Code Name: Genesis (Jameson Force Security #1)(35)

“You try those on,” Harry instructs me. “I’m going to go make some calls from your office and work on the finishing touches of the press release that’s going out after Cara’s show goes live.”

Cara tapes in front of a national audience, and our interview won’t go live until tomorrow morning. The news outlets will pick up the story I’m now “engaged,” and Harry has several more interviews for me throughout the week—both on camera and via phone. There’s a large part of me that hates this ruse I’m perpetrating on my fans, and I can only hope they will forgive me once we catch this stalker and they know the reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing.

“I’d have rather gone out shopping,” I mutter as I put my phone down on the nightstand and pull my legs up. Wrapping my arms around my shins, I tell Harry pointedly, “Thank you for doing this for me.”

“It was no big deal,” he says airily, and then breezes out of my room.

Normally, I would relish the chance to go shopping with Harry and Lynn. We’d hit a few boutique stores on Melrose before going out for lunch. It’s one of the best things about living in this area and I actually don’t do it often, so it’s a great treat.

But Kynan nixed the idea of us going out shopping. He said it wasn’t safe. I told him it was if he was with me, to which he replied, “I’ve got other things I need to do that take priority. You’ll just have to stay here.”

I wasn’t happy about that. I’m a prisoner in my own home, and I’ve never had my freedom curtailed this way. At least, not since before I met Kynan and my mom was “managing” me.

I’m not sure what expression my face held when Kynan told me I couldn’t go, but before I could even take a breath, he’d drawn me into his arms for a protective, sympathetic embrace. I was stiff and held my arms to my side at first, not understanding a damn thing about what was happening. But Kynan just wrapped his arms around me, squeezed gently, and kissed the top of my head ever so gently. He then murmured, “I know this is hard on you, Jos. It will be over soon, though. I promise.”

I succumbed. My arms went around his waist, and I let him hug me. I let him envelop me in his strength, and I relished in the comfort and security.

“What if this drags on?” I asked while pressing my cheek into his chest and trying not to notice how great he smelled. “What if he doesn’t come after me right away? You have a new business you’re trying to get up and running. I know you can’t stay here forever.”

Kynan’s chest rumbled with an easygoing laugh. “Then I’ll have to cart you off to Pittsburgh with me, I guess.”

I didn’t tell him that was a ludicrous notion, even though it absolutely is. I didn’t press him for a better answer. Instead, I let my mind wander for just a moment about what it would be like to leave this life and start over again somewhere else.

With Kynan.

My musings were cut short, though, when Kynan released me. I coughed to clear my throat, turning away so he couldn’t see my red face. I muttered something like, “I’m sure it will all work out for the best.”

I then retreated to my room, called Lynn, who called Harry, who then went shopping for me.

And here they are.

Lynn steps further into my room, then plops down on my bed. “Save yourself the time and just go with Harry’s suggestion.”

I chuckle, crawling onto my bed to sit opposite of Lynn. Eyeballing the boxes, I decide to take her advice. Harry’s got better taste than I do.

“Saw Kynan working in the kitchen,” Lynn remarks as she pulls her legs up and crosses them Indian-style. “He said Bebe and Rachel left to go back to Vegas.”

With a nod, I mimic her movement. I pick at a piece of nonexistent lint on my yoga pants. “Feels weird with them gone, even though they were only here for a few days.”

“And now you’re forced to deal with Kynan,” Lynn quips, and my head snaps up in astonishment.

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to sound nonchalant, but there’s a level of hysteria in my voice.

Lynn rolls her eyes. Such kind eyes most of the time. Lynn has become a second mother figure to me after I let my own mother go as my manager. She shakes her head, which is covered with a short cap of the most luxurious premature silver hair I’d ever seen on another human. I once tried to get her to admit to me she colored it, but she swore on her dog’s life—a Yorkie named Bob—that it was her natural hair.

“Come on, Jos,” she chides. “Kynan is something to you. You haven’t told me what, and I’ve tried to mind my own business, but since we’re sitting here talking and all… why don’t you just go ahead and spill it?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I reply lamely, dropping my gaze so I’m not looking directly at her as I lie.

“Joslyn.” Her tone is low and warning in nature. “Don’t even think to bullshit me. I see the way that man looks at you. You have your head stuck in the sand most of the time when it comes to men. Half the time, he looks at you like he’s seen a ghost come back to life. The other half, it’s with a hunger that actually makes me fear for you. In a good kind of way, you know?”

Her words send a tremble up my spine. “Really?”

“Really,” she replies with a firm nod. “So what’s the deal with you two?”