Page 5 of Impossible Thrills

Chalisa had been kidnapped. Aiden had humbled himself like Nick had never seen and called in every favor to find Chalisa. Nick suspected he loved the lady, but Nick had left for this show taping before he saw what the outcome was with his boss and Miss Anderson.

Nick still doubted Aiden would let down his guard and change his life plans. He thought his boss was spot on about not forming attachments. His security lifestyle took all his time and focus.

What if the woman standing next to him could make him rethink his priorities, question his revered boss, and change his own life plan?

No. He knew far too much about Darcy Saint to even risk letting down his guard around her.

Mercedes had bragged about Darcy earlier as Nick had cruised with them around the island then back to this dock for ‘maximum camera impact’ of Nick and Darcy’s initial meeting. To hear Mercedes boast, the lady was charitable, unselfish, and undeniably beautiful.

Nick would’ve agreed—if she wasn’t Trattori’s ex. But he couldn’t deny that he felt both protective of her and drawn to her. If she was innocent, she needed his protection.

He should be edging the other direction, but he found himself brushing his arm against hers and then his hand. He instinctively wanted to protect her and soothe her anxiety about the challenges they would be involved in. It would be better for both of them if he kept a distance.

“Similar to Avalyn’s death-defying and terrifying experience,” Bridger continued, “Nick will compete in the same stunts I originally competed with Ramsey in—free-diving, skydiving, volcano surfing, and ultimate fighting. Your competition will be a little safer, since nobody will be threatening either of your lives.”

“So I just have to survive”—Darcy’s voice quavered on the word—“and let Nick rescue me each day?”

It would be more unsettling to be under the water waiting for someone to free dive to him, or hurtling at terminal velocity and hoping a rescuer caught up, than doing the events himself. He liked action and things within his control.

“Yes. It will be challenging for you as well, and you’ll definitely be an active participant in everything but the sparring match.”

“Oh. Okay.” Her tanned skin turned pale. Her hands trembled, and she worried her lip.

Nick wrapped his hand around hers. She startled and looked down at their joined hands and then back up at him. Her eyes were an intriguing blue, deep and beautiful like a sapphire jewel. Their hands together felt more right to him than anything he’d experienced before.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ve got you.”

She smiled, albeit tremulously. “I’m trusting you, Lieutenant Nick.”

Nick grinned to hide the unsettling churning in his gut at those words. His fellow marines and especially Captain Porter had trusted him, and he’d trusted them. He trusted Mama, Papa, and his siblings. He trusted the men and women he worked with under Aiden.

But he’d never trusted an unrelated female the way she was intoning. Especially one with a past like hers. He wouldn’t trust her, but he needed her to trust him.

He trailed his thumb across her soft hand and assured her, “You can trust me.”

Her eyes widened, and he had the unsettling feeling she was going to pull away, but Bridger started speaking again. She settled, kept her hand in his, and they turned to face the extreme athlete together.

Together. Had he ever had a together with anyone? Not like this. What was he thinking? Should he be telling Mercedes he couldn’t be part of this week and running to call Aiden, or should he play his role as Darcy’s protector and champion this week, spend a lot of time with her, answer the question of whether she was or wasn’t in league with her ex and aware of all his filthy deeds, and possibly get an inside scoop on how to expose and dispose of Trattori?

“If you remember from my week with Avalyn, I only lost to Ramsey on the volcano sleds. You can only lose at one event and still win the million dollars for Miss Saint’s charity,” Bridger said.

“We won’t lose at any,” Nick said.

Shawn laughed softly. It wasn’t a laugh that Nick appreciated, and he’d like to teach the guy to never laugh like that again. He shot him a warning look, but Shawn only smirked at him.

“Who am I going to be competing against?” Nick asked, thinking it would probably be Shawn.

“Me.” A man walked onto the back deck and tilted his chin up to them, folding his arms across his chest. He was built. Nick could give him that. But had this man been trained under Captain Aiden Porter as a Marine and then worked his way into the honor of Aiden’s top security specialist? Nick highly doubted it.

Another man followed the first guy onto the deck, also strong-looking and obviously military. He hadn’t seen these two on the yacht earlier, but it was a huge yacht. They were both tall, dark, maybe above average in the looks department. They weren’t as handsome as him, though. He smiled to himself.

Mercedes gestured. “Captain Jagger Lemuel and Lieutenant Hays West, both active Navy SEALs and some of the most talented, impressive, competitive, and loyal men I’ve ever met.” She looked at Shawn, who smiled at her.

Nick hadn’t seen Shawn smile yet. Aiden had told him that his friend Cash Trapper had quietly warned him about Shawn. Cash thought something was fishy about the guy. Nick agreed.

“They are Shawn’s close friends and here as a personal favor to him and on leave from their SEAL unit. They almost bested Captain Aiden Porter last week.”

Shawn and the other men exchanged a grimace.

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