Hammered by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online Page A

here.” He paused. “And get some sleep this
weekend.”
    “I will.” She hoped her face hadn’t turned red again.
    As soon as Frank was gone Livy reached into her purse and
took out her small mirror, scrutinizing her face. She was thankful that at least
she didn’t look disheveled. She never had erotic dreams in the office.
She seldom had them at home. If she had an itch to scratch and no man was handy
she had plenty of toys to keep her satisfied. After all, as she’d always told
herself, sex was just another physical activity. Right?
    Only she had a feeling with Alex McMann it might be a lot
more than that. Maybe more than she wanted to handle. That scared feeling
bubbled to the surface again, the one that warned her against opening herself
up to anyone. The one that told her she’d only end up with pain. Again.
    “Napping in the middle of the day?”
    Jo’s amused tone snapped her back to reality again. Shit,
she was doing it again.
    “Good lord!” She fluffed her hair and ran her hands lightly
over her face. “I guess I dozed off without realizing it.
    “Must have been some dream,” Jo teased. “Good thing you
weren’t making those little moaning sounds when Frank walked in.”
    Now Livy knew for sure she was blushing. “Holy shit! I
mean…” She caught herself. She always watched her language in the office.
    Her assistant laughed. “It’s okay, Livy. At least I know
you’re human. Sometimes I wonder.”
    “What? Wait! Tell me what you meant by that?”
    “It’s nothing.” Jo started to leave. “Just a little joke.
You’re fine the way you are.”
    The way I am? What’s wrong with the way I am? What’s
wrong with being professional and in control of your life?
    “Have goals,” her father always preached. “Stick to them.
Focus on attaining them.”
    Maybe she should remind herself more often that her father
had lived most of his life chasing the happiness he’d lost while focusing on
his goals.
    Stop it, Olivia. You have a great life. Top-notch career.
The respect of your peers. And no one to screw up your schedule or interfere
with your goals. There’ll be time enough for the rest later.
    She hoped.
    * * * * *
    “You haven’t got your head screwed on wrong about this
woman, have you?” Tyler asked.
    He and Alex were splitting a pizza and a pitcher of beer at
Gus’ early Sunday evening. Josh, of course, was home with Vanessa but they’d
all spent the day at the office going over their presentation one last time.
    “There are no do-overs here,” they kept reminding each other
as they checked over each point.
    Now Alex stared at his brother over his pizza slice. “What
woman?”
    “Come on, don’t pull that on me. I’m not stupid, Alex. The
one your mind keeps drifting into space about. You think I don’t know about
those little coffee dates the two of you have had?”
    “Those were business meetings,” Alex defended himself. “Pure
and simple.”
    “Yeah?” Tyler took a swig of his beer. “Tell it to someone
who believes it.”
    “We were discussing the project. Really.” Alex took a bite
of his food.
    “Then maybe you should discuss your project in places
where people I know aren’t likely to see you and ask me who the woman is you’re
all but licking in public?”
    “What?” Alex dropped his slice. “What the hell? I was not all but—what did you say?—licking her? We were talking business. Who have you
been talking to, anyway? Don’t your friends have work to do?”
    “Of course they do.” Tyler grinned. “They just happened to
mention seeing you out in public with a hot babe.”
    “Hot babe?” Alex snorted. “I was having a business meeting
with Concordia’s CFO.”
    “Let’s just say the word came back to me from inquiring
minds.” Tyler tilted his head. “They also said there seemed to be a little
tension between the two of you. Got troubles there, bro?”
    “No, I don’t have troubles.” Alex wiped some sauce from his
mouth. “No tension,