Read Online Lethal Affair by Noelle Hart - Free Book Online Page B

battling depression. Can you help?”
    “ Sure,” tongue in cheek,
“and seeing as you're Jolene's boss I won't even charge
you.”
    He chuckled. She seriously had no
inkling of his ulterior motive. He'd have to remedy that. No point
in playing games.
    “ I'd really like you to
nurse-maid my little gardening venture, Lord knows I'm no green
giant. But what I'd really love is to take you out for dinner.
Tonight, if possible.”
    The butterflies did an all out tango.
“Are you hitting on me?”
    He scuffed his boot in the dirt. Damn
it all, if he wasn't nervous. “I'm a little out of practice. Been a
while since I've asked a woman out. I'd like the chance to get to
know you better, that's all.”
    She stared at the incredibly
compelling man silhouetted by the harsh sun and had to ask herself,
would she go out with him if she wasn't pregnant with another man's
child? The answer came fast and hard, a resounding, yes! Her
circumstances however preempted the possibility of a date with Will
Delaney.
    She'd let him down easy. “Not big on
dating right now, but how about I swing by your house on Sunday
afternoon and take a peek at those tomato plants?”
    It was something. Watching her as she
pulled her glove back on and resumed her work, the set of her
shoulders and long, lean stance was fit and all female. Her light
hair and dark lashes were a stark contrast that appealed to his
senses and tugged at his libido. She might be blowing him off date
wise but he'd take her offer of a little visit on Sunday as a sign
that she wasn't opposed to spending time in his company.
    “ Sounds good. See you around
one o'clock?”
    “ Make it two. Sunday's my
day to laze around the house.” Not to mention her standing morning
brunch date with her parents.
    As he walked away Kylie leaned on her
shovel and observed the way his long strides held a bemused swagger
that intrigued rather than annoyed. The butterflies had finally
bedded down and she realized this was just pure sexual tension,
nothing more. A physical reaction to an attractive male. It
bothered her that Drew hadn't elicited the same response from her
just now.
    Nonetheless her pregnancy was real and
it wouldn't be fair to Will to lead him on. She'd go see his
greenhouse on Sunday and let him know in no uncertain terms that
while she could attend to his plants' needs, she could not attend
to his.
     
    *
     
    The Moon property with its charming
country house was located in the rural area of Metchosin and made
quite an impact on visitors as they arrived via a long canopied
lane of poplars.
    New tires intact, Kylie parked her SUV
to one side amongst a tangle of other vehicles. It was the twins'
birthday celebration, and Kim and Carrie Moon were putting on the
Ritz, kiddy style.
    Balloons pointed the way around the
side of the house to the back yard. Over thirty kids of assorted
ages under ten ran and squealed and laughed and played. A large
portable pool had been set up and the older kids were splashing
around under the eagle eyes of hovering parents. The smell of
steamed hot dogs permeated the air.
    Carrie came their way looking
harassed, flustered and happy.
    “ Make yourselves at home
ladies. There's a table with adult beverages and food,” she said.
“Help yourselves.”
    Jolene stopped Carrie before she could
run off. “How 'bout we help you instead. Where do you need
us?”
    “ Kim's working the
tail-on-the-donkey but the clown's late. I think he might have
gotten lost.”
    Kylie pulled out her cell. “What's his
number?”
    “ Oh God. I think it's... oh
look, here he comes now.” She rushed off to greet a man in a
colorful clown suit hauling a tank on wheels and carrying a case
that presumably held his supplies.
    Kylie and Jolene perused the chaos and
decided they would be best utilized at the feeding station where
someone was fending off a hoard of hungry mouths. Working in
cadence they filled plates with hotdogs or burgers, french fries
and corn on the cob, guiding the