Stick Shift by Lissa Matthews Read Free Book Online Page B

but she wasn't glamorous, high-class, a model, or young. She was an average, ordinary woman. She wasn't at all what he should be going after. Not that she had low self-esteem, because she was just fine with herself as she was: hips, curves, and age.
    Still, there wasn't an answer the burning question inside her, though. What the hell is he doing with me?
    “What do you mean?”
    “What?”
    “You just asked what the hell I'm doing with you. What do you mean by that?”
    “I…I…” Damn, she really needed to get a grip and stop speaking without her head's permission. This was getting to be a little ridiculous.
    “Look, baby, I don't know how to answer that. I don't know how to tell you everything I want from you or with you. I just know what I felt when we met and decided to go with it.”
    “What did you feel?” She didn't need to be asking questions like that either.
    He grinned at her with that cocky, know it-all, better-than-everyone-else grin that people loved to hate. “Hungry.”
    “What?”
    “I felt like a starving man.”
    “I don't know…”
    “Yeah, I know. Look, we need to get going. You can pick up your car and go home to your friend's house. I'll do my stuff, and I'll see you around three.”
    Her eyes widened. “I thought you had plans.”
    “Yes. With you. What did you think I meant?”
    “Nothing. Just that you had plans.”
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    “You thought I had a date with someone else? I should spank you for that, but I won't. Not yet anyway. I'll come get you at three. Make sure you give me directions when we get to the shop.”
    “Okay,” she said in one breath. Then in another, “Maybe we should go slow with this, you know. Maybe we should s—”
    “Nope. We should do lots of stuff, but taking this slow is not one of them. I have a month to make you believe that you can't live without me. Slow is not going to work. Besides, I don't know what the hell slow means.” He leaned down and kissed her hard and dropped his sunglasses over his eyes. He walked backward away from her until he entered the house again, then turned and headed out the front door.
    “Well, now what?” Lily whispered into the silence.
    The front door opened and closed again. The man of her dreams sauntered toward her, all swagger and long, lean legs. Her breath hitched as it had done half a million times in the last fifteen hours. One would think the gleam would have worn off by now at least a little, but not with him. He only seemed to burn brighter, hotter, and she was the one who was going to feel the singe of the flames. “Coming?”
    As soon as the word was out of his mouth, the smirk on his face had her nearly bursting with laughter and memories assailed her. Was it four times? Five? She couldn't remember exactly because a couple of orgasms had run together into one long one. With as straight a face as she could manage, she said, “Yes.”

    * * *
Cam stood beside his truck watching Lily drive out of the parking lot. He hated the tight feeling he had in his chest. He'd had the same feeling when she walked away from the autograph table. It was fear that he wouldn't see her again, that she wouldn't call, that she didn't really want him. It wasn't a feeling he was used to, and he didn't like it at all. Absently he rubbed at his chest, then dropped his hand and shook his head. He had it bad. There was no other explanation. He wanted her. Completely, wholly.
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It was going to be a long-ass day until three when he could see her again.
    “Cam?”
    “Yeah. Hey, man. Good night?”
    Ronnie grimaced behind his own sunglasses, and Cam laughed. Guess not.
    “Got my ass whooped and broke the damn bank buying rounds. Remind me not to go out with them again without you.”
    “You already do know better.”
    Ronnie snorted and flipped him the bird. Cam loved their ease, their friendship, the way they made all the facets of their business and personal relationships work for the better. It wasn't always so easy between