Page 128 of Not That Ridiculous

Ray paled.

“There are no more dead guys up here, babe,” Adam said, appearing at the top of the stairs. “I checked.”

Ray swallowed hard. “Did you…did you check the walls?” he asked.

Adam’s gaze flicked to me and back to Ray as we joined him. “No,” he said, “but now I know what I’m doing tomorrow. Thanks, Charlie.”

“Anytime.”

Adam set my bag beside a small chest of drawers and scooted Ray out before he could shake me down for any more information. “We’re having risotto for supper,” Adam said over his shoulder as they left. “Come and join us when you’re ready.”

“Thanks.”

I wandered over to the double bed and sat down heavily. The scent of laundry detergent puffed up around me. Knowing Ray, he’d made the bed up with fresh sheets seconds after Adam headed out to pick me up.

I frowned, wondering how Adam had even known that I needed somewhere to stay in the first place. Then I heard the front door bang downstairs, Jasper bellowed, “Where is he?” feet pounded up the stairs, and I knew.

“Charlie,” Jasper gasped, bursting in and rushing over to me. He hauled me up from sitting, yanked me against his body, and hugged me. “Oh my god.”

I patted his back. “It’s all right,” I said.

He squeezed me harder.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I growled, and attempted to pinch his side. I couldn’t find any loose skin or fat to work with, but he got the hint.

“First things first,” he said, releasing his anaconda grip and holding me by the shoulders to duck down and meet my eyes. “I amnotwriting an article about you.”

“Good to know.”

“Ralph from theInquirercalled and asked me to come out of retirement for it.” He blinked rapidly. “Not kidding, I nearly blacked out when he said a body had been found at your address.Charlie. I thought you’ddied.”

“I didn’t die.”

“Good. You’re not allowed to, in case you didn’t know. Anyway, I turned Ralph down flat.”

“I don’t care,” I said tiredly. “If you want to?—”

“Nope. No. Not a chance.” He pulled me in for another hug, held on for a brief scuffle as I tried to get free, and then made a sympathetic sound when I went limp in his arms.

I rested my head on his shoulder and fully submitted to the hug. Who was I kidding? This had gone on way too long for a hug.

I was being cuddled.

The strength and heat of his solid muscled body against mine was reassuring in its familiarity. Less because Jasper and I went around getting all up in each other’s personal space, and more because he reminded me of Kevin.

Kevin, whose goddamn insistence about improving my home had dropped me into this nightmare. Kevin, who had screwed up my life and then promptly abandoned me.

I certainly hadn’t seen that coming.

In fact, if you’d asked me three hours ago, I’d have scoffed in your face at the mere suggestion that Kevin would run at the very first hurdle.

Even if that hurdle was a mummified cowboy.

My arms around Jasper tightened. I supposed it was better to find out now rather than later.

“Jasper,” Adam spoke quietly from the doorway. “Come on downstairs and see Phil. Charlie could probably do with a few minutes to himself.”

“Yeah, okay,” Jasper said after a moment of hesitation. He shuffled me over to the bed and pushed me down. “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?” he asked.

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