No problem.
Holt tucked his tongue in his cheek when Nathaniel scooped Megan up for a long, lingering kiss. A glance at Sloan's narrowed eyes had him biting that tongue to keep from grinning.
See you, sugar.
Megan flushed, cleared her throat.
Yes.,.well. Bye.
Nathaniel tucked his thumbs in his pocket, waited until she'd driven off before he turned to Sloan.
Guess you want to talk to me.
Damn right I want to talk to you.
You'll have to come up to the bridge. We've got a tour going out.
Want a referee?
Holt offered, and earned two deadly glances.
Too bad. I hate to
miss it.
Smoldering, Sloan followed Nathaniel up the gangplank, waited restlessly while he
gave orders. Once they were on the bridge, Nathaniel glanced over the charts and dismissed the mate.
If this is going to take longer than fifteen minutes, you're in for a ride.
I've got plenty of time.
Sloan stepped closer, braced his legs like a gunslinger at high noon.
What the hell were you doing with my sister?
I think you have that figured out,
Nathaniel said coolly.
Sloan bared his teeth.
If you think I'm going to stand back while you move in on her, you're dead wrong. I wasn't around when she got tangled up with Dumont, but I'm here now.
I'm not Dumont.
Nathaniel's own temper threatened to snap, a dry twig of control.
You want to take out what he did to her on me, that's fine. I've been looking to kick someone's ass ever since I caught that bastard tossing her around. So you want to take me on?
he said invitingly.
Do it.
Though the invitation tempted some elemental male urge, Sloan pulled back.
What
do you mean, he was tossing her around?
Just what I said. He had her up against the wall.
The rage swept back, almost
drowning him.
I thought about killing him, but I didn't think she could handle it.
Sloan breathed deep to steady himself.
So you threw him off the pier.
Well, I punched him a few times first, then I figured there was a chance he couldn't swim.
Calmer, and grateful, Sloan nodded.
Holt had a few words with him when he dragged his sorry butt out. They've tangled before.
He'd missed his chance that
time, as well, he thought, thoroughly disgusted.
I don't think Dumont'll come back,
chance running into any of us again.
Sloan knew he should be glad of it, but he regretted, bitterly, not getting his own licks in.
I appreciate you looking out for her,
he said stiffly.
But that doesn't get us past
the rest. She'd have been upset, vulnerable. I don't like a man who takes advantage of that.