Kelsey Roberts - Undying Laughter

He slid behind the wheel, tugging at the knees of his faded jeans in one fluid motion. Destiny fumbled with the seat belt as he started the engine. She was just regaining her equilibrium, when Wes reached across her lap to open the glove box. His forearm pressed against her legs, rustling the flimsy fabric of her cotton dress.

“What are you doing?”

His answer came in the form of a sudden pop, as the forward edges of the convertible top were released. Wesley didn’t right himself immediately. His hand dropped from the glove box, and his fingers wrapped around the contours of her knee. He was close enough for Destiny to be able to smell the fresh scent of his shampoo. Close enough for her to feel the urge to run her fingers through the thick mass of unruly dark hair falling forward into his eyes. Close enough for her to feel the heat emanating from his massive frame. Destiny went perfectly still.

He drew closer, until she could feel the warmth of his breath wash over her face. Quietly his eyes searched her face before he asked, “Any further developments from your fan?”

An involuntary shiver doused her budding passions the instant she thought of the creepy notes and flowers.

“Not a word.”

Destiny should have commented when his hand slid from her knee to her waist, then over her arm and her shoulder, until she could feel his palm cup her chin. Where was her sharp wit? Surely she could think of some cute remark that would inspire him to take his hand away. She could, but she didn’t want to.

She knew that for certain when she braved a look at his face. Concern seemed to temper his expression. She saw it in the deep lines beside his eyes and mouth.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

“Sure,” she responded with false lightness as she pulled back from his touch. “I’m fine. I tried to tell you last night that I’m not letting this fruitcake get to me.”

He frowned, apparently not buying her brave front. “He’s getting to you. You’re too smart to be so nonchalant about a potential threat.”

“Gee,” Destiny began, batting her lashes at him, “nice compliment. Sorta like ‘That dress doesn’t make you look quite so fat.’”

“You know what I meant,” Wesley countered with a frown.

“I know,” she said, softening her expression with a genuine smile. “But you’re wrong about me.”

“Really?”

“I’m not intimidated by this guy.”

“Caution and intimidation aren’t the same thing.”

“I know,” she said, winking in an attempt to lighten his mood. “I’m smart. Remember?”

“Then be smart enough to do whatever’s necessary to find out why you’re being stalked.”

Destiny swatted his hand away and ran her fingers through her hair. “Please stop using the word stalked. And either put on the air-conditioning or throw back the top. I’m going to expire in this heat.”

“Avoidance,” he grumbled as he reached over and pressed something that made a whirring sound.

Blue skies, bright sun and a sweet-smelling breeze filled the car. “I’m not avoiding anything,” she told him as he put the car into Drive.

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not.” Destiny turned in the seat, tucking her leg beneath her in the process. Her eyes took in the strong angles of his face. Everything about this man seemed to exude strength.

“Whatever you say.”

“I’m not,” she insisted. “I’m simply not willing to allow some lunatic to dictate my actions.”

“And what happens if this lunatic decides he wants to do more than just admire you from afar? Then what?”

“Are you trying to scare me to death?”

“No. I’m trying to get you to understand the potential danger of this situation.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Caring.”

Wesley met her eyes briefly. “Don’t most people care about you?”

“You answered my question with a question. You do that a lot.”

“Sorry.”

“My friends care about me, Doctor. But we’re hardly friends.”

“Really?”

“That’s another question.”

“Sorry.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Why aren’t we friends?”

“We don’t know each other,” Destiny said with a little laugh. “Maybe we would have been friends. That isn’t the point. I don’t understand why you’ve made me your cause du jour. ”

“You aren’t a cause. You’re a woman with a serious problem.”

As she digested his answer, she wasn’t quite sure whether she liked it or not. “I’m a woman used to solving her own problems.”

“I’m sure you are,” Wesley told her easily. “But there’s no crime in asking for help. Especially when it’s freely offered.”

“Nothing in life is free, Doctor.”

“Very cynical,” he observed. “Care to expound?”

“Not particularly. Suffice it to say that I strongly believe that you have to pay for everything in one way or another.”

“I believe you’ve just simplified the dynamics of karma into a cross-stitch sampler.”

“Cute,” Destiny remarked, feeling herself relax. “Beneath that professional exterior lives a wicked sense of humor.”

“Don’t tell anyone.”

“Your secret is safe. Besides, I’m not keen on any more competition.”

“Do you constantly look over your shoulder for the next shining star?”

Destiny smiled and captured her hair in her fist as the car accelerated out of the city. “I try never to look back. It isn’t healthy.”

“Are you always this evasive?” Wesley queried.

“I guess it’s been a long time since I carried on a conversation with anyone other than Gina or David.”

“Very limited. Too limited for such a beautiful young woman.”

“Thanks, I think. You certainly are good at giving backhanded compliments.”

“Sorry. Must be Rose’s influence.”

“She seems like a very nice lady. Very real.”

“Except for her delusions about Elvis Presley and her passion for wearing animal prints.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a flamboyant personal style or an appreciation of the King.”

“I agree. But I’ll admit it was something of a shock to discover my mother looked and acted like a reject from some BBC comedy.”

“What do you mean, discover? ”

“I’ve only recently reestablished a relationship with Rose. Mostly because of my brother, J.D. He and his wife went back to Florida shortly after they were married.”

“He’s the guy who did the dependency?” she asked.

Wesley nodded. “He and Tory—that’s his wife—had some trouble with the renovations.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“They found a body shorn up in the wall.”

“Yuk!” Destiny said with a groan. “Thanks for sharing that with me. It will make standing on that stage really comfortable.”

“It wasn’t a body, actually. It was a skeleton. And everything worked out in the end.”

“Sounds peachy,” Destiny managed to say. “Anything else you’d like to share with me?”

“I could tell you about Chad’s kidnapping, but I’ll save that for another time.”

“Chad? Isn’t that Agent Tanner’s son?”

“Yep.”

“Is The Rose Tattoo cursed, or something?”

“Nothing so sinister,” Wes assured her. “Just a bad year or so for the locals.”

“I guess if my admirer shows up, he’ll be in good company here in Charleston. That’s something.”

“Calm down, Destiny. The guy in the wall was the former owner. And the Tanners’ son was returned safely to his very grateful, albeit overly indulgent, parents.”

“And everyone lived happily ever after,” she said as they parked in front of the villa.