Page 53 of Nuclear Option (Owens Protective Services)

“Really?”

“I was beginning to think I gave you the wrong pills last night,” he said, setting the tray on my lap. “How do you take your coffee?”

“Two creams and three sugars.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

“Don’t give me that. I drank the coffee you guys make. It’s like mud.”

“Goes down real smooth,” he grinned, but started to fix a cup of coffee for me. “That’s how we drink coffee in the military.”

“Yes, but you’re not in the military anymore.” I snatched a piece of toast and munched on it while he continued to stare at me. “What?”

“Nothing. Just watching you.”

“I can see that, but why are you watching me?”

“Because he’s completely infatuated with you,” Fox said as he walked in and then took a running leap for the bed.

“Hey!” Cash shouted, jumping to his feet in a flash and tackling Fox mid-air to the ground before he could hit the bed. I picked up my coffee and watched in utter fascination as Cash punched him in the face for nearly landing on me.

“I was just coming to join in the fun!” Fox argued.

“She’s injured. You could have hurt her.”

Fox rolled him and tried to get the upper hand, but Cash was faster, twisting out of his hold and throwing his elbow back, catching Fox in the jaw. I winced and sipped my coffee again. At least Jones knew how to make a good cup.

“She’s fine,” Fox snapped. “Are you going to keep her locked up all day? Besides, I was going to take her into town.”

“Like hell you are,” Cash shouted, pinning his arms to the ground as he kneeled on the man’s chest. “She’s not going anywhere without me.”

“Fine, you can come with, as long as you realize people are going to make assumptions when they see two men walking around with a woman.”

I grabbed a slice of bacon and chewed on it as they continued to argue. It was a little strange to find this normal, especially after everything I’d been through. But I was comfortable with everyone here, except Jones. I didn’t really know him, but if Cash trusted him, I had to believe he was a good guy.

“You asshole, no one is going to assume anything other than we’re going shopping together.”

He landed another punch before Rae walked in, stared at them wrestling on the ground, then stepped over them and planted herself on the bed beside me. Reaching over, she snatched one of my pieces of toast, earning a scowl from me.

“I was going to eat that.”

She pointed her toast at the men. “What’s going on here?”

“Something about going into town and it’ll look strange to have two men and one woman.”

“Are you going to eat that fruit?”

“Yes,” I said, pulling the bowl closer to me.

“What about the coffee?” she asked, snatching it up before I could stop her. She took a sip and grimaced. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s real coffee.”

“No, real coffee is black.Thatis some sugary concoction that no one should ever ingest.”

I grabbed it out of her hands and took a loving sip. “Mmm, it tastes delicious.”

She snorted, shaking her head at me. “You would have never survived in the military.”

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