She turned back to find him fully helmeted, his face once again completely concealed. His mask pulled down around his neck. There was something both frustrating and thrilling about the mystery he maintained.
“The scenic route they mentioned,” he continued. “It’s along the ridge line. Best views in the state, but the road’s more challenging. We don’t have to take it.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“Not if you ride responsibly. It’s just more twists, steeper grades.”
Morgan stepped closer, resting her hand lightly on his arm. “Do you want to take me on the scenic route?” she asked, surprising herself with the suggestive undertone in her voice.
“Yes,” he admitted, his voice dropping lower despite the electronic filter. “Very much.”
“Then let’s go.”
The ride back was even more exhilarating than the journey out. The roads wound higher into the cliffs, offering breathtaking vistas around every curve. Morgan held Bullet tighter, her body moving naturally with his.
They stopped at several lookout points, each view more spectacular than the last. At one coastal pull-off, they grabbed something quick from a roadside stand—grilled shrimp tacos and cold sodas eaten on a wooden bench overlooking the ocean. It wasn’t fancy, but it was perfect.
As the afternoon light began to soften into evening, Morgan found herself wishing the day would never end.
When they finally reached the city limits, a profound sense of disappointment settled over her. Tomorrow meant returning to her frustrating job, to the routine that had been slowly draining her spirit. Today had been an escape, but reality awaited.
“I should probably take you back home.” Bullet asked as they stopped at a traffic light.
She gave him a squeeze of acknowledgement, “Probably,” Morgan replied through their helmet communication system.
They rode in comfortable silence through the city streets. When they pulled up outside her apartment building, twilight was settling over the city. Morgan dismounted with more grace than she had that morning, her body having adjusted somewhat to the rhythm of the bike.
“Thank you,” she said, removing her helmet and smoothing her wind-tousled braid. “Today was... I don’t even have words for how amazing it was.”
Bullet cut the engine, though his helmet remained firmly in place. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Your friends are wonderful,” she added. “I can see why you value them so much.”
“They liked you too,” he said. “Trust me, I can tell.”
An awkward silence fell between them, neither quite ready to say goodbye.
“Would you have time to come up?” Morgan asked suddenly, the words tumbling out before she could second-guess herself.
She tried to read him—the pause, the angle of his head, the way his fingers flexed at his sides.
“The helmet stays on,” he finally said, his voice soft but firm.
“I know,” Morgan assured him. “I’m not trying to... I just don’t want today to end yet.”
Something in his posture relaxed. “Then lead the way.”
As they walked into her building, Morgan felt a flutter of nervous excitement. She was enjoying every moment she spent with Bullet and wasn’t sure how this all would play out, but was excited to find out.
Most people might think that inviting a man whose face she’d never seen into her apartment was the height of stupidity. By any rational standard, it was madness. But through every word and deed Bullet was proving himself to be not only trustworthy, but also someone she was starting to picture more and more in her everyday life.
He held the door for her with old-fashioned courtesy, and followed her through. His presence was solid and reassuring behind her and as they headed towards her apartment, Morgan discovered that what once seemed like madness, now felt like clarity. His faceless devotion had become something she found herself craving with unexpected intensity.
9
Bullet
Archer had been in high-stakes negotiations with foreign dignitaries, faced armed enemies in combat situations, and closed billion-dollar deals without breaking a sweat. Yet somehow, following Morgan into her apartment for the second night in a row made him more nervous than any of those scenarios.
