Page 124 of More than Need

“What are you all doing in here?” Gideon asked, coming up behind Riley and resting his chin on the top of Riley’s head. “Party’s out there.”

“Yes, that’s why we’re in here,” Sebastian said.

“Where are your men?” Riley asked. All five of them had been invited, and they had shown up together. Had they left him here on his own? Riley wouldn’t blame them; he’d do the same thing.

“We divided and conquered, and now I can’t find them.”

“Not a successful conqueror.”

“Fuck off.”

Riley frowned, a thought occurring to him. “Did you leave Ned alone at the barbecue?” That was even worse than having them together. At least Gideon couldcook. The one time that Ned had attempted to cook them all dinner had been a nightmare that Riley needed therapy to get past.

“No, Ange took over.”

“I think I need something sweet,” Sadie declared, pushing herself off the couch, making it look as awkward as possible. Dawson placed a hand on the small of her back, helping her straighten without falling back down. She couldn’t be far away from popping. Riley hoped she waited until after the party, at least. “And no, I won’t bring you anything.”

Gideon vaulted over the couch and landed heavily in her spot. “Maybe no one will notice if I’m gone for a few minutes.”

Riley pulled Dawson into his arm, spreading the other out over the back of the couch so he could absently stroke Gideon’s neck at the same time. He’d barely seen them since they’d arrived. They’d helped set up and then been separated when guests had arrived.

“Are you still looking for a job?” Sebastian asked abruptly, straightening with a calculating look that Riley didn’t at all like the look of. He knew that face. Sebastian had a scheme brewing.

“Me?” Gideon asked.

“I think those two are still employed, right?”

“Last time I checked,” Dawson said, tangling his fingers with Riley’s. “But your brother is unpredictable, so who knows?”

“Why are you asking?” Riley asked suspiciously, not sure he liked the current trajectory of the conversation. No, heknewhe didn’t like it. What the fuck was Sebastian up to?

“Riley told me you have a degree in criminology.” What was Sebastian up to? “Do you have plans on getting your master’s?”

“I do,” Gideon said, still sounding confused. “Do you need legal advice? That seems a weird thing for a lawyer to need.”

“I’d like to offer you a job.”

Riley put a hand over Gideon’s mouth so that he couldn’t respond. “Doing what?” he asked dangerously.

“I’ve been looking for a jury consultant, and my assistant and main paralegal are being… let’s go with picky and not one of the other adjectives I want to use. At least not in their vicinity, where they can hear me. But I remember going up against you in court, and you’re fantastic. Also, Riley is a good judge of character. Most of the time.”

“Mostof the time?” Riley drawled.

“You’re not part of this conversation. Please be silent until you’re called to the stand,” Sebastian told him. “The point is, I want you. So what do you say?”

“I sincerely hope that ‘I want you’ is in a purely platonic context,” Dawson said.

“I think four men is my limit,” Sebastian said with a smirk.

“If they’re being picky, what makes you think I’ll get through the line of fire?” Gideon asked.

“I have a good feeling about it.”

“What does a jury consultant do?” Dawson asked curiously.

“A lot of different things, depending on what I need them for. They provide insight on jurors, work with my paralegals to prepare for trial, they help prepare witnesses for the stand, and a bunch of other stuff. It’s hard to sum it up in one paragraph. It’ll give me an edge that I don’t have right now.”

“You don’t need an edge.” Sebastian didn’t need help to show the police their asses in court. Gideon certainly didn’t need to help him do it.

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