Free Fierce Defender: Book 2, Hard to Handle trilogy by Janine Kane Page B

uncomfortable. Mitch had drunk maybe three too many beers, so he wasn’t firing on all cylinders. Rochelle was hanging on the bar next to where Brandon was sitting, trying to get him to notice that she was bursting out the top of her blouse, and Mitch walked up. He went to reach for the bowl of nuts and said, right as Brandon—”
    “Oh dear God!” Eva interrupted, exasperated. “What did he say for crying out loud?”
    “He bumped one of her boobs with the bowl and said, ‘I always wondered what they made bouncy balls out of. It must be silicone.’ As the boys started snickering, Rochelle looked at him and said, ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’”
    “Oh goodness, he actually said that?” Eva asked, picturing it.
    “He didn’t just say it. He kind of flicked her other boob and added, ‘See, them bouncy balls bounce just like that. I’ll bet they’re made of the same material.’”
    “I may have killed him,” Eva said.
    Tyler was laughing. “She didn’t hold back on the punch. Brandon said he’s seen MMA fighters that don’t pack that much power in their fist. She hauled off and slugged him, and he went down.”
    “She punched him out?”
    “Nah, the beers took him out, all he needed was a nudge.” Tyler was still cracking up when Eva noticed Trish bringing things out from the house and went to help. Danielle helped too.
    While they brought out the plates and silverware, Danielle told them she was from San Antonio, but she had been in Sutherland Springs a while back doing some research on a case, and she had fallen in love with it. It was a bit of a commute to work every day, but she thought the tradeoff was worth it. When Zack heard her say that, he gave the others, who doubted he was right when he said this was the perfect place to call home, a smug smile.
    When they went back in to get the condiments for the burgers, the women heard the sudden roar of a loud bike out front. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.
    “That must be Grayson,” Trish said. She handed Danielle what she had in her hands, and as she and Eva took it out to the table, Trish skipped out to answer the door. Eva smiled and shook her head. Pregnancy hormones were working their magic on her friend.
    “Grayson?” Danielle asked Eva. “That’s an unusual name. His last name wouldn’t be Alexander, would it?”
    “Yes, actually,” Eva told her. “Do you and Gray know each other?”
    “Unfortunately,” the woman said as Trish came back in the room with Gray in tow.
    He was dressed casually in jeans and a black racing T-shirt that showed off his muscular arms. Eva noticed that with his haircut and casual clothes, he looked a lot “cuter” than she had realized before.
    She looked at Danielle, who didn’t look impressed in the least. Gray stared back at the woman with what could only be described as an ornery grin. There was definitely something up between these two. It would be interesting to find out what.
    Just as Trish started to introduce them, Gray said, “Danielle Thurston, Public Defender Extraordinaire. How delightful to see you again.” Then he turned to Trish and asked, “Are we having steak?”
    Trish gave him and Danielle both a funny look and said, “Um… yes.”
    “Good,” he said, his grin broadening. “That will give Miss Thurston something other than my ass to chew on. Hello, Eva. Excuse me, ladies.”
    With that, he made his way over to the group of men. Danielle watched after him with a look of disdain, and Trish with confusion. Eva was amused by whatever was going on. That and the fact that poor Flynn still hadn’t taken his eyes off of the lovely newcomer.
    The doorbell rang again, and this time Eva went to get it. It was Brandon and the curly haired blonde from the night of Zack’s party after the MMA match. Eva smiled to herself and applauded the woman on her good work.
    “Hi, Eva,” Brandon greeted her. “This is my friend Hayley.”
    Eva said hello to them both, noticing how nice