The Body in the Backyard (Riley Thorn #4)

by Lucy Score

Nick tugged her in to stand between his open legs. “You’re too good for me. I mean, I want you to know that I know that. But I also have no intention of letting you wander off to find someone more deserving.”

“The elderly consume their calories early,” Gabe explained over his foot-long cheesesteak. “We also eat our desserts first since we don’t know how much time we have left,”

“I am new to relationships, but it seems to me that there is a possibility your abandonment of Riley in pursuit of your own needs triggered old wounds, reminding her that she has yet to be in a relationship where she comes first for her partner,” Gabe said, steepling his fingers in what Nick considered to be annoying superior piety. Nick pointed a surly finger at Gabe. “I’ll have you know I make sure she comes first every time.”

“I like to think of sarcasm as a humor tool. Words can tell the truth, but you can also have fun with them and tell the truth at the same time.”

He wanted to put a ring on Riley Thorn’s finger. Before her, he’d never even considered things like getting engaged or married or, you know, the future. They’d only known each other for four months. There was mozzarella in the cheese drawer older than their relationship. Sweat ran in rivulets down his back. They owned a home together. They worked together. They had a dog together. This wasn’t just another new relationship. This was the relationship. This was it. She was it.

“Listen, Thorn. I’ve put a lot of thought into this. How about I just murder him?” he said. Riley put her hands on her hips. “Then we won’t get paid.” “But maybe the first murderer will pay us for doing their job for them?” “I’m not sure that’s the way this works,” she said.

“You know the best way to protect girls from choosing bad partners?” she prompted him. “Eliminate all contact with men and boys of all ages?” he suggested hopefully. “No. We show them what good partners and good relationships look like.”

“Marry me,” Nick said to Riley. The bag of ice fell to the floor. She looked up at him with wide-eyed shock. “I’m sorry. My ears are ringing from all the gunfire and screaming. Could you repeat that?” “Marry me,” he repeated earnestly. “Did you get hit in the head when I shot up the ceiling?” “I don’t have head trauma, and I’m not overreacting to yet another criminal fiasco. I want you as my wife. My partner. You’re it for me. And I know I should have found a better way to do this, like with champagne and flowers and maybe a fucking violin. But this is us. Messy. Complicated. Slightly injured. Standing in the middle of yet another crime scene together after saving the day. So say yes. Marry me.”

“I see she said yes,” Weber said, nodding toward Riley through one of the few unbroken windows in the room. She was showing off her ring to Brian, Josie, and Gabe on the patio. Gabe looked up and gave Nick a toothy grin and a thumbs-up. “I didn’t give her a chance to come up with another answer. Now I just have to keep her busy from now until the wedding so she doesn’t have time to come to her senses.”