Dare headed to the girl closest to him. He realized the woman swimming ahead of him was competent, and even though he didn’t know her, Dare knew she was going to be able to handle rescuing the girl on her own.
Dare surged to standing, grabbed the girl’s shoulders, and flipped her onto her back before hooking his arms under hers and pulling her toward the stairs. He glanced to his side and saw that the woman had done the same but was now moving slightly slower than he was in the deeper water.
“Do you need help?” he asked the woman.
“No. I got her.” The woman looked up and Dare followed her gaze to see hotel staff running toward them. “Call 9-1-1.”
One of the waiters shook his head. “They’re just drunk. They’ve been drinking all day. I’ve called the resident doctor since he can get here way faster than an ambulance from Charleston. He’ll be here in just a minute.”
Dare pulled his girl up onto the stone covering the pool area. He reached back down into the water, and the woman from the bar helped him lift the second unconscious girl to the ground. He could tell the woman was livid at the staffer as she shoved him out of the way to drop down next to the girl she’d pulled out of the water. Dare did the same and pressed his fingers to the girl’s neck. There was a pulse.
“I have a pulse.” Dare bent down and placed his head to her lips. “She’s not breathing, though.”
“Same,” the woman answered him as she made the move to start CPR.
“No! It’s respiratory arrest, not cardiac.” Dare stopped her. “Pinch her nose and give her five breaths. Wait a moment and then resume if she’s not breathing on her own.” Dare looked back up at the staffers who were staring down at him. “Call 9-1-1 anyway.”
Dare bent down, pressed his lips to the girl’s, and breathed for her. He sat up and looked around. No one was on the phone. He pulled out his phone and cursed as he saw it had shut down from the water. He bent back down, breathed, and this time when he sat back up, the girl he was helping gasped desperately as she filled her lungs with oxygen.
Dare turned his attention the other girl and noticed that she was similarly dragging in big breaths of air. However, both girls still had their eyes closed and he knew they weren’t out of the woods yet.
“What do we have here?”
Dare looked up and saw a man in a suit with a black medical bag walking toward them. The prick wasn’t even running. He looked like he had just strolled from his villa.
“These girls have been drinking all day and passed out in the water. But they’re fine now,” one of the staffers told them.
“They aren’t fine,” the woman next to him snapped. Dare almost smiled at the fierceness in her voice. The staffer took a step back, but the doctor just shrugged as he bent down and felt for her pulse.
“Strong pulse and she’s breathing. She’ll be fine.”
“She’s only breathing because I breathed for her, asshole.”
Dare’s respect for the woman soared. She wasn’t backing down, but she did let the doctor examine the girl. “Do you know their names?”
“Yes, sir,” the bartender said. “They’re sisters. Last name is Goodwine. They’re here for her twenty-first birthday,” he said, pointing to the girl Dare had pulled from the water.
Dare sat back on his heels as the doctor came to examine the birthday girl he’d pulled from the water. Goodwine, not Faulkner. Neither of these girls was his blind date, thank goodness.
“They’ve been drinking all day?” the doctor asked.
“Yes, sir,” the waiter and the bartender responded.
“Get them to my office and I’ll let them sleep it off. I’ll give them some IV fluids to help them feel better too.”
“Where’s your office?” the woman who had helped rescue them asked the doctor.
“It’s down the hall behind the check-in desk, why?”
“I just want to stop by and check on them before I leave.”
“Of course,” the doctor smiled indulgently as a couple of staffers came to carry the girls to the doctor’s office.
He and the woman stood and watched as they all walked away. The woman crossed her arms over her now see-through shirt and narrowed her eyes. “That was weird, right?”
“Very,” Dare answered. He didn’t like this, but he couldn’t do anything further or he’d draw too much attention to himself and blow his cover before it even began.
The woman turned and walked to the bar. Dare watched as she picked up her drink and shot it down. The bartender poured another one and smiled at her. “On the house for the hero.”
Desire shot through Dare as he watched her bend over and unzip her boots. Long legs came into view as he let his eyes travel upward to the jean skirt that clung to her round bottom. Traveling farther up, he took in the curves of shapely breasts and then noticed the tight jaw. She wasn’t a fan of the bartender.
Dare stepped forward and silently challenged the bartender who instantly backed down. “What can I get you? On the house, of course,” he stuttered.
“I’ll take what she’s drinking.” Dare cast a quick look around and didn’t see any more young girls. Hopefully, his blind date got tired of waiting for him and left because he’d just found someone much better.
3
Harper was wet and pissed. The air was cold, but she didn’t want to put her leather jacket on over wet skin. She listened as the man who had helped her rescue the girls growled at the bartender and almost burst out laughing as Brody quickly backed off and submitted to the man. If Brody were a puppy he’d probably tinkle a little in fear.
“Here you go.” Harper felt the warmth of a towel wrap around her shoulders from behind. She turned as Mr. Sexy walked back to her side and shot the bourbon Brody had just finished pouring.
“Thank you,” Harper said with her best “I’m interested” voice. She hiked her skirt a bit and wiggled onto the barstool. Damn, she hoped her date really did stand her up.
“Thanks for helping me save them. You were very brave.”
Harper shrugged. “That wasn’t brave. It was just a reaction.” She looked over at him and saw that he too was looking around. “Did your date run off?”
“I wish,” he grumbled as her heart sank. So he was here with someone. Even if he weren’t happy with his girlfriend, she’d never make a move on a man who was taken. Happily or not, Harper would never do that to another woman.
“Yeah, me too,” Harper said under her breath.
The man turned to her, his brow wrinkled, and it was then she saw that his dark eyes were actually a deep blue. Up close, he was even sexier than he had been from across the pool. Harper pretended to look down at her feet and admired the shirt plastered to a muscular chest and abs that made her wish she could peel that shirt from his body.
“Don’t like your boyfriend?”
“I don’t know,” Harper said miserably. “I’m happily single, but my family doesn’t accept that so they set me up on a blind date.”
The man looked surprised and then a slow grin spread across his face as he blatantly checked her out. When Brody had done it, it was sleazy. When this man did it, her body heated as his eyes traveled over her.
“What’s your name?” he asked and Harper practically shivered with lust. Too bad he was already taken. He was perfect for a night of fun.
“Harper. And you are . . .?” she asked, turning to face him fully and not backing down and not embarrassed about her nipples being clearly seen through her soaked shirt and bra.
“I’m your blind date.”
In that one second, every feeling Dare had changed. Dread was replaced with anticipation. Annoyance was replaced with approval. Flight was replaced with the need to step closer to Harper, which he did. His lips tilted up in amusement as he saw her blink. She was good. Emotions didn’t cross her face so he didn’t know what she was thinking, but the hesitation told him she was surprised.
“Is that right? And just who sent you on this blind date?”
/> Dare’s smile widened. Not only was she beautiful and brave, she was clever.
“Marcy Davies. I believe she’s your great-aunt.” Her shoulders relaxed as he held out his hand. “Dare Reigns.”
She reached out and slipped her hand into his. Her grip was strong as she shook his hand. “Harper Faulkner,” she said as she began to laugh.
Dare’s eyebrow rose. “What’s funny?”
“Great-Aunt Marcy told me I was meeting a young boy. I was expecting a twenty-one-year-old pup I would have to show around town.”
Dare laughed then too. “I thought the same thing. I thought you were one of the girls pulled from the pool. Not that you aren’t young . . .” Crap, he didn’t know how to finish his sentence. Most women would be insulted, but Harper only nodded.
“Same here. I was dreading this so much that I hoped you wouldn’t show up.”
“Me too. I thought about not coming,” Dare admitted. “Now I’m very glad I did.”
The appreciative look Harper gave him told him she was glad he did too. He was used to that look, but the difference was that Harper didn’t fall into a giggling, ditzy mess like other women he met in bars. Instead, Harper turned to the bartender and ordered two more bourbons. With the drinks in hand, she turned back to Dare and smiled.
“Would you like to go sit down?”
Dare took the bourbon she held out to him and then held out his hand. “After you.”
Dare followed as they walked to two lounge chairs far away from any other people. He waited until she sat before taking a seat across from her.
“So, you met my family in Kentucky and still showed up. I guess after that and the rescue we just had that you aren’t easily scared.”
“Your great-aunt scares me now. I didn’t know what she was doing and then all of a sudden, I had a date.”
“And she knew you were here for your work with the ATF,” Harper said before taking a sip of her drink.
“What?” Dare asked with surprise. He’d never told Marcy what he did for a living.
“That you are with the ATF and have been transferred here,” Harper said slowly as if Dare didn’t know what he did for a living.
“I never told her I worked for the ATF,” Dare said in disbelief.
Harper shrugged. “Well, she has her sources. Why were you transferred? Did you get in trouble or is this a promotion?”
“Just work.” Dare said as he casually looked around to make sure no one could hear them.
“It has to be something besides just work because you’re making sure no one is around, and when you said ATF, your voice dropped to a whisper. If you don’t want anyone to hear what you do, there’s a reason for it.”
Dare’s admiration for Harper grew. He’d known she was smart, and it might sound weird, but her analysis of the situation was a turn-on. “Let’s just say I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone who I work for.”
Harper took another sip as she kept her eyes locked on his. “Hmm.” Dare heard the sound of contemplation and knew Harper’s mind was working her way through every word he said and those words he didn’t say.
“Are you investigating the resort? Is that why you wanted to meet here?” Dare appreciated that she whispered but was a little nervous how close she came to the truth.
“Marcy selected the resort,” Dare countered.
Harper smiled and Dare was lost. He felt it through his whole body when she smiled at him. She was stunning before but relaxed and smiling, as if they shared a secret together, led his mind straight to what she’d look like in his bed with a satisfied smile on her face.
“Then you’re definitely investigating the resort. I told you my family was scary,” Harper whispered, but her voice was full of amusement before she quickly sobered. “The girls. Is that why you’re here? If you’re ATF then you’re investigating alcohol, tobacco, or firearms. I can’t imagine tobacco being an issue here, but those girls passed out from drinking. They didn’t appear intoxicated when I saw them at the bar.” Dare didn’t say anything when Harper paused because he could see she was still thinking. He found it fascinating how her brain worked. “Or it could be firearms. This is a private island with a private marina so it would be really easy to smuggle illegal firearms into the United States from here. So, which is it?”
Harper kept her eyes locked with his. Dare reminded her of her friend, Granger Fox, who was the sheriff of Shadows Landing. Granger’s face never gave anything away. She could say the Daughters of Shadows Landing were running naked down Main Street with Bubba the alligator chasing them and Granger’s face would never give away what he thought.
Dare laughed and shook his head in amusement. “You have quite the imagination.”
“It’s okay. I guess I’d be worried if you talked about it, trying to show off. Can you tell me anything about yourself?” Harper asked, changing subjects.
She watched him while trying to pick up any clue as to what he was thinking. She’d learned over the years of working in the bar how to read people. The tell was small, but she saw Dare’s biceps relax. It wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone who wasn’t looking for the smallest tell.
“I’m from Texas. Grew up on a cattle ranch.”
“Are your parents still there?” Harper asked. She could see him riding a horse, wrangling cattle.
“My parents and my older brother. The ranch gets handed down to the oldest child of each generation. It’s been in the family for five generations. I knew I needed to do something else. There’s nothing that could keep me there working under my brother. I love him, but he always lorded over me as the big brother in charge. I thought about becoming a Texas Ranger, but during college I learned about ATF and knew that’s what I wanted to do. What about you?”
“I hear you on the older brother thing. My big brother is the town’s doctor. When our parents moved to Florida for the second phase of their lives, he took over the parental role even though I was in college,” Harper explained to him.
“Your parents retired?”
“No, they and my aunt and uncle bought a small resort and run it. It’s on the beach so it’s like retirement. They’re happy,” Harper told him.
“But y’all stayed in Shadows Landing? I believe Marcy said your family was all there.”
Harper nodded. “We all went in different directions—to college, to work, to travel—but we all came back to Shadows Landing.”
“Your great-aunt only told me that you live in Shadows Landing.”
“My great-aunt played you, didn’t she?” Harper laughed. “I can’t believe you actually showed up to meet me.”
“I wasn’t going to,” Dare admitted. “I was talking to an FBI agent who told me I’d better do it or I’d hurt Marcy’s feelings. I wouldn’t want to do that.”
“Peter Castle?” Harper asked even though she knew that’s who it had to be. Agent Castle was a friend of her cousin Ryan in Keeneston. Castle had helped them out in Shadows Landing when they’d needed it.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you know that too.”
“You’re starting to learn,” Harper joked. “As for what I do, I own the bar in Shadows Landing.”
“The bar? As in there’s only one?”
“Shadows Landing has only one of everything, except barbecue restaurants. We have two of those and it’s a fierce debate over the best style—coal smoked or wood smoked.”
“That’s easy,” Dare said with a mischievous smile. “Texas barbecue is the best.”
Harper laughed and shook her head. “You better not say that around here or you’ll be kicked out of the state.”
“Well then, wood smoked wins. Hands down. That’s how we make it in Texas and it falls off the bone.”
Harper laughed as they talked about barbecue, growing up in Texas, and commiserated about the hardships of growing up in a small town.
“When I was about to go to college, I couldn’t wait to get out of Shadows Landing. But within the first month, I was read
y to come back. When I graduated, I realized I didn’t know what I was going to do. I had tended bar through college and made enough money to live off it. Many of us kids had complained there wasn’t a bar in town. There was one when we were younger, but the owner died and it just closed. It sat empty for decades but with my savings and a small loan from my brother, I was able to buy the building downtown. I lived in the small apartment upstairs as I worked to get it up and running. Luckily, two of my cousins are good at building things and helped me update the building and do whatever I needed inside.”
“That’s very impressive, Harper.” Goodness. His voice had been sexy on its own, but her name on his lips was enough to make her shiver.
“You’re cold. I can’t believe we’ve been talking for hours. Let’s go check on the girls and then get you warmed up.”
Harper didn’t argue. She also didn’t point out that she wasn’t cold. Instead, she let him put his hand around her shoulder after they stood up. The heat soaked through the towel and warmed her as she fought leaning into him. That wasn’t like her and that caused her to stiffen. She was not going to turn to mush just because of a sexy guy.
Dare noticed the change in her posture and dropped his hand. As they walked toward the lobby, Harper reminded herself why she shouldn’t get too attached. This was a blind date. It was done. She’d fulfilled her promise to her great-aunt. But then why did she resist the end of their date and the idea of never seeing Dare again?
4
Dare felt Harper stiffen and chastised himself for giving in to his need to touch her. Now he wished he hadn’t because even through a damp towel, his body had responded to the contact. Dare felt unprepared for the physical reaction, but more surprising was his emotional reaction. He had a job to do and dating wasn’t a part of it. While he’d thought about a one-night stand, there were two problems with it. For starters, one simple touch on the shoulder had been enough to tell him he wanted more. Second, and the most important, was that he was frankly quite scared Marcy Davies would show up at his door, grab him by the ear, and scold him if he did. And she probably wouldn’t come alone. The vision of a wall of angry uncles was enough to have him keeping his hands to himself as they walked into the lobby.
Fierce Shadows: Shadows Landing #4 Page 3