by Sharon Sala
“I’m sorry, baby, I’m so sorry. I never meant for this to happen.”
Amalie couldn’t stop crying. When she felt the blood on the back of his neck, she cried harder.
“I thought you were dead.”
Something crashed in the woods behind them. Amalie gasped as she twisted out of his grasp, thinking Lou had found her again. But it was only the wind sending a dead limb crashing to the ground. The storm was finally upon them.
Amalie grabbed Nick’s arms.
“Lou! Where is he?”
“Probably on his way back to your house with Wayman.”
Amalie shivered. “What am I going to do?”
Nick frowned. “What do you mean, what are you going to do?”
Her grip tightened as her voice rose in panic.
“He won’t stop until he gets me. I can’t go back. I escaped once, but I don’t have enough strength to do it again.”
Nick felt sick at the terror she’d been through. Enough was enough. She deserved the truth.
“Amalie…sweetheart…stop.” He cupped her face in the palms of his hands. “He’s in no shape to bother anyone. If Wayman hadn’t pulled me off him, he would be dead. He won’t hurt you or anyone else for a very long time.”
Amalie pulled his hands from her face to stare at his raw and swollen knuckles, then shuddered.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. And there’s something else you need to know. Something I should have told you from the start.”
She hesitated, bracing herself for more bad news.
“My name is Nick Aroyo, but I’m not a drug dealer, and I’m not in trouble. I’m not on the run. I’m an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency.”
Amalie felt like she’d just been sucker punched. For a few telling moments, she simply stared until he reached for her.
Desperate, she grabbed his hand, then pulled it against her heart.
“You’re not just telling me this?”
“No, God, no. I promise.” His touch was as tender as the tone of his voice. “I would have told you before, but I thought we’d be gone. I kept thinking the less you knew about the whole situation, the safer you would ultimately be. I didn’t count on everything that kept happening. And I wasn’t sure that I could trust you not to let it slip without thinking. This investigation I’ve been on isn’t just about me. I’ve been gathering info for months. I have enough to take down the entire cartel and was just about to turn it all in when we got arrested. I weighed the risk to you against my duty and waited…almost too long.”
“You’re really a federal agent?”
He nodded again, then wrapped his arms around her. “Thank God.”
She slid her arms around his waist and laid her face against his chest, taking comfort in the hard, steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear.
Nick was thankful the lie was no longer between them. But his concerns still grew as the wind began to whip through the swamp.
“We don’t have much time left before this hits us. I think we need to try to find shelter. Are you strong enough to walk?”
“I will walk as far as I have to.”
Her bravery continued to amaze him. Despite the fact that they needed to move, he hated to let her go. Then the wind began to whine, bringing with it the first drops of rain, and the decision was taken from them.
“Damn it. We’re going to get soaked.”
“I can’t get any wetter,” she said.
Nick touched her cheek, then held out his hand.
This time there was no hesitation. She threaded her fingers through his, and, together, they began backtracking as fast as they could move—through ankle-deep bogs, wading murky, waist-deep inlets, past groves of ancient cypress draped in long, clinging veils of moss—ever on the lookout for snakes and alligators while the rapidly moving storm front pushed at their backs. But apparently everything in sight, except for the two of them, had already taken cover.
The storm caught up with them just before the sun went below the horizon.
“We have to find cover now!” Nick yelled, then flinched as lightning was followed by a loud clap of thunder rolling over their heads.
Amalie squinted through the curtain of rain, trying to figure out where they were. They were losing light so fast and the rain was so hard, her homing sense was off-kilter.
“This way…I think,” she said.
“Works for me,” he said.
Within minutes the light was gone and they were stumbling through the dark, taking advantage of the brief, blinding flashes of lightning by which to navigate.
All of a sudden Amalie grabbed Nick by the arm, her face close to his ear.
“Nick! I know where we are! Just across the water…we need to get across the water!”
His gut knotted. The water was steadily rising. What if it was already over their heads?
When lightning flashed again, he saw the expression on Amalie’s face. She did know where they were. In that moment, the tables had turned. Now it was his time to trust her.
“Show me,” he said.
She grabbed his hand, and they stepped off solid ground and into the treacherous depths. Within seconds the swirl of runoff from the storm was strong against their legs.
Nick tightened his grip.
“Whatever you do, don’t let go!”
They started forward, wading slowly in the dark, taking care with each step that they didn’t lose their footing.
Lightning flashed again.
“Look out!” Nick yelled, and pulled her against him just as a partially submerged log went floating past.
The farther they walked, the higher the water rose. By the time they reached the middle, the level was up to Amalie’s chest.
All of a sudden she slipped. One minute she was standing beside Nick, and the next she was gone. Panicked, he pulled as hard as he could on her hand, and she popped back up, gasping and coughing.
“Jesus!” Nick cried, and yanked her up against him. “Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist.”
“But you’ll—”
“Don’t argue! I’m a foot taller than you.”
When he lifted her up, she did as she’d been told, taking comfort in the strength of his arms wrapped around her body.
If the added weight slowed Nick down, it was difficult to tell. Slowly but surely, they finally reached the other side.
“Let go,” he said, and as she turned loose of him, he lifted her up and onto the sloping bank, then climbed out of the water beside her.
Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky before forking into three separate fingers of fire. Thunder rumbled. Nick stood, then pulled Amalie to her feet.
“Where do we go from here?”
She pointed through the rain. “The ground slopes up. There’s an abandoned barn about fifty yards that way.”
He grabbed her hand.
The going was easier on solid ground, even if they were moving upward. The silhouette of the barn loomed as they reached the crest of the slope. Amalie tugged on Nick’s hand, and they began to run.
In the dark, the barn door yawned like the open mouth of a giant, waiting to swallow them whole. Once they reached it, they darted inside. They were still cold and soaking wet, but the barn was welcome shelter.
Amalie fell against Nick, shivering where she stood, then wrapped her arms around his waist.
“I’m so cold I can’t quit shaking.”
Nick held her close as he peered into the shadows, wishing for a flashlight. He’d already crossed paths with a panther once today and didn’t want to think about what might be using this barn for a shelter.
“Is there a house that goes with this barn?”
“No. It burned about ten years ago. The VanAnsels, the family who lived here, moved away soon after.”
Lightning flashed, striking close—too close—but it also lit up the inside enough that Nick got a momentary glimpse of the floor plan.
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“There’s a loft,” he said, pointing.
She nodded. “I know. I used to play in this barn with the kids who lived here. If the floor is still good, it would be a great place to wait out the storm.”
Nick moved toward the ladder that went up to the loft. When Amalie started to climb, he stopped her.
“Wait,” he said. “Let me go up first and check out the floor to make sure it’s still intact.”
She nodded, but continued to shiver.
When Nick started climbing, she leaned against the wall and watched his ascent. The higher he climbed, the more he blended into the shadows until she could no longer see him.
“Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“Is it okay?”
“I’m waiting for another flash of lightning.”
“Oh.”
She looked out the doorway into the darkness, and even though she was waiting for it, she still jumped when the flash came.
“All clear!” Nick called. “Hang on. I’m coming back down.”
Amalie was shivering so hard her teeth were starting to chatter as she paced beneath the ladder. When Nick’s feet hit the ground, she turned toward the sound and walked into his arms.
He frowned. She was shaking so hard it felt like every muscle in her body was in spasm. He wished he had a hot bath and some food waiting for her up above—or, at the least, something soft to rest on. But from what he’d seen in that brief flash of light, the loft was bare.
“Honey, are you sure you can make it up that ladder?”
She hesitated, then realized her answer needed to be the truth. “I’m not sure of anything anymore.”
“Then to hell with climbing,” he growled. “Hang tight a minute while I check out some of these stalls.”
“No…no…I can do it,” Amalie said, grabbing his arm. Then she grabbed the first rung and lifted her foot.
“I’m right behind you,” he said, and as she began to climb, he was only a rung below, using his body as a safety net, should she slip.
After what seemed like an eternity, she emerged through the opening, then crawled onto the loft floor.
Nick quickly followed.
“Over here,” he said, as he helped her stand, then led her into a corner.
Amalie dropped to her knees. The adrenaline rush that had kept her moving was coming to a crashing halt. Now that they were out of the swamp and out of the storm, she felt herself coming undone. “Amalie…?”
She heard him, but she couldn’t focus enough to answer.
Another flash of lightning cast a brief but telling light. He reached for her, then gasped when he felt the chill on her skin. He needed to get her warm, but without fire or covering, he was at a loss. As he pulled her into his arms once more, he was struck by the sodden weight of her clothing.
Suddenly he rocked back on his heels and reached for the edge of her shirt.
Amalie reeled. “What are you doing?”
“You’re freezing. I’ve got to get these wet clothes off you or you’ll never get warm.”
“So cold…” she mumbled, as he yanked the shirt over her head, then unhooked her bra.
“I know, baby…I know. But you’ll be warmer soon, I promise.” He pulled off her shoes and socks, then reached for the waistband of her jeans. “Help me. We need to get the jeans off, too.”
Amalie groaned. The more time that passed, the more lethargic she felt. She fumbled with the snaps and then started to cry.
“I can’t. My fingers won’t work.”
His touch was gentle, his voice rough with concern. “It’s okay…it’s okay. For God’s sake, don’t cry or you’ll have me crying, too. I’ll do it for you. Just don’t cry.”
But once she’d started, she couldn’t stop.
Nick stripped her bare, and then himself. “This is not how I imagined this moment,” he muttered, as he lay down beside her, then wrapped her in his arms.
Her skin was like ice, but the gentle swell of her breasts was soft against his chest. As he tucked her head beneath his chin, offering his arm as a pillow, he felt a momentary resistance.
“Easy, baby…easy. Nothing is going to happen to you except that we’re going to get you warm. I promise—and you know I keep my promises.”
Amalie shuddered on a sob, but soon realized he was right. Slowly, slowly, the heat from his body began to seep into her being, making her aware of every aspect of his shape—from the rough thatch of hair on his chest to the powerful jut of his erection. The last thing she remembered as he spooned her close was that he was so tall she couldn’t feel his feet.
And then they slept.
Nick woke at first light. Sunrise was still a few minutes away as he opened his eyes to the woman in his arms. Sometime during the night Amalie had turned to face him, and now she was sleeping with her head pillowed on his arm.
It was a relief to hear the soft, steady sound of her breathing, which meant the crisis of her chill had passed with no ill effects. However, he had a new set of worries. Between the swell of her breasts and the silky-soft mound of her pubic hair pressing against his belly, she was making him hard.
He wanted her.
In every way possible.
Now.
But she’d been through holy hell for days, and he didn’t want to come off like a bad imitation of Lou Drake. So he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, willing himself to another place, trying to think of anything that would take his mind off what it would feel like to bury himself within her depths.
“Are you awake?”
He started, surprised by the sound of her voice.
“Yeah, baby…I’m awake. Are you all right?”
“I think so,” she said, then stretched, and as she did, the movement pressed her belly even closer against him.
Nick stifled a groan and rose up on one elbow. To his surprise, Amalie rolled over onto her back. Now they were eye to eye. His gaze slid to the scar on her shoulder where she’d been shot, and he thought, if she had died, he would never have known what a brave, amazing woman she was. Unable to resist, he leaned down and kissed her.
Once.
Testing the waters, so to speak.
When she didn’t object, he did it again—centering his lips, feeling the silky soft give of her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
Somewhere between the second kiss and the catch of their breaths, the sun had come up, casting light into the hayloft where once there had only been darkness.
The thought went through Amalie’s mind that since she was naked as a jaybird with a very sexy, equally naked man, she should probably be just a little bit embarrassed—or at the least pretend to be. Trouble was, she wasn’t embarrassed, but she was darn sure intrigued.
“Nick…”
“Hmm?”
“Since we got naked together, and we’ve kissed each other good morning…twice… I thought I should at least know a little bit more about you.”
He grinned.
“Jonathan Nicholas Aroyo…the second, at your service. My dad is John. My mother refused to let anyone call me Junior, so I was Nick.”
Amalie was listening but kept losing track of what he was saying for watching his changing expressions.
“You have a very sensuous mouth, and your eyes are almost as black as your hair,” she said, and traced the curve of his eyebrow with her fingertip.
He growled deep in his throat. Damn. She was flirting. And naked. He didn’t have to be hit over the head—again—to know where this was going.
Amalie’s heartbeat fluttered. It was going to happen. They were going to make love. Lust rose in her belly, growing and coiling into a hot, urgent need. She wasn’t blind. He wanted her. And God help her, she wanted him back. Now.
“Nick…”
There was a question in her voice. Please, he thought, don’t let this be about changing her mind.
“Yeah?”
“I realize foreplay is usually a prerequisit
e for sex, but I also believe that there are times when it is highly overrated.”
“I could not agree more,” he said, and parted her legs with his knee as he rolled over on top of her. “We’re about to do this without protection.”
“I’ve never felt as protected as I do right now,” she said softly.
Nick took her there, burying the ache she’d given him into her tight, hot depths, then shuddered as he struggled to control his emotions.
At that point Amalie wrapped her legs around his back, pulling him even deeper.
He slid his hands beneath her backside, hoping to protect her tender skin from the harshness of the weathered flooring, then started to rock.
Amalie sighed. He was everything she’d imagined—and more. The sad and painful journey life had been dragging her through had just taken a turn for the better, and all she could think was, It’s about damn time.
Dust motes danced in the bright yellow rays of sunshine coming through the cracks in the walls. It was the last thing Amalie saw before she closed her eyes, giving herself up to the ride.
Nick was lost. From the moment he sank into her heat, he’d seen his fate. For better or worse, this was the woman he’d been waiting for all his life. After that, time became his enemy—knowing there was going to come a moment he could not hold back.
And still he followed the heat, taking them both farther and faster, higher and harder, minute by minute, thrust by steady thrust.
Suddenly she moaned. The sound came from deep in her throat. Her fingernails dug into the back of his neck, her legs tightening around his waist.
“Oooohhh…Nick…oh, God.”
And then she screamed.
It was the signal he’d been waiting for as he finally let go.
Eleven
It was difficult for Nick and Amalie to go from making love to the reality of their situation, but they had no choice. Even worse was having to put back on the stained, filthy clothes from the day before. Their jeans were dry, but stiff and caked with everything they’d waded through. Their shirts had long since lost their original color and were both a muddy-brown. Amalie didn’t know until she started to put on her bra that one strap had been ripped loose.