Convict: A Bad Boy Romance by Roxie Noir Page A

not driving a Beemer.”
    I slide into the driver’s seat, lean over, and fish my keys out from under the passenger seat where Raine somehow left them. Then I get back out as Stone hands the bass string back to Raine.
    “Dunno if you need that,” he says.
    Raine looks at it like he doesn’t know either.
    “I’ll see you Sunday for dinner,” I tell Raine, hoping he takes the hint.
    “Yeah, we’re on for that, right?” he asks.
    “Yes,” I say.
    We look at each other. The bar’s across the street, so there’s not much foot traffic where we are.
    “Were you gonna go help Skye load his equipment or something?” I ask, starting to get exasperated.
    I feel like I’m fourteen and he’s bothering my friends at a sleepover again.
    Comprehension dawns over Raine’s face as he finally gets the hint .
    “Yeah, he said he wanted to me to help lift some stuff or something? See you around, dude,” he says, nodding at me, then at Stone. “Nice meeting you, man.”
    Stone nods back, and Raine turns and walks back toward the bar. The bass string wiggles in his hand as he walks.
    I turn to Stone, and suddenly all my organs are wrapped into one big knot in the pit of my stomach.
    Oh my God how do you flirt? I think frantically.
    “Thanks for breaking into my car,” I say, pushing my hair out of my face again.
    “No problem, Detective,” he says.
    His face is quiet and serious, just a hint of a smile around his eyes.
    I swallow. I’m alone out here with one of the most ridiculously attractive men I’ve ever seen, and suddenly, my mouth goes dry, my brain goes blank, and I have no idea how to get him to kiss me.
    “You good to drive?” I ask. “You looked like you were putting away some drinks.”
    That’s probably not it, dumbass.
    He gives me a long look.
    “I’ll be all right,” he says.
    “If you get pulled over and breathalyzed by the state police, don’t come crying to me,” I tease.
    This is getting worse , I think. Abort! Abort!
    Stone finally smiles.
    “Are you threatening to call the cops on me if I drive myself home right now?” he asks, taking a step forward.
    My pulse skyrockets.
    “It’s not a threat, just a suggestion,” I say.
    “For a second there, I thought you were blackmailing me into letting you drive me home,” he says. “Seems like a clear abuse of power, Detective.”
    “I have a name,” I say.
    “Thank you for the offer, Luna ,” he says.
    “I didn’t actually offer you a ride,” I point out.
    He raises both eyebrows, and I can feel his eyes moving down my face, from my eyes to my lips and back. I’m not short, but he’s way taller than me, and I almost feel dwarfed.
    “You were going to,” he says, smiling one dimple into his cheek.
    “You don’t know that,” I say. “My next sentence could have been good luck getting home .”
    What the serious fuck are you doing right now ? I think.
    “Even after I got your keys back for you?” he asks.
    He tilts his head slightly, like he’s just about to kiss me. Our faces are inches apart. He smells like motor oil and leather and saltwater, and my heart feels like it’s exploding in my chest.
    “I know better than to be alone in a car with strange men,” I murmur.
    Stone looks my face up and down again, like he’s debating something with himself, like there’s some internal struggle I don’t know about.
    Yes, Jesus, I want you to kiss me already even though I sound like an asshole , I think at him.
    I wish I could bring myself to say it out loud.
    “Then I’ll stop being a stranger,” he says. His green eyes are boring into mine, and I feel like I can hardly breathe. “Right here, since that’s what you want.”
    Stone presses his mouth against mine, hard enough to back me up against the side of my car. His hand slides around the back of my neck, his callouses rough and a little ticklish.
    For a second, I’m perfectly still.
    Then I open my mouth under his and his lips move against mine, his slight stubble