Read Online Hunk for the Holidays by Katie Lane - Free Book Online Page A

two fingers. It was a pantomime they’d done before. She nodded and watched as he opened the outside door and stepped out to finish his conversation.
    Once he was out of sight, Amy released her breath and sagged back in the chair.
    “Saved by the bell.” A deep voice came from somewhere in the green foliage to her right. She instantly recognized the voice and wasn’t surprised when Rory stepped out from behind a bushy plant with bright red flowers.
    “Or should I say by a fight song?” He stood there, staring down at her with a look she couldn’t read. His mouth was tipped up in an amused smile, but his eyes were dark and angry.
    Amy really wanted to come up with a clever reply, but obviously, tonight was just not her night for sterling conversation. Instead, she lowered her eyes and stared at the toes of his black dress shoes. Derek’s shoes were Dolce & Gabbana and had probably been picked out by his personal shopper. She would bet Rory had purchased his own without one thought to designer labels.
    “You surprise me.” He paused, then snidely added, “Aimers. I thought the owner of Terrell Steel would have enough money to satisfy even you. And yet you didn’t jump at the chance to get your hands on some of it. Why is that? Hoping Trump will get divorced again?”
    She looked up at him. Her insides might be trembling like a scared rabbit’s, but she refused to let him know that.“No, Donald just doesn’t do it for me. It’s the whole hair thing.”
    A smile tipped one corner of his mouth. “You could use those big, brown eyes of yours to convince him to cut it.”
    “Doubtful. If his tall, gorgeous wives haven’t been able to do it, I don’t think some short ordinary woman could.”
    “Ahh, but there’s nothing ordinary about you, Amy.” He slipped into the chair across from her and studied her. “Especially according to my family. Since I’ve gotten back from Chicago, all I’ve heard about is how wonderful little Amy is. A true paragon of virtue and strength. Even Patrick loves you, and he’s a hard sell.” He leaned forward. “But what I can’t figure out is why Matt still likes you after you dumped him.”
    “I didn’t dump him.” She recapped a bottle of tequila that had been left on the table and lined it up with an empty beer bottle and two shot glasses. “Mattie is like my little brother.”
    “Really? Somehow I don’t think a paragon of virtue passionately kisses their little brother.”
    She stopped organizing the glassware and looked up at him. “I never—” She hesitated. Wait a minute; there had been that time at the company picnic. Mattie had helped himself to a few beers and was feeling froggy. He’d taken her for a walk and then kissed her. She was too surprised to do anything but stand there and let him. It was only after his tongue dipped into her mouth that she brought it to a halt. Afterward, they’d both laughed about how weird it felt. And it was never repeated. Or witnessed.
    Or so she thought.
    “How did you know about that?” she asked. Her eyes narrowed. “Were you following us?”
    “No,” he stated, but his face gave him away. Redheads couldn’t hide a blush. He cleared his throat and looked away. “It was stupidity. Plain and simple stupidity. I knew Matt was sneaking beer, and I thought he might get out of hand.” He shook his head. “Although I don’t know why I felt so protective considering the fact that for the last month you’d treated me like the plague. I guess I was as fooled as everyone else by your little innocent act. It took me seeing you kiss my little brother before the truth sank in. How could a girl who had a baby out of wedlock be innocent?” He looked back at her. “Answer: She couldn’t.”
    “I never pretended to be innocent.” She jerked up a cocktail napkin and furiously wiped off the table.
    “Bullshit. What would you call all those hot, little blushes and wide-eyed looks you sent me? I have to give it to you. You had