Read Wicked Garden for Free Online

and returned to sleep.
    ***
    “Mr. Buchanan is here,” Shelby announced through the intercom early the next afternoon.
    Eden’s pulse spiked. She peered at the clock. Late lunch meant little interruption for the surprise she’d planned. She fluffed up her hair and smoothed the crease from her black linen mini-skirt. “Send him in.”
    The door swung open, but Billy’s handsome face was hidden behind a camcorder. He kept the camera trained on her as he folded his solid frame into the chair opposite her desk. “Today we’re in the office of Eden LaCroix, administrator for the Spearfish Community Center. Ms. LaCroix, I’d like to record your opinions on the future of this facility.”
    “What is this?”
    Billy depressed a button and rested the compact machine on his knee. “I told you I tape footage for every project.”
    “Why?”
    “Easier to find problems in case I missed something pertinent the first time around.”
    “Does that happen often? You miss something important?”
    He frowned and fiddled with the angle of the LCD screen. “Sometimes when I least expect it.”
    “And if I refuse?”
    His eyes met hers in challenge. “I’ll use my toy on someone else.”
    Hoo-boy. Her body heated, remembering his proficiency with toys last night. “Fine. Let’s get started. Don’t forget we have a lunch date and I’m starved.”

    As Billy trained his camera on Eden, he felt like he’d been split in two. The professional half calmly asked questions and appeared in perfect control. The testosterone-laden half gloated at the shine in Eden’s eyes, the high color in her cheeks, the way the lens caught every beautiful nuance of her face.
    Had his attention to her sexual pleasure last night put the extra glow in her today? Nah. He couldn’t take credit. Eden was smart, striking, determined and it showed in person as well as on tape.
    He listened as Eden rattled off the comprehensive history of the community center. She presented him a detailed list on how the city could improve and promote the community center in its present location. Some of her suggestions were unfeasible, but the majority of the ideas were reasonable.
    Billy kept his questions to a minimum and let Eden’s passion for the project speak for itself. “That should be enough for now,” he said, powering down the unit and shoving it in the carrying case.
    Eden rounded the desk, cocking a slim hip on the corner. Her short skirt rose up, showcasing an extra inch of marvelous thigh. Automatically his attention traveled higher. She rolled her shoulders back, the buttons on the sleeveless cinnamon-colored blouse stretched, exposing a creamy line of breast encased in a lacy peach bra.
    Billy’s hungry gaze met her impish glimmer.
    “Seen enough?” she murmured throatily.
    “Not nearly.” He stood and pressed closer, letting her knee brush the bulge beneath his fly. “I wish I’d had this camera last night.”
    “Sorry I conked out.”
    Billy slid a quick glance to the closed metal blinds separating her office from the reception area. “I want to kiss you,” he said, leaning close enough to taste her sweet breath. “I need to feel your mouth on mine so I know last night wasn’t another elaborate fantasy I’d conjured up when I’m alone in my bed thinking about you.”
    “You’ve been thinking about me?”
    “For years.” Before he could erase those scant inches and fasten his mouth to hers, Eden ducked under his arm.
    “If you’ve waited that long then another few hours won’t matter. You’re not kissing me in here.” She snagged an oversized purse. “But if you’re really good, I might give you a kiss in the car on the way to lunch.” Her amused eyes zeroed in on the swelling beneath his zipper. “Probably won’t happen though, because we both know how much you enjoy being bad.”
    Billy’s response, “I’ll be good, I promise,” fell on deaf ears as she sailed out the door.

    She’d chosen an upscale Italian restaurant