Wicked Sexy(10)

Brennan frowned. “Where exactly are you?”

“Maybe a mile away from the cabins. I’m on Bayside, over by the sea wall.” Daeg packed faster and

reached for his wet-weather gear. “The water’s rising and I don’t think I can make it to the cabins on foot.”

He yanked on a slicker. “What’s she driving?”

Brennan looked at him. “Blue sedan.”

Hell. She needed four-wheel drive and some kind of suspension to take on a flooded roadway. The

sedan wouldn’t cut it.

“Tell her to stay put and to stay in the car,” he ordered, slinging the bag over his shoulder. Daeg could estimate the current; she wouldn’t get the door open now, but even if she went out the window, she ran the risk of being knocked off her feet. She didn’t have the body weight or the experience to hold her ground against storm water.

“The water’s rising, Cal.”

Brennan waved Daeg toward the door. “Don’t get out of the car, Dani. I mean it. You got power locks?”

When she answered negatively, he continued. “Good. Roll a window down now. Pick the side away from

the wind if you can. If that water gets too high, starts coming inside, you climb out the window and you get on the roof. You’re going to be okay, though. I have someone coming for you right now and I’ll remain on the line with you until he’s there.”

Snagging the keys to his Jeep, Daeg hit the porch fast, boots pounding as he took the wet planks at a

careful run. Hydroplaning wouldn’t help Dani, and his Harley didn’t have the clearance or the engine power to make it up those roads. The Jeep was a workhorse and would get him where he needed to go.

Straight to Dani.





THE WIND HIT her small economy car like a freight train. With each powerful buffet, Dani felt the car

shift, moving her away from Sweet Moon’s cabins. And sliding her farther down the road toward a sheer

drop into open water. Oh, no.

At Cal’s suggestion she’d cranked down a back window in case she needed a quick exit. Now she was

soaked as rain blew through and over the car. According to the red numbers blinking on the car’s dash,

forty minutes had passed since she’d phoned. The floodwaters were already lapping the bottom of her side mirror. A few minutes more and she’d have to climb out and up, like she’d promised Cal. He’d had to go, so he hung up a short while ago after promising that help was almost there.

She tugged on the collar of her raincoat, doing whatever she could to protect herself from the

downpour.

Real soon, getting wet was going to be the least of her problems.

The wind gusted violently and something floated by the car. Too close. Broken lawn furniture?

Whoever was coming to help her needed to hurry up.

She eyed the cell phone, but the battery was almost dead. She was fairly certain the signal’s strength had dropped. Whatever charge remained, she needed to save, because things weren’t getting any better here.

She’d hung up on Tag when she’d hit the last bar of juice.

When a vehicle hurtled out of the growing darkness toward her, she bit back a scream. A Jeep. Muddy

and battered, and the canvas top looking distinctly the worse for wear. The driver braked just in time to avoid her as the floodwater sprayed up, breaking over the windshield.

She flicked her flashlight on. The Jeep pulled slowly through the wheel-well–high water and stopped

on the far side of the road, where the water line was lower. It looked like luck was finally on her side. Still, even there, the water was already licking at the Jeep’s hood. Any deeper and the engine might get flooded.

The driver effortlessly hoisted himself out through the vehicle’s window. She’d never been so glad to see anyone.

One strong, confident step at a time and he pushed himself through the waist-high water. She screamed

as the current grabbed at him, pulling forcefully. For a moment, she thought he’d lose his footing, but then he moved forward again. As he drew closer he yelled something, but the wind ate up his words. Instead, he gestured for her to lean from the car window.

Since he was nearly to her, she could make out the identity of the man beneath the hood of the rain

slicker. Daeg Ross. His familiar face was focused, fierce.

“Daeg,” she whispered.

“Cal sent me,” he said and she nodded dumbly as if he was out here paying a social call. Relief snaked

through her.

His muscular arms closed carefully around her and pulled her gently from the car. He set her on the

hood, stepping in between her legs. “Way I see it,” he said, “you’ve got a choice.” He was so deliciously warm where she was cold and wet.

“I need to get you out of here.” He gestured toward the sedan and the growing level of water. “Your

car’s not an option. My Jeep’s not getting back down the road, either.”

“The shelter is in town,” she pointed out, fighting back fear. She didn’t want to be out here, alone, nor did she want the alternative.... Town—and people— sounded right to her.

“You don’t get it, Dani.” He pressed his forehead tenderly to hers. “The roads are flooded. I don’t care if you planned to swim to town, it’s not safe. We have to wait this thing out now.”

“All right.” She glared at him. Anger and adrenaline were churning her up inside, and she welcomed it.

She had to keep a clear head where Daeg was concerned. “If the roads aren’t an option, then where do you plan to do this waiting? My car’s out of commission and your Jeep doesn’t look much better.”

He glanced up the road and his hands tightened on her shoulders. “We’ll head back to the cabins and

wait this thing out.”

He braced himself as the floodwater slapped at him. “It’s impossible,” she said. She’d considered it, but it seemed too dangerous—even in these circumstances—and was an experience she could live without.

He slid off his raincoat, wrapping the extra layer over her before she could push it away. His coat was warm from his body heat, an unspeakable luxury after the hour she’d spent in her car. She looked down

and was almost sick. Waves raced and swirled around them and the car bucked.

“The car’s...moving,” she whispered.

He nodded, turned and gave her his back. “That’s why we’re walking,” he said, peering at her over his

shoulder. “Back to the Jeep if we can, or straight up to the cabins if we have to, whichever is easiest. Climb on.”

“You’re crazy.”

He shook his head and gestured impatiently. “You don’t weigh enough to keep your balance in this kind

of water. Even if you stick right by my side, I can’t guarantee you’ll stay upright, and swimming in these conditions takes training you don’t have. So I’ll carry you.”

When she hesitated, he grinned at her. Water streaked his face. “Your choice. Piggyback or fireman’s

carry. Me, I wouldn’t want to be facedown in this.”

He made a good point.

She gave in, and wrapping her arms loosely around his neck, she settled against his broad back. He was

all heat and muscle.

“Tell me you’ve done this before.” Didn’t rescue swimmers jump out of choppers? Did that even

qualify him for this?

“Too many times,” he laughed, though the humor quickly went out of his voice. “You don’t worry

about that. I’ve got you.” He moved steadily across the road toward his Jeep and possibly the cabins.

Before they could reach either destination, a sheet of rain slapped the surface of the water, sending a wall of spray right at them.





6

THE WALL OF brown, muddy storm water was no tsunami, but Daeg estimated the crest at six feet,

giving him almost no clearance and putting Dani underwater. He’d lose his footing when that huge wave

slammed into him, which meant they’d be free-floating. Determining the mission here was simple—he must

get Dani to safety. Now.

Behind them, her car shifted. It wasn’t safe. He’d been in numerous rescue situations where conditions

had changed in the blink of an eye. One minute everything was going well, and the next—it was all shot to nothing. This was not going to be one of those times.

He summoned whatever strength he still had left. This was for Dani.

He’d jumped out of helicopters where two hundred feet below the water was frigid and worse than

choppy. Every second had brought another gust of wind hitting hard, driving the hovering bird to one side and then the other. Those extreme conditions demanded that a man push himself to his limits. This storm was nothing in comparison. Except he knew the person needing rescue. Dani wasn’t another anonymous

victim.

Focus. This was just one more mission. In. Out. And over.

“Incoming,” he grunted. “Hang tight.”

Her head jerked, tracking the bounding wave. “Oh, no.”

Yeah. She saw what he saw. Somewhere just north of them, a stream had escaped the banks and the

resulting flash flood was also about to hit.

He moved fast, muscles screaming for oxygen as he one-twoed it against the hard pull of the current.

Between the rain and fading daylight, visibility wasn’t good. Maybe ten seconds and all that water would reach them. Focus.

The world telescoped to the chew of the sludge, ocean water and everything that had been caught in its