Read Online Always the Best Man by Michelle Major - Free Book Online Page A

pretense since returning to Crimson, but the more time he spent with her the more he could see the fragile space between the cracks in her armor. A part of him wanted to rip away all of her defenses because they were guarding things that held her heart captive. But he hated seeing her troubled and knew she hated revealing any weakness.
    â€œThank you for this job. I know you didn’t want to hire me.”
    No. He wanted to kiss her and hold her and take care of her. The kissing and holding weren’t going to be helped by working with her, but he could take care of her and that was a start.
    â€œYou were right,” he admitted. “I needed help. There are too many things on my plate right now, so I’ve been ignoring the office. It’s starting to show in my work, and that’s not going to help anyone.”
    â€œThe town loves you. They’ll cut you some slack.”
    â€œThey love what I do for them.”
    â€œYou do too much.”
    He shook his head. “There’s no such thing. Not for someone with my history.”
    â€œThe Crenshaw family history isn’t yours, Jase. The weight of a generations-old reputation shouldn’t rest on one man’s shoulders.”
    If only that were true. “My dad isn’t going to help carry the load.” He didn’t want to talk about this. Emily was here so he could help her, not the other way around. “I have to be at the courthouse at nine, so we should talk about what else needs to be done. I’m going to get a cup of coffee first, and you’re an angel for making it. For all of this. Thank you, Em.”
    She tapped one finger on the screen of the desktop computer. “Eight thirty.”
    â€œAlready?” He glanced at his watch.
    â€œNo, you have to be at the courthouse at eight thirty.” She moved around the desk, her hips swaying under the fitted cropped pants she wore. She’d paired them with a thin cotton sweater in a pale yellow along with black heels. It was more casual than yesterday but still professional. “I’ll get your coffee.”
    â€œYou don’t have to—”
    â€œI want to.” She tipped up her chin, as if daring him to contradict her. “So you can get ready to go.”
    Before he could argue, she disappeared around the corner.
    This place wasn’t good enough for someone like Emily. His office, even though it was clean, was too shabby for her crisp elegance. He imagined that she’d fit perfectly into the upper echelons of Boston society. Emily looked like a lady who lunched, a fancy wife who could chair events and fund-raisers and never have a hair out of place. Yet as he followed her, he watched wisps of blond hair try to escape from the knot at the back of her head.
    She poured coffee into a travel mug, and Jase was momentarily distracted by the fact that the clean dishes and coffee mugs were put away on the shelf above the utility sink.
    Emily turned, thrusting the stainless steel mug toward him. Her fingers were pink from the water and had several paper cuts on the tips. Not as delicate as she looked, his Emily.
    No. Not his. Not even for a minute.
    But she was here. Although he’d done her a favor, he needed her. He wanted her. Any way he could have her.
    â€œYou’re welcome in my office while I’m gone.” He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and felt a small amount of satisfaction when she sucked a breath. “I should be back by noon.”
    â€œYou have a meeting with Toby Jenkins here at one thirty.”
    He nodded, thankful he’d set up the calendars on his cell phone and office computers to sync automatically. He was in the habit of entering meetings in his calendar, but that didn’t mean he remembered to check it every day.
    â€œI told my mom I’d be home by two today. Davey still naps in the afternoons, and I like to be there when he wakes up.”
    â€œI can pick up lunch on my way back.