Hunk for the Holidays Read Online Free PDF Page B

confused, especially with all her brothers watching, she could only croak out one word. “Coors.”
    There was a flicker of surprise, and then he shot her another killer smile before he walked off.
    “Oh. My. God. Cassie.” Mattie’s new college coed, Shelly, released a dramatic sigh. “He’s so hot.”
    “He’s a smart-ass,” Mattie grumbled.
    “Absolutely gorgeous,” Melanie chimed in.
    “Arrogant,” Jake added.
    “Deeelish,” Patrick’s date commented before Patrick whispered something under his breath that was best not repeated.
    Cassie watched her tall, dark, and handsome date maneuver through the large room of people, stopping once to ask directions to the bar. The room looked like a boxful of bobbleheads as every person—man and woman—turned to watch him walk by. He might be cocky. And a little arrogant. And even a smart-ass at times. But he was also very hot—absolutely gorgeous—and oh so deeelish.
    Unfortunately, she would never find out just how delicious. He was an escort, an expert lover who had probably dipped his wick more times than he could count. Oh Lord, what she wouldn’t give to be a puddle of hot wax.
    “So where did you meet this one?” Rory asked.
    Cassie took her sweet time in answering, probably because she couldn’t think of a good lie while her date was still in view. When he disappeared around the corner of the living room, she refocused.
    “He’s an architect.”
    “Really?” Rory sounded impressed. “For what firm?”
    Crap. What firm? What firm? “No one yet. He’s new in town and looking for a job.”
    Jake snorted, sounding just like their father. “Which is why he’s hot after you.”
    “That’s ridiculous, Jake.” Melanie took her side. “He’s hot after your sister because she’s smart, beautiful, and hardworking.”
    And because she is paying him five hundred dollars. Let’s not forget that.
    Cassie sent Melanie a smile. “Thanks, Mel. But this is one of our first dates, so I’m really not too worried about whether he’s hot after a job—or my body.” There was a collective sigh of relief from her brothers just as Amy walked up.
    She gave Cassie the once-over. “Just as I thought, you look great.” When there was no reply, she looked around. “Doesn’t she look great?”
    There was a whole lot of grumbling before the McPherson clan dispersed. All except for Rory, who seemed to be more interested in the black dress that Amy wore. If his angry expression was any indication, he didn’t like it either.
    His reaction wasn’t surprising. Since returning from Chicago, he had formed a major aversion to Amy. Which was the complete opposite of how he’d felt when she had first started working for the company. Rory had followed her around like a starry-eyed puppy, and Cassie had hoped that they would get together. Instead, her brother suddenly volunteered to move to the Chicago branch ofM & M and work for Uncle Ryan. Three months later, he’d married Tess, a woman who’d forced Cassie to squeeze into an orange marmalade satin dress with a bow on the back that made her butt look the size of her Aunt Lula’s.
    Cassie wouldn’t have minded the dress so much if she had liked the bride. But Terrible Tess was self-centered and vain and the bitchiest wife anyone could ask for. Fortunately, Rory’s life sentence had been cut short when she ran off with her Pilates instructor. Although Cassie was sure her brother didn’t see things the same way she did. The man who moved back to Denver didn’t come close to being the jovial, easygoing brother she’d grown up with.
    “So where’s your date?” Amy asked, completely ignoring Rory’s glare.
    “Getting me a drink.”
    Amy’s eyes widened. “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Hot?”
    “How do you know hot?” Rory asked. “You date Derek Terrell.”
    Amy reached out to adjust the strap of Cassie’s dress and brush off a bit of invisible lint. “Derek is hot.”
    “Yeah, if you like arrogant men with