Page 10 of Impossible Thrills

“I might have to concede to your point there.” Jagger rubbed at his jaw. “That guy ticked me off, and he was singularly impressive.”

“Best man on the planet,” Nick said.

Darcy appreciated Nick’s respect for his boss, but she’d seen many videos of Aiden Porter. He was a schmoozer and wealthy playboy to the millionth degree, even more of a philanderer than Johnny. If that was Nick’s hero, she definitely couldn’t trust this man with her heart.

Nick gently turned her, and they all started walking down the hall together. Jagger and Hays asked questions about Nick’s boss, Aiden. Nick didn’t give them any personal info, but he did talk about Aiden’s training regimen for himself and his specialists, and some of the more visible and publicized ‘ops’ Nick had been with Aiden on. He obviously revered the man.

She and Nick’s hands or arms brushed against each other several times. She couldn’t ignore the tingly warmth she felt every time that happened. As they walked onto the upper sun deck and stopped to talk and savor the view of the beautiful Caribbean ocean, Nick slid their hands together and wrapped her hand up in his.

Darcy should’ve pulled away on principle alone. Holding hands denoted a relationship to her. Did it mean anything to him? Her dad had deserted her, her beloved grandpa had died, and her own husband had cheated on and divorced her when she needed him most.

She could easily believe that Nick was interested in a fling, but she couldn’t trust him to stick around. His idol was a player, and his life was dedicated to security and traveling to protect and serve.

Yet as his thumb trailed across the back of her hand, she got caught up in the fairytale of her very own Will Turner coming for her. What if she told Nick she wanted to get to know him this week? What if she let down her guard?

Just to get her heart ripped to shreds again? No thank you. The orphaned little ones were her purpose. Not falling in love.

Pulling her hand free, she didn’t let herself glance at Nick to see how he reacted. He’d had no right to take her hand like that or toy with her emotions.

They continued their tour through the gorgeous yacht and Darcy catalogued the layout. The lower level was suites for the guests and rooms for the staff. The main level was a mostly open space, loads of windows with dining, kitchen, living areas, a deck out front, and the lower deck out back. The upper level had the captain’s spot—the brig?—a shaded lounging area, a large sun deck, a helicopter, and a hot tub.

A yacht. With a helicopter. Darcy could hardly believe the twists and turns of life that had her walking on a multi-million-dollar yacht owned by Mercedes Belle. Johnny had bought a yacht when she was expecting. She’d been too sick to go out on it with him more than a few times, and her inability to swim had always annoyed him. He hadn’t seemed to mind that she didn’t join him on his many trips on the yacht. Now she assumed he’d had his girlfriend Lacey out there instead.

She pushed that away. These men were gracious to her, and though she was leery of the playboy Nick, she enjoyed being in the company of three tough military heroes. They treated her as if she normally occupied the same stratosphere as them. She had no clue how their heroic, protecting and serving life went, but it was intriguing to chat with them about it. The friends and even security guys of Johnny’s had always seemed shifty and borderline criminal. It was great to be around true heroes, upright men like Nick, Jagger, and Hays.

Nick and Hays were both very friendly with her, or flirtatious might be a better term. Nick was an expert at flirtations and meaningful gazes with his deep-brown eyes. Hays was less experienced, a little awkward, and very cute. Jagger was more gruff but still kind and welcoming, a dangerously handsome kind of guy that you’d never want to meet in a dark alley.

As they sat down to dinner together, Nick asked about her children’s homes.

“I have homes for infants and toddlers in Tecate Mexico, Belize City, Santiago, and Lima, mostly staffed by volunteers. When I win the money”—she paused to give Jagger a look, and he laughed—“I’ll hire full-time people and expand my homes to make space for more children and for children as they age who aren’t adopted. I’d also like to include school rooms and hire qualified teachers.” She was very proud of how far she’d come and all the local volunteers and volunteers from church groups who helped her.

“Sheesh. Make me feel like a jerk for stopping you from winning the million,” Jagger chirped.

“You are a jerk,” Nick said, grinning. “But it’s your job and I’ll beat you soundly, so it doesn’t matter much.”

Jagger laughed again and cracked his knuckles. “I always win.”

“Like you did last week against Aiden?” Nick placed a bite of potato in his mouth as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Jagger bristled, glaring at Nick, but softened as he turned to her. “You’ll have to forgive me, Darcy, but my pride and loyalty to Shawn and Mercedes is on the line here. You understand?” He actually studied her as if it was important to him that she understood.

“Loyalty I can understand. Male pride?” She lifted her hands and shook her head. “I have no way to relate to that.”

They all chuckled and ate a few bites of the delicious steak and shrimp dinner.

“How did you get started with your children’s homes?” Hays asked.

Darcy tore off a bite of sourdough bread and buttered it, looking at Nick from underneath her eyelashes. The man confused her; she was drawn to him and also terrified of letting down her guard around him. Should she share about her divorce?

She didn’t want to tell them she’d gotten her start because her husband Johnny had been a trust fund baby and grown his wealth with Trattori International, a huge real estate company. He’d offered her a very generous settlement if she’d agree to a quick divorce and not ‘drag his good name through the mud.’

Johnny had isolated her from her high school, college, church friends, and even his own family, moving her across the country and controlling who she talked to and spent time with. At least when she was married, Johnny had been around sometimes and ladies at the gym or the country club would include her in activities or lunch because of who she was married to. During her pregnancy, he’d made her stop volunteering at the preschool, leaving her more isolated than ever.

A month after the divorce, she had been lost and lonelier than ever. She’d had no idea what to do with the money, her time, or herself. All she wanted was her baby back, and that wouldn’t happen until she died and went to heaven. She’d gotten so low she didn’t have anything to live for and knew she had to find a purpose. She’d found a great church and the pastor’s wife had befriended her. Emily had suggested she start a home for infants or some kind of charity. She had no idea how deeply invested Darcy would become and how it would change her life. The idea of helping babies and children who were alone like her had taken root and took off.

“I had a beautiful home in Torrey Pines,” she admitted to the men, not certain how to explain while leaving out key details.

“Near the golf course?” Jagger asked, slicing off a piece of steak. “I love that course.”

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