WiredinSin by Lea Barrymire Read Free Book Online

her?
    “I want to open it now.” She didn’t realize she’d said it
out loud until Gynger laughed behind her.
    “Do it. I want to see what he sent you.”
    A foreign feeling skated over her nerves just before she
giggled. She slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise. Had she really
giggled? Her? Victoria didn’t giggle, chuckle, laugh or anything else of the
sort. What in the name of all that was hellish was happening to her?
    She reached for the package and noted that her fingers shook
slightly as they touched the magic surrounding the box. It moved over her arms
and goose bumps erupted along her skin. Cool waves of energy tickled across her
hand and she stifled another round of grinning.
    “It’s coated in magic. Do you think he did something so he’d
know when I open it?” Vic pulled her hand back, nervous. She truly didn’t know
this male. Could he have added a spell to bind her or harm her?
    “It’s possible, but I know he would never try to hurt you,
so the magic is harmless,” Gynger answered.
    Vic thought about that for a moment then couldn’t contain
her curiosity any longer. With quick movements she unwrapped the ribbons,
stroking them lightly between her fingers. Even they were made of expensive
silk, beautiful and soft against her hand. She didn’t want to damage the
wrappings and refused to look at that conviction too closely. She would normally
have ripped into the package, discarded the paper to get into the box. This
time she took her time, folding the silk ribbons and placing them lightly next
to her before carefully unfolding the paper from around the present.
    Once she’d smoothed the wrapping paper out and folded it she
stared at the cream-colored cardboard box. She wondered what Nick had sent her
and hoped that it wasn’t lingerie or jewelry. She wanted him to think of her
beyond sex, and how crazy was that? But from the size of the box and the
pulsing magic coming off it in waves she doubted it was either of those things.
Shaking her head helped her to dispel the asinine desire for this one male to
think of her as a real woman instead of his sexual outlet.
    “You going to open it? Come on, Vic. I’m dying here.”
    With a glance over her shoulder she noted Gynger’s curiosity
and swallowed another laugh. “I could ask you to leave.”
    “Please? I want to see what he sent.”
    With a flourish, she pulled the top off the box and peeked
inside. She thought at first that she was staring at another box, but after a
moment she realized that it was a glass container. When she reached in and
stroked the cool box it left her fingers chilled. Gently coaxing it from the
outer box was made more difficult when her hands started to tremble. Inside a
large glass terrarium was an extremely rare and awesomely magical plant she’d
only seen in text books. A genuine Bridgetium azulerae , more commonly
known as the Etraza tree.
    “Oh my gods, Vic. Is that what I think it is?”
    Victoria couldn’t even nod for fear of dropping the precious
plant. It pulsed with magic even as it remained dormant. She knew that it would
take a trigger to release the hibernation spell before it would fully become an
animated, living thing again. As it rested in its tiny environment she could
see the miniscule buds on the ends of each branch. The miniature tree was
perfect in its structure. Tiny branches spread off a thin trunk. Even though
her specimen wasn’t much taller than a book, it had to be hundreds of years
old. Once reanimated, the tree would experience all four seasons, cycling
through growth, sleep and rebirth each day.
    Gently setting the glass case on her desk allowed her to
release the breath she’d been holding. It left her lips in a whooshing whisper.
“Wow.”
    “Holy shit.” Gynger gasped behind her. They both stood there
staring, silent for a few moments. “Have you ever seen anything so awesome in
your life?”
    Vic shook her head, still speechless from the enormity of
the gift. Nick