a cow in the center of the road.