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

out any more life advice … Am I right? Don ’ t want to sound like a prick, here. ”
    I
have to grab hold of the bar to keep from toppling over as Luke ’ s words hit me in the gut. He ’ s quoting my own words back to me, repeating the
message I sent Danny earlier this evening, in response to his own email. My
breath lodges itself in my throat as I realize my mistake. And Luke lets out a
bark of laughter as he watches me realize …
    “ I think someone hit ‘ reply ’ when she meant to hit ‘ forward ’ , ” he
laughs, reaching to lay a hand on mine. But I yank my hand away before he can
touch me, hiding my trembling fingers in my lap. Luke ’ s brow furrows as I shut him down. “ Hey, Sophie … Don ’ t
be embarrassed. It ’ s not a big —”
    “ I have to go, ” I say quickly, picking myself up from the barstool, “ Thanks for the drink, but —”
    “ Hey, come on …” he says, standing up beside me, “ It ’ s not a big deal. I ’ m actually —”
    But
I don ’ t stick around to hear what he has
to say. I take off across the crowded bar, ducking and weaving around countless
boozed-up locals. Humiliation colors my cheeks bright red as I dash away from
Luke. How could I have been so stupid? Now he knows exactly how much I ’ ve wanted him all semester. He must think I ’ m a ridiculous little schoolgirl with a crush, for god ’ s sake.
    I
catch a glimpse of Danny ’ s amber hair by the front door. He ’ s standing very close to a strapping young bloke,
already deep in conversation. Knowing full well that I ’ m being the Queen of Cock Blocks, I rush up to my
friend, flustered and panting.
    “ Danny, we have to go, ” I breathe, shoving my mess of blonde hair out of my
face.
    “ What happened to you? ” Danny asks, cocking an eyebrow.
    “ Nothing. I. It ’ s just … Can we please get out of here? ” I plead, “ I just made a huge ass of myself in
front of Luke, and —”
    “ Ooh, this sounds good, ” says Danny ’ s new friend, turning his attention
to me.
    “ How did you already mess things up
with Luke? ” Danny demands, “ I leave you alone for three minutes, and —”
    “ That email I meant to send you?
About how I want Luke to fuck me dirty? I sent it to him , ” I say in a rush.
    Danny
and his friend both clap a hand to their mouths, their eyes going wide in
unison.
    “ See? This is why I don ’ t trust technology, ” Danny
says sagely.
    “ That is such an interesting
stance …” his friend replies, laying a hand
on Danny ’ s bicep.
    “ Look. I ’ m calling a cab and getting the hell out of here, ” I say, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Luke
hasn ’ t spotted me. “ You can stay, but —”
    “ No no no, ” Danny says, shaking his head, “ You ’ re not going anywhere. ”
    “ What?! ” I laugh incredulously, “ Says
who? ”
    “ Says your best friend, ” Danny replies, “ Your best friend who has been
listening to you gush about this guy for months. So what if he knows you ’ re into him? Now all of your cards are on the table. ”
    “ But Danny —”
    “ No ‘ but
Danny ’ s, ” my
friend cuts me off, “ You think this guy is sexy as hell,
right? So, go back there and see what happens with him already! Would he have
come over to talk you up if he wasn ’ t interested too? ”
    “ I … I
don ’ t —” I
stammer.
    “ I do, ” Danny
says resolutely, laying his hands on my shoulders, “ You were the one who wanted something exciting out of
tonight, right? Well, what could be more exciting than hooking up with a guy
you ’ re actually into, instead of just
going with whatever lame undergrad happens along? ”
    He
has a point. I ’ ve never been one to back down when
I want something. And good god how I ’ ve
wanted Luke Hawthorne since the second he arrived on the scene. A slow smile
spreads across my face as I resolve to give this a try. What ’ s the worst that could happen? It ’ s not like we ’ re going to be