“I don’t give a damn who it is. They can get the hell off my property,” Nick said, unwilling to release her.

“Nick, please, I don’t want someone to walk in and see me like this,” she pled.

Her fingers ripped away from his aching member, and he wanted to cry. Nick couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually shed a tear, but right here, right now, in this moment, he thought he could actually cry.

“They will go away,” he told her, pulling her close to him so she wouldn’t forget how good they felt pressed tightly together.

The bell rang again and several curse words escaped Nick’s mouth. “Don’t move unless it’s to take off those damn sexy pants. I’ll be right back,” he told her.

Whirling on his feet, he spun toward the front door, fury radiating through him. Whoever was out there would surely regret the interruption. He was just about to reach heaven, and there was no reason on earth that he should be interrupted.

Yanking open the front door, Nick was sure he must look like a wild man. His hair was messed, his clothes wrinkled, and his scowl big. He glared at the two military officers standing in front of him. One of them was Paul Holland, an attorney working for JAG. They’d played ball together every weekend for years, until his injury at least, but he’d never before shown up at Nick’s place without telling him he was coming first. And certainly not with another man standing next to him who Nick didn’t know.

“Hi, Nick, sorry for interrupting your evening, but we need to talk.”

“What in the hell about?” Nick’s words came out crisp, but his anger was turning to confusion.

“Sorry. I’m not myself,” Nick said when Paul raised a brow.

“I understand. You’ve been through a lot,” Paul told him. “We really need to talk, though. I’m here as a friend―as a possible attorney if you want me.”

“Why would I need an attorney?” Nick asked. His confusion dimmed the passion he’d been feeling and completely washed away the anger. He heard noises behind him, but he somehow doubted it was Chloe removing her pants and spreading herself open for him on the kitchen counter. He let out a sigh. Another opportunity missed. He feared another one wouldn’t come as soon as he’d need it to.

“You’re being investigated,” Paul told him.

The final bits of Nick’s desire died away as he stared at his longtime friend. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“Can I come in?” Paul asked. The man standing with him looked at Nick with sympathy, but he didn’t say a word. Nick decided he needed to know whatever it was they were talking about so he opened his door. He might as well get it over with.

The two men followed him into his kitchen, which, as he’d suspected, Chloe had vacated. He handed them coffee cups, and then they all moved to the table.

“Paul, you can’t hit me with something like this and then leave me hanging as we get comfortable,” Nick said.

“There’s a witness who has come forward saying you were drinking the night of the helicopter crash.” Paul said the words calmly and with disbelief, but it still took several heartbeats before Nick truly understood what his friend had just said to him. He shook his head as he looked from Paul to the stranger and then back to his friend.

“Please explain,” Nick finally said.

“Look, Nick, I don’t know if you’ve made an enemy or what the hell is going on, but I do know your file came across my desk. A respected member of the Coast Guard is swearing under oath he saw you drinking before you went out on the water the night of the crash. The JAG offices decided the case was worth looking into. I came out here to warn you, which I shouldn’t have done, but you very well could be getting served. There’s a good chance it’ll go to trial,” Paul told him.

“I hear what you’re saying, but I don’t understand,” Nick told him as he hung his head. “Who would say such a thing?”

“I can’t name the person at this time, Nick, but he has no strikes against him. He’s considered a credible source.”

“Paul, you know I would never drink while on the job,” Nick said. He was angry he even needed to say it.

“I know that, Nick, your team knows it, your captain knows it. But not everyone at the JAG offices knows you. They have no choice but to investigate. You’re going to need an attorney. People died,” Paul finished quietly.

“Do you think I don’t remember my team dying?” he suddenly shouted. “Trust me, I remember that horrible moment every fucking day!” Fury rushed through him. The guilt he felt at being the only survivor had nearly destroyed him. Now his ethics were being questioned? He felt as if he were spinning out of control.

“Nick, you don’t need to explain this to me. I know you,” Paul said in what Nick decided was his calm attorney tone. Nick was pissed it was being used on him. “But if you officially hire me, we can get started on this and nip it in the bud before things get out of control.”

Nick sat back quietly as he thought about what Paul was saying to him. Did he really need an attorney? He’d done nothing wrong. Shaking his head, he realized that didn’t matter. The law wasn’t in any way black and white, and if there was someone out there wanting to get him, his hiding his head in the sand wasn’t going to make the matter go away. He needed to have a plan of action, and he needed to have it now.