Free Frozen Necessity by Evi Asher Page A

her way soon anyway.”
    Colt debated telling Jericho about the kiss Kate had given him, but he couldn’t make up his mind if he should say anything or let it go since Jericho wasn’t serious about her. Colt clenched his jaw and made a decision.
    “She came here and she kissed me,” he blurted.
    Jericho did another one of his whatever shrugs, and Colt relaxed a little.
    “You aren’t going to hit me.”
    A bark of laughter escaped Jericho’s lips. “Dude, she kissed you, and I’m not blind. I saw how she was looking at you when you met her.”
    Colt knew there was something Jericho wasn't admitting to. He thought his best friend might have more feelings for Kate than he was letting on.
    “I kissed her back for a bit.”
    “Did you enjoy it?” Jericho grinned, but Colt could read Jericho's tension in the lines around his eyes.
    “What’s wrong with you, Jer. If you told me Gel—” Colt clamped his jaw shut and refused to finish that sentence.
    “Oh, no you don’t. You aren’t getting out of finishing that thought. Spit it out.” Jericho was still grinning, but now the expression seemed far more knowing to Colt.
    He changed the subject back to Jericho and Kate. “Aren’t you jealous?”
    Jericho frowned for a second as if he was considering it, then lied.
    Colt knew it was a lie.
    “No, I suppose I should be, but I’m not. It’s not in me to be the jealous type.”
    Colt snorted. Yeah, right. Meet the right woman and you’ll be five shades of green every time anyone looks in her direction.
    He caught himself glancing at Angelica’s closed door. When he realized where he was looking, he forced his eyes back to Jericho, but it was too late. Jericho had seen the direction of his gaze.
    “So you know jealousy first hand, huh?”
    “No, I don’t.” Colt denied it, but even in his ears, his denial sounded week and forced.
    “Ah huh. If you say so.” Jericho was smirking, and Colt wanted to hit him for it.
    “Why are you here, anyway?” Colt grunted, choosing not to let Jericho get to him.
    “Sarah sent me.”
    “Oh?” Colt sat forward. He wondered if there was town council business that needed seeing to.
    In such a small village, they didn’t get much to do as the council, so he was always eager when there was some work.
    “She’s decided that since you brought guests to the village, we should have a town gathering to welcome the guests.”
    “One guest—and she is a prisoner.” Colt’s eyes strayed to Geli’s door again. The wood looked so warm and inviting, he wanted to get up, ignore Jericho, and go push the door open to see Angelica on the other side.
    “Hey, One-Track.” Jericho half yelled to get Colt’s attention again.
    “Sarah is talking about all the guests, the others we got out of the storm, and Angelica.”
    It took a moment for Colt to realize what Jericho had said. He felt his brow crease with a frown. “No.”
    Jericho laughed and the sound was rich and warm. “What makes you think Sarah gave you a choice? The whole thing has been arranged.” He looked down at the watch strapped on his left wrist. “Two hours from now, the town will be welcoming all the guests, and you had better be there with Angelica in tow, or Sarah will come haul you down to the town hall by your ear.”
    Jericho stood up. “Now that I’ve delivered the message, I’ll be on my way, places to be…people to see.” He winked at Colt, who sat in silence, and walked out the door.
    “Crap,” Colt uttered as the door closed.
    The storm had died right down, so he couldn’t even use that as an excuse for keeping Angelica in the cabin. Jericho was right. If Colt tried to deny Sarah what she wanted, she’d come take it. There was something powerful and strange about that particular village elder.
    Colt felt the small smile that curled at the edges of his lips. Fine, he’d take Geli to the town hall for the welcome, but he still had two hours to fix what he’d messed up and to finish what he