Dare to Rock Read Online Free Page A

at his use of the word friend . And she hated herself for the brief reaction. Still, she stepped forward, and before she could prepare herself, he enfolded her in his strong embrace.
    His raw masculine scent with only a hint of cologne enveloped her, heightening the sexual awareness she’d promised herself she wouldn’t feel. But her body didn’t lie. Her nipples tightened, and a coil of need twisted in her belly. He felt familiar … yet not as she hugged him back, noting he was hard everywhere, from his tight stomach to his solid arms. That insane urge to touch him returned, and she eased back before she could feel or do anything else.
    “I’ll just get my bag and we can go,” she said, her voice too raspy, threatening to betray her. She was eager to take them to neutral, public territory.
    “Good by me,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers.
    She locked up her apartment, and he led her to the parking lot. Before she knew it, he paused by a black convertible. A black Aston Martin DB9 convertible.
    Avery’s mouth dropped open at the sight of the beyond-luxury vehicle. “Holy shit, Grey, is this yours?”
    She didn’t blink at the unladylike words coming out of her mouth. Her brothers knew and had taught her cars, and this was a car .
    A sexy, proud smile lifted his lips, making him look like the much younger Grey she remembered. Boys and their toys, she thought. Although in Grey’s case, she understood the fascination. Unlike Avery, who’d grown up with luxury, Grey’s past hadn’t been nearly as easy, and he’d worked damned hard for every dollar he’d earned as a musician.
    “Couldn’t resist.” He gestured toward the car. “For the last few years, I’ve been touring so much I didn’t bother with a ride.” He shrugged. “I figured I owed myself.”
    He opened the car door for her, and she climbed inside before he joined her from the driver’s side. Plush leather surrounded her. Not even her BMW came close to this kind of comfort, and she wriggled her behind into the seat and groaned. “God, it’s like heaven.”
    He slammed his door shut and shot her a dark look. “This is a get-to-know-you-again dinner, right?”
    She met his gaze and nodded.
    “Then don’t fucking purr like a kitten needing to be stroked. A lot of years might have passed, but you still do it for me,” he said, his words very much a warning as he turned the ignition on.
    Holy crap. She didn’t know how to respond to that. The old Grey had been shyer when it came to expressing his feelings. This man was sure of himself in every way, and damned if she didn’t find it sexy. Not to mention the huge rush of happiness swirling inside her at the knowledge that she still affected him so strongly … even as her brain reminded her to keep him in the friend zone.
    “I’d put the top down, but it looks like rain,” he said in a calmer tone. “And I remember how much you hate having your hair messed up after you’ve taken the time to do it right.” He grinned at her then, his mood lightened.
    He pulled out of the parking lot, the car’s motor revving so that everyone within a good mile could hear. He drove to the strip mall where Tino’s was located. Some of the shops and restaurants had changed names, others remained the same, but the overall familiarity warmed her. He parked in a fortuitous open spot out front and cut the engine.
    “Do the parking gods always smile on you?” she asked.
    He grinned, “Sometimes. Others you have to call ahead.”
    She shook her head and laughed at his obvious willingness to use his star status to secure parking. For that, she couldn’t blame him. Not when he’d be leaving a two-hundred-thousand-dollar car somewhere where it would be in danger of being vandalized. She doubted Tino minded clearing his prized spot out for Grey.
    He hopped out of the car and headed to her side, grabbing her door just as she opened it. Before she could walk ahead, he grasped her hand, the familiar gesture