The Dare Affair: Summer In Savannah Anth. (Dynasties: The Danforths Book 6.5

by Sheri WhiteFeather

  It was seconds, minutes perhaps, before either one of them could move. She finally managed to lift her arms, then slide her hands over his shoulders, down his back. He trailed kisses, light, feathery, warm, on her neck and shoulder. The Savannah Sweetheart swayed in rhythm to the river’s flow, a constant, gentle rocking that reassured and calmed.

  “You’ll come back,” she whispered, her voice thick with conviction and the aftermath of desire.

  “Yes.”

  Closing her eyes on a sigh, she barely noticed when he finally picked her up and carried her to the bed, when he laid her down on the soft mattress. She lost herself in the strength of his hard body, the taste of his salty skin, the musky scent of man and woman. What she couldn’t say with words, she told him with her mouth and her hands, with her body.

  I love you.

  For one moment she allowed herself the possibility that he might not come back. In that same moment she realized if something happened to Nick, she was capable of violence. With every resource and by any means, Kurt and John Emmet would pay.

  Nick placed the alarm at the top of the gangplank. The device had a fifteen-foot radius of detection, and if anyone tried to board the ship, the alarm would sound.

  He handed her the remote, then pulled his Beretta out of his waistband. “I want you to have this. Just as a precaution.”

  Eyes wide, she stared at the gun, then emphatically shook her head. “I haven’t a clue how to shoot a gun, and besides, you’re the one walking into a hornet’s nest.”

  “Sophia, if Kurt, or someone working with him, finds this place and—”

  “They’re out looking for you, remember? And, anyway, if I did shoot at someone, I’d not only miss, I’d most certainly piss them off and they’d shoot back.”

  She had a point, but dammit, he hated leaving her alone without some kind of protection. Still, he felt it was more dangerous to take her with him, so he kept the gun.

  “Go to the upper deck and watch for me. I should be an hour, no more than two. Take your cell phone. If I’m not back in two hours, use it.”

  Sophia hadn’t time to answer before Nick’s arm snaked out and grabbed her, pulled her close. His kiss seared her, left her breathless and wanting yet terrified at the same time.

  Just as quickly he released her, then turned away.

  She watched him walk down the gangplank, felt her chest and throat tighten when he moved across the dock, then disappeared around the corner of the boat. Moving quickly out of the alarm’s radius, she pressed the button on the remote, then hurried up the stairs to the top deck, hoping to catch a glimpse of him walking across the wharf.

  She frowned when she couldn’t see him. He couldn’t have gotten away that quickly, she thought. From her vantage point, she could see all the way to River Street.

  Where had he gone?

  Frowning, she walked back to portside and searched the dock. It was empty. When she glanced across to the parking lot, she spotted him standing beside a green van.

  What was he doing down there? she wondered. He had no reason to be in the parking lot.

  Then Kurt stepped out from behind the van, pointing the barrel of his gun directly at Nick’s chest.

  Chapter 10

  “I know you’ve got a gun under that shirt, Nick.” Kurt gestured with the barrel of his Glock. “Nice and easy, lay it on the ground and step back.”

  Nick gauged the distance between himself and Kurt, knowing that the odds of jumping the man and dodging a bullet at this close range were between slim and none.

  Gritting his teeth, Nick silently swore. How could he have been so careless? He’d been thinking about Sophia, worrying about leaving her alone, and his carelessness may very well cost them both their lives.

  “I won’t ask you again, Sloane,” Kurt growled. “Lay your gun down or I’m going to shoot your goddamned foot off.”

  A muscle twitched in the corner of Nick’s eye as he reached under his shirt, then laid his Beretta on the ground and stepped back. “How’d you find me?”

  “The gift basket Sophia’s real estate agent delivered to her apartment. All it took was a phone to the agent’s office, and the woman was more than willing to share Sophia’s new venture with me.” Kurt picked up the gun and stuck it in the waistband of his slacks. “I know Sophia’s on the boat. Why don’t we go join her?”

  When Nick hesitated, Kurt raised his gun. “Now. And get your hands up high. For all the trouble you’ve caused me, Nick, I’d just as soon shoot you.”

  Nick didn’t dare look up and give away Sophia’s location, but he prayed she was watching, prayed he could buy them both a little more time.

  “Have it your way,” Nick said with a shrug, then turned and moved toward the boat. “So where’s Emmet?”

  “You plant a bug in my office and think you’ve got it all figured out.” Kurt laughed. “By the way, I will admit that was pretty good. I’d like to know how you got in.”

  His hands in the air, Nick moved slowly up the gangplank. “Give me my gun back and I’ll tell you.”

  “How ’bout you give me your so-called evidence that I’m involved in the deal with Marcos?” Kurt poked the barrel of his gun into the middle of Nick’s back to move him along. “Maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you and the girl live.”

  Nick knew the second Kurt found out there was no hard core evidence against him, both he and Sophia were dead. And there was no way in hell Nick would let that happen.

  “Call her out.” Kurt cocked his gun when Nick didn’t respond. “Now, dammit, or I’ll blow out your shoulder.”

  “I’m here.” Sophia stepped out from behind the stairs on the bottom deck. “Don’t shoot.”

  “Dammit, Sophia,” Nick snarled at her. “Get back.”

  “Do what he says, Nick.” Sophia moved to the railing. “Let’s just give him the tape and video.”

  “So she’s smart and gorgeous,” Kurt said with a chuckle. “I’ll bet she’s good in the sack, too. I’d always intended to find out for myself.”

  When Nick started to turn, Kurt shoved the gun in his back again. “Ah, ah. Be a good boy. Now how ’bout we go aboard and talk this over?”

  “He’s right, Nick.” Sophia locked her gaze with Nick’s. “Let’s hear what he has to say.”

  Nick knew what Sophia was trying to do, but he didn’t like it. She was in the line of fire now. Later he’d yell at her. Right now he needed to stay focused on Kurt.

  “Tell you what,” Kurt said goodnaturedly. “I’m in such a good mood, I’ll not only let you both live, I’ll give you a million bucks to disappear. What do ya say, partner?”

  “I think—” Nick nodded at Sophia, then prepared himself for the next step “—that I’d tell you to go to hell.”

  When Nick moved forward one more step, the alarm screamed. Startled, Kurt glanced away, only for a millisecond, but it was all the time that Nick needed. He swung around and grabbed the other man’s arm, then snatched the gun from his hand and jumped back.

  “I’d also say—” Nick pointed the gun at Kurt’s chest ‘—that you’re definitely not my partner anymore.”

  “Look, Nick, let’s talk about this.” Kurt held up a hand. “Two million. You could go live like a king somewhere with that kind of money. You know how to disappear, how to make sure you won’t be found. Two million dollars can buy you anything you want.”

  “What I want is a full confession from you and to see you locked up for good,” Nick said in disgust. “But, like you said, for all the trouble you caused me, I should just shoot you. Lord knows it would save the taxpayers a lot of money.”

  “Nick!” Sophia shut off the alarm and leaned over the railing. “Are you all right?”

  “Call 911,” Nick said over his shoulder. “Tell them you heard gunshots.”

  “You move, bitch, and you’re dead.”

  At the sound of the woman’s voice from the other end of the dock, Nick snapped his head up.

  Iris. Emmet’s secretary.


  Nick saw the fury in the redhead’s eyes, the angry grimace on her mouth. She’d removed the jacket of the navy pantsuit she wore every day and rolled up the sleeves of her white shirt. The gun in her hand was aimed at Sophia.

  Sonofabitch.

  “Hey, Iris, welcome to the party.” Nick kept his gun on Kurt. “Why don’t you put that gun down before someone gets hurt?”

  “Don’t be stupid, Nick.” Iris moved closer, never taking her eyes off Sophia. “I haven’t come this far, risked everything, to let you or Kurt’s incompetence get in the way now.”

  “You’re calling me incompetent?” Kurt glared at Iris. “All you had to do was lay on your back and get information out of Emmet. That was easy for you.”

  “You would think that,” Iris spat back. “Your brains are all below your belt. And since I’m the one with a gun here, not you, why don’t you shut up and quit wasting time?”

  “How sweet,” Nick said dryly. “A lover’s spat. Hey, Kurt, did you know that Iris here was making a deal with Marcos on the side?”

  It was a shot in the dark, but based on the look of surprise on Iris’s face, Nick’s guess hit its mark.

  Kurt’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell’s he talking about?”

  “She wasn’t just sleeping with you and Emmet.” Nick’s smile was flat. “She was working Marcos, too. Marcos had a direct line to Iris’s office phone on his speed dial.”

  “Don’t listen to him, baby.” Iris sweetened her tone. “He’s lying. I wouldn’t do that to you. You know I wouldn’t.”

  “You lying bitch, you were playing me?”

  “Can we talk about this later, for God’s sake?” Iris moved beside Kurt but kept her eyes and gun trained on Sophia. “Now put your gun down, Nick, or I swear I’m going to put a neat little hole in the bimbo’s head.”

  He couldn’t chance it, not with Iris pointing her gun directly at Sophia. Ignoring Sophia’s plea not to listen to Iris, Nick slowly lowered his gun to the ground, and Kurt picked it up.

  “That’s a good boy.” Iris took her attention off Sophia. “Now let’s all just go inside and—”

  Nick wasn’t certain exactly what happened next, but he heard a whoosh, felt the movement of air past his head, then saw the explosion at Iris’s feet. The woman’s skirt burst into flames. Screaming, her arms flailing, Iris ran to the edge of the dock and jumped into the water.

  “What the hell—” Kurt stared wide-eyed at Iris, who was thrashing in the water, then at Sophia, who stood at the railing with a flare gun in her hand. She was reloading when Kurt raised the gun at her.

  Nick didn’t think, he didn’t need to. He ran at Kurt, felt the burning pain when the bullet grazed his temple, heard Sophia scream, then the flap-flap-flap of a helicopter overhead and a man’s booming voice on a bullhorn.

  But none of that mattered. All that mattered, all he could think about, was keeping himself between Kurt and Sophia. Nick lunged at the other man and they both went down, grappling for the gun. It was a life-and-death struggle, and both men knew it. But his need to protect Sophia gave Nick the edge. He slammed Kurt’s arm against the wooden dock, and the gun dropped. Kurt reached for it, but Nick kicked it away, then slammed a fist into Kurt’s nose, felt the crunch of bone under his knuckles. Kurt hollered in pain, reaching for his blood-covered face, giving Nick the opportunity to rear back and drive a fist into Kurt’s gut. Air rushed from his lungs, then he crumpled.

  Dazed, Nick stood on shaky knees and swiped at the blood blurring his vision, watched the helicopter blow dust and debris as it landed in the parking lot beside the dock. Police cars swarmed the area, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Nick tossed the gun in his hand several feet away and identified himself to the officers rushing forward.

  “Nick!” Sophia ran down the gangplank, then grabbed hold of the sides of his head. “Ohmigod, your head. Sit down.”

  “I’m fine.” He circled her wrists with his fingers and pulled her hands away. “That was one hell of a chance you took.”

  “She had a gun pointed at you.” There were tears in Sophia’s eyes. “I had to do something.”

  “And you just happened to have a flare gun in your back pocket?”

  “I found it in the emergency trunk on the top deck. I figured it was a long shot, but it was the best I could do.”

  Nick glanced at Iris, who was being pulled from the water by two officers. “I’d say your best was pretty damn good, sweetheart.”

  Sophia scowled at the woman. “She called me a bimbo. I was aiming for her head.”

  Laughing, Nick pulled Sophia into his arms and dropped a kiss on her temple. “Remind me never to make you mad.”

  “Sophia!”

  Nick watched a pretty woman with light brown hair come flying down the wharf. A man was at her side, and Nick recognized him immediately. Everyone living in Savannah knew who Reid Danforth was.

  “Tina!”

  Sophia flew out of his arms and rushed toward the other woman. They hugged, then both started to cry.

  While the women hugged and cried, Reid walked up and held out his hand. “Reid Danforth.”

  “Nick Sloane.”

  Reid nodded at Nick’s head. “You okay?”

  “Just a scratch.” He glanced at Sophia. “Thanks to your sister-in-law.”

  “You want to tell me about it?”

  “Later.” Nick saw his captain come storming down the dock. “I’m going to need a few minutes here.”

  The sunset that night was breathtaking. Stripes of pink and silver against a sky of deep blue. The tangy scent of salt and brine hung heavy in the cooling evening air, and in the distance another riverboat, ablaze with lights and the sounds of a live blues band, slowly floated past the Savannah Sweetheart.

  The chaos of the afternoon seemed more like a bad dream than reality. Sophia leaned against the railing, watching nature’s stage production of changing color, finding comfort in the simplicity of a setting sun and the knowledge that same sun would rise again the next morning.

  After everything that had happened, she needed that reassurance.

  The last detective had left an hour ago. Iris and Kurt had been handcuffed and hauled off, statements had been given, Nick’s head had been bandaged.

  She could still see that moment in her mind, playing over and over. Kurt swinging his gun toward her, Nick jumping into the line of fire, the blood running down his face. Shuddering, she closed her eyes and forced the image from her mind.

  “Cold?”

  She turned at the sound of his voice behind her. Just looking at the bandage on his temple made her stomach drop and her pulse lurch. She couldn’t think about what might have happened. He was fine now. They were both fine.

  He moved behind her, slid his hands up her arms. “Beautiful.”

  “It is, isn’t it?”

  “I meant you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

  His words made her blood warm and her bones soft. With a sigh she leaned back against him, thinking—wishing—she could stand here like this forever. “What happens now?”

  Nick rested his chin on top of Sophia’s head. “The department, especially Emmet, will take a lot of heat for a while. The media will be drooling over the combination of a bad cop, sex and drug smuggling. We’ll be called in to testify, but the way Iris spilled her guts after they pulled her out of the water, including the location where Kurt dumped Marcos’s body in the river, it’s pretty much a slam dunk.”

  “That’s not what I meant, Nick.” She turned in his arms and looked up at him. “I mean, what now?”

  He looked down at her, his blue gaze intent. “I’ve been working DEA for almost ten years, Sophia. It’s all I know. My undercover work will be blown when this story gets out, but I’ll still be on the task force. The hours are long, the pay marginal, and I’m not the easiest person to live with.”

  “You trying to scare me off, Sloane?”

  “Actually,” he held her gaze, then swallowed. �
�I was asking you to marry me.”

  If he hadn’t been holding on to her, she might have slid to the floor. Now it was her turn to swallow. “What did you say?”

  “I thought at first that we might live together for a while, you know, just so you’d be sure.” Nick’s voice was a bit shaky, his grip on her arms tight. “But then I realized I don’t want to give you an out. I figure we’ll just get married and you’re stuck with me. You know, for better or worse. Maybe have a couple of kids and cinch the deal.”

  “Let me get this straight,” she said carefully, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear herself. “You want to get married and have kids?”

  “Are you trying to make this harder for me?” He frowned at her. “I love you, dammit. I’m not letting you walk out of my life.”

  Her heart swelled with joy at the less than romantic confession of love. He loved her, dammit. She’d never heard sweeter words.

  “Well, my stars,” she laid her Southern accent on thick while she twirled a fingertip on the front of his shirt, “since y’all put it like that, I guess I’ll just have to accept.”

  She saw the wave of relief roll across his face, then he swooped his mouth down on hers. The kiss wasn’t demanding, but it certainly was possessive. She locked her arms around his neck, lifted her body to his, couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than standing on the bow of the Savannah Sweetheart, kissing the man she loved.

  The man she was going to marry.

  Her head spun at the thought. Marriage. Children. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted all that. But she did. Because of Nick, she desperately wanted it.

  When he lifted his head, she was breathless and more than a little shaky.

  “Well?” He stroked her back, kept her body snug against his, as if he never wanted to let her go.

  “Well what?” She laughed when he lifted a brow. “Oh, yeah. I love you, too, dammit.”

  Smiling, he kissed her again…tenderly, a kiss filled with promise and love.

  “It’s been a rough few days,” he murmured against her lips. “I should take you home.”