Ricochet by Lore Ree Read Free Book Online

grabbed the crook of her arm and pulled her back. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
    “The T is right there.” She pointed down the block.
    I craned my neck past the people strolling by.
    “And?”
    “And …” She gave me a strange look. “I would like to catch it?”
    “But why?”
    “Uh, because I want to go home?”
    “Why do you keep answering my questions with questions?”
    “Why are you questioning me instead of letting me go?” With her hands on her hips, she lifted her chin. God she was sexy.
    “I just …” I realized I didn’t have an answer for her. But what kind of dickhead did she think I was? What kind of man would let her run off to the train after being with her the night before? “Let me take you home.”
    “It’s OK.” She shook her head. “Let’s just—”
    “I said , ‘lemme take you home’.”
    She huffed. “Fine, but don’t complain if you’re late for your breakfast or whatever it is.”
    “My breakfast?”
    “Yeah, you’ve been going on and on all morning about how you like to go to Newcomb’s on Saturdays. So don’t complain if I make you late.”
    I guess my obvious ploy to get her to go to breakfast with me hadn’t been so obvious.
    New tactic. “Have you eaten there?”
    “Where?”
    “Newcomb’s. Newcomb Farms,” I amended. “Have you eaten breakfast there?”
    “Yeah, once.”
    “We can go,” I said in a rush. “If you want. I’ll treat you to a birthday breakfast.”
    She smirked with the same expression she’d had at the club after her shot display. Victory mixed with cockiness. I shook my head; she had caught on to my hints all along.
    “Well played.” I nodded and wagged a finger at her. “Well played.”

    “So, Noelle.” I lowered the volume of the car radio. She was quiet, and not knowing what she thought about me—about last night—made me want to crawl out of my damn skin. “You grow up around here?”
    She shook her head. “I spent some of my time here, but I was raised in Georgia, actually. A small town you probably never heard of.”
    I didn’t know anything about Georgia, small towns or not, and didn’t press her for more info. “You been here long?”
    “A few years. What about you?” She shifted in her seat to face me. “Did you grow up here?”
    “Born and raised.” I glanced at her for a second and then at the road.
    “You don’t sound like it.”
    “Meaning?”
    “You know.” She flapped her hands around. “Don’t people from Boston pronounce ‘car’ like ‘cah’? Stuff like that.”
    I barked a laugh and nodded. “Some of us do, yeah. But no, not me. How ’bout you? Shouldn’t you sound more country coming from the South?”
    “Touché.”
    She was so pretty when she laughed.
    “Thanks, by the way,” I said. “You know, for agreeing to come to breakfast.”
    “You’re thanking me because I’m letting you buy me food? That’s new.”
    Well, this was awkward. I didn’t know what to say, so I chose to say nothing.
    Both of us stayed quiet for the remainder of the twenty-minute drive to the diner.
    When we arrived at my favorite Newcomb’s location, the small one nestled in Milton, I could tell something was up with Noelle. As soon as we ordered our food—a New England skillet and pancakes for me, an omelet with everything for her—she let out a few long sighs.
    I quirked my eyebrow but didn’t ask. If she wanted to tell me what was bothering her, then I would gladly listen. However, I’d never been one to pry or beg someone to talk to me if they didn’t want to. We ate in silence, both of us choosing to focus on our food.
    By the time we settled in for the ride to Noelle’s place, the awkwardness had become downright painful. I didn’t know how to fix it. From the corner of my eye, I saw her lean her head against the window. She looked tired, possibly hung over. I fought the urge to grab ahold of her hand. Unfamiliar with the Milton area, Noelle got us lost twice before