Prologue

ABEL PE?A

Rain pelted down on my windshield, and I frowned. I didn't mind the rain. Hell, I loved water in any way. But the curvy roads had been dry for a long time. With the magnitude of the storm hitting out of nowhere, I worried what it could mean. Flash floods. I worried about the people driving. What could happen in a blink of an eye.

Liar , a voice perked up. You're worried about one person in particular.

I shook my head, still denying what I felt for the curvy little bookkeeper who had been haunting my dreams. Flash floods happened; I knew that. But in Southern California, it felt like they weren't taken seriously until it was too late. My wipers swished back and forth across the glass. The unexpected storm seemed to be getting worse.

Heavy sheets of rain fell hard. My white-knuckled grip tightened around the steering wheel. I didn't mind this shit, but I had been happy not having to deal with crazy weather like when I was a SEAL out on missions.

Then I saw it.

Headlights.

Not on the road or even on the shoulder, but down by the ravine just outside of the small coastal town I'd started to build a life in after I left the Navy a year ago. I passed them for two seconds, doubting myself.

Did I imagine it?

A panic-like feeling clawed into my gut. What if it's her? My princess took this drive weekly. I'd found out two weeks ago that she did the books for some boutique a couple of towns out and delivered their payroll in person, but I hadn't been able to trail her yet.

The thought made me hesitate.

I was going to hate myself for this.

I was probably imagining shit. Making a mountain out of a molehill. I pulled over, and just as I was going to open the door, I scowled. My car was going to be soaked when I got back in. I had nothing to change into. I'd probably imagined the headlights, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

I slipped out of the car and groaned. Rain pelted down on me hard. The icy droplets were thick and made it difficult to see much more than a couple of inches ahead of me. I wanted to hit myself on the head. What the hell am I thinking? Getting out in this rain on a dark road? My luck, I'll get hit by a fucking car. I made my way closer to the edge of the ravine and was about to turn around, but I needed to make sure. I needed to be positive nothing was down there.

When I glanced over the edge, my eyes widened.

"Shit," I cursed, fishing my phone out of my front pocket. I immediately called in the accident as I made quick work of getting down there while making sure not to slide down the muddy hill.

The closer I got, the tighter the knot in my gut twisted.

I knew that car. I recognized it all too well. The sassy stickers on the bumper made my heart drop to my ass. It's her car!

"Fucking hell!" I muttered under my breath.

The car was running, and steam billowed through the hood. I wasn't sure how, but it looked like she must have slid out and tumbled down the side of the road. But because of the rain and the heavy flow of water that was quickly rising, there was no way she could have even tried to get it or herself out.

My heart felt like it was at my throat when I reached her door. That same organ felt like it dropped to my toes at the sight I found. Her face, Jesus, her angelic face rested on the steering wheel against a deflated airbag, a bump on her forehead and bruising on her face. Her dark glasses broken.

In a panicked rush, I hadn't noticed the door was slightly open. I tried to pull it wider, but it wasn't enough. It was jammed against something, and with the rain hitting as hard and fast as it was, there was no way the ground soaked it up. Shit. I looked around, assessing the situation as quickly as I could. The ravine was filling with overflow. Fucking flash floods. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get her door unjammed.

I reached through the window that was thankfully open, but I couldn't get the seat belt undone. She shifted, and her eyes opened.

"It's you," she whispered.

"Me?" My eyes popped open. She knows me? I didn't think she did. Shit. Maybe I haven't been as stealthy as I thought. Maybe I'm getting rusty in my old age?

"You're an angel."She sighed softly, and her eyes shut again. I didn't like that. That couldn't be good. God only knew how long she'd been stuck there.

"I don't think anyone's ever called me that, princess," I mumbled, and her lips twitched. "But let me see those eyes, baby. Please. For me?" It was clear she struggled to do as I asked. Her gaze was hazy, almost unfocused. Concussion , I thought to myself. I tugged and tugged but couldn't get the seat belt free. The buckle wouldn't give. My boots were soaked through, and I looked down.

The water level was rising fast.

"Am I dead?" she asked, and I growled.

"No," I clipped, feeling like the world's biggest idiot. How long have I been fighting the pull I felt from the moment I first saw her? How much time have I wasted? Have I lost her?

"Oh, okay. That's good," she whispered. "I think I fell asleep after the accident. I was stuck and—" I didn't miss the frantic tone that grew with every syllable.

"'It's okay. You're gonna be okay." I had no idea how I managed to keep my voice steady and calm.

"Water's in the car, and my seat belt's stuck," she surmised calmly. Too calmly. "What if?—"

"I promise I'll get you out," I vowed, trying to think about the best way to free her.

"Am I gonna die?" My nose flared. My head slowly leaned in, and I caressed her jaw.

"No. Don't say that. Okay? I got you, pretty girl. Let daddy see those eyes." I hadn't meant to call myself that, but I doubted she'd noticed.

I tried like hell to stay calm. I had been the fucking GOAT of being cool, calm, and collected when I was a SEAL. But I'd never been in a situation where she'd been in danger. My teeth mashed together to stop them from chattering with blood-curdling fear.The beautiful curvy woman's dark eyes opened slowly, and I nodded.

"Good girl," I praised, and she smirked.Fucking smirked. That little expression would be engraved into my brain.

Abby Rivas was sweet. A local to Poppy Beach who had been born and raised there, she was like a ray of sunshine. If that ray had been blocked by a slightly overcast cloud. The woman—or girl, because she was fifteen years younger than me—had no idea how intrigued I'd been by her from the first moment I laid eyes on her two months ago.

Abby was clueless about the fact I had been subtly asking about her around town. That I'd not only been infatuated, I'd been fucking obsessed. Following her around, learning her schedule. Borderline creeper stalker status.

"Thanks, Daddy." She sighed, resting her head back. If it weren't for the fact that her car was stuck in a ravine and water was quickly rising, my dick would have gone hard.

"That's my girl." I winked, feigning a calm I most certainly didn't feel.Adrenaline spiked. If I had made a move, if I'd finally asked her out, she wouldn't be here!

But I hadn't.

Instead, I'd kept reminding myself of the long list I'd compiled of why I was all wrong for her. All while following her around like a lost puppy, trying to blend into the background anytime I caught sight of her in town. I tugged at the seat belt again, but it was useless. I couldn't get it undone.

"I'm gonna get you out," I vowed fiercely. That's when I noticed she wasn't looking at me anymore. Her eyes were shut, but thankfully, her chest rose and fell steadily. "I'm gonna get you out, princess, you hear me?"

"Hmm." Her eyes were still closed. I reached into my back pocket and grabbed the Swiss Army knife I always carried. I worked it against the seat belt, back and forth, trying to cut her loose. With every second that ticked by, the water rose a little higher and higher.

"I'm gonna be stuck here forever," she mumbled.

"You think I'd let that happen?" I asked, working the knife against the grains of the belt. I was making progress, slowly working with the grains, but it was taking too long. ?Piensa! Think. How can I get her out?

"I don't even know if you're real," she whispered. Her hand rose to touch me, but the car shook, and her eyes widened, then quickly shut tight. "Oh god!"

"Stay with me," I urged. "I almost got it," I lied. I hated the panic eating at me.

"So safe. Always so good," she slurred as her eyes fluttered. "For what? I'm gonna die a virgin." She shook her head. She was definitely out of it. Probably a concussion, I quietly assessed while doing the impossible: Ignoring what she'd shared. She was a virgin. Abby, the girl of my dreams, was completely untouched. Shit. This made the obsession I felt for her worse.

"I'm going to drown in my car, talking to an imaginary hot guy," she rambled, and I didn't like that.

"The hell you are," I growled. One of her eyes popped open and looked at me.

"Are angels supposed to curse?" I choked on a chuckle. Fuck, she was adorable!

"I'm no angel, princess."

"I don't know." She sighed. "I think you look heavenly. Maybe that's why I'm thinking you're here now? When I've seen you in town, you're just… dreamy. With a heavy helping of sinfulnesexy." She laughed and then frowned. "Is that a word?"

"We will look it up after I get you out of here," I promised. Abby's eyes started to shut, and I noticed how she trembled in the quickly rising cold water. I worked hard to get her cut out, hating myself for not carrying better tools with me or in my truck. I vowed right then and there that every single one of my vehicles and those of my crews would always be prepared.

Just when I was starting to really worry, I heard it. Sirens rung out in the air, then red and blue lights cut through the darkness. Heavy boots sounded from above.

"Pe?a!" a voice I recognized called out.

"Over here!" A flashlight shined down to the ravine where I stood next to her driver's side door, leaned over, still trying to cut her out. "Seat belt's stuck and door's jammed!" I shouted. Officer Morris Peterson nodded and hurried down.The beautiful girl opened her eyes before he reached us, and looked at me like I was some sort of knight in shining armor.

When I wasn't.

"Almost got you out," I rasped, trying to keep my cool. I could see the relief in her eyes. She believes me.

"You're my hero, Daddy," she whispered before passing out completely.

Not five minutes later, with Morris' help, I had her in my arms, carrying her up the ravine to the ambulance that was waiting for us. They hurried and got her on the gurney then took her away. The rig rushed off with lights and sirens blazing.

And I stood there breathing heavily as the rain pelted me. My eyes shifted down to the ravine just in time to see her car washed over completely by a flash flood.

"Shit," Morris cursed. "You have any idea how lucky she is you saw her car?"

"Right," I mumbled. Morris Peterson was a good guy. Local cop who believed he could make a difference in the world. He was about my age. I respected him and had become somewhat friends with him.

"You did good." He patted my back.

"Thanks." I swallowed hard. "Do me a favor, though. Don't put me in the report." He frowned, and I knew he was about to ask questions. And I wasn't sure I could explain it if I tried.

"I did what any bystander would have done," I muttered.

"I don't know about that, but if you're sure?"

"Positive. I better go."

"You don't want me to take you to the hospital?"

"What?" I frowned.

"You're bleeding, man." He pointed, and I looked down. Shit. I am. With the adrenaline and worry coursing in my blood, I hadn't felt it. In working to get her out, I'd cut my hand with the knife. The cuts weren't deep enough to need stitches.

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch." I shrugged it off. He looked at me for a moment then nodded.

"Fine. Get out of here. I won't add you to the report."

"Thanks, I owe you." I hurried to my truck.

I had been heading home after finishing a pool a couple of towns over. I had stopped to get groceries at a specialty store on my way. My trunk was full of food, and a shit ton of work was waiting for me at home to catch up on, including payroll.

But that didn't stop me from heading to the hospital, where I sat around in a waiting room, hoping to overhear something, anything, about my sweet princess.