Page 30 of Bobbing for Bodies
“You will. You’ll be off the market soon enough, believe me. And there will be a body count, too. Women are going to war over you.”
He winces. “Coming from you, the body count sounds like a threat.”
“Sadly, coming from me, it might be.”
“And you?” He touches his shoulder to mine as if to prod me. “Are you off the market?”
My stomach sinks because I can’t seem to find the answer. “I thought I was. Noah and I seemed to be going pretty strong. I just—he never told me how he felt about me, and I was left questioning whether or not he wanted something exclusive with me.”
“Did you want something exclusive with him?” He bears those ocean blue eyes into mine, and a shiver runs through me.
“Yes, I wanted it. I mean, Noah’s a great guy. He just—I don’t know. He doesn’t want me tampering in what he refers to as his investigation. And I get that to a certain extent. But Hunter was my friend. I can’t just let it go and hope for the best. There’s a bona fide killer out there. And if he or she isn’t caught soon, they might just strike again.”
“I get that. But I also get where Noah is coming from. You’re a great person, Lemon. And at the risk of losing a friendship, I have to say I agree with him. He doesn’t want to see you get hurt and neither do I. I’m sorry, but it’s safety first. You said it yourself. There’s a bona fide killer out there who might be looking for another victim. We don’t want that to be you.”
“Neither do I.” I sag into the words. “I don’t really fault Noah for wanting to keep me safe. Or you.” I knock my knee into his as an entire gaggle of kids run for the pick-up area for the next round of hayrides. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to know if Noah has any hang-ups about relationships, would you?”
He cocks his head to the side. “I know his ex was a pistol. I’m sure that made him more than a little cautious. But that’s his story to tell. If he’s smart, he’ll commit to you soon. He’s not a player anymore.”
“A player, huh?” I can’t help but giggle at the thought. “Did you take the baton from him?”
He groans as he cringes. “I might have taken a page out of his playbook. Both he and his brother were a bad influence on me back in the day.” He glowers toward the pumpkin patch as if he were having a bad memory. “You know what? How about we hop on that hayride real quick? It’ll be a nice palate cleanse before we head on out.”
“Judge Baxter.” I laugh as I hop up and dust the hay from my jeans. “You really do know how to have a good time.”
We finish up our cider and board the tractor-trailer, seating ourselves near the back, a safe distance from the howling masses. Everett and I laugh during every inch of that bumpy, twisted, and jerking good time. And once the tractor comes to a stop, we’re the last to get off. Everett exits first. It’s so murky and dark in this area of the pumpkin patch it all feels like a dream.
“This night sure took a turn for the—” I’m about to saybetterwhen my foot glides right off the hay bale that’s acting as a stepladder and Everett catches me in his arms.
“Whoa!” he says as the momentum sends us spinning, and I laugh as we come to a complete stop just shy of the petting zoo.
“Looks like fun,” a masculine voice calls out from behind, and Everett swings me back around, only to have my heart stop cold.
“Noah?” I squint into the darkness, hoping against hope it’s just Ken, the owner, wanting to give me the final count on how many devil’s food cupcakes to bake for the Fall-O-Ween Fest—but this is me we’re talking about. That handsome brick wall of a man glowering at us is in fact Detective Noah Corbin Fox.
“I”—he hitches his thumb over his shoulder, his face looking morbidly long—“was just asking the owners about Hunter. They were kind enough to show me the application he filled out just a few days before he passed.” His jaw squares out. “And yes, I was going against orders and investigating. I guess I’m not too fond of the rules myself.” His eyes hook to mine before he traces out my body with his gaze.
“Oh, no, no, no,” I say, caught off guard that I’m still tucked high in his stepbrother’s arms.
Everett lands me safely on my feet and takes a deep breath. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“It’s not?” Noah twitches his head at us incredulously. “Of course, it is. The two of you were enjoying one another’s company.” His voice dips low, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was struggling with the words. “I guess I’m okay with that.”
“Youguess?” My heart slaps wildly against my chest. “You either are or you aren’t.” There. I said it. If Noah has any feelings for me whatsoever, this is his moment to speak now or forever hold his peace. Didn’t those kisses mean anything to him? Although, to be fair, he could say the same to me.
My phone bleats in my pocket before he can answer, and I quickly scan over it.
“Oh no,” I say, looking up at both Noah and Everett. “It’s my sister. She says she thinks her garage may have been broken into.”
Noah leans in, rife with concern. “Tell her to call the police and get back in her car. Do not go in the house. I’m on my way. Everett, you keep Lottie here until I give you the all clear.”
He takes off, and I choke on my next words before taking Everett by the hand and hightailing it to the parking lot.
“Come on, Everett. I don’t care what he says. You’re taking me to my sister’s.”
“But Noah—”
“Noah will have to live with it.”