ADAM'S POV
“Oh my God. It's you!”Hearing her say that, my heart began thumping wildly, excitement like I'd never felt before bubbling inside my chest.Does she mean what I think she means? Is she confirming that she's the masked woman?“You... You remember me?” I asked slowly, careful not to let any emotion show.“Yes!” She exclaimed.My heart soared even further. It was truly her. My amber-eyed masked beauty. After four months of torture, I was finally seeing her again.I wanted to pull her into a hug and ask her where the hell she disappeared to, but before I could do that, her next words stopped me completely.“Aren't you Adam Garcia?” She gushed. “Of course, you're Adam Garcia! The famous sports extremist.”Disappointment crashed through me, nearly knocking the air out of my lungs.She hadn't meant what I thought she'd meant. The only reason why she recognized me was because she was a fan of mine. She wasn't my amber-eyed beauty.The disappointment must've shown on my face because the smile on the woman's face dimmed as she asked, “Hey. Are you okay?”“Yeah." I answered, forcing a smile on my face even though I felt so pissed.I wasn't pissed off at her. I was pissed at myself. I can't believe I got so excited at the possibility that she was the masked woman.I can't believe I was going to tell her how crazy she has driven me in the past four months. That's the worse mistake any man can commit; letting a woman know that she has power over you.And I had been about to do just that.“So you're a fan of mine?" I said to clear the awkward silence that settled between us.I'm not going to let thoughts of the masked woman ruin this moment like it has ruined so many others before."So you are a fan of mine?" I asked her, putting on a smile and hoping it looked as flirtatious as possible."No." Her answer came too quickly. "Yes. Well, maybe, I guess. I found you on YouTube last week and I've become so fascinated and..."She trailed off, eyes widening as if she'd said something she shouldn't have. I leaned over, grinning teasingly."Hmm, tell me. In what ways do I fascinate you, sweetheart?"She rolled her eyes and looked away, her obvious way of playing off my question. "You wish, huh? It's not about fascination. I just think you are weird, you and all the other people who do extreme sports.""Hmm," I raised my brows and twisted my lips in a perverse smile. "Well, that's new. People have called me many things from suicidal to psycho, never just 'weird'. Why do you think we are weird?""Oh come on, do I need to spell it out?" She said in a 'duh' manner. "I've watched videos where people do rock climbing or stand at insane heights to bungee jump or skydive and they always look so creeped out like they could puke at any moment and yet still they jump."The incredulous look on her face made me chuckle softly, my sore mood lifting. "And what's usually their reaction once they're in the air."She shrugged, snorting. "They go like 'hooo' and 'hi-ha' but I think that's only for the camera so they won't look like cowards.""Wow, that's some wild imagination." I said, unable to resist the smile that tugged at my lips. "What about me though? Why do you think I'm weird?""Because what the hell? You pull so many crazy stunts in all the videos I've watched of you. But you never look a bit afraid. Either you're pretending for the camera or you don't fear anything.”"What's there to fear?""What's there to fear?" Her eyes widened. "People die, you know? I watched this documentary on how twenty people have died from bungee jumping.""Bungee jumping started way back in the 1900 and only twenty people have died so far." I reasoned. "The fear is all in your mind.""Well, even though I know luck loves me a lot, I'd rather not test its patience, thank you very much." She said dryly."How long have you been wishing you could do extreme sports?" I asked softly.She looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "What makes you think I want to do any of that crazy stuff?"I wasn't fooled. Her fascination with watching extreme sports videos was because she wanted to try it herself but she was obviously afraid.“I can guide you." I suddenly said without thinking."What?" She asked, turning her gaze back to me.I looked away, stunned that I'd made that offer. But I couldn't take it back now. "I said I can help you to overcome that fear you have in you. I can teach you how to have fun.""Oh you mean teach me how best I can break my bones."I couldn't help but chuckle at the horrified look on her face. "You make extreme sports sound like it's the country's capital punishment. But it's not bad at all. There's nothing like the feel of ice while you glide on an ice skate down the steep slopes, or the freefall of gravity when you jump from a plane thousands of feet high and soar through the air.""Believe me, nothing you are saying is making me want to do extreme sports." She said, horror filling her voice."Seriously, let me teach you. You just have to come with me to Jackson Hole" I insisted.She was about to say something when her phone rang with a notification. "Sorry." She said as she fetched her phone from the pocket of her denim shorts."It's my mum. God, I can't believe it's midnight already. I'm making a freaking presentation tomorrow. Damn you, Victoria." She muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry I need to go."Disappointment washed over me as she turned to walk away, but as if on second thoughts, turned to look at me. "I had a...nice conversation.""You'd better take my number in case you change your mind and want me to tutor you in extreme sports." I winked at her. "Or the no-strings-attached thingy."She threw her head back and laughed, and it did things to my insides that I found all too alarming. "Sorry, playboy. Not up for any of those offers.""I have a feeling you are going to change your mind so just take my number so that you won't suffer in looking for me later.”"You are a persistent one, aren't you?"She handed me her phone, a sleek Samsung of the latest version. Launching the phone app, I entered my digits and saved them before handing her phone back to her.She glanced at the screen briefly, then turned her gaze to me. "Wild One, huh?""Don't you forget that, sweetheart." I waggled my brows at her. She turned to go, but I caught her arm before she could take two steps. "Hey, what about a goodbye kiss?”"Haha, very funny."She laughed and pulled her arm from my light grip. With one last dazzling smile at me, she started walking away. Just as she reached the exit door to the VIP booths, a sense of Deja Vu swept over me.The same feeling I felt when the masked woman ran off after our kiss at the New Year's Eve masquerade party."Hey!" I called out. She instantly stopped and turned to face me. "I forgot your name."She rolled her eyes. "That's because I didn't tell you, duh.""What's your name then?"She didn't answer me. She just turned and ran away. Just like the masked woman had done.But at least she has taken my number.༺❀༻Something strange happened that night. For the first time in four months, I didn't dream about the masked woman.I had a dreamless sleep.When I woke up the next morning, I'd received a text from an unknown number that read;HEY, THIS IS EVA. CAN WE MEET?I didn't have to be told to know that it was the woman from the nightclub. I finally knew her name.“Eva." I whispered, a smile curving my lips at the name as I texted back:I KNEW YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR MINDHer reply came almost immediately.THERE'S NO NEED TO BE ARROGANT ABOUT IT.Laughing, I texted back.WHERE DO YOU WANT US TO MEET?She texted me the address. A restaurant that wasn't too far from my apartment complex. I texted back.IT'S A DATE.She texted back: IT'S NOT A DATEWHAT IS IT THEN?IT'S JUST A MEETING.That made me laugh again. She was so hellbent on making things professional between us. But her body didn't lie last night. I knew she was attracted to me.WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT, SWEETHEART. I texted back, then added. I'LL BE THERE.I waited a minute for a reply but none came. A stupid smile still on my face, I tossed the phone beside me on the bed and lay on my back.That was when something occurred to me. For the first time in four months, I didn't dream about the masked woman, and it only happened after I met Eva at the club last night.Is that it? Is Eva the woman who can help me to finally forget about the masked woman?Is Adam ever going to realize that Eva is the masked woman? What's going to happen then? Things are about to get even more interesting...
EVA'S POVI think I'm going crazy. No, I don't think so. I AM going crazy.Otherwise, why would I be following a stranger to the middle of nowhere to do extreme sports for five days?It doesn't matter that Adam Garcia is a celebrity. He has made it abundantly clear to me that he wants to sleep with me, and for all I know, he only wants to take me to his cabin in Jackson Hole to turn me into a sex slave.And yet here I am, driving behind him in my rented Subaru. For some reason, I feel like I can completely trust him.Deep down, I knew I'd always wanted to try extreme sports. Talking with Adam is what finally made me realize it. That was why I finally decided to set my fears aside and come have this adventure.But now that I'm here, looking out through my window at the huge mountains, I'm just on the verge of turning and driving the hell out of here.Adam took a bend in his car, and I followed the same direction to find his car parked in front of a cozy-looking cabin. I stopped my ca
EVA'S POV“When are we going on our first adventure?” I asked Adam as I returned after going to keep my luggage in the bedroom I was going to sleep in.He raised a surprised brow at me. “Wow, I can see you're eager.” He teased, making me roll my eyes.I knew he was still underestimating my ability to do extreme sports, and I was going to prove him wrong."Why don't we start by going for a run through the mountains?" I suggested.Adam shook his head. “Look, as much I admire your eagerness, we just arrived from a long drive. Just get some rest first. The slopes here are very steep and navigating them is strenous.”I jammed my hands on my jean-clad hips, glaring at him. "Try me."He paused and gave me an assessing look before an amused smile touched his lips. "Fine. Let's see what you are made of."Two hours later, we returned from our run through the hills behind the cabin. While Adam was still running like we just hadn't run for two hours straight, I felt like I was about to pass out.
EVA'S POVAfter stepping out of the bedroom, I walked through the corridor, about to step into the living room, but the delicious sight in front of me brought me right to a stop. Adam was squatting in front of the fireplace, poking at the fire. I leaned against the wall of the corridor, admiring what was in front of me.He was shirtless, the cotton sweatpants he wore riding extremely low on his waist. It was such a sexy sight. His back was sculpted to perfection, and I was fascinated by how the muscles bunched and relaxed as he thrust and withdrew his hand from the fire.The same calloused hands that would soon be running all over my body...His usually unruly hair seemed wet from a shower, and my fingers suddenly itched to be shoved into it, to tug at it while his mouth did things to me…Fuck. I really had to stop fantasizing about him for my own sake.Grimacing at the unwarranted erotic thoughts, I told myself that it was because I hadn't had sex in a good three months, and there w
ADAM'S POV“Uh, whose is that?” I glanced up at Eva who was standing on the stairs, hip perched on the handrail, her bold front marred with just a glint of panic.“Oh, the motorbike? It's mine.” I answered, matching the nonchalant front she was trying to put up. “I leave it at a friend's ranch whenever I'm going out of Wyoming. I had it delivered to me early this morning.”“Oh, so you can keep it here with you while you're in Wyoming?” She asked, hope lighting up her eyes.“No, so we can take it out on today's adventure.”Her bold front cracked into a full-blown incredulous look. “You must be crazy. I'm not getting on that bike.”“Why?” I lifted my brows.“Why???” She parroted in a horrified voice. “Do you know that the risk of dying from riding a motorcycle is 37 times more than from driving a car? I mean, I once saw a motorcycle collide with a car. The car driver only had a few scratches. The cyclist died on the spot.”“I see.”She stepped down the stairs and walked up to where I w
EVA'S POV“Eva it's your turn please.” The tour guide repeated for the third time.After walking on that scary canopy bridge, Adam brought me to the Zipline Center. For the past thirty minutes, all I've been doing is watching people fly down the Zipline, but it did nothing to ease my anxiety.Suddenly, I felt an overpowering body heat from behind, and Adam was speaking into my ear.“What, Sweetheart? We've not even gotten to the highest peak and you are cowering already?”Spinning around, I threw him a glare, knowing very well he was trying to provoke me. “How many people have died from ziplining?”The guide, looking startled by the question, seemed to scramble for words, but it was Adam who answered my question. “Well, I can't know the exact number, but some have died. Usually when the belt or the clip pulley snaps.”“Adam!” The tour guide looked at Adam chastisingly. “Eva, this place is as safe as it can get. Trust me on that. Besides, this is the lowest of the ziplines.”“You know w
AUTHOR'S POV Adam instantly grabbed Eva's hand, tugging her along with him. Shivers of anticipation run down her spine as they walked through the dancefloor, heading for the bathroom.God, she'd never felt so daring, so wild. Sex in a bathroom had never been on her to-do list. But Adam had unleashed the risk-taking side of her which had been buried all this time. Heck, she'd never wanted a man as much as she wanted Adam Garcia. And she didn't want to think about just what that could mean. Not now.Right now, she only wanted to give in to her ever-growing lust for him, to the need to have him inside her, the fire that burned so clearly between them. All she had to do was not catch feelings for him, then she could return to LA like nothing had happened.How hard can it be?Eva didn't even notice when they entered a washroom until Adam banged the door shut and backed her against the wall, eliciting a startled gasp from her mouth.His bulge pressed against her stomach, his brown eyes b
Adam stared at the ceiling in his room, his guts twisting with disgust at himself for how roughly he'd treated Eva. He'd taken her with too much sexual aggression, and he was now somber enough to acknowledge that.What the hell had he been thinking?No, he hadn't been thinking. At least not with the head sitting on his neck. He'd just been so entranced with Eva, the overwhelming need to drive inside her that there'd been no room for any other thought. And when after their orgasms, he'd turned to face her while resting on his side, felt an itching need to reach out and caress her, to stroke her cheeks tenderly with his thumb, the bit of nonsexual emotion streaming through him had been enough to make him bolt out of the room even before he'd recovered from his orgasm.He'd never done anything like that before. Even though he always made sure to enforce his 'no-cuddling' rule with every woman he slept with, he'd never gotten out of bed so fast after sex.He'd just been too overwhelmed
"I don't have a mother. Never had." Adam deadpanned, looking away from Eva.That had Eva stilling, and she strived to ask her next question in a way that wouldn't feel like she was prying.“Oh, so you grew up in an orphanage?”“No.” He answered.“Foster care?” She asked tentatively.She received the same stiff answer. “No.”Eva frowned. He didn't grow up in an orphanage or foster care, so what did he mean by he'd 'never had' a mother?Unless he was some kind of alien, then there was something he didn't want to tell her.Before she could ask anything else, Adam beat her to it."Are you going to include the steamy sessions we'll be having in the book you're intending to write?""Jeez, no!" Eva grimaced, mortified by the very idea. "I'll probably be writing about myself and how I was able to step out of my comfort zone. Sex scenes aren't needed, thank you very much.""Besides..." She slanted him a provocative look. "...the 'steamy sessions' won't be memorable anyways.""Won't they?" A de