I Brake For Bad Boys Read Online Free Page B

looked beyond her, and her face blanched. She elbowed Asia, who followed Becky’s gaze and then immediately slid lower into her seat. Her cheeks turned red.
    No, Erica thought. No, no, no . . .
    Warm breath touched the back of her ear, along with the hot scent of a big man who’d been hard at work. “Just a few more hours, Erica, and you can see just how well I handle.”
    Erica stared at Becky and Asia, willing either of them to lend a calming influence to help even out her tripping heartbeat. But they weren’t looking at her. No, their panicked gazes were directed over her shoulder.
    At Ian.
    Now how in the hell had he gotten behind her?
    Becky and Asia were horrified enough for all three of them, so Erica refused to join in. Instead she fashioned a snide smile, slowly twisted her head around to face him, and met his oh-so-close piercing blue eyes dead on. “Hey, Ian. Skulking around the break room, are you?”
    â€œRepairing a busted circuit, actually.” He surprised her by crouching down next to her seat, which put him slightly below her. In her experience, a man always chose a position of power, choosing to tower over a woman in an effort to intimidate her with his size. That Ian should lower himself beside her, giving her the advantage of looking down on him, was curiously touching.
    But even with him practically kneeling, he was so big she still felt surrounded—by his strength, his scent, his blazing intent, which one and all could easily see given the way he devoured her with his eyes.
    He braced one hand on the back of her chair so that his hot wrist touched her nape, sending tingles down her spine. His biceps, already impressive enough, bulged even more. His other hand clasped the edge of her seat, causing his fingertips to brush up against her hip.
    She started to lean back to escape some of that overwhelming masculinity. The smile that Becky and Asia had just warned her about suddenly tilted his sensual mouth. Erica halted, then forced herself to relax. Or at least, pretend to relax. With him practically in her lap, his face level with her breasts, she felt so wired she couldn’t draw a breath.
    He swiveled his head toward her friends, finally releasing Erica from that piercing gaze. Everything inside her went liquid with relief, even her backbone. She had a hell of a time staying upright in her seat.
    â€œLadies,” he murmured by way of greeting.
    And her friends, both mute ninnies, just gaped back at him.
    His smile widened, looking more like a crooked grin. “Now don’t be embarrassed,” he chastised in a gravel-rough voice. “It’s okay that you were talking about me. I’m sure you just wanted to reassure Erica, right?”
    After a moment’s hesitation, their heads bobbed comically.
    â€œYeah. That’s what I thought.” He pinned Erica in place again. “Not that you need reassurance, do you, Erica?”
    Where had her voice gone? It took her a painful three seconds to find it, and that annoyed her enough that her natural self-confidence returned. “Of course not. As my personal slave, you’ll do anything and everything I say. Isn’t that right?”
    Very gently, he asked, “Do you really think so?”
    Her back stiffened, in alarm, in dread—maybe a little in relief. “Are you telling me you’ve changed your mind? Are you backing out now?”
    He looked at her mouth . . . and looked some more. A little unsettled, Erica squirmed. They were all so quiet, she thought she could hear Becky and Asia breathing; she knew she could hear the erratic knocking of her heartbeat against her breastbone.
    Finally, Ian broke the nerve-stretching tension. “Naturally not.” He came to his feet with an amazing fluid grace considering his size. Then he touched her chin. “One warning, though. Be very careful what you instigate because you never know how it might turn against you.”
    Damn him!