Page 122 of The Woman By the Lake

Yes, I’d learned Riggs was naturally affectionate, and this included a lot of cuddling while watching TV, hanging in front of the fire, definitely post-sex. We might separate in the night and go our own way, but we always fell asleep something like this.

And since he did this, I knew he was ready to go to sleep.

And Lord knew, I was.

It hit me, sleepily, after I was nearly out, that I forgot to tell him something.

“Riggs?” I mumbled.

“Right here, princess.”

“You might wanna check the south end of the east side of the lake.” I was still mumbling. “I saw a flash in the woods there before dinner. Like the sun hitting a mirror. I think you might have hunters.”

Then I was out.

And because I was so drowsy, and then I was asleep, I missed Riggs’s body getting tighter and tighter with every word I said.

TWENTY-FIVE

Chaos Theory

Nadia

I was shaken awake by Riggs.

I opened my eyes.

It was already full-on sun, but dawn came early this far north in the summer.

However, I could tell it was earlier than normal, since I was an early riser (if Riggs let me go to sleep at a decent hour (not complaining), which he had last night), and I’d still been dead asleep.

So I blinked at Riggs, sitting fully clothed on the bed beside me.

“Is something up?” I asked.

“We’re going into town for breakfast. You can go back to bed, but thought you might want plenty of time to get ready. Though, in a couple of hours, gotta ask you to wake Ledger up so he can get showered and be good to go.”

I pushed up to an arm. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Gonna check the south side of the lake.”

“What? Now?”

“Honey.”

That was all he said, but I didn’t like the way he said it.

“What?” I whispered.

“Hunters take care not to have anything reflect off them. Not easy to shoot a deer if you warn them you’re coming.”

Oh shit.

“Are you…going to take your gun?”

“No, I’m gonna take Harry, who’s waiting downstairs for me, and he’s got his gun. So I gotta go.”

“Oh.”

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