Chapter 9 " Do you have a boyfriend ? " Zach asked . Giselle hesitated , then snorted , " Nope . Never been in a relationship . " Zach sounded relieved . " That's good to hear . Then , we can go all out today . Let's go . " Downhill biking was one of the most extreme forms of mountain biking , and it was high - risk even by adrenaline sports standards . As the saying went , " Ride like a pro , you go home sore . Ride like an idiot , you go home in a box . " Giselle had started at 17 , taken more than her share of spills , and even shattered a bone before honing her skills to this level . The two wheeled their bikes to the start of the advanced trail at the mountain summit . They were fully geared up with safety equipment - knee pads , elbow pads , body armor , neck braces , helmets , the works . As soon as the signal hit , Giselle tightened her grip on the handlebars , kicked off , and launched downhill without a second thought . The terrain was brutally rugged , with sheer drops and forest trails so rough that a single misstep could shatter bones . But Giselle flew down the slope like it was nothing , her speed fierce as she dodged obstacles and sliced through turns with effortless precision . Zach followed close behind her . Having already mounted a camera on his handlebars , he caught every perfect shot of her from behind . After the steep forest trail came an equally sharp descent of man - made stone steps . Their bikes rattled and jolted down the jagged stairs , barreling toward another treacherous stretch of path . The narrow trail hugged the cliff's edge , its uneven surface enough to make even a hiker's legs tremble with fear . Yet , the two of them raced forward without any safety measures in sight . Giselle felt adrenaline coursing through her veins . The faster she rode , the more thrilling it became . The mountain wind roared past her ears , and the stress of the past few days dissolved in the thrill of the ride . She moved as one with her bike , her mind clear , as if nothing existed beyond the trail beneath her wheels . Eventually , the two of them made it through the toughest part of the route . After a perfect backflip , they landed safely at the finish line . After coming to a stop , Giselle and Zach were both out of breath , dripping with sweat , but riding a high they couldn't quite put into words . Zach took a bottle of mineral water from his assistant , twisted off the cap , and handed it to her . " Here you go , legend . I'm sticking with you from now on . " Giselle took the water , tipped her head back , and drank more than half the bottle in one go . " I've got to say , this mountain bike of yours is freaking insane . It's tough as hell and easily the coolest one I've ever ridden ! " " If you're into it , I'll get you the newest model from this brand every time it drops . From now on , all your gear will be on me ! " Giselle burst out laughing . " What are you , some clueless heir or something ? " Zach didn't speak . His eyes stayed fixed on her face , completely captivated . Fresh off the ride , a light sweat glistened on her forehead . Her fair skin had a warm , honeyed flush , and paired with those mesmerizing eyes , with a vibrant , almost intoxicating beauty . He couldn't tear his gaze away . her whole face glowed Her face -both alluringly feminine and strikingly bold - made the scrawny , pouty , plastic - surgery - filled women who usually hung around him seem utterly forgettable . They didn't even compare . Giselle glanced up instinctively and caught Zach staring at her , his gaze intense . It threw her off for a second , so she quickly changed the subject . " Want to go for another two rounds ? " But Zach had other plans . " Tell you what . I've got a villa about nine miles from here . We can bike straight there . There's a pool , and we can take a dip when we arrive . " Giselle didn't hesitate . " Sure . " The summer heat was relentless . The thought of jumping into the pool after the ride , sweat - drenched , felt incredible . They set off on their mountain bikes , turning onto the suburban highway . They raced across the flat stretches joyfully , pedaling so hard their feet burned , at times even pulling ahead of the cars beside them . As they pushed up a steep slope , Giselle spotted a sleek , modern villa rising ahead . " You live here ? " she gasped between pedal strokes . " Nah . " Zach chuckled . " I forgot to mention . This is actually my uncle's place . I come here a lot . " " Your uncle ? "