Deadly Allure

Olie nodded, still holding the door open for him to proceed into the marina’s store and bait shop. “Sal, you got any of that coffee left?”

“Fresh pot.” The little woman with the care-worn face and hair dyed a rich brown to cover all of the gray ran a washrag over the counter. “Good morning, Dave. No charters today?”

“Not until later.” He helped himself to a cup of coffee and sat on the stool on the other side of the counter from Sal to sip the steaming brew. As the hot coffee traveled down his throat, the warm rich aroma swirling around him, Dave could almost pretend all was right in his world.

“I made some fresh biscuits for breakfast. Care for some?”

Sal always made more than she and Olie could eat, and, as with every morning, Dave accepted her hospitality. “You know I love your biscuits. Please.”

She lifted a basket covered in a bright red-checkered cloth from behind the counter. When he reached for a biscuit, she pushed the basket toward him. “Oh, please. Take all of them. Your guest might like some.”

Dave stared across at Sal. “Thank you.”

“Oh, give up, Sal. You know you’re dying to ask who she is.”

Sal’s face reddened. “I wasn’t going to ask, but since Olie opened his big mouth... Who is she? Someone we know?”

“No. She’s an old friend I knew from back in my service days. She was here a couple months’ back.” Dave took one of the biscuits and jammed it in his mouth, hoping the inquisition stopped there.

Sal stared at him a moment, giving him a chance to elaborate.

Making a big show of chewing, he didn’t.

After a moment she nodded. “Well, I’m glad to see you interested. I was beginning to think you had sworn off women.”

Having just taken a sip of the hot coffee, Dave practically spewed. “Wait a minute. Who said I was interested?”

Sal smiled like the proverbial cat that had swallowed the canary. “Honey, when a man carries a woman into his yacht and she doesn’t leave all night...” Her face reddened again. “Just because Olie and I are old, doesn’t mean we’re naive. Please.”

Olie slapped him on the back. “Me and Sal figured it was about time you got back in the dating scene.”

Dave stood, a little angry and a lot disconcerted to be having this conversation with the two people he’d come to care for like surrogate parents. “Anything else you two deciding on my behalf? It might help me to be forewarned.”

Olie scratched his chin. “Well, Sal thinks I need to talk to you about protection—”

Heat radiated up his neck. “I’m out of here.” Grabbing the basket of biscuits and his cup of coffee, Dave headed for the door. “Next thing I know you’ll be telling me all about the birds and the bees.”

“Oh, no, honey.” Sal rested her hands on her hips. “We figure you know all about that. But sometimes a man needs reminding about other things.”

“I’m not hearing this. Please stop talking.” He ran for the door, sloshing hot coffee on his hand.

“Have a nice day with your lady friend,” Sal called.

The echo of Olie’s chuckles followed Dave out the door.

What had gotten into those two meddling, well-meaning old people? He was happy as a confirmed bachelor.

His footsteps slowed as he approached the battered yacht that had seen better days a couple of decades before.

What did he care what his home looked like? The engine had never run smoother and he was working on the exterior as he got time. Now that the summer season was waning, he’d have more time to work on his special project. As soon as his guest moved out.

Biscuits, coffee and the boot. She couldn’t stay. He liked his peace and quiet and certainly didn’t want to get caught up in a felony looking for some people to arrest.

He still couldn’t get over the fact Gabe hadn’t arrested her, knowing she’d broken into a business and stolen confidential information.

Still shaking his head, he stepped onto the boat and descended the steps into the living area.

The couch was empty. Had she gone? His pulse quickened as he glanced around the cabin. Then he heard the water running in the bathroom and he let go of the breath he’d been holding, annoyed that he’d been strangely disappointed thinking she’d gone without saying goodbye.

As he set about the task of plugging in the coffeepot and measuring out coffee, the door to the bathroom opened.

Still wearing the shirt she’d borrowed, she now had on the black leather pants and boots and she’d pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail. Somehow, in the makeshift outfit with no makeup on her face and nothing fancy about her hairstyle, the woman still managed to look gorgeous.

He dragged his gaze away. “Coffee will be ready in a minute.”

“Don’t make any for me.”

Good, more for him, since he hadn’t slept worth a damn and Tazer would soon be leaving. Dave poured water into the device and set it on brew.

“I don’t drink coffee, but I’d love a Coke if you have one.”

“There’s one in the refrigerator, help yourself.” And, it was a can and could be taken with her. “Is there somewhere I can drop you off today?”

“I could use some clothes and a few personal items and a good computer.”

“I’m sure your friends will help you out.”

“I can’t be seen in the daylight with them. Someone could be watching them.”

He crossed his arms. “Do I look like a chauffeur?”

“No, of course not. But I can’t be seen too much in public.” Nicole smiled, her face lighting the room, her lips twisting into a wry grin as she handed him a list of items and five one-hundred-dollar bills. “I need you to pick up these items for me.”

Dave stared for a moment, clamping his jaw tight to keep his mouth from dropping. “Do you always carry that kind of money around?”

She smiled. “A girl has to have her mad money.”

“I thought mad money was limited to cab fare home.”

“Not when you’re in my business.”

“No, thanks. I’m not your gofer.” He tried to hand her the list and the money, but she backed away.

“I’m not any happier than you are, but it seems my options are limited. I’m staying here.” She glanced around the tight confines of the cabin, refusing to look him in the eye. “Surely you have a computer I can use until Thomas or Valdez can get me a faster one.”

“Why would I need a computer? I captain a charter boat.”

Her face fell and she redirected her attention to him. “You don’t have a computer?”

He fought to keep from yelling. How had he gotten roped into harboring a fugitive? He crossed to a cabinet, removed a fairly new laptop and handed it to her. “I should have run you over.”

“Actually you did.”

“You were only supposed to stay one night.”

Nicole sighed. “Didn’t you say my motorcycle was damaged?”

“I tried to start it, but it wouldn’t turn over. I think some of the wiring got messed up when you decided to run that stop sign.”

“When you hit me.”

Dave shook his head. “I’m not feeling sorry for you, if that’s your plan. Women don’t get far trying to manipulate me.”

“No? I had you pegged for a pushover.” She plopped onto the couch cushion and gave him a challenging look. “You know, the sooner I get a computer and decrypt the data, the sooner I’m out of your hair. You can either work with me or you’re stuck with me.” She shrugged. “It’s up to you. Oh, and could you leave your cell phone? I need to make some calls.”

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Dave stumbled through the door of Brigit’s Ladies Apparel store on Main Street in Cape Churn, clutching Tazer’s list in his fist. “Damned woman. I’m a confirmed bachelor, not a glorified babysitter.”

“Hi, Dave,” Brigit Summers called out from behind the counter. “What can I help you with?” She walked around and met him halfway across the small store.

He wanted to tell her he needed help getting a squatter out of his yacht. Instead he handed her the list. “I need these items in the sizes and colors listed.”

Brigit scanned the list, her brows rising. “That’s quite a list.” She relieved him of it and moved around the store, gathering panties, bras, shirts and trousers. “She must be someone special.”

“It’s for my mother,” he lied, frowning hard enough to scare an enemy fighter.

Not Brigit. She laughed. “Right. You don’t have a mother.”

“And how would you know that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Sal and Olie have been trying to set me up with you since you arrived in Cape Churn. I know your height, weight, that you like coffee and biscuits for breakfast and your favorite food is seafood chowder. Your parents live in Arizona, but you never visit. You were in the Special Forces and you got out of the army after eight years.” She stared across at him. “Did I leave anything out?”

“Just the reason why you didn’t go out with me.”

She snorted. “You never asked.” With a pointed look at the clothes in her arms, she sighed. “I suppose I should have known you had someone special already. Nice, eligible men are very hard to find.”

He wanted to tell her the clothes weren’t for his lover, damn it. “I’m eligible. The nice part could be debatable.”

Her face brightened. “Are you asking me out?”

He frowned and backed toward the door. “Look, if you could bag those things, I’ll be back in fifteen minutes to square up.”

Her face fell and she gave him a sad smile. “See? Hard to find.” She pasted a smile on her face. “At least I’ll make my sales quota for the day. I’ll have these things ready.”

Dave ducked out of the store, feeling as though he’d escaped a spider’s web. What was wrong with women? All he wanted was to be left alone.

When he got back to the boat, he’d hand over the clothing and show Tazer the door. The yacht, no matter how ratty, was his home, not hers.

* * *

Nicole spent the better part of an hour cyber-poking at the flash drive, hoping the encryption on the data was a simple fix. After trying everything she’d learned from Zip, her super-geek informant she’d met while undercover with the FBI, she knew she had to do more.

Fortunately, Dave wasn’t such a Neanderthal that he didn’t have internet service. In fact, he had a pretty good setup for the captain of a fishing charter business. Beneath the scruffy unshaved face, shaggy hair and sloppy clothes, she suspected there was more to Dave Logsdon than he let on.

Too bad she didn’t have time to figure him out. Then again, he’d probably end up being just as untrustworthy as most males she’d encountered, and not worth the effort to learn more about.

The image of Dave’s face when he’d been deep in the nightmare and choking the breath out of her flashed through Nicole’s memory. He must have seen some pretty serious stuff to be that traumatized.

Her hand rose to her throat. She’d remember to stand way back if she had to wake him from one of those night terrors again. Not that she would be venturing into his bedroom. If he had a bad dream, he’d have to tough it out.

As quickly as his enraged countenance came to mind, it faded and left her with the image of him lying on the bed naked. The man had muscles. Yes, sir. Not a spare ounce of flesh on that fisherman.

Nicole’s body heated; a strange ache building low in her belly. Since Rodney’s betrayal and her subsequent leaving the FBI, she hadn’t let a man past her bedroom door.

After what she’d witnessed in Dave’s nautical bedroom, she might have to reconsider. If only for some recreational sex. As much as she’d like to deny her baser instincts, she had physical needs.

Needs be damned, she’d need more firepower to crack the encryption on the data she’d downloaded. Normally she’d go to Geek for this kind of stuff. Thank goodness she knew a hacker outside of SOS. He went by Zip. If she could contact him, perhaps he’d pass her some code that she could use to hack into the files.

She’d have to wait for Dave’s return with her clothing and the disposable cell phone she’d asked him to pick up while in Cape Churn. It was too risky to use Dave’s phone to call a known criminal. Not only did it expose Dave, it might expose Zip.

Cooped up in the boat, she didn’t dare get out until Dave brought her clothes. She couldn’t risk being seen in the black leather pants and jacket. What she’d really like was a chance to go for a run. She could probably scrounge some oversize sweats and she could wear the shirt she’d borrowed from Dave, but without tennis shoes, a run was a no-go. Too conspicuous in black boots and sweats.

At a standstill on cracking through the data on the flash drive, she rose from the couch cushions and wandered around the living area, inspecting drawers and cabinets. For a man who needed a haircut and a shave, the items in his drawers were neat, orderly and folded or rolled in the fashion of a footlocker kept up by a top-notch soldier. This soldier hadn’t forgotten his training.

In one cabinet, a faded, crumpled picture hung on the inside of the door. In the photograph two men in desert camouflage uniforms, Kevlar vests and helmets, carrying Colt M-4 carbines stood grinning at the camera. At first, Nicole didn’t recognize either one until she looked closer. The taller one was Dave. Not the surly, scroungy man who wanted to kick her off his boat. This was a happier man with a clean-shaved face and unguarded eyes.

What had happened to make him so mad at the world?

The date on the photo was two years ago.

Footsteps on the deck above made Nicole jump. Unable to see who was coming, she ducked around the corner into Dave’s sleeping quarters. If anyone but the boat’s owner was there to pay a visit, she’d be ready.

Bags dropped down the steps, landing with a paper-crunching whomp on the floor. “Your clothes are here,” Dave called out. “I got a charter gig in thirty minutes. See ya later.”

“Wait.” Nicole darted out of the bedroom and nearly tripped over the bags getting to the steps. “When will you be back?”

He smirked from the halfway up the stairs. “Miss me already?”

She tried to play off her boredom. “No, I just like to know who and what to expect. Helps me to know if it’s a good guy or a bad guy.”

Dave snorted. “Honey, I’m bad to the bone. What’s the difference?”

She didn’t respond, maintaining eye contact until he gave in.

“I’ll be back around dark.”

“Thanks.”

“You got everything you need for now?”

She nodded. “Now that I have clothes, I can get around. I won’t need you to run my errands.”

“If you need a vehicle, the keys to my truck are—”

“Hanging inside the cabinet by the fridge. I know.”

“Snooping around?”

“I was bored.”

“You don’t have to stay here, you know,” he said, his brows raised. “You have clothes.”

“That reminds me. Did you get the hair dye?” she asked.

His lips pressed together for a moment, his gaze sweeping over her head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“I gotta go.” He started up the stairs, refusing to answer.

“Well, I appreciate what you did get. I can pick up the dye at the store later.”

He paused, almost out of the cabin, and then turned back. “Don’t.”

She glanced up from the packages. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t dye your hair.”

Nicole studied the frown on his face. “Why not?”

“I like your hair the way it is.” Then he left.

Shaking her head, Nicole went to work sorting through the clothes he’d purchased, imagining how uncomfortable he must have been asking for a ladies bra and panties. She could have gone without the bra, but she’d wanted him to be a little uncomfortable. As opposed as he’d been to her staying on his boat, he deserved a little embarrassment.

She glanced out the window on the port side facing the dock. Dave strode away in his boat shoes, worn jeans and T-shirt, a fishing cap pulled down over his shaggy hair. He carried himself like a soldier, with all the pride and dignity drilled into him. And beneath the sloppy outfit was the body of a warrior.

Nicole had seen it. And damn if she didn’t want to see it again.

As she tore through the bags, arranging the items, she set herself straight.

Messing with Dave Logsdon would be a big mistake.

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