“Fine?”Icaught her wrist. “Orwas it never broken?”
Aurora shrugged. “Ican’t explain it.Itwas ice water yesterday, but whenIgot over here this morning to wash my face, it was back to normal.”Herlips flirted with the inklings of a smile. “Ithink my aunt is haunting this place.”
I cracked a grin as the tension eased. “Youthink your aunt’s ghost is haunting the house and broke the water heater so you could get laid?”
Aurora clapped her hands over her ears. “Ugh.Don’tsay it like that.It’sjust weird.”
* * *
“Hey,Roar?”Icalled around the screws trapped between my teeth.Iwas arms-deep in replacing a light fixture that hung over the kitchen island and it was a bitch.Igot the screws in place and tightened them, butAurorastill hadn’t answered.
“Aurora,”Ihollered.Stillnothing, soIwent for broke. “Wander!”
There was a muffled thump upstairs.Ihopped off the chairIwas using as a step-stool and jogged up the narrow staircase.
“Roar,”Isaid whenIreached the landing.
Silence.
I poked my head into the first bedroom, then the second.Wherewas she?
I crossed by the widow’s watch and paused.Aurorawas sitting on the ground, furiously typing on her laptop.Irested my shoulder against the wall and simply watched while she was unaware.
The afternoon sunshine hit just right, making her glow in the light.Itmade her eyes look like prisms, full of vibrancy and mystique.
“Oh my god.”Aurorayanked off her headphones and let out a startled breath. “Howlong have you been standing there?”
“Just a minute,”Isaid, shoving my hands into my pockets. “Whathappened to priming the upstairs bedroom for paint?”
She looked sheepish as she closed her laptop. “Istarted.Butthen the characters started talking, soIsat down to write to get them to shut up.”Shelooked me up and down. “Don’tgive me that judgmental face.Iwasn’t slacking.Andwhat about you?Whathappened to you going back to your place to get a shirt?”
I shrugged. “Itwould have come off anyway.It’sa thousand degrees in this house.Prettysure it’s cooler outside.”
“Keeping the air conditioning on overdrive like you do at your house is an unnecessary expense for me.Ilive alone and sleep naked.”Aurorasmirked. “Aren’tyou used to dealing with high temperatures while wearing a lot of heavy gear?”
“I get paid for that,”Isaid asIstepped out onto the little balcony.Thebreeze was a welcomed reprieve from the thought of her sleeping in absolutely nothing.
“Your volunteer hours are much appreciated here.”
“So, you’re still writing?”Iasked asIleaned on the railing. “Thewell of ideas hasn’t dried up yet?”
Coral blush painted her cheeks as she drummed her fingers on her computer. “Notyet.”Shechewed on her lip. “Surprisingly, it’s actually coming to me pretty easily.”
“DoIget to know what you’re writing about?”
“No,” she snapped in defense. “Thatis classified information.”
The corner of my mouth hooked in a lopsided grin. “Ican be very persuasive, sweetheart.”
The way she squeezed her legs together told me she knewexactlywhatImeant.
“You should put on a shirt,” she said.
“You should put on a swimsuit.”
Aurora arched an eyebrow. “Excuseme?”
“Come on.”Itipped my head toward the ocean. “Thecurrent is gentle today.”
