Her phone buzzed in her purse. Akira ignored it. When they returned to the real world, they would have to deal with their work and families, but not now. Akira ran her finger over Jacob’s nipple, which was tight from the chill in the spring air. He pressed an absentminded kiss on top of her head. Right now, in this moment, the world was theirs.
“Where are you going to take me for dinner when we get back?” he asked, his mind obviously still on food.
“Dinner?” Akira tugged at his chest hair. “It’s your job to bring me dinner, peasant.”
“Nope. You have to take me to dinner. That was the deal.”
“What deal?”
“I open the box in the allotted time, you take me out on a date.”
“I bought all the groceries that have kept us fed for days,” she pointed out.
“What do I look, cheap? I want a real dinner, woman.”
“Ugh. Fine. I’ll take you somewhere fancy. With big portions.”
His smile was sleepy. He rubbed his cheek against her hair. “I never asked. What was inside of it, anyway? Your grandmother’s puzzle box.”
“Oh.” She leaned back so she could see his face better. “I thought you knew. After all that work you did, you didn’t peek?”
“No. What was inside wasn’t as important as the chance that puzzle gave me to spend time with you. Plus, I couldn’t look before you did.” He gave her a look as if he was surprised she would even think he would be sneaky. That honor of his.
She wriggled her finger at him. “This. It’s much easier to lug around than the box.”
He took her hand to touch the ring she had donned after her shower. “Wow. I can see how this would be worth a couple of college tuitions.”
While the gold setting was real, the sparkling pink and clear jewels were paste, something she had noticed right away. Then again, not everyone grew up learning skills like jewelry valuation. She opened her mouth to correct him, but stopped when she replayed his words in her head.
Huh. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt him to think the stones were real. It wasn’t lying, Akira reassured herself. She was merely delaying providing clarification. Like, after she’d cut the check for Kati. Then she could point out he had made a deal, damn it, and the sentimental value of the box was definitely worth a few scholarships even if the ring was a fake.
She was already looking forward to the argument.
“Only the ring was inside?”
“No. There was also this.” Loath to move from her comfortable seat, she stretched to reach into her bag, her hand brushing against his note. It wasn’t necessary since she now had the real thing, but she would keep it. Maybe she would tuck it into her grandmother’s box, since she had so few sentimental items to fill it with.
Then when she wanted to get to it, she would push the puzzle into Jacob’s hands, sit back, and watch his capable, patient fingers manipulate every panel. Foreplay.
Akira pulled out a small card case from her purse, flipping the engraved silver lid open to reveal a photo of her grandmother, young and beautiful, her arms thrown around a man who was staring down at her with undisguised adoration.
He took the case and studied the photo, his face softening. “You look like her.”
Delight filled her. “Really?”
“Don’t you see it?”
“I thought there was a slight resemblance, but…” Akira lifted a shoulder. “People say I take after my father.”
“You’re tall like him, but that’s about it. Look. The eyes, the chin. Her mouth. Her hands. Her legs, except yours are longer.”
She stared at the photo. She’d never seen her grandmother at this age, and as he pointed out each individual feature, the likeness became more apparent. Such a silly thing, but it calmed her soul to be able to put more distance between herself and her father.I don’t even look like you.“She always said it was a shame I inherited the shape of her legs.”
“I love your legs. They’re strong.” His fingers measured her calf. “There isn’t a force in the world that could knock you over.”
She cuddled closer to reward him for those fierce words.
“Is that man your grandfather?”
