“I was six and obviously had very poor judgment.”
“No doubt. Johnny Petrone was proof of that.” That earned him another eye roll.
“I was fifteen.”
“And bawling your eyes out on those very steps.” He pointed toward the bar. “Because he broke up with you. He was never worthy of a single date. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Is that why you gave him a black eye?”
“He made my best friend cry. I’d have done more than that if Doc hadn’t stopped me.”
Her jaw tightened, a war raging in her beautiful hazel eyes. “You were always out of control.”
“And you weren’t?” He held her gaze.
“Not like you.”
He stepped closer. So close she had to tip her face up to see his, burning off the chill she tried to wear like a shield. “You’re exactly like me. Always have been. Always will be. You lived and breathed for the next adrenaline high, and just doing it was never enough. You had to excel, just like me. You worked your ass off to become a pro motocross racer. I don’t know how you walked away from it and turned your back on everything else you loved except the damn bar.”
Her eyes narrowed, her chest rising with her heavy breaths, brushing against him. “I grew up.”
“You got scared.” He let that sink in, and if he hadn’t been looking for it, he’d have missed the slight twitch in her eyes, the tell that gave away when she was thinking about something or lying. “It’s time to stop pretending to be someone you’re not, Billie. I know you love the bar, but that’s just a piece of who you are, like the ranch is part of who I am. You’re like a caged tiger in there. I see it in your eyes and feel it every time I’m around you. That’s not you, Billie. You used to shine like the fucking sun, and now you’re like a thunderstorm waiting to happen. I hate seeing you like that, and so would Eddie.”
“If you don’t like what you see, then stay the hell away from me. Stop coming to my family’s bar.” She took a step toward her truck, and he moved in front of her, blocking her way.
“That’s not happening, and I don’t believe you want me to.”
“You don’t care what I want,” she seethed. “This is about what you want.”
“You’re damn right it is, because what I want is to stop you from throwing your life away.”
Her eyes twitched, but her jaw tightened again. “Go find someone else to save.”
“You’re so damn frustrating,” he gritted out. “I don’t want to save you. I want to help you get back to living the life you deserve. The life you really love.”
“Save your psychobabble for someone else. Why do you care what I do, anyway?”
“Because I fucking love you, and I loved Eddie, and now he’s gone, Billie. But you’re still here, and acting like someone you’re not isn’t going to bring him back.”
Anger flamed in her eyes, and she pushed past him and headed for her truck.
“We both lost him, Billie, and you haven’t talked to me about what happened to him even once,” he said as she climbed into her truck. “I get that you hate me for what I said the day he died.” Her hand stilled on the door. “I’m sorry I opened my mouth. I wish I could take it all back, but fucking yell at me. Beat the hell out of me. Do something to get that anger out of your system, because he was a piece of us, and you’re the only other person on this earth who knows what that truly means.”
She swallowed hard, her eyes downcast.
“Come on, Billie.” He softened his tone. “Hasn’t this gone on long enough? I just want my best friend back. I want to talk and hang out and do fun shit with you. I fucking miss you, Billie. I miss us.”
She lifted sad, angry eyes to him. “Well, I’m not that girl anymore, so get over it.”
She slammed her truck door, and he watched her drive away. She was so damn stubborn, getting her out of the armor she’d worn like a shield would require finesse. He might have once been a bull in a china shop, but he’d had six long years to learn patience, and he was ready to put that patience to the test and face his biggest, most important challenge yet—showing the woman he’d always loved that some dares are worth the risk.
Chapter Two
AFTER A FITFUL night’s sleep spent overthinking every word Dare had said to her, Billie drove to Elk Mountain Park for her morning run. She’d never been a great sleeper, but her inability to shut her mind off had gotten even worse after Eddie died and she’d given up her adrenaline-driven lifestyle. She’d had a hell of a time finding safer ways to get rid of her excess energy. She was still struggling with that, but running helped to clear her head and calm her mind.
Or at least it usually did.
This morning, as the sun beat down on her shoulders, she couldn’t get lost in the serenity of the grassy fields and scenic mountains. Instead, Dare’s freaking voice was echoing in her head. You got scared…You used to shine like the fucking sun, and now you’re like a thunderstorm waiting to happen. I hate seeing you like that, and so would Eddie.
She kicked up her speed, trying to outrun the truth in his words.
All she wanted was to be in control of her life, and she’d never felt more out of control. I just want my best friend back…I fucking miss you, Billie. I miss us. She pushed herself harder, sweat pouring down her neck and chest, but there was no outrunning the bone-deep ache of missing every damn thing she’d lost or given up. Most of all, being part of their trio and their exciting, carefree days, easy friendships, and crazy, fun nights. It never mattered that Dare and Eddie were opposites in every way. In fact, it made the three of them better. Dare was big, burly, and wild, while Eddie was lean, fit, and careful. Dare kept his dark hair short and his scruff trim, while Eddie’s blond hair was always in need of a cut and he shaved only under duress. Dare was bullheaded, had several piercings in his ear, septum, and nostril, and was tatted from neck to pecs. Lord only knew how much ink was in the danger zone, but she’d seen the tattoos on his thighs and calves. Eddie was full of boyish charm and had not a speck of ink on his body. God, she missed being with them. The way Dare pushed her and how Eddie always knew the right thing to do and say, as if he’d been put on earth because the universe knew they needed someone more rational to rein them in and be their sounding board. She missed their banter as much as she missed their fights, and she missed the person she’d been with them.
But how could she ever go back, when it hurt so bad?
She looked up at the clear blue sky, as she’d done thousands of times before, and pictured Eddie’s handsome face, his blue eyes glittering down at her, shaggy blond hair falling in front of them. She imagined him laughing, because imagining anything less always brought tears. Every time she talked to him, she thought she’d said everything she could ever want to say. She’d apologized for not loving him the way he deserved to be loved more times than she could count, but still when she looked up, that was the first thing that came out. “It’s me again. I’m sorry for not loving you the way you deserved. I wish I were wired differently. You were always there for me.” She gulped in air, thinking about how he’d encouraged her and cheered her on at motocross races—What’re you waiting for, Billie? Get out there and show the world what you’ve got—and recorded even the most ridiculous of stunts.