Stepbrother Broken (The Hawthorne Brothers Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

’ s barely recognizable in a dark
gray tee shirt and dark wash jeans, cut perfectly to his chiseled chest and
sculpted ass. His chestnut brown hair is just the right kind of tousled, and
even the stubble on his jaw seems darker than it was yesterday. But it isn ’ t just his clothes that have changed since our run-in
after class. His entire demeanor is different. He ’ s
dropped the upright school hero act entirely. His stance is easy and confident,
his body relaxed and supple. Every one of his perfect muscles seems rested and
ready for action … of any variety. This assured
everyman is even more appealing to me than the high and mighty golden boy I ’ ve always known Luke to be. Just when I thought he
couldn ’ t get any more intriguing …
    “ Are you gonna go talk to him? ” Danny asks excitedly.
    “ No way. Absolutely not, ” I say, trying to sound firmer in my convictions that I
feel.
    “ And why the hell not? ” Danny presses, “ Are you still mad about that little
after school chat? He probably just wanted you to stick around so he could
check out your tits in that black spandex. ”
    “ The chat was one thing, ” I say, “ But that little note he followed up
with? That was too much. ”
    “ What note was that? ” Danny asks, cocking his head.
    “ The email, ” I clarify, “ I sent it to you. ”
    “ No you didn ’ t, ” Danny replies.
    “ Sure I did. Right after I read it.
Luke sent over some little ditty about how I should consider other career paths
so I don ’ t squander my potential, ” I say, rolling my eyes.
    “ This is news to me, ” Danny says, “ Are you sure you sent it to the
right address? ”
    “ Of course, ” I tell him, “ It ’ s
not my fault you only check your email once a week, you Luddite. ”
    “ I ’ m
an artist, ” Danny shrugs, “ I ’ m allowed to be a Luddite. But you are not allowed to leave here without talking to Professor Sexy Pants. ”
    “ I already told you, I ’ m not interested, ” I say, lying through my
teeth.
    “ But fate has brought you together! ” Danny whines, wrapping his arms around my waist, “ On what other occasion would we find ourselves in a
shit hole like this? ” He pauses to mouth “ I ’ m sorry ” to the scowling bartender before going on, “ It ’ s totally meant to be, my dear. ”
    “ I assure you, Luke wouldn ’ t agree, ” I tell my friend, prying his
arms from around me, “ Now for the love of god, would you
please drop it? ”
    Danny ’ s eyes gleam with mischief as he turns away from me in
a huff. Relieved, I lift my glass and take a big swig of my gin and tonic. But
before I can swallow properly, Danny ’ s cupped his hands around his mouth
and screamed across the bar —
    “ Hey-a, Luke! ”
    I
promptly choke on my mouthful of gin as Danny hops off his stool, clearing Luke ’ s sightline and scampering off into the crowd. I feel
Luke ’ s eyes before I see them, raking
hotly along my bare skin. Struggling to compose myself, I lift my gaze and look
warily across the bar … but there ’ s no one looking back. Luke ’ s disappeared from his spot. Is he avoiding me
completely now? I guess I can ’ t blame him for not wanted to see a
student at the bar, but —
    “ You really shouldn ’ t drink alone, you know, ” a
rich voice says from over my shoulder.
    I
whip around to see Luke Hawthorne settling down onto the barstool beside mine.
Is that excitement I feel at seeing him, or trepidation?
    “ You ’ re
full of advice, aren ’ t you? ” I say to him, playing it cool. Who says there aren ’ t practical applications for an acting degree? I knock
back the rest of my drink in one big gulp.
    “ Let me buy you another, ” Luke says, signaling for the bartender. He ’ s not asking, he ’ s telling.
    “ Isn ’ t
there some kind of rule against fraternizing with students? ” I ask him.
    “ You ’ re
not technically my student, according to Sheridan. I was just filling in for an
old