Page 108 of Sweet Home Louisiana

She grinned.And then he jumped.

Maddie gasped, then blew out the breath when he landed.She let up on the accelerator soshewould have room to stop.But she felt her heart pounding as she watched Owen on the other boat.She frowned.He wasn’t taking the driver’s seat.What was he doing?

The next thing she saw was Owen throwing three frat boys into the bayou and then jumping in after them.

Holy shit.Her eyes widened as she realized what was going on.There wasn’t room for the boat to stop at the speed they were at.It was going to crash.Right into the Boys of the Bayou’s second dock.She turned her boat slightly, coasting to a stop as she watched with a horrible feeling of helplessness and shock washing over her as the airboat plunged into the dock, collapsing the pilings, throwing wooden slats every direction.She sucked in a breath, holding it as the boat headed toward the main building.But it jammed into the thick mud, coming to an abrupt stop before hitting the main building, and Maddie breathed again.

Three men climbing aboard her floating boat pulled her attention away from the crumpled metal and shattered wood.

Owen turned and offered a hand to the last guy to come out of the bayou.

The driver.The guy who’d bitched at her in the office about Sawyer cutting their tour short.The jackass.

Maddie slid off the high seat and beelined for the guy.He’d barely straightened by the time she’d pulled her fist back, and his eyes widened slightly just before her fist connected with his jaw.

His head jerked back and he splashed into the bayou.

Owen shook his head, bent and kissed her, then leaned over the side of the boat and offered his hand again.He pulled the guy onto the boat.The kid gave Maddie a look that was shocked and scared.

Good.Scared was good.

She returned to the driver’s seat and started the engine again, heading for the dock.One of the two that was left.

She really wanted to hit the guy again.Yeah, that was her go to tonight.It probably beat a can of lighter fluid and a match, though.

Once they were again at the dock, she jumped off the boat right behind the kids.

Apparently Owen anticipated the move.

“Mad!”

He tried to grab her, but she was prepared, too, and she dodged his hand.“Better get that tied up,” she called, gesturing to the boat.“Hey!”she yelled to the kids.“Stop!”

The three guys stopped and turned.She marched right up to the them.

“What thefuckdid you think you were doing?Who do you think you are?”

“We’re just having some fun,” one said.He was the one who had been drunk last time.

“Bullshit,” she said.“You committed a crime.More than one.You broke in, stole a boat, and then smashed our dock!”

“Take it easy,” one of the guys said, holding up a hand.

Maddie’s blood pressure shot into the red zone immediately and she stepped up to the guy.She had to tip her head back slightly to look him in the eye, but she did it.“And you put the love of my life in danger!”Then she pulled her hand back and swung.

A big hand caught her wrist before she could connect with the guy’s face, though.

“Whoa.”Owen’s deep voice sounded in her ear.He wrapped his other arm around her waist and picked her up, turning her away from the guy.

She kicked and squirmed.“Hey, I wasn’t done with him.”

“I don’t want George to have to take you downtown for smacking that guy,” Owen said.“I’ve got plans for you tonight.”

“George wouldn’t.”

Owen inclined his head to where the sheriff and a state trooper were coming down the dock.“Let’s not risk it,” Owen said.“That guy isn’t worth missing out on our celebration.”

Her anger drained away and she stared up at the man she was madly in love with.And who had, again, almost ended up in the hospital tonight.

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