Enticing Eason Enemies To Lovers Hot

Hunks Steamy Romance Collection 6

1st Edition Stephanie Morris
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://textbookfull.com/product/enticing-eason-enemies-to-lovers-hot-hunks-steamy-r
omance-collection-6-1st-edition-stephanie-morris/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

Taming Tristan Enemies To Lovers Hot Hunks Steamy

Romance Collection 7 1st Edition Alicia Street

https://textbookfull.com/product/taming-tristan-enemies-to-
lovers-hot-hunks-steamy-romance-collection-7-1st-edition-alicia-
street/

Battling Benjamin Enemies to Lovers Hot Hunks Steamy

Romance Collection Book 5 1st Edition Katie O Sullivan
Hot Hunks O Sullivan Katie

https://textbookfull.com/product/battling-benjamin-enemies-to-
lovers-hot-hunks-steamy-romance-collection-book-5-1st-edition-
katie-o-sullivan-hot-hunks-o-sullivan-katie/

Forgiving Flynn Enemies to Lovers 4 1st Edition Angela

Stevens Hot Hunks Stevens Angela

https://textbookfull.com/product/forgiving-flynn-enemies-to-
lovers-4-1st-edition-angela-stevens-hot-hunks-stevens-angela/

Fireball An Enemies to Lovers Romance Lainey Davis

https://textbookfull.com/product/fireball-an-enemies-to-lovers-
romance-lainey-davis/
Office Grump An Enemies to Lovers Romance 1st Edition
Snow Nicole

https://textbookfull.com/product/office-grump-an-enemies-to-
lovers-romance-1st-edition-snow-nicole/

Commanding Casey A Forbidden Enemies to Lovers Romance

1st Edition Nicolina Martin [Martin

https://textbookfull.com/product/commanding-casey-a-forbidden-
enemies-to-lovers-romance-1st-edition-nicolina-martin-martin/

Wicked Devil An Enemies to Lovers High School Bully

Romance Daniela Romero

https://textbookfull.com/product/wicked-devil-an-enemies-to-
lovers-high-school-bully-romance-daniela-romero/

Gingers Can Do Maths A Friends to Enemies to Lovers

Romance 1st Edition Rosi Rust.

https://textbookfull.com/product/gingers-can-do-maths-a-friends-
to-enemies-to-lovers-romance-1st-edition-rosi-rust/

When Sinners Play An Enemies to Lovers College Bully

Romance 1st Edition Eva Ashwood

https://textbookfull.com/product/when-sinners-play-an-enemies-to-
lovers-college-bully-romance-1st-edition-eva-ashwood/
 Enticing Eason
Hot Hunks Series: Enemies to Lovers
Stephanie Morris
Enticing Eason
Hot Hunk Royal Series
Copyright © 2021 by Stephanie Morris
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Editor: Polished Pages Editing

Cover Artist: M. Hauf

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-

American Copyright Conventions. No part of this
book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical including
photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
 Enticing Eason © 2021 Stephanie Morris

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any
actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does
not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for the author or third-
party websites or their content.

No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the Internet or any other
means, electronic or print, without permission from the publisher. Warning: The
unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal
copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the
FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

(http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and

do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your
support of the author’s rights and livelihood is appreciated.
 Dedication
To my tribe who encourages me to be better today
than I was yesterday.
 Enticing Eason
It’s a thin line between love and hate…
Eason Pruitt knows he’s asking for trouble when he purchases office
space next to Harmony Douglas. Not only are they sworn enemies—
but they’re also business rivals. He’s a wedding planner who
moonlights as a matchmaker and she’s a divorce attorney—the one
who raked his brother over the coals. Despite her dislike for him, he
fell for her on the spot...making him the crazy one. But the heart
wants what it wants. Until an unexpected baby is delivered to him
with a note claiming he’s the father and now he needs her help.

Harmony Douglas doesn’t believe in love. That's why she's one of

the best divorce attorneys in the city. Having her rival move next
door to her just reaffirms that Eason Pruitt is as much of a jerk as
his brother, regardless of the charm he turns on full force. Next thing
she knows, chemistry overrides logic. But when a baby bearing his
features and a letter claiming he’s the father is left at her doorstep,
she knows the first opinion is always the best. So why can’t she say
no when Eason asks for her help? Because seeing him take on the
new challenge of fatherhood breaks down the wall she’s built around
her heart. Just when her outlook on love and marriage starts to
change, his ex-girlfriend returns, reminding her that there’s a thin
line between love and hate.
 Chapter One

Harmony Douglas checked her appearance in the hallway mirror

before picking up her keys and walking out the front door. A short
time later, she pulled into the parking lot of the coffee and wine bar.
She chuckled under her breath as she found a parking spot. One
would think that combination didn’t belong in the same
establishment but it did. They could serve coffee all day and wine
after a certain time. She’d been amazed to find out people drank
coffee all day. Caffeine in the afternoon never boded well for her.
She released a pent-up breath before opening her car door and
stepping out into the cool night air. It was a typical night in Carson
City, Nevada. They were known for scorching hot days and cool
nights. Thankfully, it was only May, so they had a few more weeks
before summer kicked in and the days became unbearable.
As she walked through the entrance, she did a quick perusal to
find her friends. It was Bryn’s idea that they go out tonight. After the
long week she’d had, she been more than happy to kick back with a
glass of wine.
It had been a brutal week. She’d finally been able to wrap up a
vicious divorce case where the attorney of her client’s ex-husband
had been intent on being a jerk when it came to alimony. Her client
had been married to the cheating bastard for twelve years. But he’d
wanted to act as if it’d had only been two years. Fortunately, the
judge had finally seen through the jerks crap and had passed down
a ruling in favor of her client. It included her court cost and the fees
that Harmony had charged her. It appeared that the judge didn’t like
his time being wasted any more than Harmony did.
 She just hoped that her client would be able to move on with her
life and be happy. Her ex-husband had put her through the wringer.
He was the perfect example of why she’d become a divorce lawyer.
She finally spotted her friends sitting in a back corner and made
her way over to join them. Toni saw her first and grinned. Bryn
turned to look and smiled once she saw her.
“Hey,” she greeted as she joined the duo.
“We were wondering if you were going to make it,” Bryn stated.
“Sorry,” she apologized. “My court appointment ran a little over
time today.”
“Did you win?” Toni asked.
“As if you have to ask,” Bryn cut in.
Harmony grinned as she raised her hand to catch the attention of
a server walking by. Once she had a glass of wine on the way, she
turned her attention back to her friends.
“Yes. We won. I was able to get my client a fair judgment. I still
don’t know what she saw in that guy. She swears he was different
when they first met. I didn’t see anything that didn’t scream asshole
from our initial meeting.”
Toni made a sympathetic sound. “At least you were able to help
her.”
“I’m glad I was,” Harmony replied as her glass of wine was
placed in front of her. “I was a little worried.” She held it up for a
toast and her friends quickly followed suit. “Cheers.”
They all touched glasses before taking a sip. Harmony took a
longer drink than her friends. It was her first of the night and she
really did need it. As she swallowed, she looked around. There was a
nice-sized crowd.
The groups of people surrounding them were a different mixture
of people. Some looked like friends getting together, others looked
like siblings out for a drink and others looked as if they were on first
dates. The latter thought made her turn her attention back to Toni.
 “How are things with Chad?”
Her friend grimaced in response and Harmony braced herself.
“A complete bust,” Toni admitted.
“Oh, no,” Harmony murmured sympathetically. “You really liked
him. What happened?”
“He’s really bad in bed and didn’t care,” Toni replied.
Harmony choked back a laugh. That hadn’t been the reason
she’d thought her friend would give. “What?”
“You heard me the first time,” Toni mumbled. “You know my
rule.”
Harmony snorted before taking another sip of her wine. Not
because she didn’t agree with her friend's rule about sex but
because it meant that once again, she’d been right. Still, she hated
that for Toni. Unlike her, Bryn and Toni still believed in love and
happily ever after.
But she was jaded. Not because of her career choice either. She’d
given up on love a long time ago. Still, she didn’t blame the poor
saps that still did. A lot of them kept her in business. While she
wasn’t heartless enough to root for broken marriages and homes,
she loved fighting for the underdog in those situations. Just because
a person married someone who ended up being a loser didn’t mean
that he or she deserved to be raked over the coals.
The majority of her customers were women but she’d been
employed by a handful of men. Regardless of who hired her, she
fought tooth and nail for them. The only rule she had was she didn’t
take on shady clients. That wasn’t her style.
Harmony put her wine glass down as she turned her attention
back to her friends. “I’m sorry that it didn’t work out between the
two of you.”
“Thank you,” Toni replied. “I’m just glad that I found out now.”
Harmony looked over at Bryn. “What about you? Dating anyone
we should know about?”
 Bryn exhaled heavily. “No. I’m taking a page out of your book.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Harmony asked.
“Nothing,” Bryn murmured. “Just that I’ve decided to stay single
for a while. Dating is exhausting.”
“I date,” Harmony countered.”
Bryn and Toni shared a look before averting their gazes.
“Hey,” Harmony exclaimed. “I saw that. I do date.”
Bryn laughed. “No, you don’t. Meeting a guy for one drink isn’t a
date, especially when it never goes beyond that.”
“Sure doesn’t,” Toni chimed in. “When was the last time you had
any sort of sexual contact with a man?”
Harmony opened her mouth to respond, then quickly closed it as
she began doing a mental calculation.
Crap!
Had it been that long?
That wasn’t good.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Bryn whispered. “I don’t think it’s
natural to go that long without sex.”
Harmony shrugged. “Self-love counts. Davy and I get along just
fine.”
Toni exhaled heavily. “Even that’s a problem. Who names their
sex toy Davy? That’s just not normal.”
Harmony laughed. “When have you ever known me to want to be
normal?”
“Now that you mention it,” Bryn teased.
Harmony grinned then took another sip of her wine. At the age
of thirty-seven, she considered herself to be fortunate to still be
friends with the two women she’d met in kindergarten. They’d been
inseparable ever since. Even when they’d been in three different
parts of the country attending college before returning to Carson
City to begin their careers.
Contrary to what her friends had implied, she did date on
occasion. She was just picky. Since her disaster of a relationship with
Roy, she had every right to be. But it had been a while since she’d
been on a real date.
The problem was she couldn’t find the right guy. One who didn’t
want to get hot and heavy in a committed relationship. That was
often the problem she had. She’d meet a guy who was drawn to her
because she wasn’t looking to tie him down. But it wasn’t long
before he changed his mind and then she had to sever ties.
That was a hamster wheel she didn’t want to get on again
anytime soon—even if her friends did give her a hard time about it.
She liked being single. Life was less complicated that way. With
everything else she had going on, that was a good thing.
 Chapter Two

“I’d like to start by letting you look around. Once you’re finished, I’ll
point out the highlights of the venue.”
Eason Pruitt stood back and studied the couple as they took in
the small banquet hall. As they moved forward, they looked at each
other with huge grins and clasped hands. This was the fifth venue
they’d visited over the past two weeks but the first one they’d
attended without meddling family members. He’d intentionally
arranged it this way.
The other four venues hadn’t been what the couple wanted.
Their family members had, so the engaged couple had indulged the
requests. All that had occurred was an unhappy couple pretending to
be not to be miserable as they received tours of reception halls they
didn’t like.
This idea had struck him after the last tour. It had dawned on
him that the couple’s family was probably more involved in their
upcoming wedding plans than they should be. It wasn’t something
new to him. He just hadn’t seen it on this level. It hadn’t been until
he’d almost lost his temper during the last venue tour that he’d
realized he needed to do something.
He’d called the couple and asked them to come to meet him.
Then he’d done something he’d never done with any other couple.
He’d asked them to complete his new client form again. Their
answers had almost been a one hundred and eighty-degree change
from their initial response. After a little prodding, he’d found out that
they hadn’t completed the form the first time—at least not alone.
It was then that he’d had a heart-to-heart with them about their
wedding plans. They were the ones getting married and their
wedding should be what they wanted. Otherwise, they might end up
regretting it for the rest of their lives.
That led to them being at the current venue that he was certain
they were going to select without him saying a word. He fought back
a grin as the couple leaned closer together to whisper to each other.
This was the most relaxed he’d seen them. At that moment, it was
easy to see why they were getting married. Their love for each other
was obvious.
A slight pang of jealousy shot through him. As a wedding planner
who liked to moonlight as a matchmaker, one would think he’d be
better at finding his happy-ever-after. Truth be told, he’d never really
had a bad relationship. There just never seemed to be the right
spark with the women he’d dated in the past.
Then a year ago, he’d met a woman who’d punched him in the
gut—literally. Okay, well, technically she’d been aiming for his
younger brother and he’d gotten in the way. Since then, he’d been a
glutton for punishment. But there was something about Harmony
Douglas that made his blood stir.
She’d ruined him for any other woman. The problem was she
hated his guts. Then again, it was his younger brother she didn’t
like. That just made him guilty by association.
“We like it.”
He looked up to find his clients grinning at him. “Would you like
for me to walk you through the facility?”
They shook their heads in unison. “No. This is where we want to
have our reception.”
Eason smiled. “You sure?”
“Yes,” they replied together.
“Okay then. Let’s see if we can get things finalized before we
leave.”
He went to find the event coordinator and a short time later the
contract was signed and the banquet hall reserved. By the time his
clients pulled out of the parking lot, Eason’s face hurt from smiling.
He truly was happy for them. Now he just had to brace himself for
the disappointment of their family members once they realized the
banquet halls of their choice weren’t the final selection.
But he’d deal with that when the day came. With everything else
finalized for them, all that was left for the happy couple to do was
show up on the big day.
As he walked to his car, he allowed his thoughts to drift back to
Harmony. She was a force to be reckoned with. It was one of the
many things he liked about her.
He still recalled the first time he’d met her. His younger brother
and her younger sister had been impulsive enough to sneak to Las
Vegas and elope. While everyone had been under the impression
that they were just dating, they’d actually been husband and wife.
The wedded bliss hadn’t lasted six months.
Unfortunately, he’d been the person tasked to help Casey move
out of the place the recently wedded couple had shared. Harmony
had arrived at the same time he had. Apparently, his brother
couldn’t leave well alone and had started an argument. So Patience
had called in back up.
His first five minutes had been spent keeping everyone
separated. The next ten he’d spent gasping for breath and
recovering from Harmony’s mean right hook. Even so, he’d managed
to make himself useful by getting his brother to keep his mouth shut
as they moved his stuff out.
That had only been the beginning of the battle. He’d had no idea
that Harmony was a divorce attorney until Casey had started
complaining about being raked over the coals. While a part of him
had wanted to feel sorry for his brother, a larger part was certain
that his brother deserved it.
Casey had always been a smooth talker who had a way of
stringing women along. Patience had been one of his many victims.
Although his brother hadn’t learned his lesson. The ink on his
divorce papers was barely dry and he was back to his Lothario ways.
All he knew was he wouldn’t be the one bailing his brother out
this time if he got himself into trouble again.
As he pulled up to his office, he exhaled heavily. He was one to
talk. The move that he’d just made probably put him into the same
bone-headed category with Casey. But his intent was sincere so it
was a risk he was willing to take. It was probably the only way he’d
be able to put his plan into action.
He entered his office and looked at the boxes stacked in the
corner. There were only a few more left to pack and then he’d be
ready to move tomorrow. That was the reason he’d been so insistent
about wrapping up things with his clients today. Tomorrow he’d
move into his new office space. Then he’d have to spend the rest of
the week unpacking and setting up his new place.
Releasing another pent-up breath, he tossed his keys into the
drawer, then rolled up and his sleeves and went to work. He smiled
as he began to wrap some of the photos of his past clients on their
wedding day in plastic bubble covering before placing them in a box.
He enjoyed his job. When he’d stepped out on a whim eight
years ago, he’d never thought his business would blossom into this.
A few people had even given him strange looks when he’d decided it
was what he wanted to do. He knew it was because as a muscular
man who stood six feet and four inches, he didn’t meet the
stereotypical idea of a wedding planner.
But regardless of people’s initial perception of him, once the big
day arrived there was hardly ever a complaint. He’d also learned to
use his size to his advantage. It was difficult for people to look at
him and think that he’d allow himself to be bullied behind his clients'
wants and desires. It was his job to make their dreams come true
and he did everything he could to make sure that happened.
He grinned as he picked up a photo of his parents. It was a side-
by-side image he’d created out of their old wedding photo and the
recent one from a few months ago when his parents had renewed
their fortieth-anniversary vows.
He’d been honored when his father had come to him wanting to
set up the surprise event. Eason loved his parents. What they had
was solid through the good times and the bad. It was what made
him realize that time was passing him by. He needed to make his
interest in Harmony known sooner than later. Yes, he was taking a
risk but as he looked at the photo of his parents, he knew it was
worth it.
The two of them looked just as much in love forty years later as
they had on their wedding day. He wanted what he saw there and
he was certain he could have that with Harmony.

Next week was going to be interesting. If he managed to come

out unscathed, he’d be able to move on to the second part of his
plan.
 Chapter Three

Harmony finished responding to the paralegals' request for

documents, then hit send. Somehow some of the information she’d
already turned in on behalf of her client had been misplaced. She
didn’t mind the mistake. This was an open and shut case.
Fortunately, this couple was parting ways amicably. They’d both
hired divorce lawyers just to make sure everything went smoothly.
As Harmony leaned back, she closed her eyes and exhaled
heavily. She wished more of her cases went like this. That would
make her life so much easier. Then again, she enjoyed a good court
battle. Just not at the expense of someone who was already going
through hell.
Some of her clients came to her in that sort of shape. She didn’t
like to lose, so she wasn’t one to give up easily. A trait her clients
loved when it became necessary for her to be tenacious.
Harmony jumped then sat upright when a loud thumping sound
reverberated through her office. She exhaled heavily as she leaned
forward to rub her forehead. The hammering had been going on off
and on since Monday.
Since it had been sporadic, she’d ignored it. But today the
hammering had almost been non-stop. The office space next to hers
had recently been rented. Whomever the new tenet was had been
secretive about the type of business it was, but she didn’t care. Or at
least she hadn’t before today.
She couldn’t recall being that noisy when she’d moved in. Then
again, she hadn’t done much of the decorating. She’d hired a
professional to make her office feel homey. Most of her clients were
going through a traumatic experience when they came to her. She
wanted to make sure they felt at ease as they told her their story.
Another loud bang rang out and she jumped again before biting
back a profane word. A glance at the clock on her computer told her
it was lunchtime. Not a moment too soon either. Perhaps by the time
she came back from eating, her new suitemate would be finished
with their demolition for the day.
She turned her attention back to the screen and made sure
everything she’d been working on was saved. Then she locked it and
grabbed her purse.
A short time later she sat on the patio of a café enjoying a grilled
chicken salad. Thankfully it was a nice day. She knew there would
only be so many before the insufferable summer heat kicked in.
Then enjoying a meal like this outside would be out of the question.
Her attention turned to the people milling by. She enjoyed people
watching on occasion. Sometimes she made a game of it. Trying to
figure out what their story was as they walked by. A duo of women
walked back laughing as they sipped ice drinks from the place next
door. They looked as close as she and her friends were. Based upon
their business casual attire, they’d either met up for a quick bite to
eat or they were co-workers and friends. When they walked to two
different cars after a brief hug, she figured her first guess was
correct.
The laughter of kids drew her attention and as she turned toward
the sound, she saw a woman around her aged wrestling with two
kids with a third strapped to her chest. A smile tugged at the corners
of Harmony’s mouth as she watched. It was obvious that they
wanted ice cream and were doing their best to persuade their
mother to get it.
Several years ago, she could have imagined herself in that role.
But that had been when she was young and naïve. Fortunately, Roy
had cured her of her disillusionment. He was a huge part of the
reason why she didn’t believe in love.
 For the most part, she believed people fell into lust and mistook
it for love. The only exception she could think of was her parents.
Even after thirty-eight years of marriage, they were as sappy as she
could remember as a kid growing up. As a teenager, she’d rolled her
eyes and fake gagged as her parents openly shared public displays
of affection. It was a part of the reason she’d worn rose-colored
lenses when it came to happy-ever-after.
But that was no longer the case. Between Roy and the countless
number of losers her younger sister tended to get mixed up with,
she knew that whatever it was that her parents had was a rarity.
Marriage and kids were no longer in the cards for her.
All she needed was a man who could make her laugh and was
good in bed for an exclusive friend with benefits arrangement.
Meeting up with her friends Friday night made her realize she’d been
single a lot longer than she’d thought. She didn’t need anyone to
wine or dine her. All he had to do was be able to make her toes curl
and her eyes roll into the back of her head with pleasure when they
were together. That’s the only thing she needed him to commit to.
She chuckled under her breath as the mental image rolled
through her mind. Then she shuddered at the thought of what she
was going to have to do to locate that man. There were numerous
apps available to help her locate one. She just knew that she was
going to have to swipe through several guys to find him. That
sounded like a bigger headache than the one she’d had from the
racket her noisy suitemate had given her.
But she didn’t have much of a choice.
As if fate decided it wanted to have a laugh at her expense, a
young couple walked past, holding hands, huge grins on their faces.
It was probably a new relationship. She’d guess they’d been
together less than six months. The newness of things hadn’t worn
off.
Out of habit, she glanced at their hands but both were ring-free.
Yep, definitely a new couple.
 Or maybe they had an arrangement like the one she wanted. She
frowned. Did people who were friends with benefits hold hands in
public? She had no idea since she’d never really had that sort of
arrangement before. The only reason she was interested in even
trying it was because she didn’t want to sleep around. She wanted
to find one solid person to be her benefit buddy. For that to happen,
she’d have to be able to stand him for longer than a one-time hook-
up. That meant she’d have to at least like him as a friend. This might
be more complicated than she’d originally thought.
She sighed after she swallowed the last bite of her salad. As with
everything else, she’d take some time to think it over before she
decided. But for now, she had to get back to her office and finish her
tasks for the day.
As she stepped into the building, blessed silence met her. Either
her neighbor was at lunch or gone for the day. She looked for a sign
to see what type of business it was because she was curious. To her
dismay, there still wasn’t a sign up.
She continued to her office and settled back in for the remainder
of the afternoon. Unfortunately, her reprieve didn’t last until closing
time. About an hour before she was ready to call it quits, the loud
banging started again.
She groaned as she dropped her face into her hands.
When it didn’t stop, she shook her head and pushed back from
her desk. She’d had enough of this. While she understood there was
going to be some noise with the move in, whomever this person was
would have to do it during lunchtime or after hours. There was no
way she’d be able to conduct business with all the racket, let alone
be able to think or prepare for court.
She exited her office and walked down the hallway to the suite
next door. To her mortification, there was a lull in the noise just as
she began to bang on the door. Even to her ears, she sounded like a
mad woman.
 As she lowered her hand to her side, she forced what she hoped
was a smile onto her face as she waited for the door to open.
The second it did, the words she’d mentally prepared evaporated
and her mouth dropped open.
“Eason?”
 Chapter Four

Eason grinned at the look of shock that dominated Harmony’s

expression. This might be more entertaining than he’d thought. He
knew he was playing with danger by showing his merriment but he
couldn’t help it.
“Hey, Harmony. What are you doing here?”
Then he paused and pretended to frown.
“Are you getting married? I don’t have any appointment time
available today but I can squeeze you in. As long as you don’t mind
a slight mess. I just moved in.”
That was all it took to snap her out of her stupor.
“Married? Moving in? What?” she sputtered.
She shook her head as if to collect herself. “No, I’m not getting
married. And what do you mean you’re moving in here? You can’t do
that. This is my office.”
“Your office? It is?” He made a big show of looking over his
shoulder. “You sure? It was pretty empty when I moved in. The
contract that I signed said this space was available. Is there a
mistake?”
Her hands tightened into fists and it took all his willpower not to
step back. That right hook hurt. He didn’t want to experience it
again—ever.
“No. This isn’t my office. It’s next door. My name is printed there
and, on the marquee, outside. Did you not see it?”
“To be honest, I didn’t pay attention. I was too busy eyeing the
prime real estate.”
He didn’t flinch as he told the lie. Something he wasn’t proud of
but desperate times called for desperate measures.
 She scowled. “You mean to tell me that the owner didn’t tell you
that you were moving next door to a divorce attorney? Do you
realize how insane that is?”
He chuckled. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold it in. “Our
businesses have no direct relation to each other.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you believe that you are even a bigger
idiot than your brother.”
This time he scowled for real. “Hey now. No reason to get nasty.”
Harmony shook her head as she folded her arms over her chest.
“Seriously, Eason. What are you doing here? Who are you helping to
move in?”
He pushed the office door open before turning to the side with a
sweep of his arm. “It really is my office. See for yourself.”
She studied him for several seconds before lowering her arms. As
she brushed by him to step inside, he inhaled discreetly. He loved
her scent. While he didn’t quite know what the combination was, he
planned to find out. As she walked further in, he did his best to look
around, too. To see the space as she did. He didn’t have much more
work to do. The shelf that he’d brought in to assemble was the last
thing he had to put together.
He could have easily done it at his home, but it was a part of his
plan. To be honest, he was surprised she’d lasted this long.
Throughout the week, he’d strategically been making as much racket
as he could to get her attention.
He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he’d pumped his brother for
information. While Casey hadn’t known much, he’d known just
enough to help him come up with this plan. The immediate thing
he’d picked up on was that Harmony didn’t like having her peace
disturbed. The irony of that wasn’t lost on him.
He finally allowed his gaze to drift over to her again. She was still
looking around, shock clear on her face, so he took advantage of her
distracted state. Harmony was a beautiful woman. He did not doubt
that she knew it, but she didn’t come across as arrogant about it.
 The first time he’d met her, she’d been wearing a T-shirt and
some sort of workout pants that had almost made him drool over
her luscious figure. What had also been obvious was the physical
difference between Harmony and her sister, Patience.
If not for their similar facial features, he wouldn’t have guessed
they were related. Where Patience was on the shorter side and
willowy in statue. Harmony could almost look him in the eye with the
heels she wore and she had curves everywhere he liked for them to
be on his woman. There was no doubt in his mind that she’d look
good in his arms.
Her delicate features never seemed to amaze him. She had a
slightly rounded face with high cheekbones. Her expressive brown
eyes had a way of holding his attention. In the short time that he’d
spent with her, he’d learned to read her gaze. While her facial
expression may remain passive her gaze could give away what she
was really thinking.
But it was her mouth that kept him up at night. It was full,
generously curved, and enticing. He wanted to see if they felt as soft
as they looked. Thankfully she spoke, keeping him from making a
fool of himself by giving into the temptation.
“I can’t believe you’re really moving in here. This is insane,”
Harmony mumbled as she finally turned back to look at him. “What
are my clients going to think? What will yours?”
Eason frowned as if the thought hadn’t already crossed his mind
a million times. “What do you mean?”
“Eason, I’m a divorce attorney. You’re a wedding planner. Our
businesses don’t belong side-by-side. It’s like putting a funeral home
next to a hospital.”
He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling at her
morbid analogy. “Come on, Harmony. Hospitals and funeral homes
aren’t any more synonymous than marriage and divorce.”
Harmony closed her eyes and shook her head as if she was
drawing out the remainder of her patience. After she exhaled
heavily, she opened her eyes.
“I can’t believe that you did this Eason. What were you thinking?
It was bad enough having to deal with the fallout behind our
irresponsible siblings. Why would you make a move like this?”
Eason tucked his hands into the front of his jeans grateful that he
could do so without embarrassing himself.
“Look Harmony, I know we got off onto the wrong foot because
of my boneheaded brother. But his mistakes are his alone. I can
assure you that he and I are different as night and day. As far as
why I decided on this office space? This is great real estate as I’m
sure you know. It’s closer to downtown than my old office and closer
to a lot of the venues that I tend to book for my customers. It made
sense.”
Even though everything he’d said was true. He’d left off one of
his reasons. Of all the women he could be attracted to, it had to be
Harmony. He just couldn’t help himself. There was something about
her that called to him. It had from the moment he’d met her.
“Eason, there is no way this is going to work. Our customers are
going to think this is insane. We’re business rivals. We work on
opposite ends of the spectrum. You bring people together for what
they hope is the best day of their life. I’m the one they come to see
when they realize it wasn’t. We’re business enemies in every sense
of the word. This is never going to work out.”
Everything in him wanted to tell her she was wrong. But he knew
that action spoke louder than words and he was ready to show her.
 Chapter Five

Harmony did her best to smile as she joined her friends at the table.
For the first time in months, she was almost on time to meet her
friends. She’d raced to leave her office a little while ago with the
hopes to avoid Eason. Thankfully she’d been successful.
The past three weeks had been overwhelming, to say the least.
Eason had a knack for being everywhere she didn’t want him to
be. It was almost as if he knew her schedule better than she did.
She’d lost track of how many times he’d been at the door at the
right time to hold it open for her as she struggled to carry everything
she needed to and from the courthouse from meetings and hearings.
But that was when he didn’t just take the items out of her hands
and carry them himself.
He was proving himself to be more of a distraction than she’d
initially thought he’d be. Several of her clients had stopped to admire
him before the ink on their divorce papers was dry. On one hand, it
grated on her nerves. On the other, she couldn’t be mad.
He had qualities about him that she hadn’t expected. In addition
to him being a gentleman, he was funny. Now that he was
completely moved in, the occasional pounding and hammering that
he’d kept up the first week had ceased.
Honestly, he was so quiet now that she had a hard time
discerning when he was in the office. Not that she was concerned
about it or anything. She just needed to know so that she could
prepare herself.
The one thing she’d realized was that somehow she’d missed
how attractive Eason was the first time they’d met. Probably
because she’d been too busy trying to strangle his brother, Casey.
Even now, just thinking about that entire fiasco made her mad.
Her sister had a knack for finding Mr. Wrong, but Casey Pruitt
had been a different level of insanity. The ink on their marriage
papers hadn’t even dried before Patience had come home to find
him in bed with another woman.
Well, according to Patience, Casey and his lover hadn’t even
made it to the bedroom. The two lovers had only made it as far as
the couch. Her younger sister had been heartbroken. It wasn’t until
they’d started the divorce proceedings that Harmony realized just
how much her sister had cared about Casey.
That had been a big part of the reason why she’d pulled out all
the stops in making Casey fiscally responsible for everything she
could, including her attorney fees.
It was the least she could do to make sure her sister walked
away unscathed in that fashion. Strangely enough, she’d expected
Casey to put up more of a fight over the money, but he hadn’t.
Now here she was having to deal with his gorgeous and irritating
older brother. He made slacks and button-down shirts look sexy in a
way they never had before. Truthfully, he made everything look
good.
He was a breathtaking man, from his green eyes to his tempting
beard, to his kissable lips. Eason had broad shoulders with a subtly
muscled body. But the two things that made him stand out to her
the most were his wide-palmed hands with strong lean fingers and
his height. She wasn’t sure how tall he was, she just knew that he
was. Even in heels, she didn’t stand eye-to-eye with him. Something
unusual considering she stood six feet in height without them. His
solid build also made her feel less self-conscious.
She was by no means a small woman and Eason was the sort of
man who didn’t make her think about it.
“Harmony?”
She startled when Bryn called her name.
 “What? Um…sorry…” Harmony mumbled as she shifted in her
chair before looking around.
Eason had her so distracted that she’d completely spaced out.
Judging by the expressions on her friend’s faces, she’d been zoned
out for a while.
“Is everything okay?” Toni asked.
Harmony exhaled heavily as she shook her head. “No, but I’m
going to need my glass of wine before I talk about it.”
She raised her hand to get a server’s attention. A short time later
a glass was put in front of her. She picked it up and drained half the
contents before sitting it back down. Her friends’ expressions would
have been amusing if she weren’t so discombobulated herself.
“Eason Pruitt and I now share an office building.”
Bryn’s eyes widened while Toni reached for her glass of wine.
“What?” Bryn finally managed to get out.
Toni just drank her wine, almost draining the glass.
“Yep. Eason Pruitt decided that the only suitable office space
available in Carson City, Nevada was the one next to mine.”
“Eason Pruitt? As in your ex-brother-in-law?” Toni confirmed as
she put her wine glass down.
“Ugh,” Harmony grumbled. “Don’t say it like that.”
“Well, he is…or was,” Toni replied.
“Yeah, but I didn’t find out until the marriage between Patience
and Casey fell apart,” Harmony added.
“Let’s not quibble about the minor stuff. When did this office
relocation happen?” Bryn queried.
“How did it happen?” Toni inquired.
Harmony almost didn’t want to answer. She usually told her
friends everything but she hadn’t revealed this. Mainly because she
hadn’t been sure of how to deal with it.
 “Almost a month ago now,” Harmony finally admitted.
“What?” Bryn exclaimed.
Toni picked up her glass again, drained it, and then looked
around for a server.
“You didn’t say anything,” Bryn complained.
Harmony shook her head. “I didn’t know what to say. Eason just
showed up out of nowhere making all sorts of racket. At first, I was
upset, then I was confused.”
“Confused?” Toni stated as another glass was placed in front of
her. “About what?”
Harmony frowned. “He’s nice.”
“Nice?” Bryn parroted.
“Yes. He opens doors when he sees me. If I’m weighed down
with my brief case or files, he takes them from me and carries them,
even if I don’t want him to,” Harmony complained.
Toni tilted her head, confusion clear in her expression. “I thought
you said he was a jerk. He doesn’t sound like one to me.”
Harmony folded her arms across her chest. “He is. When I tried
to punch Casey for what he’d done to Patience, Eason got between
us and I hit him instead. He even had the nerve not to flinch. We all
know how good my right hook is.”
Bryn’s eyes widened. “He’s nice and he saved you from an
assault charge? Wow. What else have you been keeping from us?”
Harmony laughed even though she didn’t want to. “This isn’t
funny.”
Toni nodded in agreement. “It’s not. What I can’t figure out is
why this is the first time we’re hearing about this.”
“Because all of it has me confused as hell,” Harmony admitted.
“That was a rough time for Patience. It still is. Even as I sit here, I
have my fingers crossed that she doesn’t go out and do anything
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
 To Stop Rattling of Windows
Annoyance from the rattling of windows may be overcome by
attaching a small block to the side of the window casing so that it will
engage the sash and hold it firmly. The block should be of ¹⁄₂-in.
wood, about 3 in. long, 1 in. wide, and have one end rounded off. A
screw is fixed through the block near the rounded end and driven
into the window casing at such a point that when the block is turned
upward on its pivot the rounded end will act like a cam and force the
sash firmly against its grooves.
 Practical Bracket for Garden Hose

Care in the storage of a garden hose will pay the owner in the
longer life of it, and the homemade bracket shown in the sketch
suggests a convenient method of caring for the hose. A portion of a
barrel was sawed off at one of the hoops, and after reinforcing it by
nailing the hoops and inserting shelves, it was nailed to the wall. The
hose may be coiled over it in shape to be easily carried to the lawn
or garden, for use. The shelves provide space for an oilcan for the
lawn mower, and other accessories.
 Making Filing Envelopes Quickly

Fig. 1 Fig. 2
Fig. 4 Fig. 3

Folders Like That in Figure 1 may be Glued to Form Envelopes, Figure 2, or

Cut Down to the Size Shown in Figure 3, for Use in Combination, Figure 4
 Folders in which large cards, calendars, posters, etc., are
commonly mailed may be utilized to make convenient filing cases.
Envelopes of the type shown in the sketch, with leatherboard and
cord fasteners for holding the flaps together, may be cut to a uniform
size or used in any smaller size desired, and, by gluing the flaps A
and B, will provide serviceable containers. Small tools or other
objects likely to injure a single-thickness folder, or drop out of it, may
be stored in double envelopes made in this way.
 Yardstick on Tool Rack

The Brass Plug and Angle Are Convenient Additions to the Yardstick, Which
Forms the Front of the Tool Rack

I have derived considerable satisfaction from the use of a yardstick

fitted above my workbench. A plug of brass, having a center-punch
mark, was inserted at the zero point on the yardstick. This is
convenient in setting dividers and other instruments. Below the plug
was fixed a small brass angle, set so that its inner face was at the
zero point. This is useful in measuring pieces from a finished end. If
the end of the yardstick is at the zero point it is necessary to attach a
small extension to take the brass plug.—V. A. Rettich, Hollis, N. Y.
 Bicycle Runner for Winter Use

The Mudguard is Fastened to the Rim of the Wheel and Acts as a Runner
over Ice and Snow
 A bicycle may be used with satisfactory results in winter by
arranging a runner under the front wheel, which is lashed to the fork
as indicated in the sketch. The mudguard is used as a runner by
releasing it and dropping it to the position shown. It is then tied
securely to the rim of the wheel and the wheel is tied at the top to the
fork. This idea may be adapted by providing a special runner of
sheet metal, making it unnecessary to wear the mudguard.—C. H.
McCaslin, Portland, Ore.
 Homemade Snowshoe Toe Clips

The Uppers of an Old Pair of Shoes were Used to Make a Set of Toe Clips for
Snowshoes

The uppers from a pair of worn-out shoes may be made into a

serviceable set of toe clips for snowshoes by cutting them off, as
shown in the sketch, and fitting them to the lacing of the snowshoes.
The clip is fastened in place by passing the tying strap through slots
in the former, under the lacing of the snowshoe, and then around the
ankle in the usual manner of fastening.—Richard F. Lufkin,
Dorchester, Mass.
 Mounting Tracing-Cloth Drawings on Muslin
Tracings mounted on muslin will give long wear and are more
satisfactory in handling than the unmounted drawings. The method
of mounting them is as follows: Stretch a piece of starched muslin,
slightly larger than the drawing, on a flat, smooth board, fastening it
with tacks. Coat the back of the tracing with a good varnish, and
place it, face down, on a flat surface so that it may partly dry and
become tacky, which usually takes two hours. Place the tracing upon
the stretched muslin, varnished side down, and place a smooth
sheet of wrapping paper over it. Using a moderately warm flatiron,
and beginning at the center of the tracing, iron toward the edges,
applying moderate pressure. To remove the tracing from the cloth, it
is necessary to warm the cloth with the iron and strip the tracing and
cloth apart gradually.—John W. Grantland, Cincinnati, Ohio.
 Sandpapering Square Edges on Small Machine
Bases
The woodwork of small electrical or experimental machines and
devices often detracts from the workmanship because proper care is
not taken in finishing the edges. To smooth off the ends of a small
baseboard squarely, proceed as follows: Square up a piece of 2 by
4-in. stock, 1 ft. long; place a flat sheet of sandpaper on the bench
and set the 1-ft. block on top of it, holding it in place with the left
hand. Hold the piece to be squared up firmly against the block and
rub it on the sandpaper. A square edge of smooth finish will result.
The edges should, of course, be planed as smoothly as possible
before sanding in this way.—John D. Adams, Phoenix, Ariz.
 Enlarged Lantern Pictures as Guides for Scenic
Painting

Scenery for an Amateur Theatrical Performance was Made by Painting

Outlines Projected from a Lantern

Scenery for a home-talent theatrical performance was required,

and since the services of an expert in that line were not available, an
interesting method of obtaining satisfactory sketches for the figures
and other objects in the background was devised. Colored lantern
slides of scenes suitable for the purpose were selected and
projected upon the canvas to be painted, as shown in the illustration.
The outlines were drawn around the projected figures, making them
as accurate as the original, and far better than would have been
possible otherwise by an amateur painter. The colors were applied
following the original model, with satisfactory results. By the use of
various portions of slides, it was possible to place figures and
outdoor effects on the background which was obtained from the first
slide used. A factor which must be considered in using this method is
that the picture on the canvas will be reversed as to right and left
positions compared with the original, if a direct-reflection projector of
the type used with post cards is employed.—Thomas R. Milligan,
Fort Worth, Texas.
Three-Caster Truck for Moving Crates and
Furniture
 A convenient truck for handling heavy objects, especially in the
home where commercial devices for this purpose are not available,
is shown in the illustration. It consists of a frame built up of three 1¹⁄₄
by 2 by 14-in. strips, fixed to a disk, ⁷⁄₈ by 12 in. in size. Revolving
casters are mounted under the ends of the arms, giving great
freedom of movement in transporting loads. The three-caster
arrangement is better than the use of four casters, because it
accommodates itself to irregularities in the floor.—Armydas E.
Sturdivant, Muncie, Ind.

¶The burner of an acetylene bicycle lamp, fitted to an ordinary gas

jet, will produce a very hot flame.
 Inserting or Correcting on Typewritten Bound
Sheets
It is frequently necessary that typewritten insertions or corrections
be made in papers which have been typed and bound, usually by
rivets along the top edge. It is difficult to remove the rivets and
replace them satisfactorily. To make such insertions, feed a blank
sheet of paper into the typewriter until its feeding edge is even with
the upper edge of the guide fingers. Then insert the bottom edge of
the sheet on which the correction is to be made, underneath the
sheet already in the machine; reverse-feed the sheet to be corrected
into the typewriter. Corrections may then be made in the usual
manner.—A. J. Cook, Pittsburgh, Pa.
 Tire Pump Made of Gas Piping
A tire pump actuated by the explosions in the cylinder of an
automobile engine, and made of materials easily obtainable, is
shown in detail in the illustration. A section of iron pipe of a diameter
to fit one of the ports, and about 4 in. long, as shown in Fig. 2, is
provided with a reducer, a tee, and two caps. The inside of the pipe
is turned up true in a lathe and fitted with a piston, the head for which
is shown in Fig. 1. The head is built up of a wooden drum, washers,
and leather packing disks. The washers should be slightly smaller in
diameter than the chamber, and the leather disks make it air-tight.
 Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Automobile Tires may be Inflated Quickly by the Use of This Homemade

Pump
 The tee is provided with two valves, as shown in the detail
sectional view, Fig. 3, the upper ball valve retaining the pressure in
the pipe line, and the other valve admitting air above the piston. The
ball valve has a seat of lead, and a ribbed fitting is fixed to the pipe
cap above it, to provide a fastening for the hose. The cap of the
other valve is fitted with a spring, adjustable on a threaded pin.
A light spring fixed to the upper side of the piston, as shown in Fig.
2, forces the piston back to its lower position after the force of the
explosion in the cylinder has acted upon it. The cylinder of the pump
should be oiled, and a reinforced rubber hose should be used to
conduct the air under pressure to the tire.
The operation is simple: The initial stroke of the engine cylinder
draws the piston down, bringing in a charge of air from the valve
ports at the side of the tee; the following compression and explosion
strokes drive it back, forcing the air out of the ball valve, as the other
valve closes on the upstroke of the piston. A large tire may be
pumped up with this device in from five to ten minutes.
 Aid in Ruling Uniform Cards or Sheets
When a number of cards or sheets are to be ruled with either
horizontal or vertical divisions, the following method will be found a
timesaver: Rule one of the cards as a sample. Place it on the
drawing board with its lower edge set against two thumb tacks driven
part way in. Rule extensions of the lines on the card to a sheet of
paper fastened to the board under the card. Set a third thumb tack at
the right edge of the card as a guide. By placing the cards to be
ruled against the three thumb tacks in the position of the original
card, the rulings may be made quickly with the marks on the paper
backing as guides.—W. P. Shaw, Stratford, Can.
 Tinned Staples for Bell-Circuit Wiring

The Strip is Cut into Squares Which are Folded and Driven into the Support,
Binding the Wire

Inexpensive and practical staples for binding wires used in bell

circuits, or for similar purposes, may be made from a strip of tinned
sheet metal, about ¹⁄₂ in. wide. The strip is cut on the sides, as
indicated in the sketch, and the squares are broken off as needed.
They may be bent quickly to the shape shown, and are used by
placing them over the wire and driving the points into the wall or
other support. If properly made, they will not injure the covering of
the wire and are more satisfactory than wire staples.