“Remind me to sendDrewa thank-you note,” she muttered under her breath. “Youhad all this at your house?HowdidInot know?”
“Because you’ve been avoiding my house.”
Her cheeks flushed crimson red.Auroramoseyed over to the drafting table to avoid the subject.
“What do you think?”Iasked asIstood behind her and watched as she smoothed her hands over the burned mural that was sealed across the top of the desk.
She pressed her fingertips to her lips, shaking her head. “It’s. . . it’s incredible.Wherethe hell did you find it?”
“I had it made for you.”
She spun like a whirlwind. “You. . .Youwhat?”
24
AURORA
PLAYING DIRTY
Jack gently squeezed my arms as he shrugged. “Iknow a guy.”
I smoothed my hand over the lacquered surface.Itwas tilted up, inclined soIcould use it without craning my neck down, butIcould flatten it or raise and lower it.Thehand-etched mural was breathtaking.TheNorthernLightsrushed across the top of the desk in a gorgeous display.Therewas just enough color staining the dark wood to tie it to the walls.Deepgreens and moody purples melted together.
That’s whenInoticed how it had been done. “It’snot painted . . .It’s?—”
“Burned,”Jacksaid. “LiketheAuroraArcherbrand on the floor.Ithought it’d be a cool thing to match.”Hetipped the edge up, revealing the underside of the desk.Alarge crest was burned into the back.Butinstead of theAuroraArcherA’s, there were two interlockingW’s.
“It’s been fun finding yourAunt’sclues, butIthink it’s time you left your own mark on this place.”
I spun away from the desk, threw my arms around him, and squeezed. “Jack. . .It’sperfect.But. . .”Isighed. “Ican’t take it with me.MaybeIcould have it shipped or something?”
ButJackwasn’t perplexed.Hedug his fingers into my hair and cradled my head against his chest. “It’shere as long as you are,Roar.”
“Thank you,”Iwhispered into his chest. “Thisis more than anyone has ever done for me.”
“That’s a damn shame.”
I stole another peek at the bed. “Ican’t wait to sleep on it.”
Jack tightened his arms around me once more, then let go.Imissed it immediately. “Gotry it out.”
I took a few respectable steps before throwing caution to the wind and leaping onto the mattress.
Jack’s laugh was rich and loud asIbounced.
“Oh myGod.”Iflopped onto my back and spread out like a starfish. “Thisis amazing.”Ihugged the pillow and closed my eyes. “Myback has been killing me on that air mattress, and—”Ifroze as dark notes of cinnamon and black pepper mulled together in a rich musk.Thepillowcase smelled like him.
Memories of falling asleep in his bed, wrapped in his arms started to float through my memory, riding on clouds of his cologne.Theway his muscles would flex and tighten wheneverIshifted because he was pulling me closer.
I had never been held the way thatJackheld me.
“Is this your pillow?”Imurmured asIpressed my nose to the cover.
“The pillow case is,” he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Thepillow’s yours.Idon’t know your pillow preferences yet.Areyou a well-worn, tried and true pillow girl, or do you like the big, fluffy ones?”
I laughed. “It’sa mama bear, papa bear, baby bear situation.Thetrick is to have one new, fluffy pillow on the bottom for volume, and an old, thin pillow on top for support.”Icracked open an eye and peered at him. “Isthat high-maintenance of me?”
A gruff rumble echoed from his chest. “Ithink that makes you a pillow princess.”
