Silent Protector, page 4
“What’s that look?” She frowned at him as he eased the canoe into the bay. The dock and boathouse were sturdy, with a roof that looked brand-new. Derek and Madison clearly took care to clean this place out regularly, or had a property management company that did.
“Just hoping your shoes don’t get ruined,” he murmured as he straightened.
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter if they get wet. These are on their last leg anyway. It’s why I brought them on this getaway.”
“You want to climb in first? Then I can push off?”
She nodded and jumped into the front, moving like a nimble cat. The water barely rippled underneath the boat.
Laughing lightly, he followed suit and got in behind her. Sunlight hit his face as they paddled out of the boathouse, gliding onto the pristine lake.
That was one thing about Florida weather—it turned on a dime. Last night had been National Geographic scary, and today the water was like glass and there were no clouds in the sky. Though he knew they only had a couple hours before the weather shifted again.
“So how are your brothers doing without you?” she asked as she slipped her life jacket on.
He kept his on the seat next to him. “I’m sure they’re fine. I lost service sometime last night. Still haven’t gotten it back.”
“Yeah, I alternate between one bar and zero. Guessing the storm knocked a tower out.” She turned her face up to the sun and let her paddle sit still for a moment.
He watched the way her curls gleamed under the sunlight and wished he had the right to run his fingers through them, to cup her head as he took her mouth. “So do you kayak or canoe much?”
“Not really. Though Bianca’s gotten me out on the water a few times. She’s an avid kayaker.”
He sliced his oar through the water and she did the same. “I didn’t think you liked her.” Mac might not pay attention to everything in town, but he did pay attention to anything involving Adeline.
She let out a surprised laugh, the musical sound echoing over the lake. “We definitely didn’t always get along. Though I didn’t know you were aware of that.” She glanced over her shoulder, her brown eyes curious.
“I notice things.”
She paused and turned back around, continuing to slice her paddle through the water.
A few birds swooped overhead and he inhaled the crisp winter air. The winter down here was a whole lot different than up north. It wasn’t a biting cold, even in December, but it was crisp and refreshing. There was a reason so many people retired to the state.
“Getting kidnapped with someone will definitely change things up.” Her tone was neutral as she finally responded.
Oh, hell. Way to go, dumbass. He couldn’t believe himself. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t even thinking. I wasn’t trying to bring that up.” Bianca and Adeline had both been kidnap victims, and had thankfully both been rescued, relatively unharmed. Adeline still had some burn scars on her arm though. Faded now, but they’d never go away.
“I know. It’s fine. Talking about it actually helps. She’s been someone to talk to, someone who understands what I went through because she did too. And…now that she’s come out,” she continued, “she’s more secure in who she is. I think a lot of her mean girl attitude was a façade because she hadn’t quite figured out who she was. Or she wasn’t ready to tell the world anyway. Not being able to live authentically… I imagine that hurts inside and comes out in anger or other ways.”
He assumed Adeline meant because Bianca had come out as gay. Before, she’d had the reputation of flirting with married men and Mac figured it was because she wasn’t ready to accept who she was, and married men were safe to flirt with. Not that he was in the habit of analyzing people. Bianca had certainly never flirted with him.
“I’m glad you’ve got someone to talk to. If you ever need another ear, I’m here,” he found himself offering. And he meant it.
“You know, from most people I would think that was a bullshit offer, but I believe you. Thanks.” Turning around, she gave him a soft smile and he felt it all the way to his core as sure as if someone had sucker punched him.
Yeah, he was in trouble.
He’d known it, but today…damn. The pull he felt to her was out in the open and he couldn’t rein it back in if he’d wanted to.
They paddled their way around the lake, as if they’d both made a unified decision to head left and loop all the way around.
“These homes are gorgeous,” she said about ten minutes later.
The silence between them wasn’t awkward, it was…nice out here with her. Peaceful. He’d wanted to get away from people, but Adeline definitely wasn’t people. Being around her soothed something inside him and he wasn’t sure he wanted to dig deeper into the analysis of why. Hell, he didn’t have to dig deep. He knew exactly why he liked being with her.
“Yeah, Derek and Madison put a lot of work into their place too. His dad left it to him.”
“That’s right, I forgot you guys went to high school together.”
“Yeah. He’s come a long way since those days too.”
“Too?”
He just snorted. Mac had been an irresponsible jackass back then—as a lot of teenagers were. Mac was glad he’d grown out of it, and that Adeline only knew him as the man he’d grown into.
He just hoped that he could be someone she relied on, turned to. Let in.
Chapter 5
Adeline looked over her shoulder as the wind suddenly shifted and that was when she saw it—behind them the sky was covered in near-black clouds, a faint strip of pale blue beneath it making it a terrifying postcard, it was so surreal. The canoe rippled against the water as more wind kicked up, shoving them hard to the west.
“Mac?” she asked as water splashed her face.
“I see it.” And he was already shifting the boat back around, his forearms flexing as he sliced the oar through the water.
Following suit, she did the same, working against the wind as they maneuvered it around.
The wind kicked up again, sending a flurry of cold slicing through her as the first drop of rain hit her face. What the hell? It was still freaking sunny out. She cut through the water with her oar, a sense of urgency eating through her veins as they paddled. She’d thought they had plenty of time before the weather changed to get some fresh air and sunshine. Thankfully the wind was at their backs, helping to propel them forward as they quickly worked to get to their cabin.
Splat. Splat. Splat.
The rain fell harder, pelting her in the face. She winced at the stinging but kept up her pace, slice, slice, slice. The oar slicked through the pitching water with each stroke, her arm muscles straining. With each little wave, more water sloshed into the canoe. A teeny bit of panic slid through her as she worried what would happen if they didn’t make it back in time. She could swim, but it was freezing. Even if it was Florida, the water was damn cold.
Too cold for their bodies to withstand long-term.
“Here.” Mac’s voice made her turn. He held out his ball cap. “It’ll protect your face.”
“It’s fine.” Though the rain was cold and annoying.
Ignoring her, he put it on her head and tugged it down.
It fit perfectly so he’d clearly already changed the Velcro strap. Damn. The man was ridiculously thoughtful, and it really did help against the stinging rain. She figured his beard helped protect his face at least, and didn’t feel so bad for taking his hat. She started paddling faster, squinting against the downpour as they cut straight down the middle of the lake.
A chill had started to invade her veins, but relief surged through her when she spotted the boathouse through the rain.
Dark clouds rolled over them, however. Now they were surrounded by the gray on every side. Thunder rumbled, the sound ominous, as if it was right on top of them.
They were almost there and she knew they’d be fine, but the cold from the wind and water had seeped into her bones. The tips of her fingers were numb and icy as she forced herself to keep paddling. Though deep down she knew Mac was basically carrying them at this point. The canoe was moving far too fast, an arrow through the choppy water. She felt like she was hardly helping at all.
“Put your oar down!” he called out over the rising wind.
Lightning flashed across the sky and she jumped, goose bumps skittering down her arms.
She wasn’t sure why he wanted her to put the paddle down, but she pulled it in and tucked it under the seat in front of her.
He continued through the water, even faster as the canoe rocked, only twenty yards to go now. They slammed up against the boathouse dock as he guided them in.
“Sit tight,” he ordered as he jumped from the boat.
She couldn’t have gotten out on her own if she’d wanted to. And she did want to. But her fingers weren’t obeying her as she fumbled to reach the side of the dock.
Suddenly Mac was next to her, slipping his big arms underneath her armpits and hauling her onto the dock. He moved with such a rapid efficiency that all she could do was stare at him as he then hooked the boat up and tossed the life jackets into the bin. Instead of securing the oars, he threw them on the dock and scooped her up into his arms.
Her teeth chattering, her jaw was tight as she tried to force words out. “What…you doing?” Well, duh. Why had she asked?
“Getting us inside.” She could see chill bumps on his face and neck but he was moving so smoothly, as if he was completely impervious to the rain and wind.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, grateful for his presence and strength. She wasn’t so sure she’d have made it to the house without him and that was terrifying. She was so damn cold, all her muscles pulled taut, almost locked in on themselves as she fought the iciness that invaded her marrow.
He shoved the back door open and immediately the warmth of the living room rolled over her. But he kept going, moving all the way to the bathroom where he set her on her feet and turned on the hot shower.
“You need to strip.” There was a flicker of worry in his eyes.
“I’m fine,” she rasped out as she fumbled with the edge of the zipper of her pants. Stupid thing wouldn’t work. Yeah, clearly she was freaking fine. But her fingers weren’t listening to her.
He took over in an instant, quickly unzipping it before he tugged her sweater over her head.
She didn’t have any time to be embarrassed as he then bent down and tugged her soggy shoes and socks off—then helped pull her pants off. The man undressed her with an impressive efficiency, and thankfully didn’t touch her underwear. The fact that he didn’t, mattered. And he averted his gaze as she managed to unhook her bra and slide it down her arms. Chills covered her entire body, though the warmth from the house was helping already.
He looked to the right and up, not focusing on her. “Can you get in the shower without help?”
“Yeah,” she got out through chattering teeth. The curtain jingled as she managed to shove it open and step inside.
The moment the warmth of the water hit her, the frostiness eating up her insides started to ease.
“Sorry,” she called out, unable to form words without her teeth chattering. “I don’t know how I got so chilled.” Especially when he seemed to be fine. She swore it felt like it was in her marrow, the way it had invaded her so quickly.
“Don’t apologize. Are you doing okay? Do you need help?”
“No, I’m good, I promise.” Her words were coming out stronger now. It had just been a shock to her body.
“I’m going to take your clothes to the laundry room and clean up all the water on the floor. I’ll be back in a minute. Unless you want me to stay?”
“No, I’m good, and you don’t have to take my clothes.” She was embarrassed that he was so strong and capable and—
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got this. I’ll also start a fresh pot of coffee. You’ll feel even better once you drink some.”
Okay, so this man was seriously like a knight in shining armor. The mere thought of someone taking care of her, helping her like this, would have sent her running in the past. Now? She wanted to run all right, straight into his arms. “Thank you.”
* * *
Adeline stepped into the kitchen minutes later, wearing a thick sweater, jogging pants and two layers of socks, to find Mac pouring two mugs of coffee. “You are a prince,” she murmured as he placed the hot drink in her hands. She savored the warmth against her palms as she lifted the mug to her lips.
His eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled but his expression quickly morphed to one of concern. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a new person. And a tiny bit embarrassed that you literally had to carry me inside and…” She cleared her throat, deciding not to finish that he’d seen her naked. Or mostly, anyway.
His frown deepened and it just made him sexier. Apparently everything he did was sexy. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. We shouldn’t have gone out. It’s my fault.”
“Yeah, because you control the weather,” she murmured. “If you remember correctly, it was my idea. And it’s no one’s fault, just dumb luck. Also, for the record, I hate Florida weather sometimes.”
He picked up his own mug and leaned against the counter as he nodded in agreement. “No kidding. So I got cell service back and we’ve got a bunch of flash flood warnings in the area. Looks like we’re stuck together for a little while longer.” His tone was so neutral, she wished she could read him better.
“I can definitely think of worse things. At least we have power.” Thunder rattled the house just then, making the windows shake. She winced. “You know, unless I just jinxed us.”
He snorted softly. “If you want to paint or relax, I’ll get out of your way.”
She shrugged, not wanting to be alone right now. “Want to play some board games?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
“I love them, but I get it if you don’t want to. I am the queen of board games, so if you can’t handle losing to a girl, I completely understand. Because I will utterly destroy you.”
He blinked in surprise, then grinned. “Bring it on, then. I should warn you, I’m the undefeated champ of Monopoly with my brothers. I have a dance.”
She sputtered out a laugh, not expecting this at all. “A dance?”
His lips twitched slightly. “That’s right, my friend. A dance. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see it.”
“I’m tempted to throw the game just so I can see what this is all about.”
He grinned and she felt that look aaaallllll the way to her belly. Good God, this man was her kryptonite. He was sexy, fun, had pretty much saved her from hypothermia. And earlier he’d made it clear that he still wanted to take her out on a date. There were no mind games with him. It was terrifying.
Adeline knew she needed to get over her past, needed to move forward. It was just taking that next step that was the difficult thing.
And something told her that if she took it with Mac, she wouldn’t regret it. No, she would only regret it if she took a chance and then lost him.
Chapter 6
Lincoln opened the front door, surprised to see Serenity, his sister-in-law, on the other side. “Hey,” he said as he stepped back, letting her in.
“Hey.” She hugged him quickly, a smile on her face, but he’d known her long enough to recognize the tension rolling off her. “Where’s Autumn?” she asked.
“Had a little morning sickness and ended up getting back in bed.”
She winced slightly. “I don’t miss those days.”
“Did you come by to see her, or me?” He motioned for her to follow him to the kitchen.
“Both. I mean, I came by to see you, but I was hoping to see her as well. Always,” she said with a laugh. “I’m so glad you guys are together now. You’re both so good for each other.”
Her words made him smile. He’d been close friends with Serenity since before college so he was glad that she and Autumn were so tight. “Yeah, well I’m glad my brother finally made his move on you.” Lucas had been hopeless where Serenity had been concerned. The two of them deserved all the happiness in the world. Especially after the hell she’d been through.
“Me too.”
“So what’s up?” Because there was no way she’d just stopped by unannounced without a reason.
“Nothing really. I’m just feeling kind of tense right now.” Her blue eyes flashed with what looked like worry.
“Aren’t you on vacation? Or a sort of vacation?”
She snorted softly and sat at the kitchen table, accepting the coffee he slid over to her. “Supposed to be.”
“So what’s going on?”
“I got a call from a friend of mine, Hope Dunaway.”
“Who is she?” The name sounded vaguely familiar.
“She runs the feed store over in Harrison. I know the sheriff’s department’s jurisdiction is spread over multiple counties… But I also know the police department of Harrison has jurisdiction over, well, Harrison. So…” She took a sip of her coffee, her expression pensive as she watched him.
“So? Is this about the chief over there?” He tried to keep his tone as neutral as possible. But he did not like Robert “Bobby” Hayward. Never had. Lately he’d been hearing slight rumblings of…corruption. There was no other way to put it. And Hayward’s son Harlan had recently gotten out of prison, but that was a whole other mess. Lincoln had also been hearing things about that jackass, but with no proof to back it up, unfortunately. Still, it was on his radar.
“Yeah. Hope’s been getting hassled by some guys at work. And she’s gone to the police department a couple times to try to make a report but he keeps blowing her off. Telling her that if she makes the report, it will become official. He’s talking to her like she’s stupid, like her ‘pretty little self doesn’t want to go and make trouble.’” Serenity’s tone was mocking.
