Page 9 of Impossible Thrills

It was odd not having her phone or her own clothes and toiletries. She had her own bedroom in her Tecate, Mexico children’s home. She visited her other locations as often as their budget would allow. She lived like a pauper compared to how she had when she was married, but she didn’t miss the opulent home, her Porsche, or her unlimited budget.

She opened the closet and gasped. Were they planning for her to do extreme sports or go to the prom? Goodness. Why did they have four formal dresses in here and other casual dresses? The brands were the same ones she’d worn to events when she was married. Each dress was gorgeous—shimmering, high-quality fabric, and she could tell by the design that they would make even her lack of womanly curves look appealing.

Backing away from those dresses, she saw stacks of comfortable T-shirts, shorts, bras, and panties. There were also some lovely sundresses hanging behind the formals. She should choose the T-shirt and shorts, but the white sleeveless Carolina Herrera sundress with pale blue flowers was calling to her. She slid into perfect-fitting underwear—Julie had asked her size and measurements—then slipped the sundress over her head. It clung to her in just the right way. Not too tight, but flattering. Her stomach did a happy jump as she realized her eyes sparkled and she felt very, very attractive. She closed her locket and did up the clasp on the necklace.

What would Nick think?

Time to find out.

Boldly strutting out of the bathroom and across the suite, she flung the door open. Nick straightened away from the wall, his eyes instantly alert and full … Of her.

“Darcy.” Her name was a caress. A man had never said her name like that, and she’d been wooed by and married to a charmer. Maybe Johnny had said her name like that when they were dating, looked at her like that. Somehow she doubted it. Nick was in a league all his own.

Nick strode across the hall and was in her space, his hands reaching out to her before she could back away or form any kind of protest or barrier. Not that she wanted to, but she should.

He gently cupped her hands in his larger palms. It was a simple touch, not demanding or asking anything. Nick’s touch made her long for more time with him—time to hold hands, talk, grow close. Simple things that wouldn’t happen for her.

“I thought an hour ago you were the most beautiful woman ever created,” Nick said in his smooth, deep tenor.

“With makeup running down my face and my clothes plastered to me?” She raised an eyebrow.

He had a silken tongue. She should’ve known.

“Far be it from me to complain about clothes being plastered to you.” He winked. “And you didn’t have makeup running down your face.”

His gaze was sincere, but Darcy could not believe his words. A smooth-tongued player, for certain. It was too easy to get caught up in his dark gaze, his warm touch, and his silky words.

“How is it possible you grow more beautiful by the moment?” he asked, easing an inch closer.

“You don’t mean that,” she managed.

“I shouldn’t.” He smelled clean, spicy, and musky all at once. Delicious, creamy raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake. That was what his smell and his looks and his touch were. And to a woman who’d been fasting from such indulgence for years, Nick Jacobs was almost impossible to resist.

“Darcy.” His voice grew husky as his eyes searched hers. What was he searching for? Could he see how drawn she was to him already? Was he hiding something in those luscious deep-brown eyes of his? A fear of commitment or something worse?

Footsteps and voices approached, then Jagger and Hays rounded the corner. They both lifted their brows at the intimate position they found her and Nick in. Nick straightened, released her hands, and turned to face them.

“There you two are,” Hays greeted them, a smile on his face, but his gaze flickered between the two of them with an obvious question. Were she and Nick involved? Hays was a very kind and handsome man, impressive and accomplished as well, but he didn’t make her sizzle with one look like Nick did.

Sizzle and deep-brown eyes were overrated. She should be driven to find a nice guy who could commit to her for life and push the Nicks and Johnnys in her life into the ocean. Or she could stay her path and be so busy taking care of little ones the days would just blur into years and before she knew it, her life would be over.

That sounded depressing. Her life wasn’t depressing. It was busy, but happy. The babies and toddlers made her very happy. Samuel was the first baby left on her doorstep in Tecate four years ago. He was also one who’d never been adopted. She loved him like her own and ached to hold him and the others right now.

“Would you like to explore the yacht with us?” Hays asked.

Nick shrugged and looked at Darcy to answer. He’d asked her to explore the yacht with him, and she could only guess he’d rather be alone. Alone with the likes of Nick Jacobs was not smart for her heart or peace of mind.

“Sure,” she answered. “Might as well get to know our competition.”

Hays smiled and Jagger even seemed to soften a fraction.

“No competition for me,” Nick said confidently.

The men both chuckled at that. Not nice chuckles, either.

“Everybody knows the Marines are not on level with the SEALs,” Jagger poked at Nick.

“Ah, but were the SEALs trained by Captain Aiden Porter?”

---