Page 25 of Impossible Thrills

“One!”

They both dove out of the plane. Nick angled his body straight at Darcy. Jagger couldn’t get there first. But even as he thought that, Jagger pulled ahead.

He could hear Darcy’s screams being carried by the wind draft, and it tore at him. He prayed and tried to focus, streamline his body, and dive quicker.

Please, a wind draft, some help. Not for my pride, but for Darcy and the children. Help me get to her.

If he reached her, he could also reassure her better than Jagger could. There was something special between them, even if he shouldn’t act on it and she had turned him away last night.

Jagger was just in front of him, and he was closing in on Darcy. The ground was rushing up faster. Would they be able to catch her and pull the chute in time? Hays had an altimeter and would know when to pull her chute if they didn’t get there.

Nick couldn’t let Jagger win. Darcy winning the money for her children was too important to him, and okay, his own pride was on the line as well. He was Captain Aiden Porter’s top man. He had to represent.

They were feet from Darcy when Nick knew he had to play a little dirty. All’s fair in war. Jagger had said that. He reached out and grabbed Jagger’s foot, yanking him the other direction. Jagger hollered.

Nick slammed into Darcy, wrapping his hands tight around her arm. She cried out in pain.

“I’ve got you!” he yelled, clinging to her arm. He tried to maneuver her around in front of him. The ground was only twenty-five hundred feet away now. They needed to pull her chute, but she’d be ripped from him if he didn’t secure her.

“Pull it,” Hays called to them.

“Pull it,” Jagger yelled.

“Darcy!” Nick commanded. “Turn toward me and hold on.” He tugged at her, and she wrapped one leg around the back of his thigh and clung to his waist. “Hold on!” He grabbed her cord and yanked it.

The parachute blasted out above them, and they jerked. Darcy screamed out as her grip around his waist slipped. Nick held tightly to her arm. He wrapped his other arm around her lower back and held her snug against his body. Her body trembled against him, but he had her. He’d caught her and he’d beaten Jagger.

From the corner of Nick’s eye, he saw Hays’s and Jagger’s chutes deploy.

The peaceful silence that always came after traveling at terminal velocity was even more pronounced as they clung to each other, and he had everything in his arms he’d ever need. He savored the moment. Soon enough, he’d have to let her go.

The sand approached fast. He could’ve pulled his own chute earlier, released her, and let her float down on her own. He didn’t want to let her go, and he was strong enough to hold her and make it a good landing.

“Hold on tight to me,” he called to her.

Darcy obeyed, clinging to his neck with her arms. Both of her legs were now wrapped tightly around his lower back. Nick grabbed the chute handles and directed their descent toward the beach. Jagger and Hays were to his right.

Hays and Jagger landed easily, unlatching and slipping their chute packs off and dropping them.

Nick landed, taking a few easy steps, the sand softening the impact. Her chute floated down behind them. He stood in the sand with Darcy clinging to him like a monkey. It felt exactly right to hold her and have her wrapped around him as if he were her lifeline, her safety net, her love.

She trembled and buried her face in his neck. Nick cradled her close. He’d never forget this moment.

“Is she all right?” Hays asked, concern evident in his voice.

Nick tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “You okay?”

“I … I think I am.”

He smiled. “Of course you are. So brave.”

She studied him, then she released her legs from around his back and slid to her feet, releasing her hold on his neck. She wobbled, and Nick was glad he hadn’t released her completely. He felt a letdown at her not being wrapped around him.

“Take it slow,” Hays cautioned, coming to her other side and supporting her with his hand.

“Thanks.” She nodded to Hays and then to Nick. “Thank you both. We did it. We beat Jagger again.”

Nick had high hopes she’d give him an impulsive kiss, but there was no indication of that.

---