Wicked Force (Wicked Horse Vegas #4.5)(23)

Carrie leans forward with excitement. “Like what?”

“Like none of your business,” I tell her primly. “That’s for us to share alone.”

“You have to do something,” Carrie says adamantly. “I mean, this sounds pretty deep to me. You can’t just not pursue him because his job will interfere.”

“I don’t want him to lose his job though.” It’s the only reason I didn’t provoke him further last night. I don’t want my selfishness to hurt him.

Carrie looks at something over my shoulder and her eyes go big with awe. I twist my neck, look behind me, and see Kynan walking our way.

“Is that him?” Carrie asks. “I mean... I figure it is. He’s dressed the same way as the other dude over there, but damn, Jossy. You didn’t tell me he was so freaking hot.”

I ignore her and smile at Kynan as he approaches. He’s incredibly hot but that’s only one of the reasons I’m attracted to him.

The other is by what he has in his hand, which he offers to me. “Figured you could use one.”

I take the venti caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream on top. He knows it’s my favorite and he went out of his way to get me one.

“Thank you,” I tell him and then sweep a hand toward Carrie. “This is my friend, Carrie Foster.”

Kynan sticks his hand out to her and gives her a roguish smile that makes her giggle. I hold my laugh as they shake hands, enjoying seeing confident Carrie reduced to a school girl because Kynan is just that gorgeous.

Turning back to me, Kynan says, “I just touched base with Sheriff Hull. He seems to have security well in hand. Honestly, you’d be safe enough without me and Jayce at your back, but I’ll be just off stage like I normally do in Vegas, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan,” I tell him and then take a sip of the cool, creamy delight.

“You good?” he asks. “Need anything?”

I shake my head. “We’re good. Just going to hang out awhile.”

Kynan’s brown eyes turn warm for a moment and they drop ever so briefly to my mouth. Is he thinking about our kiss? Would he do it again if I asked? Am I a complete slut if I ask?

“Okay then,” he says and thumbs over his shoulder at Jayce. “He’s got control of you. I’m going to walk around a bit. Call me when you want to go somewhere.”

“I will,” I murmur and then Carrie and I watch as Kynan melts back into the crowd.

She sighs first and I sigh right behind her.

“God, Jossy,” she says. “You need to get all over that. That man is crazy about you.”

My head whips back her way and my brow furrows. “What makes you say that?”

“Could you not see it on his face? Hear it in the way he talks to you? You walk on water for him and he’d cross fire for you.”

I just blink at her.

“You don’t see that?” she presses.

“I don’t know,” I admit miserably. “I feel something but I don’t know what it is. I think it’s only me sometimes, but then you say something like that and I think you might be right. There’s something really amazing there between us.”

“My advice is don’t wait for it,” she says with an emphatic nod. “Life is too short.”

“Life is too short,” I repeat.

“You should go for it,” she pushes at me.

“Just go for it?” I echo back to her.

“Go for it,” Carrie repeats. “What do you have to lose?”

A broken heart and a crushed spirit most likely.

But Kynan is probably worth risking those things.





Chapter 11



Kynan



I’d thought I’d seen Joslyn performing at her peak in Vegas. Her act is so entertaining you get lost in it. Her voice so beautiful time stands still. And when it’s all over and done with, you want to push her back out there and tell her, “Do it again.” Because I could watch her 24/7 on that stage and never get tired of it.

But now I realize that she wasn’t even close to unleashing her potential. If any talent agent were watching her now, there’d be a mad stampede to get her signed.

I can only assume it’s being back in her hometown and singing for her father’s memory that is making the difference. The passion she’s putting into her music tonight is transcendental. She doesn’t have the fancy stage lighting, sparkling costumes, and high energy backup dancers behind her.

No, she’s just in her jeans, a flowing taupe-colored blouse that bares one shoulder, and simple, flat sandals. She did her hair in loose braids hanging over each shoulder with wisps framing her face. Her makeup is simple and understated.

She’s just Joslyn, yet a completely different one than I’ve ever seen before.

Tonight, she is simply magical, and years from now I might look back on this moment and say it was when I fell helplessly for her.

She’s on her final song. It’s one she sings in her Vegas act. The one on the stool with the lone spotlight on her. But tonight she just stands in front of the microphone, both hands clutching it hard and her lips moving fluidly as she sings about love and heartache and redemption.

I force myself to look around. The crowd is gently swaying to the tune, many singing along with her. Her best friend Carrie is in front, beaming up at her. Several times Joslyn has looked down at her during her performance and smiled back. It was nice to see Joslyn just have time with a friend today. She never gets to do enough fun things for herself. She’s always working or rehearsing, and her evenings are spent talking to me, which can’t be all that exciting.