“But at the same time, he said he hoped I’d stick it out because he swore he’d never been wrong about a subject and he claimed to have known from the first time he looked over my portfolio and we worked that first gig together that I was going to be a star and he’d hate for me to allow my feelings to take that opportunity away.”

“He doesn’t sound like a complete ass**le,” Swanny said grudgingly.

Eden swallowed back her laughter. Swanny looked as though he’d swallowed nails having to make that particular admission.

“So I take it his talk with you worked, then?” Swanny said after a moment. “Because it’s obvious you’ve definitely reached the top of your field and you’re working with him on this shoot.”

“Yes, it did actually,” Eden said quietly, remembering those hard first few months when her confidence faltered and she felt as though she’d gotten in way over her head. “It was more his profession of faith in me, and my knowing he wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of guy, and I was grateful for it. Because I was very close to walking away from it all. I was miserable and struggled with all the demands being placed on me. But once Lonnie spoke to me and laid it out so bluntly, I felt like a burden had been lifted and it suddenly didn’t seem quite so impossible that I could really do this.”

“I’m glad,” Swanny said in a husky voice. “If you hadn’t stuck it out I would have never met you. Never gotten the chance to have you in my arms.”

Eden flushed just as Skylar came out of the door of the dressing room. The doors were thick and heavy but still, she hoped Skylar hadn’t heard at least the tail end of their conversation.

Skylar did a little twirl as Edge and Nathan stuck their head into the small waiting area outside the dressing rooms.

“Suh-weet, Sky!” Nathan exclaimed. “Definitely your color.”

Swanny looked at his team leader as if he’d grown two heads. “Since when have you gotten so in touch with what colors complement a woman’s appearance?” It wasn’t that he disagreed. Skylar did look dy***ite, but then in his opinion she was just as beautiful in camo paint and fatigues.

“Since I got married and have gone through a myriad of questions from Shea about which color shirt looks best on her,” Nathan said dryly.

“You look damn good,” Edge said gruffly. “I think it’s perfect.”

“I feel like Cinderella,” Skylar said, executing another twirl. “All shimmery and sparkly. This is to die for. All it lacks is a kick-ass pair of heels!”

Magically, or perhaps since the saleslady had all but glued herself to their asses the minute they walked into the door, she hurried in carrying a delicate pair of strappy sandals with an iridescent shimmer that were beaded and blingy at the toes and around the heel of the foot.

It gave the dress that much more pizzazz. Eden smiled as Skylar eagerly donned the shoes and then stood to her full height, which had grown by the two inches the heels sported.

“What do you think, Eden? I swear I don’t even want to try on the others now. I think this is the dress.”

“I agree,” Eden replied, thrilled with Skylar’s response over one of the dresses Eden had picked out herself.

The saleslady looked a little morose since one, it wasn’t one of the dresses she had selected, and two, it wasn’t nearly as expensive as those. But she recovered quickly, likely calculating the amount of money the four suits were bringing in, and chimed in with her own approval of the dress.

“Is that all, then?” the lady asked.

“Yes, we’re finished, and thank you,” Eden said warmly.

“Thank f**k,” Edge muttered under his breath. Skylar rolled her eyes and shook her head in Eden’s direction.

“Maybe I should try on those other dresses,” Skylar said thoughtfully.

Eden almost laughed out loud. It was so obvious she was tormenting her teammates and enjoying every sadistic moment.

Her statement was immediately met with a chorus of denials, compliments and even begging. That one made Eden laugh the most. Three grown-ass men brought to their knees by an hour of shopping and being poked and prodded.

“The dress is perfect,” Edge said, crossing his arms over his broad shoulders as he stared Skylar down. “Quit f**king with us. You forget. I know you far better than the others do and you’re enjoying the hell out of torturing us.”

“Well, there is that,” Skylar said, not in the least abashed by Edge busting her.

The saleslady wore a confused look that suggested no matter how flawless her English was, she had no understanding of what was taking place. “Shall I have them wrapped and delivered to your hotel?”

“Yes, that will be perfect,” Eden said graciously. “It will give us time to eat before we get back to the set.”

“No, I’ll come by and pick them up later,” Swanny interjected before Eden could give out the name of the hotel.

Eden flushed. She’d never get the hang of all this covert nonsense. She knew they only had her best interests at heart, but she wasn’t used to having to be this paranoid. Micah and David had always been cautious too. She was taking nothing away from them. But it was evident KGI was more highly trained and certainly more accustomed to matters of danger, threat and personal security.

“May I have the time you’ll arrive so I can have them ready?” the saleslady asked, the hint of French in her impeccable English pleasant to Eden’s ears.