Hammer & Nails Read Online Free PDF Page B

giving birth to me,” she replies quietly, a small hitch in her voice.
    I close my eyes and hang my head. “Shit. I’m sorry. I understand how you feel.”
    “You do?” she asks, and I can hear the doubt in her tone.
    I lift my head and look her in the eyes. “Seems we have something in common. My mother passed away when I was ten from breast cancer.”
    She rolls her lips in and nods in understanding. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
    “I guess that explains why you are the way you are.” I smirk, hoping to lighten the dark mood that we seem to have fallen into.
    She snorts. “Yeah, this is what happens when you are raised by your father and three brothers.” She chuckles and motions toward herself.
    “Oh Jesus, three brothers?” I breathe.
    She smiles fondly and it makes my heart flutter in my chest. Damn, she’s so pretty. “Oh yeah, it might do you well to not fuck with me too much.”
    I bark out a laugh. “Great! Now you tell me.”
    She sends me a teasing wink. “Don’t worry, you’re safe. Be glad you’re not my boyfriend.”
    I groan. “Thank God for small miracles.”
    She snickers, scrunching her nose up, making her look so freaking cute. We stare at each other, something passing between us - an understanding, maybe?
    “My turn. Why don’t you have a Boston accent? Your father has owned the Bruisers for a long freakin’ time.”
    “We lived in Philly until I was 12, then we moved here when my dad bought the team. I just never picked it up, and neither has my dad.”
    She nods. “That makes sense. It’s weird that you never picked it up, though, living here for so long.”
    I lift a shoulder in a small shrug. “I don’t know.”
    “I bet you can do it if you tried.” She grins.
    I laugh. “No.”
    “Come on! Let me hear the Boston in you, Nolan.” She teases.
    I shake my head. “No, no, I really can’t.”
    “Sure you can. You have lived here for how long? I’m sure you’ve picked it up a little bit.”
    I sigh. “Alright fine. But this is a one-time thing.”
    “Okay!” She chirps, watching me excitedly.
    “Yo, bang a u-ey so I can hit the packie and grab me some beeah fuh suppa.”
    Harley burst out laughing. “That was wicked awesome! You are really good at it.”
    “How about we call it a night?” I smirk.
    She nods as she yawns. “Yeah, okay.”
    “Are you going to be okay driving?”
    “I’ll be fine.”
    “Okay.”
    We shut off the lights, grab our things, and start for the door. I’m walking behind Harley when she trips over something on the floor then pitches forward and cries out. I instinctively throw my arms around her to stop her from hitting the floor. I yank her back against my chest and hold her there.
    “Shit, are you okay?” I ask in concern.
    “Um, yeah…” she replies hesitantly.
    It’s then that I realize one of my hands has landed on her breast and is pretty much groping it. I let her go as if burned. She stumbles forward a bit.
    “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” I exclaim, completely mortified.
    She turns to look at me. Even in the dark, I can see her eyes glittering with amusement.
    “Trying to cop a feel, Mr. Hammerstein?” She teases, wagging her eyebrows at me.
    “Jesus, not on purpose.” I huff and rake a hand through my hair.
    “Mmm hmm,” she hums and continues toward the front door.
    “Seriously, Harley, that was not intentional,” I say, following her.
    “Whatever you say, Mr. Hammerstein. I can’t blame you, really. It’s hard to resist all this,” she says dismissively and runs a hand seductively down her side.
    I fight the smile and hard on that threatens to appear. I walk Harley to her truck. She opens the door and hops in. I stand in the opening, one hand resting on the frame, the other resting on the door’s armrest.
    “You can stop calling me Mr. Hammerstein. Nolan is fine.”
    “Aw, really? Hammerstein is so fun to say, though,” she whines.
    I roll my eyes. “Nolan from now on, please.”
    “Whoa, you