Magic in Light

by Krista Street

  I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. “Yes, three. I’ve kept all of them in this folder, here.” I pointed at it on the screen. “I’ve had a dozen total.”

  He opened the folder, studying each message. “All from different emails, but we can still check the IP addresses. Although if this person has any idea what he’s doing, there won’t be a way to trace him.”

  “Him? You think it’s definitely a male?”

  Logan pulled up the first email again. “I think so. Each message is concise with short sentences. That’s typical of men. And you see how he begins and ends each message with the same greeting and ending? It’s most likely the same person who wrote each message. He’s using different email addresses to hide.”

  My hands shook less at Logan’s calm logic. “That makes sense.”

  He closed my laptop. “Mind if I keep this? We’ll need to change your passcode so I can log in, but I have a friend who can run a check on the email addresses. And when this creep messages you again, I want to know immediately. Are you expecting emails from anyone else?”

  I shook my head. “No. I don’t get many. Most of the people who need to contact me are on this bus.”

  His head cocked. In the dying light, his features looked even more chiseled. He was truly striking. “No women you keep in touch with or a boyfriend you’re expecting to hear from?”

  My cheeks heated when he said boyfriend. “No—to both of your questions.”

  I held my breath as I waited for Logan to say we should go to the police now that he knew what we were dealing with.

  But instead, Logan simply replied, “I have a few ideas for how to deal with this perp. I’ll let you know if anything that you need to see comes in.” He took a step toward the door, so I hastily stood to follow.

  “Will you let me know when his next email arrives?” I tried to mask the panic in my tone, but it still crept through.

  When he turned to face me, my breath caught. His deep-set chocolate-brown eyes held a fierce determination, and his firm lips tightened, giving me a hint of the steel backbone hidden within him. For a brief moment, I saw a glimpse of something inside Logan Smith that promised retribution for anyone who crossed him.

  Strangely enough, I found that glimpse comforting instead of frightening.

  “You don’t need to be scared. I’ll keep you safe, but if you’d like to know when he contacts you again, yes, I’ll tell you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Cecile appeared in the doorway as the bus engine started, a low rumble that always reminded me of thunder. The dim light penetrating the closed blinds told me the sun had nearly set.

  “We’re heading out now since it’s an eight-hour drive.” Cecile’s bun, firmly back in place, sat at the nape of her neck, the wispy tendrils gone. “Do either of you need anything before we get moving?”

  I shook my head. “I’m fine, and I just finished showing Logan the messages. He’s caught up for the time being.”

  Cecile’s mouth tightened, the worry lines reappearing. “I sure hope you keep my girl safe.”

  Standing as he was, all six-three of him with his thick muscles, square jaw, and firm lips, he made my heart flutter again.

  “I’ll keep her safe. You have my word.”

  Cecile let out a breath just as the bus began to move. “Thank goodness.”

  The bus shifted forward. I swayed but righted myself.

  “Off we go!” Mike called cheerfully from the front.

  Bustling out of the room, Cecile called over her shoulder, “How about I make everyone a bite to eat? We’ve got a long drive ahead of us, and tomorrow’s a big day. Ooh, and from the smell of it, that coffee pot needs to be cleaned!”

  As Cecile worked in the kitchen, Mike whistled a tune to the radio. I was left in the doorway of the small dressing room with Logan only feet away.

  “I’ll grab those sheets for the bed, and—”

  The bus abruptly lurched as Mike turned us onto the highway. I fell forward and collided with Logan, my body planting against his.

  I sucked in a breath when his hands automatically grasped my arms to keep me from falling. At his touch, I closed my eyes, readying myself for the feel of my healing light escaping.

  A second passed. It was enough time to activate my gift.

  Another second passed.

  Nothing.

  The lid to the chest where I sealed my light didn’t even crack. Not one electric jolt or painful flare followed. All I felt were warm, calloused hands holding my upper arms while a hard male chest pressed against me protectively, almost cradling me.

  My lips parted, my breath rushing out.

  I tilted my head up to see Logan staring down at me. His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed.

  My boobs were crushed against his chest. I felt every hard line of him. I’d never experienced anything like it. That was the first time I’d ever touched a man and felt nothing but him.

  Logan abruptly let go and stepped back, a shallow breath lifting his chest.

  A chill settled on my arms from where his hands had been. My mouth parted. So earlier wasn’t a fluke? My jaw dropped even more as that implication set in.

  A country song drifted to my ears. Mike had turned the radio up. Banging came from the kitchen, only a few yards away, as Cecile did the dishes.

  I widened the distance between Logan and me, stepping into the hall. “I’ll just go see if Cecile needs any help.”

  Logan cleared his throat and raked a hand through his hair. “Right. No problem. I’ll … uh … contact that friend of mine.”

  “Yeah. Sure.” I hurried from the room, my long hair flowing behind me. Once out of view, I didn’t stop at Cecile’s side. Instead, I ran to the very back of the bus and locked myself in the bathroom.

  I sank to the floor, my mind reeling as reality set in. My breath came out in ragged pants. Did that really just happen? Because as much as I wanted to deny what had just occurred between Logan and me, I couldn’t.

  That only meant one thing. My mother was right.

  Mates did exist.

  Chapter 3

  “We should get to bed, Dar.” Cecile’s voice penetrated the bathroom’s hollow wood door, which was so flimsy it sounded as if she were in the room with me.

  With a shaky hand, I set my toothbrush down on the sink. “I know. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Her retreating footsteps tapped on the other side.

  I rinsed my mouth then wiped the steam from the mirror. Turquoise eyes stared back at me, and wet hair dripped down my back. Even though I didn’t need one, I’d showered anyway, doing anything to pass time as I hid in the bathroom again following dinner.

  We had only been on the road for two hours, yet it had felt like an eternity. I kept thinking about that contact I’d shared with Logan—the contact in which my gift didn’t activate for a second time, which solidified that he was a potential mate.

  The first potential mate I’d ever met.

  Ever since that moment, I’d been a jumbled mess. Between my mumbled, nearly unintelligible conversation, and my fluttering hands and fidgeting, I was sure Logan had noticed my erratic behavior, but he hadn’t said anything. Thankfully, after Cecile made dinner, Logan had retreated to the front of the bus to do stuff on my laptop. I stayed in the back.

  Still, I’d felt like a pacing animal at the zoo since discovering what my bodyguard could be.

  My fingers trembled when I picked up my hairbrush. I winced when I pulled it too quickly through my damp hair and it caught in a snarl. Around me, toiletry items vibrated on their shelves, creating a buzzing in the bathroom as the bus rumbled beneath my soles. I steadied the cup on the sink so it wouldn’t fall.

  “Daria?”

  I jumped at the sound of Logan’s deep voice through the door.

  His soft knock came next. “Are you all right? You’ve been in there awhile.”

  “Fine. Sorry. I’ll be out soon!”

  Heat rushed up my neck, sp
reading over my face like a bad rash. I’d been in the bathroom for over an hour. No doubt, Logan thought I was some kind of pretty girl, primping and preening in front of the mirror when the reality couldn’t be further from that.

  A quick look around the tiny bathroom had me groaning. In my haste to escape my bodyguard’s presence, I’d forgotten to bring in a change of clothes. Normally, Mike, Cecile, and I would walk to the dressing room wrapped in a towel following a shower, since that was where we stored our clothes, but with Logan on the bus now…

  Just be quick about it. I cinched my towel tightly around my chest and opened the door.

  What greeted me on the other side made my heart stop. Logan stood in the doorway. Apparently, he hadn’t retreated to the front of the bus yet.

  Of course he didn’t, Dar! You never heard him walk away!

  “Oh!” My eyes widened as I tightened the towel more. “I didn’t realize you were still here.”

  His gaze dipped for a fraction of a second to my breasts, which practically spilled over the top of my towel, before he jerked his head upright.

  My cheeks warmed more. “Um … I’ll just get dressed. Excuse me.”

  Logan turned stiffly to let me pass. He seemed intent on keeping his attention above my head. “I didn’t mean to rush you.”

  “That’s okay. You didn’t. Honestly, I was almost done.”

  I hurried past him before he could respond. When I reached the dressing room, I peeked in his direction.

  He still stood in the hall outside the bathroom. From that distance, I couldn’t be sure, but his expression seemed strained. With a shake of his head, almost as if he were talking to himself, he ducked into the bathroom and closed the door.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Despite the rumbling bus lulling me to sleep that night as we headed toward my next show, I tossed and turned. Dreams of evil men running, searching, and wanting plagued me. I knew it stemmed from the death threats, and I also knew that discovering Logan was a potential mate heightened every other emotion I felt.

  I grumbled and turned onto my side. Soft country music floated down from the front of the bus. A few times, Mike hummed or sang along as he drove through the night. Below me, Cecile’s soft breathing floated up, and across the aisle, Logan’s broad back faced me.

  My gaze traveled over his shadowed form, haltingly, curiously. His muscles strained against his thin shirt, leaving little to the imagination. A surreal feeling floated through me.

  If I were to reach across the aisle and touch him, all I would feel were those hard planes and sinewy muscles.

  If I slipped my hand under his shirt, his heat would warm my palm.

  If I nuzzled into his neck, his scent would fill my nose. I could press kisses into the base of his throat while his steel-like arms enclosed around me, and all I would feel was him, nothing else, nothing more.

  Just him.

  I abruptly turned and stared at the ceiling, my breath coming out in harsh pants as a new pulsing sensation grew between my thighs. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, reminding myself of my mother’s words.

  Mom warned you. She said if you ever meet a potential mate, your body will tell you. I wanted to punch something. But does it have to be my bodyguard? Someone I’m employing?

  Granted, I didn’t know Logan very well, if at all, yet he struck me as someone who took his job seriously. I couldn’t imagine him crossing the line between professional freelancer and a hot one-night stand while still working for me.

  Sighing heavily, I forced my attention out the narrow window just above my bunk. A black sky stretched to the horizon, a thousand stars glittering in the cavernous sky. Every now and then, bright lights marred the beauty when we passed an interstate exit with overhead lights.

  I pulled the sheets up higher, the soft cotton smooth along my skin. With a regretful shake of my head, I turned on my side.

  As soon as we caught the psychopath stalking me, Logan Smith would be on his way. It was best to remember that and stuff these new sensations down as far as they would go. Because Logan Smith was not here to find a girlfriend. He was here to do a job, and that was it.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  By the time the sun rose, I’d managed to fall back to sleep so I wasn’t a complete zombie when I woke for the second time. However, when I rolled onto my back and pushed long locks of hair from my eyes, the last thing I expected to hear was a deep voice rumbling by my ear.

  “Do you want a cup of coffee? I just made a pot.”

  My eyes flashed open. Logan stood beside my bed with two steaming cups of coffee in hand. The hazelnut scent drifted my way.

  “Oh!” I pulled the covers up higher. They’d bunched down around my waist, a flash of my bare abdomen peeking out.

  I sat up and straightened my shirt. Cecile’s bed lay vacant beneath me. Only Logan and I occupied the back since Cecile sat near Mike, keeping him company as he drove.

  I pushed the hair from my face and reached for the mug. “Thanks. What time is it?”

  “Just past eight. Mike said we’ll be at your next venue in twenty minutes.”

  “And that friend of yours who’s good with computers? Have you heard from him?”

  “He’s still on assign—” Logan raked a hand through his hair. “Not yet. I’m sure I’ll hear from him soon, though.”

  On assignment? Is that what he was going to say? On assignment for what?

  I brushed that thought off and curled my fingers more tightly around the cup, trying to ignore the tingling deep in my belly at how near he stood.

  Logan’s jaw clenched, and he shifted his attention higher above my head. It was only then I realized my breasts were straining against my T-shirt since I didn’t wear a bra to bed.

  With burning cheeks, I turned slightly so my erect nipples weren’t poking right at him. Inwardly, I groaned. First my exposed midriff, then my boobs were demanding attention.

  Must find a baggy T-shirt to wear at night—preferably a long baggy T-shirt. Maybe one with holes in it, or an unattractive coffee stain, or perhaps overalls. Surely, they’re not that uncomfortable to sleep in.

  Logan cleared his throat and took a step back. “I’ll head back up front. Why don’t you join me after you’re dressed and we can talk about what today will bring?”

  “Sure.” The flush on my cheeks grew. “Just give me ten minutes, and I’ll be right up.”

  Logan’s heavy footsteps filled the bus. I waited until he’d moved a safe distance away before I slid off my bunk, careful not to spill the coffee, then grabbed a change of clothes and darted into the bathroom.

  Just as I was about to close the bathroom door, Cecile and Mike’s soft conversation drifted my way.

  From the snippets I caught, I knew Cecile was going through the day’s plan with Mike. Once we reached our venue, we would have a lot to do before my new clients arrived. On show days, Mike usually didn’t sleep until noon despite driving all night. He never complained, though.

  I firmly closed the bathroom door and groaned when I saw my image in the mirror. Not only were my nipples standing tall and proud for the world to see, but my long blond hair was also the epitome of bed head. Wild hair tangled around my shoulders, and my lips were slightly swollen.

  Anxiously, I set my coffee down on the basin. The hazelnut fragrance filled the cramped space.

  I grabbed a brush and got to work on my hair. I looked like I’d just woken up from a roll in the hay with my boyfriend. Never mind that I was a virgin.

  After washing my face and twirling my hair into a loose bun, I threw on a pair of jeans, a bra that holstered the girls firmly in place, and a T-shirt. Leaving my feet bare, I grabbed my coffee and left the bathroom to join everyone else at the front of the bus.

  Logan stood stiffly when I approached. Being in his presence made the fluttering in my stomach begin anew, but I pushed it down.

  Someone’s threatening your life, Dar. Perhaps keep that in mind, hmm?

  I took a sip of the coffee, sp
illing a bit over the side in my haste to get it to my lips.

  “Oh, Dar, you’re up!” Cecile hurried to my side and looked me over. “You look well rested. That’s good. I know how taxing these days can be.” She glanced at her watch. “We’ll only have an hour to set up if we also want to make breakfast. Mike ran into some unforeseen road construction along the way, so we’re running a little late, but don’t worry. We’ll make do, just like always.”

  I nodded and took another sip of coffee, trying to ignore the imposing hulk of Logan beside me. How is it possible that he’s so big? Just his presence practically created gravitational pull. He was like two hundred twenty pounds of solid muscle that appeared as hard as granite.

  Taking too big a gulp of coffee, I winced when it burned my throat. “How many are on the schedule today?”

  “We have twenty-two—”

  “Twenty-two?” My eyebrows shot to my hairline.

  “I know. It’ll be tight, but with thirty minutes each, we can get it done. I know that’s more than you normally like, but a few of these people have been trying to see you for over two years.” Cecile continued talking in her fluttery way. “The first arrives at ten. We’ll break for lunch at three before starting again at four. The last arrives at nine thirty, so we should be wrapping up a little after ten tonight.”

  “That’s a lot. I hope I can perform and don’t get too tired.”

  Cecile placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. Her palm caused a warm sensation to slide underneath my skin, like the sun’s rays warming my back. She withdrew her hand before those rays turned into electric jolts, like lightning before a storm. After living with me for my entire life, she knew my body’s limits. “If you need to rest in between sessions, we’ll arrange it. Your clients can wait if need be.”

  Logan’s eyebrows drew together. “Who are these twenty-two people?”

  Cecile laced her fingers. “Most are elderly with life-threatening diagnoses, a few middle-aged people, two children with advanced cancer, and one troubled teen who has the beginning symptoms of schizophrenia.”