Page 32 of Slow Ride

“I’m going to do my best.”Kason thought about how Van and Kyra had picked him up at his lowest.He didn’t have anything to hide from them—except that one massive secret love—so he said, “Thank you both for getting me to a place where talking to a woman like Wren is possible.Before, I wouldn’t have been worth anything in a relationship that lasted longer than an orgasm or two.I’m hoping, maybe, things might be different now.”

“I’m proud of you.”The quiver in Kyra’s tone weakened the resistance in Kason’s elbows until he hugged her, perspiration and all.

Over her shoulder, Kason saw Van smiling at the two of them.He said, “I’m glad that you’re trying something new.Just remember that if it doesn’t work out this time, that doesn’t mean it might not next time.You gotta keep trying.”

Only because he was so close to Kyra did Kason hear her snort and say, “Take your own advice, asshole,” under her breath.

Kason whispered in her ear, “Everything okay?”

She looked up at him and nodded, but her accompanying smile was weak.“Yeah.Go call your girl.”

“She’s not mine…yet.”He winked, then waved before he turned to Van.“You have a back way out tonight?”

“Of course.”The man went into business mode.There was no sense in bringing up Kyra then because Van wouldn’t respond.He was all bodyguard and no friend as he shielded Kason.Together, they cut through the mob of fans outside the venue, milling around near Kason’s bus.

When Van unlocked the door and ushered Kason inside, he said, “I’ll wait here and make sure you’re not disturbed.”

“You don’t have to stay outside.”Kason laughed.“Wren’s too far away for you to walk in on much except me and my hand in action.”

Living on a tour bus meant that they’d both had that experience on accident with each other as well as their fellow band members from time to time.It also meant they’d learned to deal with a lack of privacy and greater than normal involvement in each other’s lives, which didn’t bother Kason in the least.

Could that mean he’d be better suited to hooking up with more than one person at a time than most people?Yeah, probably.The more he thought about it, and he honestly couldn’t stop thinking about it now that the idea had come into his head, the more he realized that this could be what he’d really craved all along.

People who understood and embraced every part of himself because they yearned for the same thing.

“From here I can keep an eye on Kyra, the rest of the band, and the crew as they make the trek over later.”Van shifted from foot to foot.Sure, they had additional personnel around, but Van was the best of the best and also had managerial duties over the rest of the security team.

Kason should have thought about how bailing impacted everyone else.

“Van, go.I’ll lock up tight here and I promise I won’t leave until you’re back, okay?”Kason pointed toward the backstage area.

“You swear, you’re not going to vanish for any sort of midnight runs without calling me first?”Van asked.

A year ago this would never have flown.Tonight was entirely different.“Look, I know there were times I needed you to keep me from doing stupid shit.This isn’t one of them.I’m fine.I’ll be here talking on the phone with a woman like the teenager I’ve apparently regressed to.Go keep an eye on Kyra before you lose your mind.”

There, he’d said it.

Van didn’t contradict him or pretend like he was equally concerned with guarding any other bodies either.“Thanks.”

He stood and waited for Kason to secure the bus.Only then did he jog back to the arena’s side-door in search of one curvy blonde instrumentalist.Interesting.

But not remarkable enough to delay Kason any further.He already had his phone out of his pocket and his finger hovering over Wren’s name in his contacts before he’d reached his bedroom at the back of the bus.

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