Braden’s eyes widened as he realized she could’ve kneed him instead of punching him. He obeyed and rolled off of her, but as he did, he ripped the 1911 from her hip holster. He popped to his feet and pointed it at her.
“Stand up nice and easy,” he told her.
“That was a great move. Well done.” The praise felt completely sarcastic. He had to hide a smile. She’d hold her own with his platoon.
She stood slowly, as if giving him time to appreciate how good she looked and remember what it had felt like to pin her down. His pulse didn’t slow down, but he held his hand steady pointing the gun at her and tried to look unfazed. She was obviously used to men admiring her exterior. He rarely read people wrong, but women could be trickier. This particular woman seemed well-versed in duping and having the upper hand with men as well.
She didn’t bother to hold up her hands or act like he had the advantage in any way. “I’m Madison Delta,” she said, her blue eyes all lit up as if they were bantering flirtatiously. “Butyoucan call me Maddie. My future sister-in-law Bailey told me what a gentleman you were.” She paused, and he easily remembered the fun and beautiful Bailey who’d ended up being part of his adventure-gone-wrong in Colorado. When the Deltas had captured them, Braden had tried to protect Bailey, but she had bravely stood her own and Colton Delta had fallen in love with her.
“Jessie thought you were the sweetest man she’d ever met,” Maddie said, fluttering her eyelashes as if she were a simpering debutante. He had no idea what to make of her. She wasn’t making fun of her sister so much as she was teasing and toying with him. “She begged for this job, but Papa knew my unique skill set would be essential.” She winked. “Now I believe it’s time for the two of us to go inside and get to know each other better. That’ll be loads of fun.” Her blue eyes glinted mischievously at him, “But I really don’t like youthinkingyou have the upper hand.”
“Well, I do,” he said, and thank heavens he did. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh at her sassy teasing in such an odd and serious situation or if he should pin her down again and see if it felt as amazing as it had moments ago. If he pinned her down, he could force her to tell him why she’d come for him. He’d been instructed to stay away from the Delta family and their secret, and he’d honored his end of the deal. What had changed on their end?
“I’ll decide if we get to know each other better,” he said. It would be fun to spend more time with this intriguing woman. Unfortunately, he was certain her intentions had nothing to do with flirting with him or getting to know him. “Or if I have you arrested for breaking and entering and assault. How did you know everywhere I’d be tonight?”
She chuckled. “Oh, Lieutenant Moyle. There’s something you need to wrap your mind around right up front and keep in mind throughout our exciting time spent together. The Delta family has more knowledge and clearance than anyone in any branch of the military or the government. We also have better training and skills.”
Leaping into the air, she kicked his hand so hard he felt like she broke a bone. The gun went flying into the grass. They both dove for it. Braden reached for the black pistol, but Maddie swept it away even as his fingertips grazed the handle.
She brought the gun around and clocked him on the side of the head. Braden saw black and swayed, his head sinking down into the grass. Everything was upside down. He blinked to clear his vision and prayed for strength. He knew he had to keep fighting, or she might kill him right now. That didn’t seem like a Delta family move, but what did he really know about them besides the honorable way they’d treated him back in Colorado and his instincts that they were good people from looking into many of their eyes?
A door opened and he heard his next-door neighbor, Ensign Chaz, who had a young wife and baby girl, call out, “Lieutenant Moyle? You okay?” About half of this neighborhood was Navy men or women and their families. Chaz wasn’t in his line of command, and that made it a lot easier to be friends and neighbors.
“Say you’re okay or it’s all over,” Maddie whispered sweetly into his ear, pressing her body in close to his and the wrong end of the pistol into his neck.
Braden didn’t know if she’d really shoot him, but she definitely had the upper hand at the moment. “Doing good,” Braden called back. “Just … rolling around with my date.”
“Oh?” A pause. “Oh, I see.” Chaz chuckled. “Sorry for interrupting.” The door closed quickly.
Maddie lifted the pistol away from him. “Your date looked pretty lame, by the way. This is much more fun.”
Braden would agree, but his usual ability to read people must be failing him. He wasn’t certain if she thought he was attractive and wanted to flirt with him or if she was going to shoot him.
“Now let’s go inside and chat. Papa would say that I’ve had my fun and it’s time to get to work.” She popped to her feet, shoved the gun in the holster, and offered him a hand up.
Braden had no idea if he dared take it. He’d never been so off his game.
“Come on,” she urged. “I’m done play fighting for a minute.”
Play fighting? What would she call real fighting? His hand throbbed and was already swelling, he might have a broken rib, and his head was pounding from the hit with the gun. His pride had probably taken the worst hit as he’d been bested by a gorgeous woman he had six inches on and at least eighty pounds.
He took her hand, praying the respect and good feelings he’d had toward the Deltas in June hadn’t been all delusional on his part. He didn’t tell many people about what his mom called a spiritual gift to discern the nature of others, but it had never failed him before.
She tugged, and he climbed to his feet. She looked fresh and happy and untouched, whereas he wanted some Ibuprofen and a few ice packs.
She smiled at him and released his hand, walking to his porch and picking up a girlie overnight bag that had backpack straps and a floral purse, stepping onto the stoop and waiting for him to get the door. As if every man would open her door and treat her like a lady. He hurried to open the door, feeling like he’d entered an alternate reality.
“Thank you, kind gentleman,” she said, all sugar with just a hint of sass as she smiled up at him with those luscious lips.
Braden had the sudden insane urge to pin her against the door frame and see what those lips tasted like. He could bet a kiss or any time spent with Maddie Delta would be nothing like his safe, nice, often boring, dinner dates.
She sauntered into the house, flipping on the light as she entered the open kitchen and living room. It was too small for a dining room but there was a four-person table in the kitchen and a sofa and loveseat in the living room. It was plenty of room for him. It seemed to shrink with this woman surveying his small home. Maddie Delta might look trim and was about five-six, but she was larger than life.
“Cute house,” she said, and it somehow wasn’t demeaning at all for a tough, Navy sailor to be told his house was cute. She looked into the open doorways of the two bedrooms with a shared bath between them and said, “This one on the right is mine? Looks like you’re all settled in the bigger bedroom.”
Wait … what? Braden reared back and had no response as she strutted into the spare bedroom that his parents and sister had stayed in when they came to visit from Arizona this summer. She set her bag on the floor and her purse on the dresser and then walked back out.
“Now then.” She spread her hands. “Where to start?” She looked him over. “Maybe I should take care of your injuries first. Papa told me not to hurt you, but I needed to make sure you had no doubts about who was boss.” She shrugged and somehow looked adorable and innocent.