Hot Button by Kylie Logan Read Free Book Online Page A

repentant. “It’s nothing like that!”
    “Like what?”
    “Like whatever you think it is. I was just thinking, that’s all. Helen tells me you’re staying in a suite and—”
    “Josie?” Langston Whitman stuck his head out of the vendors’ room, and the instant he saw me, a look of relief swept over his face. “Well, this is lucky. I thought I’d have to search all over for you. Could you…” He glanced from me to Kaz and back to me. “Could we talk somewhere? Privately?”
    I didn’t bother excusing myself. But then, I don’t think Kaz noticed. A group of four middle-aged women came over and said they needed help figuring out where the ballroom was. Just for the record, it was about fifteen feet to our right, but rather than point that out, Kaz showed them the way. Kaz was in his glory, all right, playing the button hero the way he never had back when we were married.
    Yes, I know. Sour grapes. And I refused to go there. Langston stepped out of the dealer room, looked around to make sure we were alone, and then, even though we were, beckoned me even further down the hallway and farther from the conference-goers.
    I didn’t like the little vee of worry creased between Langston’s eyes any more than I liked the fact that though he looked calm enough, his fingers were tight around the handle of the awl he held in one hand.
    Automatically, my stomach knotted. “What’s up?” I asked him.
    “We’ve got a… situation.” He was as reluctant to say it as I was to hear it, and he rolled the awl between his palms, steeling himself. The awl must have been one of Elliot’s. Itwas seven inches long with a warm mahogany handle that was carved in a series of hypnotic, undulating spirals. The steel tip… Well, if the way the overhead lights glinted off it meant anything, that was perfect, too. It was sharpened to a no-nonsense point that was just right for piercing the heavy card stock we used to display our buttons.
    Langston’s nostrils flared. “Thad Wyant stopped by last night after the dinner cruise. Here in the dealer room as we were setting up our booths.”
    I groaned. “And he said something stupid. I’m so sorry, Langston. When I invited him to the conference, I had no idea that a man so studious and with such a good reputation could be so—”
    “Neanderthal?” Langston’s eyes glittered. At least for a moment. The next second, he took pity on me. “No, no, don’t worry about that. I saw Wyant in action on the boat last night. I knew I was in for trouble the moment he showed up. But I never expected…”
    His hesitation made my heartbeat speed up.
    Langston tightened his grip on the awl. “He said he’d be busy this morning, and he asked if I’d mind if he bought some things last night. I know, I know…” Even though I wasn’t going to object, he held up the hand with the awl in it to stop me, just in case. “We aren’t supposed to sell anything before the official opening of the vendor room this morning. But he is the guest of honor, after all, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make one exception. Wyant has a stellar reputation, and frankly, I liked the idea of a little publicity. You know, when word got around that he was buying his supplies from me.”
    “Is that what he wanted? Supplies?” I wasn’t sure why this sounded so odd to me; I only knew it did. I suppose I thought a man as well versed in the world of buttons asWyant was would have all the supplies he needed. After all, he’d been building his collection for more years than I’d been alive.
    “Oh, yes.” Langston nodded. “Supplies were exactly what that son-of-a—” He remembered himself and took a deep breath. “Supplies were exactly what Wyant was looking for. He chose one of Elliot’s awls, one much like this one but with a cherry handle. And he bought some plastic sleeves and card stock, too. Or at least he tried.” Like he was as embarrassed now that he was telling me about it as he had been when it