Kyle nodded, his expression neutral. “Good. That’s good, Alex.”
* * *
Late afternoon,Alex sat at the big farmhouse table at the ranch house with Kyle on one side and Brock on the other. With them sat Shane, Mack, Charlene, Jake, and Wolf. Caroline was out back with Arden doing the never-ending chores that keeping livestock required and talking while the usual pack of dogs played around them in the yard.
Jake drummed his nails on the table, impatient, and no wonder. Rachael was back at the festival grounds and he was due to meet her for dinner with the other judges, instructors, and musical hopefuls—including Brianna and Glass.
Kyle cleared his throat. “Thanks for coming over,” he addressed the other bodyguards.
“All you had to say was Arden made more peach cobbler,” Badger said, and everyone laughed. But having talked to Kyle earlier, Alex recognized impatience in the man by the way his shoulders crept up toward his ears when no one was looking.
“I second that,” Charlie added, lifting another forkful of cobbler to her lips.
Kyle smiled at her. “I’ll station you near the food stalls at the festival.”
“Evil,” she said but winked.
“Right now we have it easy, with just the music workshop happening ahead of the festival, but that’s gonna change here pretty quick. Before the crowds start coming in on Thursday, I want to go over the map of the grounds, the weak points where people tend to sneak in and out. We’ve had a nice warmup with only the instructors, students and judges, but things are already getting a little hairy.” Kyle looked at Badger, who growled—right along with Jake.
Huh. That was interesting. Alex wondered about the whole Brianna-Glass story.
Kyle continued. “Talking to Sergeant Williams, once the festival starts, our biggest concerns will be illegal drugs around the area.” He looked at Alex. “The dogs will definitely be getting a workout.”
“Question.” Shane had his finger in the air. “Why aren’t the local cops handling that? We’re bodyguards, right, not law enforcement.” The others nodded in agreement and Alex felt uneasy.
“Theyarehandling it. We have extra police backup this year, I’ve been told.”
“And why is that?” Jake asked, looking on-edge. “Rachael and I were under the impression that this was a fun family event.”
“It is. I’ve been told by Boulder that it’s just local politics and to be done asking about it,” Kyle said. Alex’s uneasiness grew. He’d tried to bring up the question with Sylvie, who didn’t have any good answers, either. “Williams asked for our help, and so we’re helping him. Of course, our main objective is to keep the talent safe—”
“Especially my wife,” Jake interjected.
“Including the lovely and talented Rachael Collins.” Kyle smirked good-naturedly. “Youknowwe’ve got her back, Jake.”
“Just checking, Pup.”
“May I continue?” Kyle mock-bowed.
“Absolutely.”
“We’re gonna keep everyone safe, but we’ve also gotta keep an eye on the local situation. Williams tells me that the gangs are moving in, shaking down the local dispensaries, selling the harder stuff. Cocaine, fake pain pills laced with fentanyl. Nasty, horrible stuff. While he’s getting help from Boulder in the form of extra police outside the festival, we’re the main security for the inside. Don’t wanna spook the festival-goers with too many uniforms, plus we’re still unfamiliar faces for any local gangs.”
“No problem. We can do this,” Charlie said.
“Affirmative. But hopefully, we won’t have to. The festival attracts a good crowd. Nothing in the way of fighting, so Arden tells me. Real mellow—families, music lovers, fans of Bluegrass, folk, songwriters. Hippie-dippy. But keep an eye out for the fringes.”
“Got it.”
They spent the next hour going over their plans. When Alex asked about providing dogs, Kyle surprised him by saying that security dogs were not allowed on the premises. Apparently, the resident dog who lived with the caretakers in the old farmhouse on the property would not stand any other canine, and because he was a fan favorite, the no-other-dog rule was strictly enforced. Jake and Badger only grew more agitated as the time passed, and truth be told, so did Alex. Sylvie was working a late patrol but he wanted to get a call in to her before she started. When Kyle adjourned the meeting, he tried not to bolt out of his seat like the other two men did.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Sylvie preferred to work earlier in the day, but today, she was glad for the later shift. It had allowed her to sleep in after staying up late talking to Alex.
Sitting at her desk at work, she hid her smile. As if they’d just ‘talked’ to each other and not had mind-blowing phone sex. A first for her—both the phone sex and the fantasy of being restrained. Actually, more than being restrained—what was it about the idea of being tied up that curled her toes and made her insides clench with need? She never thought she was the passive type in bed, but there was something so irresistible about Alex’s commanding voice, giving her no choice but to surrender to the pleasure he offered her. No man had ever done that for her, and if you’d asked her before she met Alex if she’d be into something even remotely kinky, Sylvie would have blushed and laughed and blushed some more before saying no way.
And to think Alex had been worried that he’d taken things too far. She sighed. That just showed her how caring and considerate he was under the tough SEAL façade. No, not a façade; the manwastough and commanding and she’d never want to cross him in battle. She couldn’t wait until they were actually together for the night.
