Page 35 of The Publicity Stunt

"Home is wherever your heart is. If that's a little cabin in the middle of nowhere on a lake with three kids running around while you write music, that's home."

Bri sighs. "I think I have to really decide what I want in life and start making the necessary changes to make it happen."

"Bri?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I say here tonight?"

Her stomach flutters, and her chest tightens. "You want to spend the night?"

"Nothing has to happen," he says quickly. "I just... I just want to spend time with you. We don't get a lot of time together, and it's a new feeling for me."

"You don't want to have sex with me?" she jokes, trying to lighten the mood because his words have the possibility of wearing her down before he tells her he doesn't love Sasha any longer.

To her relief, he chuckles. "Of course, I'd love to have sex with you. But you're not ready for that yet, and that's okay. You have to trust me first."

Bri looks into his eyes. "I trust you, Kace. I don't share anything I've told you with anyone. Some of my team only knows half of what you do. As much as I'd like to have you show me what you were talking about making love, it's how you feel about Sasha that holds me back. I don't want to take a chance to taint something that I think could be so special if we decided to step over the line of the friendship we've built."

"You trust me?"

"Well, besides the fact you're larger than anyone on my security team, yes, I trust you. In many different facets. Starting with grizzly bear attacks."

Kace tilts his head back and laughs, and she likes the deep vibrations that come from it. "Grizzly bear attacks?"

"Have you ever seen one? They're huge, and I'm fairly confident you could take one on without much issue. Plus, you play hockey. I've quickly learned that's an immediate intimidation factor."

"I don't think grizzly bears watch hockey, and it may be intimidating to some, but not all. It certainly doesn't intimidate Bobby."

Leaning back to rest her back on the armrest of the sofa, she narrows her eyes. "What did Bobby say to you?"

"Just that he'd end my career by pulling a Tonya Harding on me if I hurt you. But he won't stop with just one knee."

Bobby said that? The man barely speaks. "Big Bobby? And you all know Tonya Harding wasn't the one to actually take out Nancy Kerrigan, right? It was her ex-husband who orchestrated the whole thing."

"Do you have another Bobby on your team? And I don't think it matters whether she did or didn't. The threat's still the same."

"No, I only have one Bobby, but he never says much."

"He's fond of you. Says you're the best boss he's ever worked for, and he's protective of you. Your entire team is based on the death glares I got when I showed up here. But it kind of kills me you don't see just how special you are, Bri."

"You make me feel special," she admits and looks at her hands. The moment she says it, she wishes she hadn't.

Kace reaches out and pulls her into his lap, holding her only inches from his face. "This is going to sound so cheesy, but you make me want to be a better person."

The closeness becomes too much, and she can't take it. Her lips crash onto his, and he tangles his hands in her hair. Their tongues dance, and she wants to get drunk on his kiss. Lost in the lust she feels, but Sasha pops into her mind just as she reaches for the hem of his shirt. "Wait."

His hands immediately release her, and she feels cold. Misses his touch, and she hates not knowing how he feels.

"Did I go too fast?"

"Are you over Sasha?"

He searches her eyes and sighs. "We should cool down."

Kace still loves Sasha. Bri's heart breaks a little, but she appreciates his honesty. "I think that might be best right now."

Chapter Thirteen

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