Breaking Stone: Bad Boy Romance Novel by Alexa Wilder, Raleigh Blake Page A

that inner strength I planned to unleash. “In case you were entertaining,” she said, looking me square in the eye.
    “The only thing you were in danger of seeing this morning was some self-fulfillment,” I explained. “Come on. I need coffee, then we can plan our day.” She’d completely missed my masturbation reference, which I guessed was a good thing.
    At her insistence, I taught her how to use the coffee machine and how I liked my coffee. Then she sat herself at a safe distance from me with the kitchen island between us for added protection.
    “So, today’s plan would be that you write, and I’ll assist however I can,” she said.
    So fucking earnest, and the way she spoke, so fervently, just made my plan even better.
    “First, we have something to do.”
    Katrina shot me a puzzled look.
    I winked at her. “We’re going out for the morning.”
    She tapped her coffee cup with a neat, short-trimmed, unpainted fingernail. “You really should write, to be honest.”
    “Research, Poppins. Finish your coffee. I’ll be back in a minute.”
    When I returned, she was stacking our cups in the dishwasher. She eyed what I carried and frowned.
    “You don’t expect me to—”
    “Come for a ride with me? Sure I do.” I put my motorcycle helmet on the counter and approached her with the spare. She backed away until she hit the fridge.
    “Let’s fit you into this.” I raised the helmet, and she ducked sideways and under my arm, but I followed her to the corner.
    “No way, Stone. Motorbikes are dangerous, and you’re nuts. It’s a bad mix.”
    “Mixed nuts are my favorite. Have you ever ridden a bike?” I knew the answer to that already.
    “No.”
    “God, look at your eyes, Poppins. I hadn’t noticed what a pretty green they turn when you’re anxious.” I took one step closer. “And excited. Admit it. You want to do this.”
    “I want to live. It’s a strong force that burns within me. Life.”
    “And this morning, we’re going to set it free. Give it some oxygen. Fan those flames.”
    I held up the leather jacket for her. “Here you go, arms in the sleeves.” She stood rigid as I zipped her up. I pushed the helmet over her head, wiggling it, adjusting the fit. Her fight was brief, but cute. I took a moment, enjoying the peculiar thrill I got from Katrina wearing my helmet. I could think of only one way to improve on the way she looked, but she’d have balked at naked. “Let’s go.”
    “My face is squished.”
    “So long as you’re breathing, you’re good.”
    I took a gentle pace out of town. Behind me, I could feel Katrina doing her best to prevent her thighs touching mine—a slight bump and a quick retreat. She’d tire of that pretty soon, and if she didn’t, a couple of corners at speed would make that monkey-grip instinct kick in. Once over the Tappan Zee Bridge, we headed for the I-87.
    “Where are we going?” she shouted.
    “Pancakes. Hope you’re hungry.” She would be by the time we got there. There was a great pancake joint in Phoenicia, more than an hour away.
    She made a noise, but I couldn’t tell if it was approval, hunger, or dismay. I reached behind me and took hold of a reluctant hand, pulling it around my waist. “Hold on and follow the way I move. Relax and lean with me. Be the bike, Poppins.”
    Her other hand sneaked around my waist, and once she felt secure, I opened the throttle. Not too fast for starters. She needed to get used to the feel of the ride. Finally, her knees tucked against my hips, just where they should be, all the tension leaving her.
    Half an hour later, we pulled off to a picnic area at the edge of a small river. I helped Katrina take off her helmet, and there was the look I’d been trying to create. She beamed, her face flushed with excitement, eyes bright.
    “You’re a natural, Poppins.” I couldn’t tell if she was happy or if it was the roller-coaster fear grin I was getting from her. “How do you like it so