Free Doughnut Darlin' (Plus Size Romance 4) by Lynn Cooper Page A

cleanliness that made her want to inhale deeply.
    He cleared his throat loudly.  For the second time in a matter of minutes, he startled her.
    “You told Sally you’d take care of me,” he said.  A sensual huskiness tinged his voice.  “What exactly did you have in mind?”
    Raven placed her hands on the countertop to steady herself.  This whole situation was surreal.  In the last six months, no one had ever patronized The Little Doughnut Shop at this time of day.  And certainly not anyone who looked and smelled as good as this man. 
    His body could have been chiseled from stone.  The tight, black T-shirt tantalizingly stretched across his muscular chest made her light-headed.  His jeans were faded and worn, molding themselves to slender hips and powerful thighs.  It was a titillating ensemble if ever she had seen one.  For the finishing touches, he wore black leather biker boots.  They screamed bad boy loud enough to burst her eardrums. 
    “Well, we have a wide variety of sweet treats. What’s your pleasure?”
    He cocked an eyebrow.  “What’s yours?”
    Raven refused to play into his coarseness, choosing to take the high road instead.
    Smiling, she said, “I pretty much like every kind of doughnut known to man.  I definitely have a sweet tooth.”
    His eyes darkened, roaming over her body.  “You definitely have a sweet ass.”
    Her face flamed with anger.  “Listen, Mr.—”
    “Dark.  Ronan Dark.”
    Did he seriously just introduce himself in a James Bond fashion?
    “Fine, Mr. Dark.  If you aren’t interested in doughnuts, perhaps you should leave.  I don’t have time to stand around and chew the fat.  I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
    He held his hands up.  “Fair enough.  One last thing before I go; if you ever want to trade that sugar rush for a real one, just say the word.”
    Raven knew she shouldn’t respond.  Encouraging him would be a bad idea.  But she found herself drawn to him.  To the darkness she sensed in his soul.  His name definitely fit him.  Ronan Dark might be the darkest man she had ever met.
    “What do you have in mind?” Raven asked before she could stop herself.
    “A ride on my bike.  At night.  Under the stars.”
    She shook her head.  “I don’t think—”
    “Yes you will.  Nonstop.  It’s all you’ll think about until you see me again, then you’ll beg me to take you for that ride.”
    He turned on his heel, leaving Raven with the ringing of a cowbell in her ears.
     
    RONAN NEARLY LAID HIS Harley flat to the asphalt as he took a hard, sharp turn into the Step Back Inn motel parking lot.  He’d been holed up in the rundown flea bag for a week.  It had taken him four days to track Raven Leigh Shore to The Little Doughnut Shop.  He had spent the last three days staking it out, following her comings and goings.  For the life of him, he couldn’t reconcile the gorgeous, curvy woman he had met moments ago with the one so rudely depicted by Alan Shore. 
    The man had described Raven as a no-good, gobby-fat, thieving bitch.  From where Ronan was standing, she seemed like a lovely, upstanding human being.  She spent most of her time at the shop with that elderly couple or alone in her tiny apartment.  She had shown a sweet, protective side when he had spoken coarsely to the old woman.  And, Raven had maintained her dignity in the face of his overtly flirty behavior and sexual innuendos.  As far as he could see, she was beautiful on the inside and outside. 
    Knowing these things caused him a great dilemma.  Mr. Shore had hired him to find Raven and bring her to him.  And damn it, Ronan needed the money bad. But after observing the young woman and interacting with her, he couldn’t in good conscience hand her over to an obvious liar.  If the man had been deceptive about what Raven was like, the reasons he gave for wanting her back were most likely lies as well. 
    For the time being, he would keep her location a secret.  There