Page 45 of Ricochet

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

New experiences had taught Adelia that change could be a good thing. They just hadn’t taught her that new experiences could come in the form of muscular military men holding breakfast that smelled like maple-syrup-scented heaven. Her mouth watered, and she wasn’t sure if it was for the man, the food, or both.

“Got it?” he asked.

It was her second attempt to jam the keyin the lock. It normally unlocked as easily, but Adelia had never had Colin standing behind her. “It’s tricky sometimes.”Or never.“Here we go. Welcome to my messy apartment. No judging.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.” He ambled in with the grease-stained bags. The hash browns were a diner staple, but their artery-clogging properties left something to be desired. “This isn’t messy.”

“I’ll make coffee.”She shut the door. “You find plates and keep ignoring the mess.”

He walked past her like he’d been there before and knew the layout of her apartment while she kicked off her high heels and threw her purse on the ground.

“Do you have a phone charger I can use?”

“Sure.” After she retrieved the charger from her desk, she saw that Colin had found plates, dished out the French toast, bacon, hashbrowns, and eggs, and had silverware in hand. “You’re quick.”

“Hungry.”

“Good to know you motivate well.” She plugged in the charger for him and started a pot of coffee, watching as he plugged in a dead phone. “How do the other caped crusaders call you if your phone’s off?”

Colin lifted a shoulder. “Guess they don’t.”

“Uh-oh.” Adelia grinned as she reached for two mugs.

He came behind her,resting his hands on her hips and his chin on her shoulder. “Worried for me?”

“Nope.” She set them on the counter. “Just for the poor souls waiting for you to save the day.”

His amusement rumbled in his chest, and Colin moved her hair from her neck. “What do you think I do?”

She twisted in his arms. “Rescue damsels in distress. Obviously.”

“Obviously.” He peppered her neck with kisses. “I’mnot sure I’ve met a damsel, though. How would I know?”

“She sounds something like, ‘Oh, Colin, help me. Oh, Colin, over here. Save me.’” Adelia pushed onto her toes and kissed him. “You don’t recognize that? ‘Oh, Colin’?”

He smirked good-humoredly. “That last part, maybe. I think I might’ve heard it earlier today.”

Adelia blushed, jaw dropping, and playfully pushed him away. “Colin!”

“Butthat other part.” He nuzzled her neck and tickled her sides as she failed to slip past him. She tickled back. “Ha, oh, nope.” His laughter was contagious. “No, I can’t recall the ‘help me.’”

“Your damsel voice needs serious work.” The coffee pot beeped.

“Saved by the bell,” he said. “Lucky this time.”

They made their coffees and sat down. All her nerves were gone, and how couldn’t they be?Colin ate his breakfast like a linebacker before a big game—but with manners. Either way, he inhaled his food before she had a couple bites. He stood as she sipped the coffee.

“What are you doing?”

“Snooping.”

At least he was honest. “See anything interesting?”

“Yeah, all this is good stuff.” He held up a small, framed picture of her, Seven, and Victoria at the Perky Cup covered in scone batter.“First day on the job?”

“Not quite, but baking isn’t my thing.”

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