Free Guilty Pleasures: A Collection by Janelle Denison Page A

bouquets of Cattleyas orchids and white roses in the center of each table, and they certainly didn’t come cheap.
    She went through her normal sources, trying to find the best cost she could for her client, and after an hour of Instant Messaging back and forth with a floral designer, she finally nailed down a price she was happy with.
    She typed up an estimated cost sheet for her client and emailed it off, then leaned back in her chair and extended her arms over her head to stretch the kinks from the muscles along her shoulders and back. The day had been a long one—from Shane’s early morning visit, to their shopping spree, to the last few hours she’d spent in front of her computer getting work done.
    She thought back to her afternoon with Shane and the drastic changes he was willing to make for this woman he was interested in—which was a first for him. Over the years he’d dated plenty of women on a casual basis, but she’d never seen him so intent on making such a significant impression on any of them. And the fact that he was so willing to change his image to catch a woman’s eye now led her to believe that it had to be very serious for Shane.
    Her stomach knotted with envy, just one of the many emotions she wished she had more control over. The others were more of the seductive, tempting variety, and even though she’d tried to act like everything was normal between them today after this morning’s fleeting but very sensual encounter when his hand had brushed across her breast, there was no denying her escalating feelings for Shane. The desire was becoming more pronounced when she was with him, and she could sense it pulling at her more and more often, in a way that was getting increasingly difficult to resist.
    Blowing out an upward stream of breath, she pushed away from her desk, frustrated at herself and the whole entire situation. Her feelings for Shane couldn’t develop into anything sexual—no matter how physically attractive she might find him, and she’d do well to keep that reminder first and foremost in her mind. Years of friendship were at stake, not to mention that she’d probably shock the hell out of Shane if he knew that he’d become the object of some of her most tantalizing fantasies.
    Standing, she headed into the kitchen to make herself a late night snack, hoping that would help snap her out of her current funk. She poured Rice Krispies into a bowl, added milk, and headed back to her office. She’d eat her cereal, play a game of Free Cell, then shut down things for the night and go to bed. Except when she glanced at her computer screen, there was an Instant Message waiting for her.
    TheOne4You : Hi beautiful.
    Her secret admirer. She’d been so wrapped up in her search for orchid and rose arrangements, then her troubling thoughts of Shane, that she’d forgotten they’d agreed to chat again tonight. Smiling at his flirtatious greeting, and welcoming the distraction, she set her bowl of cereal aside, and typed out a response.
    IshopForYou : Hi, yourself. How are you?
    TheOne4You : Great, now that I’m talking to you. How was your day?
    IshopForYou : It was good. I was out most of the day shopping with a friend. He ended up buying himself a new wardrobe, which is a rarity for him.
    TheOne4You : This is a *guy* friend?
    She raised her brows at his question as she ate a bite of her cereal. Was he jealous, she wondered, and found that notion amusing.
    IshopForYou : Yes, a guy friend.
    TheOne4You : Do I have to worry about him being any kind of competition for me?
    She laughed out loud and shook her head.
    IshopForYou : No, he’s been my best friend since I was five. He’s a great guy. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.
    TheOne4You : You sure about that?
    IshopForYou : I’m sure. He’s interested in some other woman, which is why he spent a fortune on new clothes today, so he can impress her.
    TheOne4You : And do you think he will? Impress her, I mean.
    She mulled over