Page 56 of Oh No, My Kidnapper Is Hot!

We finish our breakfast in silence, Stryker scowling while I practically vibrate with anticipation.

It’s going exactly as I planned! I am doing the covert things!

I wolf down my food, rushing Stryker when I’m done. I have a plan to get going. No time to wait for this slowpoke.

By the time we leave, I’m buzzing with impatience. Stryker grumbles, dragging his feet across the road. When wefinallyreach Archie’s pink door all he does is glare at it. I give it a cheerful knock, and it opens instantly.

My jaw drops.

Archie’s outfit is shocking in its simplicity: jeans, a red sweater, and black socks. The sweater has a cute little reindeer on it.

I haven’t seen him dressed so simply since the first time we met – before he donned the doctor’s coat and glasses. It’s a bit like seeing Santa Claus out of his red suit.

I am unnerved.

“Guests! To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks. A grin stretches across his face.

“Millie’s staying here for the day. You’re going to build her car out of cubes on the internet,” Stryker grumbles, pulling me out of my Archie’s-outfit-induced stupor. I elbow him.

“What hemeansto say, sweet Archie, is that I would very much like to hang out with you today and see you bring my car to life with your brilliant artistry.” I beam at him. His face lights up in return. Stryker scowls at the both of us.

“I would love nothing more than to spend a day with you, my beautiful Millie!” Archie exclaims, stepping aside and sweeping his arm in a grand gesture. “Come into my lair, and I’ll show you the type of magic Stryker couldn’t dream of.”

I laugh and move to step forward, only to be stopped by Stryker’s mammoth arm.

“First of all, she’s notyouranything,” he snaps at Archie. “Secondly, if there’s even a scratch on her when I get back, I’ll be making use of your tools.”

Archie holds an offended hand to his chest in mock offense.

“And third–” Stryker turns to me. I give him the biggest, most innocent eyes I’ve got.

Don’t be mean to me, mister grouchy man, I am only a sweet little girl.

He rolls his eyes.

“Before you go spend the day with another man, you’re going to give me a kiss.”

Uh… what?

“You said I had two days!” I yelp.

“And you do.” He leans in, and his rough voice whispers in my ear, “But I’m not leaving you alone all day with fu–with Archie without the feel of my lips on yours haunting you as much as it does me.” I can feel the blush spreading across my skin, heating me as his words echo in my head.

“I am appropriately haunted, I assure you,” I say weakly. He shakes his head.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Then he kisses me.

My knees buckle, and his arms go around me. It’s not a long kiss, but not short either. It lasts just long enough for my brain to go fuzzy and for me to feel the touch of disappointment when it ends.

“I’ll see you tonight, sweetheart,” he says, satisfaction in his voice. He plants a quick kiss on my nose, disentangles himself, and then he’s gone.

“Wow,” Archie says, popping his head through the doorway. “That looked fun!”

I turn to him, stunned and burning with embarrassment. His dark eyes are twinkling with mischief. I cover my face with my hands, and he laughs.

“Lets go play with cubes!” He grabs my wrist and drags me inside, slamming the door behind us. We navigate through a maze of hallways and stairs – left, right, up, down – until we finally reach the basement.

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