Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters

by Cari Quinn

  The song ended too soon, replaced with yet another of those head-jamming numbers. Yeah totally not making a fool of myself trying to dance to that. Max led her off the dance floor. “Want another drink?”

  “I’d love one.”

  “Why don’t you go grab our seats and I’ll bring it to you.” Max headed to the bar where he asked for a glass of red wine for Hayley and given he’d had a Molson earlier and would be driving later, switched his order to a bottle of water, non-sparkling please.

  When he returned to the table, he discovered the other couples they’d been seated with had disappeared, and the seat he’d previously claimed was now occupied by Dipwad himself.

  Max hesitated, torn between wanting to protect Hayley and giving her privacy. Not that Darrell was threatening her at all but it bugged Max that he’d have the stones to go anywhere near her.

  He jabbed a finger directly at Max, as if there was any doubt as to who he was talking about. “He’s not your type, babe. Trust me. And when it’s all over, no one will see you as someone they want to bring to their family. Not with the reputation you’ll end up with.”

  While he wanted to get married one day, saw himself with kids, Max knew Brooks was right—Hayley was too good for him—but not for the reasons Brooks thought.

  Oh sure, maybe she’d enjoy one night, a memory for those days when she was president of the PTA with a husband and two point one kids with a house on the Bridle Path or Forest Hill. Which Noah could give her, but Max? Nope. He didn’t run in the same financial circles, and even though he had a good nest egg already put aside, and owned his own house, he sure as hell didn’t want to play in the same sandbox of Dipwad and his friends. She deserved someone better. Which was the only reason he didn’t grab the asshole’s finger and break the sucker.

  Maybe Hayley sensed his doubts because she placed her hand over Max’s and squeezed it. “I trust Max way more than you ever deserved. Now why don’t you get back to your date. I’m sure she’s not happy about you spending so much time worrying about me instead of her.”

  A dark-haired guy Hayley had introduced earlier as the bride’s brother Nicolas approached. “Hayley, is there a problem? Is Brooks here bothering you?”

  “Not at all,” Hayley assured Nic. “Darrell was just leaving. Weren’t you, Darrell?”

  Brooks hesitated, his gaze bouncing between Max and Hayley. Eventually he nodded. As he left, he bumped his shoulder into Max, and muttered, “I’m watching you, Moretti. Hurt her and I’ll ruin you.”

  Despite how much he wanted to change the direction of Dipwad’s schnoz from its current north-west orientation to the planet Jupiter, he had to respect that the guy seemed genuinely concerned about Hayley. Then again maybe the guy was a controlling asshole who had mastered the art of manipulating her while presenting a reasonable façade to the rest of the world.

  Either way neither of them had any say in Hayley’s decisions. If she wanted to date him, or Noah, the choice was all hers.

  Hayley squeezed Max’s hand and tugged him into his recently-vacated chair. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “No apologies necessary.” He lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Why is he even here anyway?”

  “He’s the groom’s second cousin.” Nic pulled up a chair and joined them.

  Max grunted. “So he’s family.”

  “Yup, and it’s hard to uninvite family, even when they’re total assholes.” Nic eyed Hayley. “Whatever it was he said, forget it. Sophia’s furious at him for the way he treated you, and frankly, I’m not impressed either. You’re better off without him.”

  Max decided he liked the guy. They sat and shot the breeze, discussing the upcoming wedding, Nic’s hole-in-one in his latest golf tournament that had got him into the playoffs—turned out the guy was a pro golfer, Hayley’s upcoming projects and a couple of houses she was contemplating buying before Hayley touched Max’s wrist. “Do you want to leave?”

  Max debated for a moment, wondering whether to ask her to dance again simply to needle Dipwad who was still eyeing them. Nah, that was something he would have done ten years ago. It wouldn’t hurt that their disappearance would bug Dipwad even more because then he’d wonder if Max had taken her back to his place, or stayed the night at hers. Which suited him just fine. “Let’s go.”

  The humidity that accompanied the latest July heat wave blasted them both as they walked from the over-air-conditioned venue. Hayley clung to his arm as they walked across the cobblestones drawing his attention down to the fuck-me heels she’d worn. Damn, he wished she wore a skirt on the job-site every day instead of hiding those fantastic legs beneath her jeans. Because it turned out in addition to being the breast man he’d always thought of himself as, her smooth expanse of thigh and curvy calves were a helluva turn on too. Especially when he imagined them wrapping around his waist.

  As they got within sight of his truck, he hit unlock on the key fob. He’d intended to reach past her to open her door, but instead he found himself leaning in, lowering his head until their foreheads nearly touched. The perfume she’d put on earlier had nearly worn off, but the hint of it teased his nostrils, as did the view of a lacy pink bow on her bra.

  Her breath hitched and heat poured off her, the air between them crackling. She flattened her hands over his chest, sliding one slim finger through the opening between buttons. “Do you know how often I’ve fantasized about doing this?”

  Oh really? The idea that she might have been picturing him instead of Dipwad sent a blast of pleasure through him. “Yeah?”

  “For months.” Her tongue made another appearance and her lids fluttered down, hiding her eyes. “How come you’ve not even kissed me yet?”

  It was the yet that had Max threading his fingers through her hair to cup the back of her head. The yet that had him capturing her lips. Her breath was warm on his cheek as she sighed and sank into the kiss, opening her lips, allowing him entrance. She tasted of merlot and the apple crisp they’d served for dessert, but beneath it was a promise of something more. Of acceptance, of love. A promise that he vowed he would not let slip through his fingers.

  Max placed his hands on her hips, and slid one hand beneath her silk shirt touching the bare skin of her midriff. “Did you imagine me touching you like this?”

  “Yes.” Her answer came out on a sigh as her eyes fluttered closed. “And more.”

  His touch moved higher beneath her blouse, until he felt the underswell of her breasts. “Have you fantasized about this, bambina?” He’d never in his life used that term with a woman, but after hearing Darrell calling her babe, he didn’t want to use that generic term. Plus it felt right as it tumbled from his tongue. “Have you been wondering what it would be like when I take off your clothes, and put my mouth on these beauties?”

  What color were her nipples, he wondered, though he hoped that he’d soon discover the answer. She’d be responsive too, if the way her breathing kept hitching was an indicator.

  “Get your hands off her, Moretti.” Something—or someone—yanked on his shirt, pulling him backward. He was slammed into the truck’s door, an arm across his throat. “Hayley, are you okay?”

  “Of course, I am. Now let him go. Right the fuck now, Darrell.”

  Darrell released his hold and immediately caught Hayley in his arms. “Look at me, let me see your eyes.”

  “What the hell?” Hayley shoved him away. “What is your problem, Darrell?”

  “I wanted to make sure Moretti hadn’t slipped a roofie in your drink.”

  “What?” Max’s jaw dropped. “I don’t need to drug my women to get them to kiss me.”

  Hayley slapped Darrell’s chest. “I’m not drugged. Jesus, do you really think that’s the only reason I’d be interested in kissing someone? Or was it more that it was because I was kissing someone who wasn’t you?”

  “The Hayley I knew wouldn’t have been caught dead kissing me out in public like this. She would have had more respect. More
decorum.”

  “That’s rich coming from the cheater who ended up on the Jumbotron kissing someone who wasn’t his girlfriend.”

  “This is Moretti we’re talking about, Hayley. Everyone knows he and that buddy of his share their women. You’re destroying your reputation even being seen around him. But if people see you kissing him like that? They’re going to think you’re a whore. You realize he’s probably heard about you wanting to have a threesome and figures you’re ripe for the picking.”

  Shit. He thought they’d kept their threesomes discreet. How the hell had Brooks found out about them? And Hayley wanted one? An already erect Little Max perked up in interest.

  “I asked Max out, not the other way around. And neither Max nor Noah have ever been anything but a gentleman around me.”

  “That’s part of their plan. They sweet talk you and make you think they’re stand-up guys, but the only reason they’re hanging around you is get into your pants. Once they’ve got you into their bed, they’ll move on.”

  “No, that’s your specialty, Dipwad,” Max snarled.

  Dipwad didn’t back off. “Listen, I totally get that you’re pissed at me, but when we broke up, you said we were still friends, right? Well, now I’m warning you about him as a friend. Have your fun with Moretti and that other guy if you must. But when you’re done, you’re going to be looking for a long-term commitment. Marriage, kids, the whole shebang. I’m telling you, babe, you’re not going to get it with him.”

  “Like you were such a catch, Brooks?” Max shot back. It gave him an added layer of satisfaction when Brooks sputtered, waved an arm and walked away. Score one for Team Moretti.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Neither of them spoke as Max pulled a louie in the middle of Parliament Street to get them heading back north. Darrell had departed, but it left Hayley wondering about Max and Noah’s reputation. Did they share their girlfriends?

  The places Max had touched Hayley still tingled—hell, her whole body was on fire from the simple touch of his fingers on her belly. He’d set her imagination aflame with scenes of her splayed on the bed beneath him, his body a warm blanket, his lips caressing her breasts, his fingers digging into her hips, his cock hard and pulsing inside her. The scene changed to her on her knees in front of him in the shower, sucking him off as warm water caressed her shoulders and trickled down her back.

  “You’re taking me home?”

  “Yeah, unless you want to stop off somewhere else.”

  While she’d been to his place a couple of times, she’d never had a chance to go beyond the living room and kitchen. She wanted to see his bedroom, to learn if he was neat or messy in private. To snuggle against him in his bed, leave her scent on his pillows. To have her body surrounded by his. “I sort of figured we’d head to your place.”

  “Normally I’d jump all over that answer, but I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.”

  “Because of what Darrell said?”

  “Partly.” He scrubbed one hand over his mouth. “Look, what Darrell said back there about me not being right for you? He’s right. I’m nowhere near in your league. I’m a blue collar worker. I run in totally different circles than your friends.”

  “Other than Sophia, I look at those people as business associates. I like you, Max. I like Noah too. You’re my friends so I don’t care if those people approve or don’t approve of who I date. It’s not going to affect whether one of my houses are going to flip or not. As for blue collar, my family’s as blue collar as they get. You know my father works at a pulp and paper mill and my mom has been a secretary, a store clerk and now she’s working at a nursing home. You’d fit right in.”

  “What was he talking to you about before I got back to the table?” Oh. That. “He was trying to explain why he’d cheated on me.”

  Max snorted. “You mean he admitted he’s a total douche.”

  “No. He tried to say it was my fault.”

  Actually, he’d said, “Come on, Hayley, you practically drove me away. You spent all your time at your project houses, and when you weren’t working you were slumming with this guy and his buddy. Hell you referred to yourselves as the three musketeers. You’re not totally responsible, I cheated on you, I’ll own that, but you never wanted to do what I wanted. You were never there for me either.”

  Maybe he was right. The first few months they’d been together had been fun, maybe because he’d been from a different world than she’d been used to. But she quickly tired of being on parade all the time. Going out with Darrell meant having to dress up and wear high heels and make up and be aware his friends were appraising how much she’d paid for her dress, whether her rings were real diamonds or cubic zirconia. He’d not been pleased that she’d quit her job and made house flipping her full-time business either, though whether he was unhappy that she’d made more than him the previous year or that he didn’t like that she actually did some of the work herself offended him, she wasn’t sure. Not that any of it excused that he couldn’t keep his dick zipped, but he could have broken it off first. Hell, she should have broken it off before they’d even moved in together.

  Shopping at the St. Lawrence Market and wandering the booths at Word on the Street with Noah, or sitting on the beach watching the Canada Day fireworks beside Max was much more comfortable in jeans and sneakers. Even better they got her sense of humor. And she didn’t have to watch everything she said, afraid they’d analyze it to death and then criticize her later. Max and Noah made her feel comfortable where she’d never felt she could be herself even when she was alone with Darrell.

  Except now Max was acting weird. Withdrawn, instead of cracking some smart joke.

  Damn Darrell. There’d only been three couples playing that night—Sophie and Aiden wouldn’t have said anything to anyone, Nic and his girlfriend wouldn’t have either. But no, Darrell had to go and open his big mouth and spill her secrets, in front of Max no less. And now the whole ménage issue sat like a fricking Tyrannosaurus Rex between them.

  “Noah and I—

  “We were playing—”

  They spoke together and both immediately stopped.

  “You first,” Max prompted.

  “What Darrell was saying about my sexual fantasy? It was Sophia’s birthday party—there were only six of us. We started playing Truth or Dare. Soph dared me to tell us my sexual fantasy and I said I’d always fantasized about having two guys at my beck and call. I guess Darrell took it personally.”

  “Hey, no judgment from me, okay?”

  “Have you and Noah really had threesomes?”

  He blew out a breath. “Yes. A couple times, but not recently. I have no idea how Brooks found out about them. I can only assume it’s a fairly recent discovery—otherwise he probably would have used the knowledge to try to keep you away from us when you were together. He seems like the insecure type.”

  He had tonight. Or maybe he always had been but she just hadn’t seen it before. “He actually recommended your competition, and to be honest, I hired them for one house. But I didn’t like them—they did rush work and didn’t listen to what I wanted. So I hired your firm for the next job and haven’t looked back.”

  “So we’re your second choice then?”

  “Sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs to find the prince.” She didn’t let Max’s chuckle stop her. “I didn’t know about the threesome, so that’s not why I asked you out. If it makes a difference.”

  He hmmed. “Good to know. But you notice Noah’s not here, and that neither of us suggested it.”

  “I know.” Her body softened at the thought of having both of them in her bed, touching her, kissing her....

  Once they crossed the Don River, he slanted a glance toward her. “While we’re on the subject of Brooks, thank you for sticking up for me but he was right. People judge you for coloring outside the lines—I’ve seen how they hassle—” He broke off as if he were censoring himself. “Hanging out with us could cause people to question your reput
ation.”

  “Who I sleep with won’t affect the price of my houses when I sell them. So if anyone wants to judge me because I hang out with you and Noah? That’s their damage.” She touched his arm as he turned into her driveway. “We’ve hung out long enough that I know I can trust you. You’re practically my best friends. If I were going to have a threesome with anyone, I’d choose you and Noah.”

  He shoved the stick into Park and sat back, frowning at the steering wheel. “Sex can change things between friends. Just regular sex, but threesomes can be even more of a challenge. They can be absolutely amazing with the right people, but they can also bring out all your insecurities, especially jealousy if you think they’re getting more attention than you, or giving too much to the other person. You see a side of them that very few people get to witness.”

  “See, that’s why I think you and Noah would be great. Because you get that it’s more than just sex.”

  He shot her a grin that lit up the entire street. “Sweet cheeks, sex with me is never just sex.”

  Of that she was certain. She stayed silent as he walked her up to her door. She took the leap. “Would you both consider having a threesome with me?”

  “I’m not going to answer that right now. I want you to think about it. It’s not a decision you rush into. What happens if things go wrong, Hayley? If you don’t have fun, or you regret it afterwards—you’re our client. And while business is pretty good with everyone fixing up their houses these days, we don’t want to lose your business. And you’re also our friend, and even if you never hired us again, I don’t want to lose your friendship.”

  “How long do I have to think about it?”

  “Are you still planning on going to the wedding with Noah next weekend?”

  She nodded, her breath catching in her throat in anticipation.

  “If you’re still absolutely sure, and you can convince him you’re ready, then tell him.” He brushed a kiss on her cheek and headed back to his car.

  “Wait! Aren’t you going to come in?”