Free Wicked Garden by Lorelei James

How can you assume the wiring is faulty if you can’t see it?”
    Billy snapped the briefcase shut, using it as a lap desk. “That’s the crux of the problem. The only way we can determine whether the wiring is coated with asbestos is to rip out all the walls. And if we rip out all the walls…”
    “The city might as well rip out everything and start from scratch.” Her glance darted to the fire alarm across the room. “Is there a danger of an electrical fire?”
    “Certainly it’s a possibility.”
    Eden mulled it over. “What the hell else can go wrong?”
    The bitterness in her tone didn’t surprise him. If his livelihood were at stake he imagined he’d be testy, too. “The family who owns the land has no interest in buying the building. It’s a tricky situation when the landowner and the building owner aren’t the same party, but I’ve seen this type of situation before—where one party puts land in a trust and another party builds on it in the guise of civic improvement.”
    “Have you spoken with the landowners?”
    “No. It seemed irrelevant. Why?”
    Eden’s shrug was nonchalant, yet her fingers folded a neon post-it-note as if she was practicing origami. “Rumor has it if the city’s findings are against improving the center, and they level the building, the landowners will use the lot and the empty one directly behind us to construct a fitness center that’d be in direct competition with the city’s new digs.”
    Billy smiled, even if it felt a bit grim. “No love lost, huh?”
    “No. I’m surprised the land trust agreement hasn’t been challenged in court. Not only have the council members been bickering among themselves about this situation for years, the family owning the land has been stuck dealing with the bureaucracy.”
    “Have the landowners asked you to get involved if they do build the new facility?”
    “Probably they won’t, since I am a city employee. They’ll assume I have a job.” She sighed. “I hate politics. My main concern, my only concern, has been how this will affect the kids.”
    Devoted to others needs before her own—that was Eden to the core. He paused to gather his thoughts in the pretext of double-checking his notes. When he glanced up, she was rubbing her temple. “You okay?”
    “Makes my head hurt thinking about this stuff.”
    “I’m not trying to give you a headache, Eden. I’m just trying to do my job.”
    A second passed. Then two. If this were a normal relationship, Billy supposed he’d cross the room, gather her in his arms and offer reassurances. So why was his dumb ass still glued to this cheap chair? Why were his hands still gripping his hard leather briefcase instead of her soft curves? He scooted forward, determined to prove this “thing” happening between them could be permanent and he was finally man enough to stand up for what he wanted: her.
    But it wasn’t her voice that stopped him cold; it was her utter look of defeat. “So what do we do now?”
    “Have you eaten?”
    “I’m not hungry. I had a late lunch.”
    Their gazes locked. “I know. I was there, remember?”
    Eden opened her mouth then snapped it shut.
    “Can we talk about our lunch date today?”
    “No.” She wheeled back and stood, snatching her keys from her desk. “Did I answer all of your questions? Because I—”
    Billy was next to her before she could retreat. “Don’t do this, Eden. Don’t pretend nothing changed between us and we’re just opposing sides in a business disagreement.”
    “What do you want me to do? Ignore it?”
    “Yes.” Billy tilted her chin up. “Put it aside. Just for tonight. Be with me. Let me come home with you.”
    Her eyes darkened with reproach as he leaned close enough to kiss her. “Not here—”
    “Then invite me over. Please.” He swept a tangled strand of hair from the corner of her mouth. “I want to be with you.”
    Eden twirled her car keys on her index finger. “Who the hell am I kidding? I want to be