Read Online Crash and Burn by Michelle Libby - Free Book Online Page B

look nervous.” He pulled onto one of the highway interchanges that crossed Long Island.
    “I’m fine.” Her voice was tight. She was anything but fine.
    “Have I mentioned how much I appreciate you doing this?”
    “Yep. A few times, but I could hear it again.”
    He turned on the car stereo to ease some of the tension he was feeling. Having Grace so close, he wanted to reach out to her, touch her. Her pale skin was flushed and her hands were going to be raw where she obsessively rubbed them together. She smelled like heaven and he reminded himself to tell Walt not to mess with that.
    “Are we going to be a fun couple?” He liked those couples who were always smiling, doing something, not one of those boring pairs who sat on the couch on Saturday night eating bowls of ice cream and watching silly TV shows. He wanted to laugh and fly off to Vegas at a moment’s notice.
    “What do you mean?” she asked, cocking her head toward him.
    “I want both–happy and fun. Not boring and reminiscent of the man and woman with the pitchfork.”
    “ American Gothic ?” she asked with a smile. “Listen, Stone, I can only be who I am. If I’m having a good time I show it. If I’m not…you’ll know.”
    Stone turned off the highway and into a gated driveway. The huge house was the first thing they came to, but with a quick spin of the wheel, he took a side driveway to the back of the property, where a metal garage was hidden behind large pine trees. He stepped on the gas and rocks spun out from under the tires. The car shot forward and he hazarded a glance at his passenger. She clutched the door handle and clenched her teeth.
    He smirked.
    Jamming on the brakes, he stopped the car inches from the garage door. “We’re here.”
    “I was going to tell you I thought you were a good driver, but…” She opened her door and slid out of the car, still talking. “Now I think you’re over-confident and reckless.”
    “Reckless?” he said, offended. He got out of the car and slammed the door.
    “Yes. Reckless. That little stunt could have landed us both in the hospital, which would have made for sweet pictures.”
    He rolled his eyes something he found himself doing more often since moving in with the Cromwell sisters. “Are you kidding me? I drive racecars for a living. Traveling at one hundred-fifty miles-per-hour is nothing. Chill out, babe.”
    “Babe?” she asked with raised eyebrows.
    “Dear?”
    “Grace is fine.”
    He strode around the car and slung an arm around her shoulders. He knew he was risking an elbow to the gut, but he couldn’t help himself. She looked perfect, with her newly frosted blond hair, soft, smoky makeup that conjured up thoughts of late nights and tangled sheets, and a tight-fitting green sundress that flared out above her knees. She was his ideal mate and no matter how fake this whole thing was, he felt as drawn to her as a moth to flame, as a fish to water and as man to a woman.
    “Come on,” he said, pulling her forward. “Let’s get this done.”
    “Stone? Are you sure we’re doing the right thing? I have a bad feeling about this.”
    “Don’t worry. Walt has taken care of everything. We’ll make this work.” He squeezed her against him.
    * * * *
    It took an hour of primping to get Grace camera-ready. When Stone picked her up, he grabbed her hands and spun her around. He ran his hand down over her waist to her hips. He was dressed in a black suit and tie, and his brown hair was slicked back. He bordered on looking like a mobster and if dangerous was the look the stylists were going for… They’d succeeded, no doubt about it. She looked up at him. Confidence rolled off him and the way he held her tightly in his grasp made her weak. If he kept touching her, she was going to attack him, regardless of what she’d said about PDA. Her breathing hitched higher.
    How was she going to play Divina? She had no idea how to be an exciting woman with few morals. She only knew about