Thrill of Love Read online

  For four long months he’d looked for her face in every airport, every crowd. They’d promised not to seek each other out, and he’d stayed true to that stupid promise, with the hopes that she knew something about fate that he didn’t.

  He cranked up his efforts as cyclists encroached from behind, threatening his lead. Memories of that promise, and the frustration he’d felt every time he’d thought about tracking Aiyla down, fired him up, and he kicked up his speed. Her hazel eyes had captured his attention from the second they’d met, and that last night together, the eve of his leaving for his next assignment, they’d held his rapt attention as she’d pleaded her case—I can’t just up and leave my life with the hopes that these five days will lead to forever. If fate brings us back together, then I’ll know there’s something bigger than lust at play. He’d tried to argue with her, but she’d been so sure it was the right thing to do, so damn stubborn about not giving up her life. How could he do anything but respect her decision? Ty had never been a one-woman man, but since leaving a piece of his heart in Aiyla’s hands, he hadn’t been able to so much as think of another woman.

  A cyclist blew past him, with others on his tail, pulling him from his thoughts. There was no way he was going to face Aiyla tonight without a first-place win. His body rose off the seat, knees bent, head raised, as he rode the edge of the trail, shredding the competition, pushing himself harder, pedaling faster, until he was neck and neck with the lead racer. Ty focused on the trail ahead, envisioning Aiyla before him, and like a greyhound chasing a rabbit, he surged forward, determined not to let her get away.

  Chapter Two

  THE CAMPSITE WAS exactly as Aiyla had envisioned it, a plethora of pup tents, collapsible tables and chairs, and equipment bags haphazardly littering the area around the restroom pavilion. The event crew had set up a grilling area with buffet-style tables, offering hamburgers, hot dogs, and other dinner foods. People lay on sleeping bags outside their tents reading or recuperating. Others huddled in groups around the bonfire and picnic tables.

  Aiyla set up her tent near the trees, away from most of the commotion, and after waiting in line, she showered and brushed her teeth. She hung her cycling clothes over the ridge of her tent, trying her best to ignore the pain in her left shin. It had been acting up for the past few weeks, but she was used to aches and pains. She’d spent her youth living, breathing, eating, and sleeping sports, and it had paid off, allowing her to work as a hiking guide and ski instructor, which helped pay the bills and fund her trips between publishing advances. She scanned the crowd looking for Ty as she activated one of her chemical ice packs. Her pulse quickened with the realization that this time her searching would not be a futile effort. Ty was there somewhere.

  She could hardly believe it, but as much as she hated what had happened to her mother, her mother’s death had solidified her belief that fate was real. That she could live her life hiding or exploring, and either way, whatever was supposed to happen in the grand scheme of things would still play out. She’d told herself over the past few months that if she ever saw Ty again, she’d let fate take over and would not deny herself the pleasures she wanted to experience with him. But she still needed to know the truth about his reputation.

  She sat outside her tent snacking on Tropical Heat Hot Tamales and icing her leg, wishing she and Ty had exchanged numbers so she could call and find him now.

  “There’s my girl!” Ty’s voice boomed from across the clearing, as arrogant and appealing as ever.

  Everyone looked up to see who he was talking about—including Aiyla—as he strutted across the dirt in a pair of dark green cargo shorts and open sweatshirt over an impossibly snug shirt. Their eyes met and sparks ignited like a wick, burning up the space between them.

  Aiyla set the ice pack on a towel and pushed to her feet, trying desperately not to choke on her candy as her stomach dipped and flipped.

  “Your girl?” she asked. “Presumptuous, aren’t you?”

  His eyes took a slow stroll down her body, heating up every inch as his gaze dragged down her breasts, her stomach, all the way to her toes. She wasn’t the kind of girl who wore makeup or fussed with fancy hairstyles. And as his eyes took on an appreciative, sinful darkness, she remembered how often in Saint-Luc he’d told her she was beautiful, each time making her blush anew.

  “Mm-mm.” His smoldering eyes were set off by his cocky grin. “Shorts and a hoodie have never looked so good.” He stepped closer, his tone turning seductive. “You smell sweet and hot. My favorite combination.”

  He’d completely ignored her sassy remark. She’d forgotten about how often he did that, and she still found his arrogance as intriguing as ever.

  “Ready for our hot date?” he asked.

  “Are you?” she countered.

  “Am I ever.” He leaned down and brushed a sweet, feathery kiss on her cheek. “But how’s that leg you were icing?”

  It would feel a lot better if you kissed it. She waved a hand dismissively, as if she could clear those sexy thoughts from her mind. “Fine.”

  He arched a brow. “You sure? We can hang out here if you need to rest it.”

  She loved that he was considerate, but she was eager to talk with him in private and catch up. And maybe, just maybe, she’d muster the courage to ask about his reputation—even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

  He reached for her hand. “Let’s go, baby cakes.”

  Slipping her hand into his was like coming home. He squeezed it gently, smiling as they headed toward a path on the other side of the campsite. “Why do you call me baby cakes?”

  His lips curved up, and then his brows knitted. “You don’t remember?”

  She shook her head, scrambling through memories in search of a reason, but she came up blank. “No.”

  “We were at the Café de la Poste listening to a band play the second night we were together. They had that heart-shaped metal candleholder on the table, and you were wearing a green sweater that set off your eyes. Mm. I loved the way you looked that night. Don’t you remember? We shared a bottle of wine, and they set up that little grill right on our table.”

  “I remember.” She’d never forget. It was the single most romantic dinner of her life. “We rearranged the place settings and sat side by side, which irked the waiter.” They’d grilled several types of meats and breads and fed each other the most delicious foods. And then they’d danced to a live band that joked with the customers and kept everyone laughing.

  “And what did you say when our dessert arrived?”

  She remembered the chocolate cake was delicious—and tiny! Holy cow, why hadn’t she picked up on that? “I said they were baby cakes!”

  “And the waiter went back to the kitchen and came out with the chef, remember?”

  She laughed. “I was mortified.”

  “Yes, but when he brought you a cake that was three times the size, we devoured it.” He squeezed her hand and said, “From that moment on, you were my baby cakes.”

  “I love that.” She didn’t need to ask if he called anyone else that name. She knew in her heart the endearment was all hers, and she reveled in every one of the special feelings it evoked.

  “I’m glad, because when I think of you, that’s just one of the amazing nights that comes to mind. But that name? That’s you, baby cakes, all the way.” He was quiet while they passed a man sleeping in a chair outside his tent, and then he said, “You came in eighth today. Congratulations.”

  “How’d you know?” She was proud of herself, considering it had been ages since she’d ridden a bike.

  He gave her a look that said he made it his business to know, and her knees weakened a little at that.

  “Hey, Braden!” A brawny blond guy rose to his feet as they passed a group of people sitting around the bonfire, and he waved Ty over.

  “Hey, Speed. How’s it going?” Ty released her hand to shake his. “Nice ride today.”

  “Nice ride? You took my first-p
lace ribbon, you ass. Sit down and shoot the shit for a while.” Speed eyed Aiyla curiously and lifted his chin with a flirtatious smile. “How’s it going, sweetheart? I’m Jon Butterscotch, but they call me Speed.”

  “This is Aiyla,” Ty said, reaching for her hand again. “Speed and I go way back. He’s my brother Cole’s business partner.” He leaned in closer and said, “You’d better lock your tent tonight. He’s a bit of a ladies’ man.”

  Speed scoffed and said, “Damn right I am.”

  “Ty, take a load off, man. We haven’t seen you in forever,” a thin, dark-haired guy urged. “Hey, Aiyla, I’m James.”

  Aiyla waved. “Hi.”

  “Congrats on number eight,” a cheery brunette said to Aiyla. She wore a pair of jeans with a flannel shirt tied above her belly button. Her dark hair fell in long layers, like Daisy Duke from the Dukes of Hazard, which was fitting, since she had a slight Southern twang in her speech. “I’m Trixie. I sucked wind today. Came in fifteenth. Guess I need Braden genes.”

  “Thanks. Fifteenth is awesome,” Aiyla said. She couldn’t help but catch the inquisitive look Trixie was giving Ty, and she wondered just how well they knew each other.

  “Braden genes my ass.” Speed patted the blanket beside him. “Chill, dude. Sit down.”

  “Yeah, I’d like to get to know Aiyla,” Trixie said, and took a sip of her beer.

  Ty hiked a thumb over his shoulder. “We were just going to take a walk.”

  “Oh, come on,” Trixie pleaded. “You can’t just drag the new girl into the woods like a caveman.”

  Aiyla’s stomach sank. I guess the rumors aren’t so far off.

  Ty shot Trixie a back-off look.

  “It’s okay,” Aiyla said. “We can go on a walk another night.”

  He made a guttural sound of disappointment.

  Trixie pulled two beers from a cooler behind her and handed them each one. “Where are you from, Aiyla?”

  Aiyla sat down on the blanket, and Ty opened the beer for her and sat down beside her. His leg brushed against hers, making her acutely aware of how badly she wanted to touch him. She realized Trixie was waiting for an answer and said, “I grew up in Colorado and still call it home, but I travel most of the year for work.”

  Ty leaned back on his palm, his chest grazing Aiyla’s shoulder, making her wish they’d taken that private walk. “She’s a photographer, a ski instructor, an EMT, and probably a hundred other things I have yet to discover. We met in Switzerland a few months ago.”

  Wow. He really did remember everything. She hadn’t remembered telling him she was an EMT.

  “Wait? This is her? Saint-Luc?” Speed asked with wide eyes. “This is the girl? I thought Cole was full of shit.”

  “Cole…?” Ty’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “I never told Cole about her.”

  “Dude,” Speed said. “You told your sister Shannon, which is like feeding it directly to the Braden grapevine.”

  “Christ,” Ty said under his breath. He turned to Aiyla and said, “My sister Shannon and I are pretty close.”

  And you told her about me? Were you pissed that I wouldn’t leave Saint-Luc with you, or did you miss me? “You mentioned that to me in Saint-Luc.”

  “Ah, so she’s not the new girl to you.” Trixie took another drink and winked at Aiyla.

  “No.” Ty reached for Aiyla’s hand, pinning her in place with a serious gaze. “She’s the one who got away.”

  The one who got away? Was that how he thought of her? The one as in the only one, or the one as in, one of many, but the only one who wouldn’t sleep with him?

  “The one who got away?” Trixie’s eyes widened, and she took a long, hard look at Aiyla.

  Ty brushed his thumb over Aiyla’s knuckles, watching her intently. Silent seconds thrummed between them, drenched in sexual tension. When he licked his lips, she heard herself sigh wantonly. She was sure everyone could see desire written all over her face. She withdrew her hand from his in an effort to regain control of her emotions, and guzzled her beer.

  He shifted his gaze to Trixie and said, “Jealous?”

  “Please.” Trixie rolled her eyes. “If I wanted you, I’d have had you by now. You’re not cowboy enough for me, mountain boy.”

  Ty leaned closer to Aiyla and said, “Trixie’s a hard-core ranch girl. She lives in Oak Falls, Virginia, with a load of tough-ass brothers. She’s a good egg.”

  Speed draped an arm over Trixie’s shoulder. “I’ll wear leather chaps if that’s what it takes.”

  Ty eyed them, his body suddenly rigid. Aiyla wondered if he had a thing for Trixie after all.

  “Clothes don’t make the cowboy.” Trixie ducked out from beneath Speed’s arm, and Ty glared at him.

  “Trix’ll need Aiyla’s medical skills after she gets a good dose of Speed.” James laughed and lifted his beer in a toast. “Here’s to another great race.”

  As Aiyla drank to the toast, Ty whispered, “I’m a man of many talents. Give me a horse and I’ll ride her like there’s no tomorrow.”

  “Do you want to be a cowboy?” The question slipped out before she thought to stop it, and there was no mistaking the jealousy it rode out on.

  He set his beer between his legs and ran his finger down Aiyla’s cheek, gazing hungrily into her eyes. “Only if it’s you I’m saddling up.”

  TY DIDN’T KNOW how long he and Aiyla sat with the others around the bonfire, but it was definitely too damn long. They’d shared a second beer, and each time she’d lifted the bottle to her lips, he’d imagined her mouth on him. The logs had burned to embers, and most of the other competitors had already turned in for the night. They had a twenty-four-kilometer run tomorrow, fifteen miles that ended with a swim across a lake. They needed to rest. Aiyla and Trixie were sitting side by side now, looking at pictures on their phones. Trixie showed Aiyla pictures of her hotshot brothers, ignoring Ty’s disapproving glare.

  “Wow, they really are cowboys,” Aiyla said, moving closer to get a better look.

  She was far too interested for Ty’s liking, asking about this one and that. Especially since every time he and Aiyla touched, the temperature spiked fifty degrees. The chemistry between them was just as hot as it had been in Switzerland. Why was she checking out other guys?

  He caught Trixie’s eye and glared again. They’d been friends for years, and he knew she was well aware of his annoyance. She just laughed under her breath, taunting him like a pain-in-the-ass sister. As much as he wanted to leave, he waited for James to call it a night first. James had a reputation for being overly aggressive with women, and with Trixie around, Ty wasn’t about to give him that chance.

  Just as he opened his mouth to try to prompt the end of their evening, Speed and James pushed to their feet.

  “That’s it for me,” Speed said as he grabbed his empty bottles. “Good luck tomorrow, Braden. You’ll need it.”

  “Yeah, right.” Ty laughed. “Good luck, man. You too, James.”

  “I’m not even in your league,” James said. “I’ll be happy if I’m in the top forty-five.”

  “I’m pulling for you, man.” Ty watched them walk away and draped an arm over Aiyla’s shoulder. As he leaned in, she tucked her phone into her pocket. “You about ready to call it a night, sweet one?”

  “Sure.” She smiled at Trixie, who was looking at Ty like she didn’t recognize him. “Trixie, it’s been fun getting to know you. Good luck tomorrow.”

  “Thanks. You too.”

  He gathered the remaining bottles and tossed them in the trash barrel, then reached for Aiyla’s hand and said, “Hey, Trix, where’s your tent?”

  “Right there.” She pointed to a green tent by the pavilion. “Good luck tomorrow, you guys.”

  He nodded and watched her head back to her tent. Aiyla slipped her hand from his, and he turned his attention back to the beautiful woman beside him, wondering why. Considering their date had been lost, he went for levity. “So, my girl’s into cowboys?”

  “
Your girl?” Hurt rose in her eyes. “A little overly confident for a guy who looked like he wanted to follow Trixie into her tent.”

  “Wanted to…?” He hauled her against him, flattening his hand over her back and holding her so tight her chin touched his chest. She had no choice but to look up at him. “Aiyla Lillian Bell, if you think I would hit on another girl while I’m on what was supposed to be a date with you, then you don’t know me the way I thought you did. Trixie Jericho has been my friend since college, and James is known for being a bit of a dick. I didn’t want her to run into trouble with him.”

  She put her hands on his chest and pushed, but he didn’t loosen his grip. Luckily, she smiled instead of kneeing him in the groin.

  “First, I can’t believe you remembered my middle name. That’s kind of sweet.” A thoughtful expression appeared on her beautiful face, and her fingers moved absently over his pecs. “And second, I didn’t expect that answer. I need a minute to think up a response that doesn’t make me sound like a loser.”

  He ran his hands up her back and into her hair, wondering if she could sense how much he’d missed her. How he’d hoped every airport would bring her to him. How adhering to her sense of fate had frustrated him to the point of nearly giving in and flying back to Switzerland. But his feelings for her had kept him from breaking his promise, and now she was right here in his arms, and it was killing him not to kiss her.