Page 161 of The Woman By the Lake

He opened another and settled his eyes on Nadia, who was curled into her chair, turned to Maribeth, and smiling at something she said.

His chest expanded.

Feeling his friend’s eyes on him, he turned his head.

Murph had a look on his face Riggs had never seen, but seeing it then, his chest expanded even more.

Then Murph tipped the bottom of his beer Riggs’s way, and looked to the women, saying to Maribeth, “Trade you pics of our kids.”

They both pulled their phones out.

“We could use music, baby,” Nadia said softly to Riggs.

To which, Riggs shouted “Son! Go get the Bluetooth!”

“On it, Dad!” Ledger shouted in return.

Riggs settled back.

And life was good.

THIRTY-THREE

She Shed

Riggs

The next day, Murphy was in town, visiting some of his other friends, and Riggs was in his workshop, getting some work done, when Nadia showed.

He looked at her through his mask, killed the blowtorch, set it aside, tossed off his gloves and pulled off the mask, and then dropped it to the workbench before he headed her way.

“All good?” he asked.

“Murphy in town?”

He stopped in front of her. “Yeah.”

“Ledger fishing with Kirk and Dustin?”

“Left first thing this morning.”

“Maribeth is in the shower.”

Riggs grew still.

They hadn’t fucked since Tuesday.

“She takes long showers,” Nadia told him.

Riggs jumped her.

They kissed and groped as he backed her to the couch.

He stopped them at the arm, she flicked off her ridiculous Birks, and he took care of her jeans and panties.

Then he leaned into her, and they both went over the arm of the couch.

He pushed her tee up, tugged the cup of her bra down and sucked hard at a nipple.

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