The Exception
by Adriana Locke
NOW AVAILABLE
There are exceptions to every rule...
Jada Stanley is starting over--freeing herself from her past and all her mistakes. Following the rules she's given herself is easy enough, until she meets HIM. He’s gorgeous, cocky, and everything she needs to avoid, but that’s easier said than done.
Cane Alexander has his own set of rules, a plan to keep his life simple and free of complications. But Jada is a temptation he can't resist.
As their lives entwine, they realize one thing about rules... There is always an exception.
Jada Stanley is starting over--freeing herself from her past and all her mistakes. Following the rules she's given herself is easy enough, until she meets HIM. He’s gorgeous, cocky, and everything she needs to avoid, but that’s easier said than done.
Cane Alexander has his own set of rules, a plan to keep his life simple and free of complications. But Jada is a temptation he can't resist.
As their lives entwine, they realize one thing about rules... There is always an exception.
Deleted Scene: Max Meets Kari
I’m going to kill Cane Alexander.
Four hours earlier, I was in bed, air conditioner blaring, and ESPN on the television. I was stretched out on my cotton sheets, coffee in hand, Coronas on deck.
It was a perfect Saturday morning.
And then, as happens frequently in my life, Cane fucked it up.
“Hey, Max. The City of Scottsdale needs us to check out the structure we built on the trailhead for Pinnacle Peak. Can you meet them over there?”
“Where are you?”
I heard a woman’s giggle and a groan from Cane. “I’m … fuck me! … occupied. Can you help a guy out? It shouldn’t take long. I’ll owe ya.”
“You always fucking owe me, Alexander.”
~~~~~~
The decomposed granite crunched beneath my boots. I slipped my Aviators across my eyes and glanced down at my watch to see that it was already two o’clock. The sun was bright and hot and I just wanted to get back home.
“Do you think you can get this fixed for us this coming week, Mr. Quinn? We would really appreciate it.” The City Engineer stuck out his hand and I shook it firmly.
“Absolutely. I’ll have a crew out here on Tuesday. It’s more of a cosmetic issue than anything.”
“Thank you.” With a nod, he climbed into his sports car and sped off.
I made my way to my truck, going over a list of objectives for the rest of the day.
Grab takeout. Go home. Get undressed. Turn off the damn phone! Climb into bed and don’t move until morning.
It had been a long week at work and I just wanted to tune everything out and relax.
I opened the door and tossed the building plans for the structure on the trailhead into the backseat when a slamming sound broke out across the parking lot.
“Damn it!” someone said behind me.
I turned to see a woman squatted down in front of her car, swiping her hand under the hood for the latch. I really wanted to climb in my truck and leave, but I couldn’t in good faith leave a woman stranded in the heat.
“Somethin’ wrong?” I asked, shutting the door behind me and walking slowly towards the brunette.
She turned her head and looked at me before a smile slowly spread across her face. “My car won’t start.”
She stood, wiping her hands down the sides of her green workout shorts. She was little as hell, probably a good foot shorter than my 6’2” frame. The tight white tank top showcased her breasts, which were amazingly disproportionate to the rest of her.
Thank God for small favors.
I tore my eyes away from them and up to her eyes which were just finding mine again. She raised her eyebrows, apparently liking what she saw.
First things first …
“What’s it doing?” I easily unlatched the hood and raised it open.
“Damn, you made that look easy.”
“It was easy,” I smirked.
She huffed a breath. “Mechanical things hate me. I turned the key and got nothing but a buzzing sound.”
I faced her full on. Her hair was in a messy pile on top of her head, strands stuck to the back of her neck with sweat. Her body was tight and lean and her face was damn near perfect. Her nose was small and upturned. Her skin clear and smooth. Her lips full … just like her chest.
At least the damsel in distress is gorgeous.
“What are you looking at?” Her face broke out into a grin and I chuckled.
“Nothin’ you shouldn’t be proud of.”
She laughed, widening her eyes and crossing her chest.
“Where are your keys?” I asked.
She tossed them to me and I started to get in, but the damn seat was inched as forward as possible. I looked up to see her watching me, her head tilted to the side. I gave her a crooked smile and scooted it back to its farthest position.
I turned the ignition and it whined before clicking. “It’s a dead battery, I think.” I got back out and walked around the car, the scent of coconuts making my brain think back to other coconut-shaped items I had just seen. I adjusted my dick as discreetly as possible.
“Has this happened before?” I asked her, trying to keep my focus on the task at hand.
“No. This is the first time.” She placed her hands on the car and leaned forward, giving me an eyeful of her cleavage. When our eyes met, she looked all innocent and I chuckled.
I checked the battery and saw the problem right away. Smiling to myself, I tightened the loose cable and checked the other before standing back up. I leaned against the car and folded my hands in front of me, giving her a serious look.
“Do I need to tow it?” she asked, putting her hands on her narrow hips. “This is just my freaking luck. And I thought this week couldn’t get any worse.”
“Wanna talk about it?” I grinned, watching her cute-as-hell act.
“So you’re a mechanic and a counselor?”
“I can be whatever you want me to be.”
Her mouth twisted in amusement, her eyes lighting up. “Is that so?”
I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip, waiting on her reply. I could see the cogs turning in her head and I wondered which way she would go with this.
I damn sure knew which way I want to go with it.
“So you’re a jack-of-all trades then, Mr.—”
“I’m Max Quinn, the man that can service any and all of your needs.”
She laughed, her cheeks blushing. “Okay, Max. The first need I have is getting this car running. Do your services cover auto repair?”
I stroked my chin. “The first need, huh? Does that imply that there may be more needs that need met?”
She shrugged her shoulders coyly. “It’s a possibility. You know how things go—you take care of one thing and then suddenly something else, you know, pops up.”
My list of the day’s objectives has officially changed …
“Pops up? Interesting choice of words …”
She laughed.
“If I can get this car running, and that’s a big ‘if’, what do you think is a fair price for my time and effort?”
“I’m not sure,” she smiled. “What do you think seems fair?”
“I had a lot of important stuff to do today. But now that my schedule is fucked, I may as well just stick around and fix your car. But it could take hours.”
“Really?” She looked alarmed. “I don’t want you—”
“It might take minutes,” I cut her off. I narrowed my eyes and shrugged my shoulders. “But I guarantee I’ll be cheaper than any mechanic you tow it to. They’ll see you comin’ a mile away, sweetheart.”
She grinned. “Damn mechanics. You’re probably right. What’s it going to cost me?”
“It’s going to cost you two things.”
“Two things? Okay, what are they?”
“The first thing is your name.”
“My name?” she laughed.
“Yeah. What’s your name? Only seems fair that I know who’s car I’m fixin’.”
She smiled. “Kari Stanley.”
“Alright, Kari Stanley. The second thing you need to do before I fix your car is say yes.”
“Say yes?”
“Say yes to having dinner with me. Tonight.”
“Seriously?”
“I think that’s totally fair, Kari Stanley. If I get this fixed, the least you can do is share a meal with me tonight. I’ll even pay.”
She pretended to consider my proposal, her tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip. “Okay. If you can get this started, I’ll go to dinner with you. But I have to say—I’m a little disappointed in your creativity.”
I tossed her the keys, standing up. “Don’t be,” I winked. “You don’t know what all dinner entails …”
A sexy smile broke out across her face as she caught her key ring. “Fair enough.”
“It’ll be better than fair, I promise. Now quit wastin’ time and use those,” I said, nodding to the keys in the palm of her hand.
“What do you want me to do with them?”
“I want you to start the car.”
She stared at me blankly. “What part of ‘this car doesn’t start’ don’t you understand?”
“What part of ‘start the damn car’ don’t you understand?”
She eyed me curiously before climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the car. Her eyes were wide as she got back out.
“Meet me at Maisano’s on Scottsdale Road at six, sweetheart.”
“Wait. How did you …”
I laughed, starting towards my truck. “Maisano’s at six—be there.”
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