“So that’s it,” I finished, and let my head fall into one hand while the other slapped down against the table.

“What?” she asked quickly, and sat up. “That can’t be it. Didn’t you guys talk about Vegas? Did he try to set up something to see you again? Don’t leave out the best part! I need juicy details in my life.”

“You don’t get plenty of juiciness from your phone calls with Zane?”

Kira’s eyes widened, then dropped to stare at the table. Back home we could never do anything to get her to shut up about her relationship with Zane, but I couldn’t remember her talking about him once since we’d been in California—unless it was to complain about their being apart. Just before I could ask what her solemn look meant, she shook her head and glanced back up at me.

“Come on, Kennedy! You can’t tell me that there was nothing else said. You talked about this guy for months, and suddenly he’s here? There’s no way you didn’t make plans to see him again.”

“Oh, I have no doubt I will see him again. Since we work at his dad’s gym, I know he’ll probably use that as a way to see me. But I told him nothing was going to happen with us. I said Vegas was just a night, and nothing more.”

“What? Bullshit; no, you didn’t!” She sat there staring at me in shock before stuttering out, “Ken—I don’t—what do—why would you say that?”

“I said it because nothing can happen. I cannot let a man like Liam Taylor into my life.”

“Well, why the hell not?”

“Speaking of Zane!,” I said loudly, ready to talk about any other subject, “you haven’t been talking about him much lately, and it is impossible to miss the way you’ve been staring down all the guys at the gym. It’s your turn to spill the details.”

“I have not been staring them down,” she said defensively.

“Ha! Yeah . . . yeah, you have. And you’re beyond smiley and happy when we’re there. I’m also pretty sure I heard one of the guys asking for your number today. Did you give it to him?”

“Of course I didn’t! I have a boyfriend, Kennedy.”

“Yeah, who is on the other side of the country and who you don’t talk about anymore. I agree with Mom, I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to see what other guys can be like.”

“No. I don’t want to know what anyone else would be like.”

I exhaled heavily and gave her a look that let her know I thought she was making a mistake.

“How about this? If you date Liam—and I mean date, as in relationship—then I will spend time away from my relationship with Zane for the rest of the time we’re in California to give other guys a shot.”

“That is not happening! I can’t be with someone like Liam!”

Kira shrugged and grinned victoriously. “Well then, I guess we can both stay just the way we are.”

“Kira,” I groaned as she stood up and walked toward her room.

“Good talk, sis!”

“I hate you too,” I called back, and grumbled to myself. I’d have to tell Mom and Dad I failed at the Zane thing again.

“ARE YOU BUSY tonight?”

I glanced up at the guy currently waiting for his protein shake two days later, and gave him a coy smile before going back to acting like I was very into making his drink so I wouldn’t have to give him an immediate answer. I’d seen him every day since Kira and I started work at the beginning of the week, but today was the first day he’d gotten bold in our short conversations. They had been the typical “Hi, how are you?,” which led to the rest of the necessities that made up a polite conversation with any stranger—but that had been it.

I’d known today would be different the second he’d walked up and said, “I was hoping you’d be here today.” After that, our conversation had been filled with flirting on his part, and kicking up the polite factor on mine—and in his defense, he’d been damn good at his game and was nice to look at. He was never cheesy and never overeager, just always spoke with the perfect amount of I’m-interested-and-want-you-to-know. He looked like he was in his late twenties, and had dark hair that was already starting to gray at the temples. The combination was oddly fascinating, and mixed with his sure smile, it had me wondering if he’d ever had a girl turn him down. The only problem for me was I couldn’t get a certain someone out of my head.

Just as I opened my mouth to give him a noncommittal answer, that certain someone answered for me.

“Actually, she is busy. But she won’t be busy with you.”

My jaw dropped and I sucked in a large gasp and hissed, “Liam!”

Liam looked over at Mr. Smooth Talker—I never could remember his name—and gave him a challenging stare. “The girls are here to work, not get picked up by the members of the gym.”

Mr. ST didn’t back down. Actually, his smile grew confident. “I’ll gladly wait until she’s off work to ask again, if that would make you feel better.”

“I’d rather you—”

“Liam!” I hissed again. “You can’t answer questions for me, and you are being beyond rude right now.” Looking up to Mr. ST, I flashed him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, just ignore him . . . I try to. What did you—”

“Are you really going to go somewhere with him? No. No, you’re not, and we already have plans.”

I couldn’t stop my face from falling in horror over the way Liam was acting. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since he dropped me off after dinner the other night, and was too shocked by the way he was taking over the conversation to actually continue trying to talk to Mr. ST.

“Are you kidding me right now?” I roughly slammed Mr. ST’s drink down in front of him, but never took my eyes off Liam. “You honestly think you can just come in here and act like you have a say over my life? Did you not hear me on Wednesday? And why the hell would I go anywhere with you after what you just did?” I bit out, gesturing to the other guy standing in front of me.

“Wait. Has he been bothering you?” Mr. Smooth Talker asked, and Liam barked out a hard laugh.

“No, he’s not bothering her,” Kira chimed in. “This is just how they are. And, unfortunately, we do have plans with him tonight. Enjoy your drink!”

“Kira! Shut up!” I don’t know what it was about Liam that had me talking like this, but I still hadn’t stopped hissing. As much as I wanted to apologize to Mr. ST and say that I would go anywhere with him, as long as it pissed off Liam, I couldn’t look away from the man who hadn’t left my mind for two days. “You are really something, you know that? It’s just too bad I didn’t know the kind of guy you were a year ago!”

Liam leaned over the counter; his arctic-blue eyes glistened with amusement. “I don’t think that would’ve stopped you, Moon.”

Words failed me, and I made a really unattractive, girly screech. It was also possible that I stamped my foot, but I didn’t want to think too much on the fact that I was now acting like a five-year-old throwing a fit.

“Okay, you two. Take it outside.”

I turned to look at my boss at the sound of his voice, and pointed at Liam. “I hate your son!”