“Damn it!” Arden Windham pounded on the steering wheel of her silver Mercedes. No amount of stepping on the gas, or fiddling with the wheel made the stupid thing budge. The loud pop she’d heard moments before she lost control of the car on the slippery roads did not help her mood. Now she had to get out in the rain to check what the hell was wrong, messing up her hair and dress in the process.

A fight with her father, dodging phone calls from an ex who blamed her for his cheating ways, now this. All within the last hour. She’d normally paste a smile on her face and grit her teeth, but right now she didn’t feel like it.

She unbuckled her seat belt and crawled out the car, wincing at the stinging rain hitting her neck and shoulders. Tugging her mini dress over her ass, she crouched-walked around the vehicle, grimacing as her heels sank into the wet ground.

When she spotted the flat front passenger-side tire she almost cried. Almost. Because Arden Windham didn’t cry, no matter the helpless frustration beating down on her at the moment.

She hurried back into the dry warmth of her car’s interior and closed the door, dripping all over her leather seats. She couldn’t find her Triple A card and no other cars traveled this dark stretch of road.

“Indy probably knows someone,” she muttered. Her best friend certainly knew a lot of people in town. No way was she calling her father. He’d only take the opportunity to lecture her yet again about responsibility and accountability.

Ugh. What to do? What to do? She stared through her windshield at the torrential rain pouring down, tapping a finger on her chin.

Memory of the white business card she’d hidden away in one of her purses jerked her upright. Her ex’s brother owned a repair business. At least he did the last time Clark mentioned his estranged fraternal twin brother. That had to be months ago. He wouldn’t be her first choice under normal circumstances, but his shop wasn’t too far from where she was now stuck. Calling Indy and waiting for someone else to come out to her location on the outskirts of town would take far longer than she wanted to be out there.

She didn’t want to see Cameron Mercer. He unsettled her, but she grabbed her purse from the passenger seat, praying the card was still in there as she poured its contents onto the seat.

There, mixed in with her lip gloss and gum wrappers. She snatched up the card, staring at it as she swiped her thumb across the name. Mercer’s Repair. A shiver brought goosebumps to her skin, but it had nothing to do with the rain outside.

She didn’t know Cam, not really. She dated his brother, Clark, for six months. In the few instances she’d seen Cam Mercer up close and personal, she’d always felt on edge. He’d eyed her too closely with those ice-blue eyes, sizing her up and looking through her as though she were a pane of glass.

Until then she’d kind of prided herself on being hard to read, but she could never shake the feeling that Cam Mercer saw straight through her and found her lacking. Not a good look or feel. She went out of her way not to cross paths with him.

She quickly dialed the number and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as the phone rang and rang.

Didn’t that man answer his business phone? Probably not. Cam Mercer didn’t strike her as the most diligent of business owners with all those scars and that permanent scowl.

“What?”

She jumped at the loud bark in her ear. What the fuck? “Uh, is this Mercer’s Repairs?”

The man grunted. “That’s the number you called, right? So again, what?”

Right. Arden rolled her eyes. “I happen to have acquired a flat tire. I’m in need of your services.”

“Acquired, huh?” He snorted. “Who is this and where are you?”

She cleared her throat and thrust her chin out. “This is Arden Windham.” Raising an eyebrow at his swift intake of breath, she quickly gave him her address. “How soon can I expect you, Mr. Mercer? This is Cam Mercer, is it not?” She mentally slapped herself. Should’ve verified the owner of that unsettling growl from the get-go.

“Yeah, it’s me and you can expect me when you see me.” The phone clicked, ending the call.

Arden stared at the phone in her trembling hand. Never before had she met such a rude man, and they technically hadn’t even met. Now she had an idea as to why Clark didn’t socialize with his brother. Cam had rejected his family’s money and social status, choosing to do his own thing after a short stint in prison.

Arden didn’t know the details, but gossip labeled black sheep Cam a troublemaker with anger issues. Definitely not someone who moved within her circle nowadays. She’d sworn off bad boys and didn’t care to know the full story behind Cam’s absences from Mercer family functions and conversation.

All I need is my car fixed and he can go on about his business.

She put her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes.

* * *

A knock at her window startled her awake. Arden winced at the stiffness in her neck and peered at the face looking back at her. He’d grown a scruff. With his dark hood pulled low over his piercing eyes, and that scowl, Cam Mercer looked dangerous as fuck.

A shiver slithered down her spine and she frowned. Was she afraid of him?

“Are you gonna stare at me all night or what?”

Nope, she wasn’t afraid. She lowered her window and glared at him. “It is customary to introduce yourself, Mr. Mercer.” He simply looked at her like she was a nuisance. All right. She affected her haughtiest expression. “As you can see, I’m not properly dressed to leave the safety of my vehicle so I’ll stay in here while you do your thing.”

He mumbled, “Whatever,” and wandered away.

Arden gritted her teeth and folded her arms. He really was infuriating. On her lap, her purse buzzed and she fished out her phone while eyeing Cam’s movements in her rearview.

“Hey, Indy.” She greeted her best friend with a frustrated sigh.

“Where are you, bitch?” Indy wasn’t one for the small talk. “The pizza is getting cold.”

“I have a flat tire and the rudest man alive is fixing it.”

“Who’s rude?”

“Cam Mercer is here with me in the middle of nowhere, working on my tire, and being the world’s biggest dick.”

“Cam Mercer?” Indy’s tone perked up. “Aw, shit. I saw him get into a bar brawl with two men and win. All those muscles.” Indy whistled. “He can get it.”

“What?” Arden’s stomach knotted. “Are you serious?” She didn’t want her friend lusting after the man. He was bad news. Even if he was sexy—which Arden didn’t think he was. At all.

“Have you looked at dude? And all that ‘fuck you’ attitude.” Indy sighed. “You just know there’s some deep story behind it.”

“I couldn’t care less about his story. We all have a story.” Uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, Arden quickly changed the topic. “Wipe the drool of your mouth. Don’t forget you’re already spoken for.”

“I happen to be a free as a bird.” Indy refused to admit how she felt about the man she was attempting to have a sex-only relationship with.

“You’re a cold bitch. You love Reno and he loves you, but you insist on fronting.” Arden laughed. “You’re not fooling anyone.”

“Whatever. Shouldn’t you be ogling some rude, bad boy with family issues?”

“I’m not ogling that man and besides, it’s tasteless. I was involved with his brother until a very recently.”

“Sounds like a suitable mourning period to me,” Indy said. “You don’t owe Clark anything, and I can bet money Bad Boy Mercer knows ways to make you forget about past unpleasantness.”

“Speaking of past unpleasantness. Clark called me this evening. He wants us to come to an understanding. Maybe get back together.”

“Are you freaking serious?”

“Unfortunately.” Arden moved over to the passenger seat and peeked out. Cam was crouched on the muddy ground, doing something that required grunts. Sexy grunts, too. She immediately dismissed the ludicrous thought. Bringing her attention back to her phone conversation, she said, “Can you believe him? He breaks up with me, talking about he wants to see other people, and then calls me like nothing happened.”

“That bastard! Are you okay, do you want us to slash his tires or something?” Indy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You know I have the perfect outfit for it. Remember that black cat-suit zippered to the crotch? Of course, I’ll have to get new heels for the mission. Just tell me when.”

Arden giggled. She could always count on Indy to put some laughs on a situation. “Thanks, but no. I just want him to take his own advice, you know? Move the hell on.”

“I can’t tell you why men are idiots, but I can suggest you pick your hurt pride up off the floor, shake it off, and make moves. Preferably on that sexy Cam Mercer.”

“I’m not—” A knock sounded on her window and she looked up into Cam Mercer’s cold eyes. “Indy, I gotta go. We’ll talk later.”

“Remember what I said.”

She ended the call on Indy’s parting shot and raised an eyebrow. “All done, Mr. Mercer?”

“Yeah, you’re good to go.” He held her gaze, heating her skin under all that ice as he quoted his price.

“Great. I assume cash is acceptable?” She broke eye contact before he could answer and fumbled with her purse. Since his costs were displayed on his business card, she counted out the appropriate amount plus a nice tip and held it out to him. “Thank you for your prompt service.”

He stared at her, blue eyes narrowed to cold, sharp flints, then flipped his gaze to the money in her hand before backing away without taking it.

“What the hell?” She scrambled out of the car, cursing those damned heels as they sank into the murky ground. Rain pelted her in the face as she yelled after Cam. “What the fuck is your problem?”

He ignored her and she kicked off her heels and raced after him. Grabbing his arm, she tugged.

“What the hell is your problem with me, Mr. Mercer?” She brushed wet hair from her eyes and glared up at him. “Did I kill your puppy or something?”

He shrugged and her gaze darted to those shoulders.

Briefly.

“I don’t like you,” he said.

What? Arden gaped up at him. She would never cop to how much of a slap those words were. “Everybody likes me.”

He laughed in her face. “You’re a spoiled, entitled rich kid.”

Where the hell did he get off? “You don’t know me.” She poked him in the chest. “You don’t know shit about me, so you have no right to judge me.”

Water dripped from his hood and down his chin. “My brother knew, right? And it seems he had enough of you.”

“Fuck you!” She lifted her hand to punch him in the freaking nose, but Cam grabbed her wrists. She fought him, kicking at his shins. “Get your hands off me, you son of a bitch.”

He lifted her off her feet and brought her down on the hood of his truck. Arden struggled as he grabbed her nape and brought their heads close. “Does daddy know how dirty his little girl’s mouth is?” His lips brushed her ear, and Arden shivered.

Damn. She struggled harder, but his grip held her immobile. Rain poured, soaking her tight white dress, molding it to her skin.

“Did my brother get any of those dirty words or are they all for me?” His fingers at her nape tightened as his bulky frame covered her vision, and Arden inhaled his scent of clean soap and anger. Her nipples beaded.

She tried sliding out from under his hold, but only succeeded in sprawling backward on the truck’s slick hood. Lifting her hands, she clutched his arms. “Cam.” She heard the whimper in her voice, but rejected it.

She didn’t whimper.

He lifted his head, met her eyes, and her tremors got rougher. His fingers at her nape flexed. The coolness in his eyes bled away, leaving only heat. Leaving only flames.

“No.” She shook her head. It wasn’t right, but her pussy was all wet. She tightened her grip on his forearm and reminded him, “You don’t like me.”

His lips curved, his hold on her slackened and she scrambled away, nearly falling to the ground in her attempt to get away. Cam grabbed her hand, yanked her into his chest. Arden held her breath to avoid breathing in the clean rain-soaked scent of him.

“I don’t have to like you to want you, princess.”

She was burning up, suddenly, but Arden gathered her strength and pushed at his chest. “I don’t like you, either, Mr. Mercer. Nor do I want you.” Oh, God. She couldn’t even convince herself. What was happening?

He chuckled, blue eyes flashing. “Liar. I’ve seen it in your eyes, princess. You think I don’t know you’ve been avoiding me?”

“Shut up! Shut up!” She squeezed her eyes shut, panting. He knew. God. She should leave, walk away, but there was a strange buzzing in her ears, her heart thudded in her chest, and her pussy was all kinds of hungry.

Wet fingers grazed her cheek, cupped her jaw. His hot breath fanned across her face. She forced herself not to inhale, not to move, not to moan. Soft lips brushed against hers, feather-light. Barely there. She sucked in a breath, reached for him, but he’d already moved back.

Away from her.

His gaze was hard, inscrutable. “If you want it then I’ve got it, princess.”

She swallowed, coughed. “No.” Arden shook her head, the lie burning her tongue. “I don’t want it.” She straightened her wet dress and turned away, walking back to her car.

“I’m not alone in this attraction, princess. You can’t hide from it and me forever.”

She heard the words, but chose to ignore them. He had no idea what the hell he was saying. This wasn’t an attraction, merely a lack in judgment. Arden bent over, digging out her heels from under a pile of mud with a grimace. “I have to go.”

He grabbed her arm. “The road is blocked because of an accident. No one is coming down this way, you’ll have to take the long way home.”

She stared down at his hand on her arm. “I should thank you, I guess. Right now, I just need to get dry. And drunk.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to forget?”

“A lot.”