Page 85 of Cold Stock

It took Finn a few weeks of conversations, riding out on his Harley, to convince Stone to be part of the Stock Squad.Stone didn’t need to work, yet it felt right to do something good for a change.

‘Didn’t think we’d be hunting down crocodile thieves.’After chasing their tails all day, they still didn’t have a clue where the thieves were.At least they’d saved some crocodiles today.

‘So, you choose to act like this dick and keep the backpackers around, so you don’t get close to anyone?’

‘What the hell?’He arched his eyebrows at the pretty little filmmaker.‘Damn!Who let the ballbuster into this party?’

She held up her glass.‘Blame the wine.’

‘If you’re a shrink-in-training, don’t waste your time, shortcake.’

‘I’m not.But I observe nature, people, and you…’

‘You mean you observe my denim-covered arse.’

She shrugged as she leaned over close to stare him straight in the eye.‘But I see you, Stone Kipp.’

No one had said that to him, or looked at him as if they saw everything, when he’d worked so hard to hide the grief, the pain, and the loneliness of losing a friend who was like a brother.

Then, when she leaned in so close, her lips brushing against his to kiss him, it surprised him so much that he didn’t know what to do, except live up to his name, and froze like a stone.

Twenty-five

Romy sat back, gasping at her brazenness.She’d never done that with anyone, let alone kiss Stone like that.‘I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have done that.’

Especially when he didn’t move.He didn’t react.And he never kissed her back.

She’d just embarrassed the hell out of herself.

How dare she let her emotions get the better of her like this—when she was so used to observing and not getting involved.What was she thinking?

She rushed to the door.

‘Oi.’Stone grabbed her arm at the doorway.‘Where are you going?’

‘To my room.’To hide and find somewhere else to stay.‘I shouldn’t have…’

‘Kissed me?’

‘I’m sure I’m not the first one.’But she was probably the first to not have him kiss her back.‘I’m sorry, I don’t know what possessed me to do that.’

‘Now I get why you kept filming my arse.You like me.’Stone gave her that cheeky know-it-all, smart-arse grin.It was infuriating.

She narrowed her eyes at him.‘Are you going to be a dick about it?’

‘Yes, and no.’

‘Huh?’

He pulled her close and his lips clashed with hers, his hand sliding through her hair to cradle her head.He kissed her longer and deeper than any man had ever kissed her before in her entire life.She was completely swept away.

The skill of his tongue, his flavour and his aroma had her drowning.She had no choice but to grip his strong shoulders and hold on for the ride of her life.

Only he picked her up.Her.All of her.Effortlessly, lifting her up, to wrap her legs around his hips and press her back to the wall beside the open doorway and kiss her some more.Not once did he break from her lips, making her realise she may have bitten off more than she could handle from this smouldering-hot man.

Then Stone surprised her by slowing down, to kiss her in a more measured and controlled way.It completely loosened her up, revealing a ravenous hunger that made her thighs grip his sides tighter, as her fingers began clawing through his messy hair.

His hands shifted from her hip bones to cup her butt, as their kissing fell into a spectacularly enriching rhythm.Teeth, lips, tongues, stopping her ability to think, she barely remembered to breathe, forgetting she could even see or hear.

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