Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters Read Online Free

straight ahead, watching high-rises and businesses fly by in the darkness without really seeing them. I wanted to ask him so many questions.
    Why did you kiss me?
    Why didn’t you kiss me?
    God, I didn’t know what had happened. Perhaps I’d imagined the whole thing. Undersexed dollhouse builders had fanciful imaginations, for sure.
    “If you need to borrow money,” he began, his voice lower than I’d ever heard it, “I’ll give it to you. Not him. Okay?”
    I blinked, unsure how we’d gotten back on that path again. But I was still too stunned by what had almost happened—maybe—to put up a fight. “Okay.” I swallowed hard. “But I won’t. I’ll do it on my own. I appreciate the offer though.”
    “And as for JC, I don’t have a problem with him.” He jerked the wheel to the curb about a block up from JC’s new brownstone. He must’ve gotten the address from JC on his own.
    I was pretty sure he hadn’t heard my response. “Sure about that?”
    He shifted toward me, his eyes narrowed. Even in the darkness of the car, I could sense the intensity in his expression. “Except for one thing.”
    For some reason, my heartbeat skipped. Like literally missed a beat. I hadn’t had any coffee today, so it wasn’t caffeine overload.
    It was all Emerson Confusing-As-Hell Knapp.
    “What’s that?” I asked, both craving and fearing the answer.
    “He wants you—and I’m not going to let that happen.”
    Before I could shut my mouth, he slammed his way out of the car.

CHAPTER THREE
    JC
    I opened the door to Lily and Emerson with a wide smile. “About time you got here. The party’s in full swing.” I stepped back to let them inside my new, barely furnished apartment. “Grab a beer.”
    Emerson gave me a look as he nudged Lily inside ahead of him. Though she went first, I had no doubt he’d leap in front of her to block any passing threat. Like, oh, a speeding train or maybe a dude who wanted to feel her up.
    To Emerson, I was reasonably certain the danger level would be the same.
    After taking a few steps and assessing the obviously empty apartment, he turned toward me. “What full swing? There’s no one here.”
    “Yes, there is.”
    “Where?” Lily asked, glancing around in obvious confusion.
    They were both adorable, and I was probably a dick for prolonging their puzzlement. But I figured I should get a pass, considering what I had in mind. If I’d read them both correctly, I was about to grant their fondest wish.
    They could thank me later.
    “You two are people, right?” I shut the door and pointed at my chest. “I’m a person.”
    “Hold up. No one else is coming but us?” Emerson’s eyes narrowed, his most popular expression. “Why would you claim you were having a party and only invite two guests?”
    “You were the only guests I wanted to celebrate with.” I slung an arm around their shoulders and guided them into the living room.
    It wasn’t huge, but it was bigger than my old one and especially looked that way since only two long couches and a coffee table had been added so far. Well, and there were a couple of ladders, and a half-built custom shelving unit. But they didn’t count as furniture.
    I picked up the oddly shaped bottle of Samuel Adams Utopias on the coffee table and poured the smooth brandy-colored liquid into the three waiting glasses.
    “Beer for you,” I said to Emerson, passing him a glass. “And for you,” I said to Lily, pressing the cool drink into her outstretched hand.
    At least she wouldn’t sulk through my party. I didn’t think.
    “What the hell is this?” Emerson picked up the doorstopper bottle and lifted it to the light as if he suspected I was trying to poison them.
    Actually, I was trying to fuck them, so he’d pegged that one wrong.
    “It’s beer. You asked for beer, did you not?” I sat down on one of the couches and took a long sip, demonstrating that I was drinking from the same well. “This is beer. Very fine beer, in fact.