Page 64 of The Body in the Backyard
He sat down on the toilet lid. “What the hell is that?” he demanded as she unscrewed the lid of a jar filled with green goop. “It smells almost as bad as dinner.”
“Mom’s first aid balm. If you’re a brave boy, I’ll give you a lollipop after.”
His hands settled on her hips. “I love you.”
Riley paused her ministrations and met those gorgeous blue-green eyes. “Where did that come from?”
He shrugged. “Probably my near-death-by-poultry experience.”
Her lips curved. “I love you too.”
“Yeah, but enough to stick with me even though you now know I’m maybe slightly concerned about cartoon sea witches and backyard chickens?”
“Maybe even more.”
“What dumb shit are you afraid of?” he asked as she smoothed a layer of the goop over his abraded cheek.
“Hmm. Definitely gorillas. Mrs. Penny. And I guess not mattering.”
“Gorillas are scary as shit, and Mrs. Penny is goddamn terrifying,” he said, reaching up to grasp her wrist. “And you really fucking matter to me, Riley.”
Her heart did that awkward flip-flop it always did when Nick Santiago got sneaky sweet on her. “Wow. That near-death experience must have really rattled you,” she said lightly as she tore open a bandage.
“Chickens are stupid,” Nick muttered.
“You were very heroic fighting off poultry like that.”
“We’re stopping on the way home, and I’m getting two hundred nuggets.”
17
9:04 p.m. Friday, November 1
Nick pulled his SUV into the garage and handed Gabe the hemp tote full of leftover mung bean stew.
“Do me a favor, Chicken Thrower. Bury this in the garbage, and take Burt inside. Thorn and I have some important yard maintenance to take care of,” he said.
“It will be my pleasure,” Gabe agreed. He climbed out of the vehicle with the dog bounding after him.
Riley undid her seat belt and reached for the fast-food bag of chicken nuggets, but Nick closed a hand over her thigh.
“Sit tight, Thorn. I’ve got a plan.”
He watched Gabe and Burt exit the garage in the rearview mirror and then stabbed the button on the remote. The door slid closed behind them.
“Yard maintenance in a dark garage?” she teased.
Nick waggled his eyebrows at her in the glow of the dome light. “I’ve got a plan. I’ve had thirty-seven plans since you walked down the stairs in that outfit.”
Riley glanced down at the plain rust-colored V-neck sweater and jeans. The nice thing about Nick was that he would find her attractive in a paper bag.
“You want to have sex out here? But it’s cold.”
His wolfish grin was lightning quick. “I’ll keep you warm, baby.”
With that, he hooked her under the arms and dragged her across the console to his lap. His mouth was on hers immediately. She could taste his hunger, his hurry, his need.
“Remind me to wear this sweater more often,” she said against his hard lips.
