Free New and…Improved? & Andrew in Excess by Jill Shalvis

moment I fell out of the sky?”
    â€œFresh air,” he decided. “I need fresh air.”
    â€œWe’re standing in it. Doesn’t get much fresher.”
    â€œHumor me.”
    â€œOkay.” She helped him into the car. “But I’ll have to drive.”
    â€œNo.”
    She pointed to his bandaged ankle.
    Damn. She wanted to drive his baby, his pride and joy. “I can handle it.”
    â€œDon’t be silly. Hand over the keys. Come on,” she coaxed. “You can do it. Just drop them into my hand.”
    He clutched them tighter. “You might get a ticket, most people do in a car like this.”
    â€œKent.” She wriggled her fingers for the keys.
    â€œBut—”
    â€œKent.”
    In the end, she had to pry them from him and he sat in the passenger seat, agonizing over the two minute drive. “Be careful.”
    â€œYes, dear,” she mocked.
    â€œWatch for cops.”
    â€œI’m watching.” She went to turn the key and he slammed a hand over hers.
    â€œThe clutch,” he said through his teeth. “You have to put in the clutch first or—”
    â€œOh!” She laughed. “Of course.” She slippedin the clutch and sent him a sweet smile. “Got it.”
    He had a very bad feeling about this. “How about we walk?”
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous.” Slowly she eased out of the parking spot, Kent grinding his teeth all the way.
    â€œRelax.” She revved the engine, going faster. Then faster. Up ahead, the light went from green to yellow.
    She didn’t slow.
    From yellow to red.
    No slowing.
    â€œBecca.”
    â€œI see it.” She hit the brake but not the clutch.
    They jerked forward until Kent was kissing the windshield.
    â€œSorry,” she muttered, catching the clutch just before they stalled.
    He pried himself off the glass and glared at her. “Careful.”
    â€œI am,” she said, insulted.
    â€œYou’re going to get a ticket.”
    â€œI am not going to get a ticket.” She looked at him. “You know, you’re more concerned about your car than—”
    â€œA stop sign,” he said quickly, bracing himself against the dash. “Don’t get a—”
    â€œI told you, I’m not going to get a ticket!”
    â€œWatch out. Don’t go through it—”
    She did.
    And that’s when she got a ticket.
    Â 
    â€œN ICE NIGHT ,” Becca said. They’d stopped at the lake after her ticket because Kent needed more fresh air.
    He was considering sitting on the beach until he could drive, even though that conceivably could be days. He didn’t mind.
    â€œI still want to take the deal,” she said suddenly. “That is, if you’re still offering.”
    â€œThe deal?”
    â€œYou know, the adventure. With you.”
    Small, relentless waves hit the shore noisily, only feet from them, while Kent drew a deep, careful breath. “I think we just had our adventure,” he said.
    She laughed. “Well, okay, if you consider getting a ticket the best adventure you’ve got in you.”
    He narrowed his eyes and looked at her. “Don’t you dare twist that ticket around to be my fault.”
    Again, her laughter floated around him, warming him even though he preferred to hold on to hisirritation. If he was irritated, she couldn’t turn him on. Right?
    Wrong.
    â€œYou know, you never talked about yourself,” she said, tipping her head back to look up at the incredible sky. “You grew up here.”
    â€œAt south shore.”
    â€œAny brothers or sisters?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDo you get home often?”
    â€œNo.” He tried not to tense, but it was impossible. He hated talking about his past.
    She studied him thoughtfully. “So talkative.”
    She was beautiful in the moonlight. Soft, sincere. And she wanted to know him. How many people in his life had really wanted