by Jen Talty
Only Callie came back in his life, and now they were married and having a baby. Jagar got lucky and got a second chance at love. “How did you know he was in Seattle?”
“There was some chatter about him and his buddies doing a night bungee jump off Deception Pass. That kind of stuff always ends up as gossip in my office.”
“They couldn’t get approval for the jump. Which honestly, I don’t understand. They are professional extremists. It’s not like they don’t know what they are doing.”
“We had three jumpers this year alone. In general, we’re afraid it will make it more enticing for suicide jumps off Deception Pass, and that’s something we don’t want.”
She hadn’t thought about it in those terms. It made sense. “They could get approval for another night jump on another bridge?”
“Probably. Maybe. I really don’t know. It’s not my area, but I could do some checking for you.”
“That would be awesome. I know I can talk Reid into an alternative jump. Preston, on the other hand… He’s an entirely different story.”
“It’s just a bungee jump. It’s not that thrilling, considering what those two have done in their lifetimes. What else do they have planned on their little vacation?”
“Kayaking the rapids. Outside of that, just the toys we have on the boat. To be honest, Preston is going to be bored as shit, but Reid will be fine. He does know how to relax.”
Jagar took another swig of his beer. “How was it to see him again?”
“Weird. Awkward. Normal. Nothing out of the ordinary. It’s hard to explain.” She leaned against the counter and folded her arms around her middle. “He looks good. Too good.”
“Did you expect him to have gained fifty pounds, stop shaving, and quit using deodorant?”
“Considering the last time I saw him, that wouldn’t be such a stretch.”
“You went on with your life too, so you can’t begrudge him for moving on with his.”
She hated it when her brother made sense, and her mind had the audacity to agree with the levelheaded thinking as if she had no right to throw a temper tantrum and act all indignant. “You could break out the baby violin and have a pity party with me. I mean, I ran into him right before I got here and had to listen to everyone talk about my career and ask when I was going to get a real one. Not to mention, they like my ex-boyfriend more than they like me.”
Jagar laughed. “Reid did fit right in unlike that James asshole. How is Captain Jim?”
“He’s getting engaged and laid tonight.”
Jagar choked on his beer. “Engaged? That’s quick.”
“Well, I didn’t call him quick-draw Jim for nothing.”
“Jesus, Darcie. I never needed to hear that come out of my baby sister’s mouth.”
She waggled her finger. “I could start talking about the first time I had sex.”
“Please don’t. I still can’t look at Tim and not want to punch him in the face.”
Darcie smiled. Life didn’t get much better than hanging with her family. “Will you please help me get permission for Reid and his team to jump from Deception Pass or find me a bridge of similar height and danger level that I can get them to by water?”
“Sure thing,” Jagar said. “You should ask Matt, too. He knows more people in higher positions than I do. But Asher might be the best bet.”
“But he’s in New Orleans now.”
“He was well-liked in the department and is connected as hell. If anyone can make it happen, he can.”
“You take care of Matt, but don’t do it tonight. I don’t want to bug him at our parents’ party or around family. I especially don’t want Dad to know Reid is in town. I’ll get ahold of Asher.” Darcie used to babysit for Asher’s daughter. She’d seen Asher through some dark days, and Asher always told her that if she needed anything at all, just to give him a call.
Day or night.
She glanced at the digital clock displaying the time in red. Eight-thirty. It was even earlier in New Orleans. She’d be reaching out to Asher tonight.
“Actually, wait on pushing Matt until I’ve heard back from Asher.”
“Why?” Jagar asked.
“Let’s see what Asher says first. I know Reid won’t want this to be a spectacle, and Preston made it pretty clear that he didn’t want any hype. They just want a team jump. The more people we get involved, the more the masses might find out. Do you really want a ton of people out by Deception Pass, at night, hoping someone dies?”
“You’ve got a good point there, baby sister. Let me know what Asher says and who he talked to so we’re not doing double duty.”
“Thanks.” Now all Darcie had to do was get through the charter without throwing herself at Reid and begging him to sleep with her for old times’ sake.
Chapter 4
Reid stood at the edge of the dock and stared at the lights flickering on the back of the sailboat. Little fish darted back and forth in the water. Darcie had taken him out on a catamaran once, and at first, he’d thought: what on earth does this feisty little chick know about handling a vessel at sea.
Boy, had she put him in his place.
While he was by no means an expert sailor—actually, he knew almost nothing—but because of the nature of his need for all things extreme, he’d been on the high seas a time or two.
However, spending a day with Darcie on the open water had opened his eyes, his mind, his soul, and his heart.
It took a fair amount of pizzazz to impress Reid, and Darcie had done it in spades.
“Stalking me?” Her sweet voice rolled through his ears and slid down his throat, coating his stomach with the most decadent flavor. Who knew sound could be so tasty?
“Not you, the boat. I saw you get off here, and with the name and all, I assumed she was yours.”
“That’s a lot of dangerous surmising for a man who likes facts and nothing but the facts.”
“I’m also a man who likes to live on the edge, so this is me being wild and out of control.” He shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the post. The last time he’d seen her had been a random meeting in New Orleans that hadn’t gone well at all.
At least, what he remembered of it. Honestly, it had been an encounter he’d prefer to forget.
She laughed. “I bought her a few months ago. When I’m not on a charter, I live on her.”
“I was surprised to see you, and even more shocked you’re running charters out of Seattle and not some exotic port. It’s not like you to be in a mundane city such as this one.”
“I wanted to be close to home for a bit.” She waggled her index finger under his nose. “And don’t you go knocking my hometown, or I’ll start picking on your Southern drawl, Mr. Texas.”
“You always loved when I got all cowboy on you and did the two-step.” He looped his fingers into his belt buckle and did a little kick with his feet.
She laughed, shaking her head.
He couldn’t help but wonder if she was lying about wanting to be close to home, or if the family had put the pressure on. While she was tight with her siblings, she struggled with being overwhelmed by anyone encroaching on her space.
Something he could relate to.
When he’d last seen her, she’d been in New Orleans with her brother, visiting an old friend.
It looked more like a pity vacation, and she’d looked like shit.
Not that he’d looked any better. He had gone to Bourbon Street with one thing in mind: to get shitfaced every night and try to forget that Darcie ever existed. He’d thought he’d been hallucinating when she rounded the corner. He’d actually poked her in the center of the chest to see if she were real.
Jagar hadn’t liked that.
Her friend, Asher, liked it even less.
Reid rubbed his jaw. “The last time I saw you, I said some things I shouldn’t have.”
“I’m surprised you even remember that day.”
“A lot of it’s still fuzzy, and that is both embarra
ssing and sucky as well as a bit of a saving grace at times.” He let out a sarcastic chuckle. “But I owe you, your brother, and his friend a huge apology.”
“Yeah. You do,” she said. “And for more than just being a jerk in New Orleans. Your list of transgressions is long.”
“I guess I walked into that one,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “We both made mistakes in our relationship.”
“Some of us made more than others.”
“Wow. You’re just not letting go of any of it, are you?” He tossed his hands to his sides, slapping his thighs.
“Sorry. You’re the last person I expected to see. You kind of ruined my plans this week with this charter.”
“What plans? Did you have a hot date? Are you seeing someone? In a long-term, committed relationship?”
“Wow. And what if I am?”
“Are you?” he asked.
“No. But I did have plans.”
“Doing what, exactly? Because isn’t being on charter what you live for?” He groaned. “Sorry. Old habits die hard.”
“I guess they do,” she said. “I’m taking the written portion of my captain’s test next week. I wanted to use this time to study. You ruined that for me,” she said.
“I’m shocked you haven’t already taken it. You wanted to be a captain by now when we were together.”
“Another thing you fucked up for me.”
“How am I responsible for you not taking your test?”
“You’re not.” She huffed. “Other than it took me a little while to get my head on straight after we broke up.”
“I can relate to that,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll ace it. You’ll make a great captain.” He desperately wanted to pull her into his arms, hold her close to his chest and kiss her sweet, tender lips. Letting her go had been the dumbest thing he’d ever done.
No. Telling her to leave her career had been.
“You didn’t have that much faith in me when we were a couple.” She wrapped one arm around her middle and brought her thumb to her mouth. She swayed back and forth.
That always drove him mad with desire. “Yes, I did.”
“Really? Because near the end of our relationship, I seem to remember you telling me that my job was a waste of time and energy.”
“I didn’t mean it.”
“Then you shouldn’t have said it.”
“I just didn’t want you gone all the time. It’s not easy to have a relationship with a woman whose job has her in exotic places with hot, sexy bodies surrounding her all the time. I’m generally not the type to get jealous, but you seemed more interested in your career than me, and it started to get to me.”
“Now wait one second.” She poked his biceps. “You told me you didn’t think I was cut out to be a yachtie.”
“No. I said you were in the business for the wrong reasons and that needed to stop. Said you needed to quit trying to prove you were good enough, and to either do it or get out.” He held up his hand. This was not what he’d come here for, and he needed to go into tomorrow on basically the same page as Darcie. “I wanted to apologize, and I did. But I need to talk to you about something else. Can we go somewhere?”
“I don’t know. I’m tired. I’m a little tipsy, as you can tell since I’m quick to temper. Can it wait until tomorrow?”
“No. It can’t.” He took her by the forearm and led her onto her boat. He’d spent the last few hours contemplating if he wanted to tell her anything. By doing so, he was really putting her in an awkward situation, and that was really fucking unfair—and an asshole move on his part. Apologizing to her didn’t make up for it either. “I’m sorry, and you know I don’t believe in this kind of crap, but maybe things do happen for a reason.” He was all alone and had no one to turn to at this point. If he didn’t shut Preston down, Reid ran the risk of losing it all. He didn’t believe Preston was just going behind Reid’s back with a new product.
No.
Reid couldn’t help but wonder if Preston was making a run for the company. It shouldn’t surpise Reid. Hell, it was something Reid had thought about doing to Preston a few years ago.
Only, Reid wouldn’t be so underhanded about it.
The only question was how and when. And Reid needed a few days to figure out exactly what the fuck Preston was up to.
Darcie was an opportunity that had landed in his lap. No one could fault him for what he was about to do. Not in the long run.
“If you’re going to say that you chartering the vessel I work on is a good thing, I’m going to absolutely disagree. You broke my heart. You called me a selfish bitch and humiliated me in front of the people I work with. And by the way,”—she leaned closer and poked his chest—“you should know that Captain Jim is commanding the yacht. And up until about a month ago, I was sleeping with him.”
“You and Jim? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He rubbed where her finger had bruised his body. She always found the most sensitive spots and then managed to get him with the sharpest side of her nail.
“I’m dead serious. But he’s supposed to be getting engaged tonight to someone who used to be my friend.” She patted Reid’s arm. “I have shit taste in men who like to do horrible things to me.”
“Come on, you should have known Jim would cheat. He’s never been faithful to anyone, which is why I’m shocked he’s getting married. Is she holding a gun to his head?”
“No. He really loves her,” Darcie said, letting out a long breath. “Or so he says.”
“I’m sorry about what Jim did. And I’ve said I’m sorry about what I did.” He let out a puff of air. “I’m not helping my case here, but you broke my heart too. So, don’t go playing innocent in our breakup. I’m taking a lot of the blame because I did put the final nail in our coffin. But you enjoyed tossing dirt on it.”
“That was poetic,” she mumbled. “I sure know how to pick the assholes.”
“Hey, I never cheated on you,” he said. “Got anything to drink around this place?” He made himself comfortable on the aft deck, which was quite roomy. “This is what, a fifty-footer?”
“It is, and I’m really tired, Reid. If we keep going, it appears we’ve both had just enough to drink to piss each other off, so can we just call it a night?”
He rubbed his temples. She knew how to push all his buttons, the good ones and the bad ones, simultaneously.
“Reid. I accept your apology, and I make my own for tonight. My family was in rare form with the razzing, and my dad mentioned you, and he doesn’t even know you’re here. I’m just dealing with a lot.”
“You read too much into what your parents say about your career. You always have.”
“It gets hard when everyone around says the same thing.”
“I’m going to run the risk of having you toss a shoe at me, but that’s not true. The people in yachting that give you shit are either idiots who think they are motivating you, or are those afraid of you. Your folks just see the same thing I do.”
“I’m not lost. I’m not running. I’m not hiding.”
“Maybe not. However, you refuse to take a good look at what really makes you happy.” He tilted his head and stared at the stars. There were so many things he wanted to say now that he had a clear head and a year to think about what was important. “I’m really sorry. The things I said that day in the Bahamas was totally uncalled for. I was hurt and angry. I was trying to do something nice for my girlfriend, and I felt completely unappreciated.”
She turned, showing off her profile. Her pink tongue darted out of her mouth and stretched across her lips like a paintbrush leaving a glitter trail.
“When you were walking away with Preston, I kept hoping you’d turn around. But you didn’t.”
“We didn’t speak to each other again until New Orleans,” he said. “One beer. Let me talk to you for as long as it takes me to finish a single can.” He tilted his head. “Please?”
“Fine. But when it’s gone, you’re gone.” She dis
appeared into the galley.
He peeked inside the cabin. The fine teak wood was accented with a dark brown, high-end vinyl upholstery. She certainly had good taste, that was for damn sure. He could only imagine what this thing cost her, and it was probably killing her financially to maintain it between the marina fees and whatever else went into living on a boat. “Do you really like being here? Isn’t it kind of small? Or creepy late at night.”
“It’s never creepy on the water. And small? No. Not when it’s just me. And I love to go out and sail. I’ve gone all the way up to Alaska, down to Mexico, and I wouldn’t mind taking some other trips.” She handed him a beer while she nursed a bottle of water. She sat next to him, tucking her feet up under her cute little ass. Her hair caught in the gentle breeze, blowing it over her shoulders. The moonlight threaded through the natural blond highlights, making her hair glow.
The massive wheel stood proudly in the center of the back deck. He could envision her standing behind it with one hand covering her eyes as the sails grew tight with the wind, and the boat hugged the water.
When they first met, her age had bothered him. She’d been so young and had yet to experience even half of what life had to offer. Only he’d been wrong about what she understood about life. And what the hell was in a number anyway? Twelve years wasn’t that big of a deal at this point in their lives.
“This sailboat fits you,” he said.
“Thanks.” She held his gaze for a long moment. She could still take his breath away with her powder blue eyes. She had thick, long lashes, and when she blinked, he bit down on his lower lip in anticipation of when they’d flutter open again, showing off those intoxicating orbs. “What have you been up to for the last year?”
“Work, mostly.” He could have been honest and told her that he’d spent the first six months of it drunk and unaware of anything. That he’d become a useless human being because he’d let her walk out of his life.
