Darwin's Natural Selection Read Online Free

dizzy. Tom’s heart had thundered so loudly Darwin was pretty sure he could have heard it even without his enhanced hearing.
    A man that terrified of him wasn’t going to be dialing his number any time soon.
    Too bad , Darwin thought as he turned into his winding driveway. There was something about Tom that drew him, made him do idiotic things—like ambush the guy at his truck and ask him out in the most lame-ass, stumbly-bumbly way possible.
    Tom had just stared at him with those big Bambi eyes as if Darwin were nuts, which he probably was. Why else was he obsessing about a man who so obviously wasn’t interested?
    Pulling up to his machine shed, Darwin hopped out to unlock the door. It was probably for the best. He knew it was stupid to get involved with someone right now anyway. Mentally shoving away the image of the wind ruffling the dark strands of Tom’s hair, Darwin tightened his jaw. It was for the best.
    He just had to keep telling himself that.
    Sooner or later, he’d actually believe it.

Chapter Three
    Tom’s cell rang as he was locking his condo door behind him. The sound startled him and he almost dropped his laptop bag, catching the strap at the last moment before the computer hit the floor. For a panicked second he wondered if it was Darwin, but then logic set in and he remembered the other man didn’t have his number.
    Setting his rescued laptop bag on a kitchen island stool, he pulled his cell from its case on his belt. Glancing at the caller ID, he sighed and waited another moment before answering.
    “Yes, my darling sister?” he greeted, glancing at the clock. He had ten minutes to get her off the phone.
    “Tom!”
    He was immediately suspicious. “That was a little too enthusiastic of a greeting.
    What do you want?”
    “Want?” Anne huffed. “Can’t I call my wonderful brother, whom I adore, just because?”
    “Sure, you could ,” he shot back with another look at the clock, “but you’re not. I know that tone of voice. You want something. Out with it. It’s Friday night and I have plans.”
    “What plans?” she asked. “Takeout and a movie?”
    He scowled. “No.” It was actually leftover pizza and a cable special on sharks.
    He loved sharks.
    “I’m close, though, aren’t I?”
    “No,” he lied. “What do you want, Anne?”
    “You’re coming tomorrow night, right?”
    She was sounding cagey again.
    “To your engagement dinner?” he asked.
    “Of course. I figured you’d kill me if I didn’t show.”
    “Pretty much,” she agreed. “I was wondering if you’d mind if I invited someone else.”
    Tom
    blinked,
    confused
    and
    still
    suspicious. “Someone else? It’s your party.
    You can invite however many people you’d like. What does that have to do with me?”
    Even as he said the words, an unpleasant suspicion crept into his brain.
    “Well…” She dragged out the word.
    “Remember that accountant I told you about?”
    “No.”
    “Sure you do,” Anne contradicted. “My new accountant, Yancy? I’m sure I mentioned him to you.”
    “I’m sure you did.” Glancing at the clock again, Tom sighed. He was never going to get Anne off the phone in time. “I probably wasn’t listening. Can you blame me? I mean, Christ, you were talking about your accountant. Whose name is Yancy, by the way.”
    “But he’s really nice,” she protested, and Tom rolled his eyes. “Plus he’s cute in kind of a nerdy, can’t-really-dress sort of way.”
    “Anne.”
    “Yes?”
    “I need you to come to a point,” Tom said with exaggerated patience. “I’m going to be late.”
    She snorted. “Just press ‘pause’, dumbass.
    To be late, you have to actually go out somewhere.”
    “Anne.”
    “Fine,” she sighed. “I’m thinking about asking Yancy to the dinner tomorrow.”
    Tom eyed the kitchen wall and debated thumping his head against it a few times.
    “Why? You’re engaged. You don’t have to date anymore. Well, you don’t have to date anyone except Quinn