Wicked Force (Wicked Horse Vegas #4.5)(24)

Right?

I try not to think of that fucking kiss. The one that almost drove me to my knees and then later drove me to one of the hardest orgasms I’d ever had while I was in the shower jacking myself off. I felt simultaneously dirty to be doing it and accomplished. I’ve never been attracted to someone like this. I’ve never wanted to just lose myself in another person before, and I feel sometimes I could gladly give up my existence to just immerse myself in hers.

It’s both exciting and terrifying at the same time, but ultimately it’s moot. She’s a client, not a romantic interest.

Joslyn’s song comes to an end and before the last notes of the backup band’s music fade away, she pulls the mic closer to her mouth and waves to the crowd. “Thank you, Cunningham Falls, for all your support to raise money for cancer research today. I’ve missed this place so much, and it’s been great to be back. I love you.”

The crowd cheers and people clap while calling out for an encore. Lighters flare to life and smartphones are held up to shine light. It’s not something she can indulge in Vegas. When the show is over, it’s over.

But here she’s the final act of the night.

There are no rules.

She looks out over the crowd, her bottom lip quivering ever so slightly with emotion. She turns her head and looks at me. I smile and nod to her, telling her she needs to give them more.

She grins back at me and I’m simply dazzled. We stare at each other a moment before Joslyn turns to walk back to the band. The lead guitarist leans in toward her, she says something to him, and he turns to relay the message to the other musicians.

Joslyn takes the mic again, the music strikes up, and she gives the crowd more.





“Are you sure you don’t want to stay out tonight?” I ask Joslyn as we ride back to the resort in the rented SUV. Jayce stayed back for the evening carnival and because I think he hooked up with someone last night and intended to do the same again tonight.

Fine by me. He’s off duty and while absolutely nothing would ever happen, I like having Joslyn to myself.

“No,” she says quietly as she leans back in the passenger seat. “I’m done for the night.”

She sounds tired, which she often is after a performance. Still, I thought she’d want to hang with Carrie for a bit. Instead, after she finished her last double encore song, she came off the stage and just rested a hand lightly on my forearm. “I’m going to go say goodbye to Carrie, then I’ll be ready to call it a night.”

Her voice was huskier than normal but she sang way longer than she normally does. Her eyes looked fatigued but her body still seemed to have bounce in her step.

It worries me, so I ask her one more time. “You sure? Last night in Cunningham Falls. I could take you back down to the beach. They’re serving huckleberry ice cream.”

Her head rolls to the left and she gives me a smile that I can read nothing into. “I’m sure.”

With a sigh, I push the gas pedal down to start the climb up Whitetail Mountain and the ski resort at the top.

Joslyn is silent for the ride and it’s throwing me off a bit because she’s such a chatterbox normally. I know she’s riding a bit of an adrenaline high because I’m betting that was the most fun she’s ever had performing.

Is she upset about me pulling out of the kiss last night? Does she know it has nothing to do with her and everything to do with my job? That I’d cut off my right nut if Jerico would tell me it would be fine to guard her and have her at the same time?

More silence as I park. We cross the parking lot to the lobby and ascend to the room in the elevator. I watch her carefully and she doesn’t seem upset. She catches me watching her and gives me back a fond smile.

And that’s confusing.

Maybe she’s moved on. Maybe when I told her that we couldn’t be together, she took me at face value and she’s already let it go.

Let me go.

“Joslyn,” I say as we reach the room, turning to block the door. “Are you okay?”

She blinks at me in surprise, noting the worry in my voice. “Of course I am. Why do you ask?”

“I just thought you’d want to stay out, this being your last night in Cunningham Falls, and you’ve been awful quiet since we left the venue.”

Again, she smiles and shakes her head. “That performance was just... so amazing, I kind of just want to revel in that. I don’t want to lose this feeling.”

I’m immediately relieved and I feel my body loosen. A sense of joy sweeps through me that she got as much out of that performance as I did. That it was just as magical to her as it was to me.

Joslyn tilts her head quizzically as she stares at me. “You felt it too, didn’t you?”

“The magic?” I ask her, then clarify. “Your magic.”

“There’s only been one other time I can think of that I was so in tune with my feelings,” she murmurs, her eyes taking on a dreamy quality.

And it hits me like a nuclear warhead slamming into my chest.

I know exactly what she’s talking about when she says she’s only felt this amazing, mystical, magical quality once before.

It was our kiss last night.

“Joslyn,” I whisper, my hands clenching into fists so I don’t grab her to me.

“Did you feel it too?” she asks me in a low voice. “Last night?”