hand up.”
And he was sick of working with a know-it-all hotshot with more concern about climbing the ladder than saving lives. “Detective Brink has spent too much time around computers. His brain is warped with binary code.”
“Watch out for those nerds.” A bit of sass lingered beneath words meant to come off as bored-with-this-conversation. Idiot that he was, a tendril of hope sprung in his chest. One he knew better than to let spread.
Amanda still hadn’t stepped aside. Hadn’t offered to let him pass.
Would he have to force his way inside? Maybe.
Young life. In need of saving.
A loud crash drew her attention to something inside the apartment. She twirled toward it, her movements quick and a little panicked. An expletive came from her mouth.
What in the world? Robinson stepped inside and shut the door.
“How did you get up there?” Amanda reached the counter, which separated the kitchen from the living room. A laptop was at her feet. Two barstools were pulled together, creating a ladder of sorts. A glass bowl balanced on the edge of the eating surface. She pushed it back and extended her arms toward the cabinets above her. One door was open as Riley Bening scrambled on top of the compartment.
“Alright, sweetie. Let’s get you down before your mom kills me.”
Riley had a grin on her face as she crawled forward on hands and knees, between the cabinets and the ceiling. Oblivious to the end of the structure. And the plunge to the island and hard floor beneath. The toddler scurried across the shelves as if this were a game. Two more inches...
His heart launched into his throat.
Amanda hoisted one leg on the Formica surface. Robinson stepped forward and half push-lifted her upward. If one hand on her waist, the other on the nicest backside he’d ever had the pleasure to touch, bothered her, she didn’t show it. Instead, she centered herself on the counter. Hunched below the ceiling. And reached for the child.
Riley squashed herself into the corner of the wall. Shook her blonde head as if Amanda were messing up her groove.
“Come on, honey. I want to live another day. So do you.” She placed one hand on the toddler’s arm, the other scooping under the opposite armpit. Pulled her off the perch and hugged her. A cry erupted from the little girl, who arched her back and squirmed toward her previous playhouse. Each movement threw Amanda’s balance off-kilter.
“Careful.” The words left his mouth, full of worry.
She flashed him a quick glare. Then her attention returned to the girl. “Hold still. We’ll get down and—”
The toddler kicked out. Amanda’s hold loosened. Riley started to fall. The older woman retained a grip on her arm. Attempted to regain a hold around the child’s torso. The motion caused her to step to the left. Into the glass bowl she’d moved earlier.
And then they were both going down.
He moved into their path. Grabbed Amanda’s middle as she collided with his shoulder. The force unsteadied him and sent him backward. He shifted to avoid landing on both girls. His shoulder hit the corner of an end table, something sharp ripping into his skin. And then they met the floor. The impact stole most of the air from his lungs.
Terror took the rest.
Nobody stirred, the heavy pound of his heart lodged in his ears. And then the spit and vinegar version of both Jordan and McKenna sat up in Amanda’s arms and grinned. “Again!” The toddler stood, one fist in the air.
“No.” Their voices melded into one.
Amanda’s gaze connected with his and a puff of air left her lips. That awareness—a heightened sense of touch and smell combined with the heady rush of desire he only experienced with this woman—stretched between them. If he could grab ahold of it and reel her in forever, he would.
Those gorgeous amber orbs scanned his head. Noted the table he’d crashed into. “You hurt?”
Yes. Everywhere. Bleeding out. “What do you think I am? A wimpy girl?”
A genuine
And he was sick of working with a know-it-all hotshot with more concern about climbing the ladder than saving lives. “Detective Brink has spent too much time around computers. His brain is warped with binary code.”
“Watch out for those nerds.” A bit of sass lingered beneath words meant to come off as bored-with-this-conversation. Idiot that he was, a tendril of hope sprung in his chest. One he knew better than to let spread.
Amanda still hadn’t stepped aside. Hadn’t offered to let him pass.
Would he have to force his way inside? Maybe.
Young life. In need of saving.
A loud crash drew her attention to something inside the apartment. She twirled toward it, her movements quick and a little panicked. An expletive came from her mouth.
What in the world? Robinson stepped inside and shut the door.
“How did you get up there?” Amanda reached the counter, which separated the kitchen from the living room. A laptop was at her feet. Two barstools were pulled together, creating a ladder of sorts. A glass bowl balanced on the edge of the eating surface. She pushed it back and extended her arms toward the cabinets above her. One door was open as Riley Bening scrambled on top of the compartment.
“Alright, sweetie. Let’s get you down before your mom kills me.”
Riley had a grin on her face as she crawled forward on hands and knees, between the cabinets and the ceiling. Oblivious to the end of the structure. And the plunge to the island and hard floor beneath. The toddler scurried across the shelves as if this were a game. Two more inches...
His heart launched into his throat.
Amanda hoisted one leg on the Formica surface. Robinson stepped forward and half push-lifted her upward. If one hand on her waist, the other on the nicest backside he’d ever had the pleasure to touch, bothered her, she didn’t show it. Instead, she centered herself on the counter. Hunched below the ceiling. And reached for the child.
Riley squashed herself into the corner of the wall. Shook her blonde head as if Amanda were messing up her groove.
“Come on, honey. I want to live another day. So do you.” She placed one hand on the toddler’s arm, the other scooping under the opposite armpit. Pulled her off the perch and hugged her. A cry erupted from the little girl, who arched her back and squirmed toward her previous playhouse. Each movement threw Amanda’s balance off-kilter.
“Careful.” The words left his mouth, full of worry.
She flashed him a quick glare. Then her attention returned to the girl. “Hold still. We’ll get down and—”
The toddler kicked out. Amanda’s hold loosened. Riley started to fall. The older woman retained a grip on her arm. Attempted to regain a hold around the child’s torso. The motion caused her to step to the left. Into the glass bowl she’d moved earlier.
And then they were both going down.
He moved into their path. Grabbed Amanda’s middle as she collided with his shoulder. The force unsteadied him and sent him backward. He shifted to avoid landing on both girls. His shoulder hit the corner of an end table, something sharp ripping into his skin. And then they met the floor. The impact stole most of the air from his lungs.
Terror took the rest.
Nobody stirred, the heavy pound of his heart lodged in his ears. And then the spit and vinegar version of both Jordan and McKenna sat up in Amanda’s arms and grinned. “Again!” The toddler stood, one fist in the air.
“No.” Their voices melded into one.
Amanda’s gaze connected with his and a puff of air left her lips. That awareness—a heightened sense of touch and smell combined with the heady rush of desire he only experienced with this woman—stretched between them. If he could grab ahold of it and reel her in forever, he would.
Those gorgeous amber orbs scanned his head. Noted the table he’d crashed into. “You hurt?”
Yes. Everywhere. Bleeding out. “What do you think I am? A wimpy girl?”
A genuine
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