Beneath the Lone Star Heat

anging from her shoulder, the wheels of her suitcase clacking behind her as she crossed the quad. Her jeans clung to her legs, her white blouse already sticking to h

e muttered under her breath, g

o blend in. She was he

, the whispers, and the suffocating small-town expectations had worn her down like desert wind on sandstone. She was the girl who never went

bout her mom's drinking. Or the fire. Or how a seventeen-ye

As someone bright. Someone

nd a building that looked like it hadn't been updated s

the door before

ady pinned up, and a pile of throw pillows in every possi

turned with a squeal. "You must be my roomie!

ked. "Uh, hi.

t to make memories with you. You're gonna love it here-except, heads up, steer clear of f

linked aga

he whirlwind that was Bia

ed a coveted spot as a junior contributor after sending in a five-part investigative series on local corruption

ned the

oss legend, bad boy, and the university's most controversial legacy

nah s

rch bar. Within seconds, a casca

eir Gone Wild" and "Scandal in the Saddle" dominated the results. One article mentioned how he wrecked a $50,000

and close

er the spoiled rich kid with too many fa

-

alone on a bench near the motocro

bleachers was already thick-sorority girls in cutoffs, guys in jerseys, faculty pretendin

e center

i

hen he walked by. The way the other riders looked at him-not with camaraderie b

all, lea

tepped off his bike and sauntered

e was like molasses and gasoline-sm

th The Hornet. I'm supp

s?" He smirked and sat down beside her without waiting for an

," she said, h

ey're exh

e, undeclared major, motocross star, heir to Call

his head,

assuming the answer. You know-'Daddy's money'

his gaze. "

r maybe I just like the speed. The noise. The fa

honest than

tted i

sked, leaning a little

bbo

untry girl. Exp

er foot unde

re pra

am

e him. "Are you a

arm

eara

e it was loud, but because it was real. For

ment, that t

tebook. "I've got

t staying

got ho

head. "Well, I'll be sure to dedicate my

before he coul

-