Smug Bastard - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,6

deep voice shifted my feet, my fingers tucking an imaginary strand of hair behind my ear.

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat, my nose wrinkling at the old, annoying nickname. Five years is a huge difference at that age, but no preteen liked being called a baby. Especially by a jerk. “It has.”

Maybe not long enough.

He smirked, as if he sensed my irritation and thrived off it. He folded his arms as his gaze rolled over me again. “Lucky me that you were so close when my bike broke down.”

“I wasn’t that close,” I muttered, the intensity of his gaze making me look around, not able to fully lock on him.

There were a lot of sexy, good-looking guys in San Diego, but his presence seemed to be on a different plane. He had that quality you find in celebrities: intense, sexual, encompassing, and invading. You couldn’t get away from his presence. It demanded all the attention without a word.

“Like it was meant to be.” He tilted his head. “Kismet.”

My head darted up, the word punching into my chest. It was exactly what Kasey said. Irrational rage flamed up my throat.

“If you want to call me being nice for driving back an hour out of my way to shuttle your ass to the airport kismet…” I lifted an eyebrow. “Then sure, this was all meant to be.”

A smile twitched the side of his mouth, his gaze relentless on me. “Just as spunky as I remember.”

“And just as condescending as I remember.” I folded my arms and countered. I hated that men still considered a girl having any kind of strong opinion being spunky, plucky, or spirited. Would we say the same about a guy? No. So by having a thought of my own, I was “feisty.” He always had the knack to make me want to lash out. While everyone worshiped him, I felt like the only one not caught in his web.

His smile grew, enjoying tormenting me again.

“So… are you two?” The mechanic’s attention darted between us.

“No!” We both said.

“Nah, man, she’s like my little sister.”

The mechanic’s eyes glinted, a hungry smile on his face.

“Well then, sweetheart, maybe you’d like—”

Humor dropped from Smith in a blink, a growl hummed in the back of his throat as he stepped up to the guy, towering at least six inches over him. He didn’t even have to say a word. The guy instantly stepped away, holding up his arms.

“Don’t you have a few parts to order?” Smith nodded back toward his bike waiting to be worked on. “A job to do?”

“Yeah, yeah.” The guy hustled back, not even looking at me as he headed for the office. “Sorry, man, she’s smokin’ hot, and I thought she was up for grabs,” he said before disappearing into an office.

“Up for grabs?” My mouth fell open, my feet moving without thought, fury bustling through me like a truck.

“Whoa, Baby K.” Smith moved in front of me, his hands circling my biceps, his tall frame looming over my five-six height, holding me in place.

“Don’t call me that.” His touch discharged electricity down my arms, and I jerked away, scowling at Smith.

“Five minutes and already causing trouble.” He rubbed his chin, shaking his head slightly, his attention centered on me, forcing me to look away.

“You ready?” I plucked my sunnies off my head, shoving them on my face as I turned for the van. “What airport do you want me to drive you to?”

He stepped outside with me, grabbing the saddlebags off his bike and throwing them over his shoulder. “No airport for me.” He brushed by me, putting on his sunglasses. Crap, he was intimidatingly sexy. “I was told we’re in this for the long haul together.”

Danger. Danger.

“I wasn’t planning on going straight there.” I watched him stroll to the passenger side.

“That’s okay. I wasn’t either.” His dark eyebrow hitched up.

“I had my trip planned already; everything’s all set out.”

“That sounds… organized.”

“Are you judging me?”

He held up his hands. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Just seems it takes out all the fun and point about driving cross country.”

“What does that mean?”

“Being flexible and open to what is out there is the adventure. Checking off sites and staying in planned spots doesn’t seem like you are experiencing anything out of your box.”

“Now you think you know me?”

“No.” He lifted his arms again. “Just an observation.”

“Well, since you are interrupting my vacation, I didn’t ask for your opinion. Also, that’s such an arrogant, man thing to say.”

“Man thing?”

“Men never have to worry