All of You Read Free

have to marry him, bear his children, or wash his socks. An outing or two – as friends – might be okay.
    More than okay. Might be good for you.
    Why build another bridge, though? Why create more connections when they cannot last?
    Because you are lonely as hell and this is a guy who gets it.
    “As friends?” Kat asked. When Ben smiled and nodded, so she did she. “Well, I guess that would be okay.”
    Ben laughed and said, “I’ll take it,” which made Kat blush.
    Way to slap another spoonful of awkward onto this clumsy shit-show.
    Kat quickly plugged Ben’s info into her phone and gave him hers. They said their stilted good-byes and, a few seconds later, Kat finally made it into the elevator.
    As soon as the doors closed, she loosened stomach muscles she’d been clenching since Ben had appeared. With a quick wave to the old security guy behind the desk, Kat trudged out into the snow, got into her sensible Chevy Equinox, and headed home…
    The entire time regretting her acquiescence to Ben’s offer.
    And chastising her gray matter, once again, for continuing to harbor thoughts of him .

Chapter Two
    ‡
    “I never thought I’d see the day.” Danny MacDonough pointed to the greenish splotch on his partner-in-fighting-crime’s tee shirt.
    Nathan Drazek looked down. “Yeah, Gia got me again. And she’s a damn sneak about it, too.” He swiped at the dried stain. “Never gives us any warning, no burp or anything. Just spews the baby food all over and smiles like nothing happened.”
    “Judging by your shit-eating grin, you don’t seem to mind at all,” Danny said, grinning himself.
    “Nah.” Nathan tilted his head toward the bedroom where his wife, Stella, and their eight month old baby, Gia, were sleeping. “For whatever reason, when it’s your kid, you think it’s cute. Stupid, but true.”
    Danny drained the rest of his Heineken. “Yeah, well, that kid is abnormally cute. And I’m not usually a baby kind of guy.”
    “That’s for damn sure. Not unless you’re talking about women 18-25, anyway.”
    “Nope, that particular age range is what I like to call ‘Good Time Girls.’ All they want to do is drink, party, and maybe text a few times afterwards. No commitments, no drama – just some no-strings-attached screwing and a nice breakfast at Denny’s before heading home.” Danny grinned. “Heaven, right?”
    Nathan’s upper lip curled.
    Danny laughed. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know – not your style. But, like I always said, that means more ladies for the rest of us.” He stood and grabbed his jacket. “Speaking of which, I’ve gotta head out. I’m meeting Rochelle and her friends at some club downtown.”
    “Who is Rochelle and what kind of club?”
    “She’s the dental hygienist student I told you about. And who knows. She gave me the name and said to be there at ten o’clock,” Danny said, pulling on his jacket. “I am praying to God it’s not techno. The rest of ‘em I can handle, but techno is killer . I had a headache for a week last time I went to one of those fucking places.”
    “One of these days, CPD will bust a club for something and you’ll be there. They’ll flip on the lights and there you’ll be: on the dance floor, bumping and grinding with a twenty year old,” Nathan said.
    Danny scoffed. “What is this, amateur hour? Give me some credit, will you? I’d be bumping and grinding with at least three twenty year olds. And probably a waitress, too.”
    Nathan grunted. “Just be careful out there. If you need a lift, call me. And you know you can stick around here. When Stella gets up, she’s gonna heat up some ziti and we’re gonna watch a movie. You’re welcome to stay. Stella would love shoving food down your throat. You know how she worries you don’t eat enough.”
    Danny considered it, but then thought about how nauseating it would be to watch Nathan and Stella fawn over each other and Gia. It made Danny an asshole of the highest order, but he