Page 219 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“Then why did I get an outstanding invoice?” Piper questioned. “What unit number are you showing in your system?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“Ah, this invoice is for forty-three. It must’ve been sent to me in error. I’ll just shred it. Thanks,” she clipped, ending the call.

Feeling his gaze, Addie looked his direction. “What?”

The mood between them was way too somber. Maddox had to do something to lighten it. “I was just thinking, it was around the same time last year when we traveled down this very road to the trailhead where we hiked. Remember?”

“How could I forget?” She chuckled. “Hiking is a loose term though. We mostly walked, while you snapped pictures of the landscape and every animal that moved.”

He laughed. “If I’m remembering correctly, we also made time for a few other things,” he said in a low, husky tone. “Wegathered around that cozy fire, sitting so close you couldn’t wedge a sheet of paper between us. Quite similar to what occurred this morning, actually.” A grin tugged at his lips. “You were the first to kiss me then too.”

Color fanned her cheeks. “No, you’ve got it wrong. I distinctly remember you kissing me first,” she grumbled. “At any rate, I thought Southern gentlemen weren’t supposed to call attention to those types of things.”

He ignored her smart remark. “Of course, it was more than just kissing around the fire.” He drank in her profile—dainty nose, chin set in iron determination, full rosy lips, tangles of brown ringlets spilling over her shoulders. Her slender hands were gripping the steering wheel with a vengeance, and the stormy look on her face told him it would only be a matter of seconds before her temper blew. “There was some hugging involved, a little necking …”

“Stop!” She shoved him hard, the motion causing the car to weave onto the shoulder of the road, the warning hum of the textured asphalt reverberating loudly against the tires.

“Whoa, Nellie!” Maddox yelled, holding onto the dash.

Addie clutched the wheel, correcting her mistake, as she swerved back into their lane.

“Are you trying to kill us?”

“You started it,” Addie sulked.

“I was just playing around. I didn’t expect you to run us off the road.”

“I didn’t,” she said tartly. “We barely went on the shoulder.”

“Barely, huh? That’s an understatement.”

She grunted.

Maddox’s phone buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket.

“Let me guess,” Addie said, her voice loaded with irritation. “It’s Felicity.”

“Nope,” he said pleasantly. “It’s Sutton.” He swiped to answer. “Hello.”

In true Sutton form, his boss launched right into the conversation. “I have some information on the kidnapper.”

Maddox glanced at Addie, could feel the interest radiating off her. “I’m all ears.”

“All right. Thanks for the intel. Heart of a warrior,” Maddox clipped after several minutes, ending the call.

Addie scrunched her nose. “Heart of a warrior?” Her voice had a teasing edge. “What was that about? Kind of has an Indiana Jones meets Braveheart feel to it.”

“Just a phrase we say to each other, it helps us remember our purpose.” Normally, he didn’t mind Addie razzing him, but not about that.

She laughed. “O—kay.” She switched gears. “What did Sutton say?”

“The attacker’s name is John Wilson. He’s from North Dakota, has a long rap sheet that includes burglary, attacking a police officer, and domestic violence. He was contacted on the dark web by an anonymous person who hired him to kidnap you.”

“For what reason?”

“Wilson didn’t know. He was to be given further instructions after he had you in his possession.”

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