Chapter One
Pierce studied his reflection in the full-length mirror. Worn jeans, a solid-colored T-shirt, and black work boots would be his uniform for the weekend. A far cry from the three-piece suits he wore as a sports agent. The habitual helplessness that always assailed him when it came to Demi Fox infused him with an awkward vulnerability he couldn’t shake. The curvy caramel-skinned woman who’d been one of his closest friends since diapers had no clue how she affected him. He’d spent years trying to keep a lid on his dirty little secret. The star quarterback in college never gave a fuck about the cheerleaders throwing themselves at his feet, because he longed for his bookish best friend. He licked his lips.
The time of being afraid of ruining their friendship was over. They weren’t young kids trying to figure out who they were, and still he wanted her with an all-consuming passion that had him jacking off to images of her in his head. If he waited any longer, he might lose her to someone else. The thought of another man putting his hands on what Pierce saw as his turned his vision red. Yeah, this setup had been the only option. Money could work miracles when you hired the right people, and this event planner had pulled out all the stops. As well she should’ve for her astronomical fee. The price made him cringe. Pierce had known Demi his entire life. They were a good fit, so this should be a cinch, right?
He placed a hand on his aching stomach, reverted to that of a kid who’d consumed too much candy. This would either work out or fail epically. His pocket vibrated. It was three o’clock. The duffel bag had been delivered. Time to head out per Andrea’s instructions. A packed bag was delivered this morning with a to-do list and a personal note. Be sure to arrive to her place with a spirit of adventure in your heart. He rolled his eyes at the position he’d been placed in. Demi loved the show Seeker, all about a bounty hunter, Roman Stone, who specialized in the paranormal. He wandered from town to town solving cases, saving the girl, and making millions of females around the globe swoon. Demi loved to cosplay, a hobby he found endearing and secretly envied. She had no problem thumbing her nose at society to do exactly as she pleased. One of the many qualities he admired about her. For years he hoped she’d open those whiskey-brown eyes full of intelligence and realize he stood in the wings, waiting to be noticed. If sweeping her off her feet and granting her wish to live an episode of Seeker didn’t win her over, nothing would.
He walked over to the bed, hefted the weighty duffel over his shoulder, and headed for the door. In for a penny, in for a pound. His boots thudded over the wood flooring. In a perfect world, everything would work out flawlessly. They’d explore the haunted hotel at their own pace, stay in a room, eat takeout, and be 100 percent honest. His hand tightened around the handle. The unknown was scary, and this would be a make-it-or-break-it situation. Once he spilled his guts, there’d be no taking it back. He opened the car door to the black SUV he was sure the company rented solely because it was the same make and model as the one driven in the show.
He unlocked the door, tossed the bag in the backseat, and slid behind the wheel. He turned the engine over. Before he pulled out the driveway, he picked up the iPod and scrolled down to Demi’s playlist. Metallica’s “Anywhere I Roam” blared through the speaker. The long way to Demi’s condo stretched the fifteen-minute trip to a good twenty to twenty-five. What will she think of this? He ran over the different scenarios, doing his best to prepare himself for all of them. By the time he pulled into her driveway, his mind had become a crowded highway.
He took a deep breath, turned off the car, and got out. Heart pounding like a jackhammer, he stopped on her porch and knocked. Half a second later, the door flew open, and a blurred shape came at him. A warm body almost bowled him over, and he scrambled to stabilize as she wound her limbs around him, planting sweet kisses over his face.
“You are amazing, Pierce Lane.” She cupped his face and leaned back. “I can’t believe you did this all for me. It’s not even my birthday.” He swore her wide-set brown eyes saw through to his soul.
“Demi.” He sighed. “I had ulterior motives. There are things I need to say to you. That I’ve been thinking about for some time.”
“Is everything okay?” Her happiness level plummeted, and he mentally kicked herself.
“Yeah, it’s just something I’ve wanted to talk to you about for a while. Now that we’ll have some one-on-one, I’m going to take advantage of that.”
“You keep coming up with things like this, and I’ll declare surprises from Pierce Lane are to be epic.”
He laughed, giving her a squeeze as he struggled to keep all his blood from rushing to his dick. She was solid, his Demi. Half an inch shy of six feet, she rocked the curves of an Amazon goddess. “I like the sound of that. Are you ready to go?”
“I am! Do I get to play navigator road dog?” Excitement radiated from her, bathing him and easing his nerves. He stepped inside the house and closed the door with his foot.
“Damn, you got the Roman Stone thing down, huh?” She lowered her legs, and he let her down, waiting until she was steady to walk away.
“To be fair, I came first,” he said.
“Splitting hairs, but I’ll let you have this one.” She beamed. “Let me go get my duffle bag. Everything in it was amazing! I mean come on, holy water in a flask with my initials? Beast.” He studied the sway of her hips and the round ass he ado
red in the formfitting dark-wash denim she’d paired with an old AC/DC shirt and a lightweight leather jacket as she walked away.
DAMN MAN IS too fine for his own good. Especially dressed the way he is. Demi shook her head. She’d been trying to figure out for years why Pierce hadn’t been snatched up. He didn’t give gay vibes, and despite his smoking-hot bod and beautiful face, he’d never been a playboy. To be honest, she’d always harbored a little crush. With his six-foot frame, broad shoulders, brilliant blue eyes, and sandy-blond hair, who could blame her for getting a little weak in the knees every now and then? For a minute, she imagined he saw her as a woman and not the girl next door. Then reality hit. Why would Pierce be into an anime-loving self-professed geek girl like her?
There were times when they drifted apart like ships together in the ocean. But they always managed to come back to each other. That he’d go out of his way to set this up had warmed her heart to the core. Perhaps the trip represented a peace offering. Lately he’d been different with her, distant and almost contemplative. He’d opened his mouth a million times only to shake his head and rein it back in. It scared her. What could he be so afraid to say? They’d been bathed together as infants. You don’t get much closer than that. She snatched her bag off her bed and took a deep breath, ready for the adventure on the road. How many people got to live their fantasies like this?
She jogged back out. “I’m all yours, Stone.”
“Careful, I might take you seriously.” The gravelly tone followed up by a wink made her panties wet.
“Shut up, Pierce.” She ducked her head and bit the inside of her cheek. His masculine laughter hardened her nipples.
“Come on. I even made playlists,” he said.
“Yes! You’ve learned how to be prepared for travel by the master.” She grinned cheekily.
He held out his hand for her bag and rolled his eyes. “If you mean browbeaten into making sure I have the proper tunage for you on a long drive, yes.”