Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters

by Cari Quinn

  "So, I dumped Wade and you quit your job." I collapsed on the bed across from the both of them and fished a piece of veggie pizza out of the box. "I thought you were just planning to give notice?"

  "I was." Carlotta handed me a paper cup half-full of wine. Her smile didn’t do much to hide the tight lines of tension around her eyes. "But Chambers lit into me and I let him have it. Now I have a two week vacation before I start my new job."

  "And you didn’t say anything because?" Lanie asked from her position at my feet.

  "I was afraid it wouldn’t pan out. It’s for a company that works with new home builders doing wiring for communications, home theaters, and security systems. High dollar homes with high dollar pay."

  "Like there’s any such thing as a cheap home in Houston," I said with a grin. "I’m proud of you for leaving that shit factory behind. So what about the Geek-Meister?"

  "At least he won’t be sending me flowers at work anymore."

  "You didn’t tell him you quit?"

  "Nope, now what’s this about you dumping Wade?"

  "Yeah, and hurry up. I gotta date."

  "Bitch!" Laughing, I kicked Lanie and nearly sent her sprawling on the floor. "What the hell are you gonna do with that Suit?"

  "Fuck his brains out, I hope. Can’t have you taking my title of Queen Ho, now can I?"

  While we polished off the last of the pizza and the cheap merlot, I filled them in on my conversation with Wade.

  "Told’ja so!" Lanie lifted her cup and for just a moment, I considered kicking her off the bed on purpose.

  By the time we arrived at Jimmy Z’s, the merlot and chit-chat had done its job—dragged my ass off the ceiling. We made our way through the crowded bar accompanied by the sound of the latest Top 40 hit. I offered up a grateful smile to Brian who’d left a small cardboard "Reserved" sign on our table. He knew us too well, appearing at our table with the first round of drinks before we’d even settled in.

  "You’re late, ladies," he scolded with a good-natured smile that even Lanie couldn’t fail to return.

  I double-checked to make sure my phone was on vibrate since I’d never hear it ring in here, and then took a sip of my Woo-Woo. The cold fruity drink slid down my throat and landed somewhere near my toes. Before I’d even gotten settled in or had a chance to check out the crowd, I found myself led out onto the dance floor by a swarthy hunk in a brightly striped designer shirt. He gave octopus’ a bad name, and I ditched him quick after spotting the blonde I’d danced with last weekend. I lost him in the crowd, then slipped up behind her with a smile. "I had to ditch a creep!"

  "No prob." She raised her beer bottle and slipped an arm around my waist. "I’m Cherise, by the way."

  "Lexi! Can I buy you a drink? Since you sorta rescued me."

  After a stop at the bar, we headed back to the table with the girls. Cherise, it turns out, was bisexual like Queen Ho Lanie. Not that being bisexual made Lanie a ho—I attributed that to an old-school Irish father and four older brothers.

  My cell phone vibrated in the middle of laughing my ass off to an especially bad joke Carlotta had dared to share with us. I jumped as it buzzed against my hipbone then unclipped it, frowning in the dim bar light. The readout listed Wade’s number, and yeah, for a minute,. I considered ignoring it, figuring he just wanted to talk. Then I thought better of it. "I’ll be back."

  The girls nodded and I slid off my stool, purse in hand as I headed for the ladies room where I’d at least be able to hear. The door had no sooner closed behind me than my cell phone started ringing. "What happened?"

  "A small accident, but I think you need to be here," Wade replied.

  Rolling my eyes at the girl standing beside me fixing her lipstick, I said, "How small?"

  "Remember those skateboarders?"

  "Shit!" How could I forget them?

  "About the time we were closing down for the night I heard screams. We didn’t hear them out there, Lexi, because of the nail guns and Ramon’s radio."

  "It’s okay! How bad is he hurt?"

  "I think it’s a broken leg. I left Ramon in charge of closing up, and I’m following the ambulance to Memorial."

  "Call Dolan; I’ll meet you there!"

  "Hal said not to."

  "You called Hal?" I silently swore then swore again as I caught my reflection in the mirror. Moussed and sprayed hair, dark eyeliner and killer brown lips to match my brown halter top.

  "He’s the Job Supervisor, Lexi."

  "Fuck, Hal! Call Dolan, or better yet, call Junior. I’ll be there as soon as I can."

  ~*~

  Memorial Hospital was close enough to the club, I didn’t get much of a chance to worry how I was dressed or how I was going to deal with Hal as I zipped down the 610 Loop.

  I frowned at Hal’s Ford as I crossed the parking lot in three-inch Jimmy Choos, preparing myself for the worst. Inside the ER was controlled chaos. I gave Wade’s name to the nurse at the desk, and she motioned to a hallway to her left while giving me a once over. It’s Friday night lady, sue me! Spending the night in the ER hadn’t been in my plans when I left the house.

  I had no trouble spotting Wade still covered in sheetrock dust and plaster, or Hal, looming over him with a finger in his face. From behind a curtain I could hear soft moaning and the voices—some giving orders while others fretted. "How’s the kid? Did we contact his parents?"

  Apparently, my strident voice did the trick, distracting Hal from whatever he’d been chewing Wade out about.

  "Well lookie you! Dolan’s bitch. He with ya?" The smell of beer was strong, and I had serious doubts about the wisdom of Hal having driven here. He smelled as if the only place he needed to drive was between his sheets at home for a long sleep-it-off.

  "If you have a problem with me or the instructions I gave Wade, you can take it up with me when you’re sober." I stood as far away as possible, smiling to myself as Wade stepped out of the line of fire. No way was he getting between two supervisors having a turf-war and that’s just what this was. "Now—" I turned to Wade, "—how’s the kid?"

  "It’s definitely a broken leg. His parents got here right before you did—"

  "You didn’t have any business calling Junior." Hal gave my shoulder a firm nudge, demanding my attention.

  "I had all the business in the world–"

  "We all know how much you like telling men what to do. Bossy-ass bitch." Hal leered at me. An ugly sight even at the best of times, but I refused to back down and propped my hands on my hips, stepping closer despite my protesting stomach.

  "I do my job. And part of my job is keeping the Senior Project Manager apprised of safety problems."

  "They don’t want safety; they want results—"

  "—That’s what you think." By this time we were shouting while Wade hovered somewhere nearby.

  "—That’s what I know."

  "The only reason Dolan promoted you is ‘cause you got balls on your chest instead between your legs where they belong." He grabbed his own and gave them a shake for emphasis.

  "You’re just pissed ‘cause deep down inside you know I’ll make Project Manager while you’ll spend the rest of your days supervising a crew." I stuck my finger in the middle of his chest for emphases. "And I get the job done."

  From behind me came the sound of Wade choking on a laugh, but I didn’t dare look at him or I’d bust out laughing, too.

  "What the hell’s that supposed to mean?

  "It means you couldn’t get the job done if it came with directions written in single syllable words." I gave him a scornful once-over. "You’re an incompetent drunk, and Dolan should have fired you a hell of a long time ago. Probably only keeps you around—"

  Hal lunged, his meaty paw landing somewhere in the vicinity of my chest with enough force to take me down in my three inch heels. Suddenly Wade was there between us, dragging me out of harm’s way and helping me stay on my feet while two EMT’s who’d appeared from behind the curtained-off room, kept a firm grip on Hal.


  "Alex, you okay?" Junior Dolan appeared at my other side, his forehead creased into a frown of concern.

  I nodded and gave him a grateful smile as Wade pulled me close enough to him that the heat of his body seared me through my jeans.

  "Be right back," Dolan murmured.

  With a grateful nod, I eased myself out of Wade’s arms and gave both my ankles a test drive. But for a small twinge in one, they were fine.

  "You sure you’re okay?" Wade gave my arm a gentle squeeze and in return, I gave him a reassuring smile and another nod.

  "I’m fine. Thanks! Now, for the last time, how’s that kid doing?"

  Wade slowly shook his head. "I don’t know who was more scared, me or him. He was just lying on the ground squalling like a baby. I know he took at least ten years off my life. I’m real sorry I ruined your evening, Lexi."

  Wincing at the reference to Lexi, I eased myself down into a chair. "Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you called."

  I’d no sooner gotten comfortable when an angry redhead came flying out of the cubicle, her tall and tanned counterpart hard on her heels.

  "What’s the kid’s name?" I hissed.

  "Jeremy."

  Nodding, I stood up and crossed the small space, reaching them about the same time Junior did.

  "How’s your son?"

  "How’s Jeremy?" we asked, stumbling over each other.

  "How’s your insurance?" the obviously fuming redhead countered. Hell, she was practically foaming at the mouth. "First thing tomorrow morning we’re calling our lawyers!"

  "I can assure you, that won’t be necessary," Junior said, "We’ll cover his medical bills."

  "From where I’m standing, it is necessary," tall and tanned countered. "Our son could have died on that construction site!"

  "We understand that, sir, and we understand you have every right to be upset."

  "Damned right we do!"

  "But consider this." I forced myself to speak up despite worry for Jeremy, which they’d never addressed, and my boiling anger. "Your son and his friends were warned more than once to stay out of our construction site."

  "So now it’s our fault?" Jeremy’s mother’s face almost matched her hair.

  "Of course she’s not saying it’s your fault." Junior rested a calming hand on my shoulder as if he knew just how angry I was.

  "Of course it’s not your fault! Though I do wonder where you were the four times I warned your son and his friends to leave. All documented, I might add, and with witnesses."

  "Are you threatening us?" the father demanded.

  "No sir. We’ll be happy to cover your son’s medical expenses, but if you sue Dolan Industries, those four warnings and the flooding the site experienced last weekend, that I did report to the police, will all come into play. Your son and his two friends will be required to testify, and if it comes out that those boys are responsible for causing thousands of dollars in damages, there could be criminal charges filed against him." I smiled serenely and let my words hang in the air between all of us, pleased when the redhead deflated and her husband followed suit.

  Finally, the doctor emerged, announcing that someone from orthopedics would be down to take Jeremy upstairs and cast his leg. Dr. Reaves left to attend other patients, leaving Jeremy in the care of a nurse—and his parents, who disappeared back inside the cubicle with tails tucked between their legs.

  Turning, I smiled at Junior and held out my arms. "Anything else?"

  "I am so glad you were here," he said softly.

  "You can go on home, Junior." I felt funny calling him Junior when he was at least ten years older than me. "I’ll stay and take care of the hospital paperwork."

  Junior turned to Wade. "You’ll stay with her and do a report on what happened, and then follow her home in case Hal shows up. I don’t think he will, but I fired him and he’s liable to try and take it out on you."

  "I will definitely see her home and make sure everything’s okay." Wade draped an arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze.

  While I walked down to the cafeteria for coffee, Wade called his guys to make sure they’d secured the site. They’d come in early and we’d do their reports on the accident. Which meant I’d end up working tomorrow whether I wanted to or not. By the time I got back, Wade had found a seat and stolen a pad of legal paper from somewhere.

  "You okay?" I fell into the chair beside him and handed him a Styrofoam cup. He looked like hell.

  "Yeah." He accepted the cup with a smile. "Sorry again for ruining your evening."

  "You didn’t ruin my night. To be honest, it’s been a long week and I didn’t really want to go."

  A nurse appeared and handed me a ream of insurance forms to fill out. Luckily I knew most of it by heart and what I didn’t know she assured me I could return with tomorrow.

  "You were right," Wade said once she’d gone.

  "About?" I propped the clipboard on my knee and started filling in all the little boxes.

  "Us. This was a bad idea."

  "More like ‘good idea, bad timing’."

  CHAPTER NINE

  By the time we left the hospital we’d somehow come to a silent understanding that Wade was staying the night at my house. I’m not sure how it happened and I’m not sure I cared. I wasn’t quite ready to let go of him yet and the feeling was mutual.

  Inside the house I dropped my keys and purse on the hall table and turned to face him. "Is this good timing or bad?"

  He wrapped his arms around me and covered my lips with his, his tongue performing a sensual exploration of my mouth that I felt in the pit of my stomach. Heat radiated outward, pooling between my thighs and making my knees weak. I came up for air and took his hand, leading him down the dimly lit hallway to my bedroom where we silently stripped each other and fell on the bed, all hands and tongues as we found the spots we knew turned each other on: Wade’s extra-sensitive nipples, the base of my spine he trailed his fingers across, the wet heat between my thighs that I spread, unconsciously begging him to fuck me.

  More than anything I wanted to feel him inside me. I stretched out on my back and reached for his cock, running a finger across the tip and licking his precum off with a smile. The silk quilt cooled my fevered skin and made my nipples stand straight up in the chilly room.

  "Don’t tease me." I reached between my own thighs and stroked myself, sighing with pleasure at my wetness, at the feel of my clit swelling under my fingers.

  He swatted my hand away and buried his face between my thighs, lapping and suckling at my clit until I wanted to scream. Until his mouth and my hips settled into a rhythm that I knew would only satisfy me temporarily. My hips arched off the bed while overhead, the fan spun in a lazy circle, feathering my overheated skin with a cool lazy caress.

  While Wade’s tongue teased and tormented, my hands skimmed across my ribcage to pinch my nipples. Little darts of pleasure zinged to the clit he was worrying with his teeth, and my heavy breathing and sharp moans filled the air as I came.

  He settled between my thighs and stroked me with his cock before finally sliding home with a satisfied grunt. I grinned up at him, still working to catch my breath.

  "You do realize—" he pulled out and slid home again, "—we just did this last night."

  "Nope, you didn’t go down on me last night." I locked his hips between my legs and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

  "There is that." A groan rumbled deep in his chest as he sank into me again, his face tense with concentration.

  I urged him on, meeting every thrust and watching intently as his control deserted him in a climax that left him clinging to me.

  ~*~

  The sun burning through my eyelids woke me up the next morning. Wade was gone, but I had no clue when he’d left, and I’d overslept. I didn’t even have time to think about why he’d left. I had a ton of paperwork to do.

  I pulled into the parking lot of the construction site mid-morning and slid out of the truck with two do
zen donuts and a cup of coffee. The site was eerily quiet but for the rhythmic sound of the nail gun, the occasional burst of male laughter and a radio playing Cuban music from somewhere inside the building. Stepping out of the mid-morning heat, I slipped my sunglasses off with a free finger and looked around.

  Despite having to work a Saturday, and the previous night’s accident, things were going well, judging from the smiles on their faces. One by one the nail guns stopped, and Carter, a tall skinny redhead took the donuts from me with a grateful smile.

  "Thanks, boss lady."

  "If you want, I can open up the trailer and make coffee," I offered.

  "I’ve got a cooler full of soda in the back of my truck." Wade gave me a tired smile.

  Two of the guys took off to get the cooler while the rest grabbed donuts and found a place to sit.

  "You not eating?" Wade asked.

  I shook my head and took another sip of my coffee. "I ate earlier. Guys, I’ll need to talk to everyone who was here last night; shouldn’t take more than a few minutes a piece."

  One by one they all nodded, and then Carter spoke up, asking the question that was apparently on all their minds. "Who’s taking over now that Hal’s gone?"

  A few guys clinked their soda cans together in a toast. Guess I wasn’t the only one happy about Hal leaving.

  "I’m sure Junior will let us know as soon as possible."

  Nodding, Wade said, "Come on. I’ll show you what we’ve got done."

  I followed him, while carrying on an internal debate. Ask why he left, or no? What was he thinking behind those cool green eyes? Because they didn’t reveal a thing.

  "We should be done early this afternoon."

  "Need an extra hand?"

  "Couldn’t hurt," he said with a smile that left me still curious.

  As soon as I finished up my paperwork, I grabbed the hard hat out of the front of my truck and spend the rest of the morning holding sheetrock in place while Wade nailed it to the two by fours. Just when I didn’t think my shirt could soak up another drop of sweat, the nail guns around us stopped. I turned and stifled a groan at the sight of Jerry Dolan standing at the building’s entrance.

  "I need to see you." Dolan gave me a once over, unaware that the bottom had just fallen out of my stomach at his terse tone.