Chapter Thirteen

Jasmine

"I started as everyone in the publishing business starts. My father taught me to read before I hit kindergarten. Daniel Boone books of all things. My mom complained he was teaching me to be a tomboy but…" I shrugged.

"You clearly turned into a lovely woman. Unless you have a coonskin cap somewhere in your bags?" Drake laughed as we moved to sit in the living room. There were blankets thrown over the backs of the couches. As I sat down on the couch, I found it to feel exactly as it looked, cozy, and my body sank into the cushions just the right amount.

I put my hands on my hips. "Are you trying to say I wouldn't be beautiful with a furry hat on? Don't answer that. I'm grossed out by the skinned-animal thing anyway. So, I read most of my life and, when I got my graphic design degree, I didn't want to work on logos and menus anymore. I took a month and created about thirty covers to see if I could make a splash."

"And clearly you did. We looked at your site a bit before you gave it to us. Not in depth but in our business, we have to be careful who we associate with. Especially someone who might be living in our home or getting close to us."

Getting close to them? Yeah, I wanted that. To have them hold me in their arms. Those strong arms that despite their shifter species guaranteed me a warm place to feel safe.

No!

Gods. This couldn't happen.

Remember the bet, Jasmine. Get in. Stay. Get out, unattached.

One day, and that bet was proving hard to focus on.

"Is that why the keypad on the basement door? You're afraid little ol' me will get your secrets, or do you have bodies or sex slaves down there?"

Naga's hand flew out and popped Drake right on the back of the head. I nearly spilled my cup of coffee and, honestly, I didn't know which event would be more tragic. I was a coffee girl through and through.

Drake's face fell. He cleared his throat. "Who told you…about the sex slaves? Is that why you got on the app."

My chest twisted, and my stomach knotted up. "What? I don't…"

They both cracked up, throwing their heads back. They were kidding. Again.

I guessed I should be grateful for the sense of humor, but sweat gathered at the back of my neck and along the crown of my head. "You two," I said, taking a few long, deep breaths.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself. The keypad isn't just for keeping people out. It's also for keeping some things in. In our line of business, sometimes, secrets pass over the screens. Secrets that would be detrimental to the owner if they were to get out. Secrets that could put a target on the onlooker. We're trying to keep you safe and our work safe."

Safe. We all used that word a lot.

Me, in my head.

"We saw you design covers for some prominent publishing houses."

They always brought the conversation back to me. "I started working for indies who maybe couldn't afford the more prominent cover designers but needed quality."

"And then?" Naga prodded gently.

"Then it kind of exploded. I still love making covers for everyone though. I have so many books at home, all the covers designed by me and signed by the author. I don't even have the room for them. Most are still in their boxes."

"Why not live somewhere other than your small apartment?"

I scoffed. "Because my degree came with a hefty price tag, and my parents didn't believe in college funds. So, while I make a lot of money, I also pay a lot out, plus, self-employed and royalties sucks at tax time. And what's the point in buying a house when you don't really leave your desk a lot?"

"Gets lonely, huh?" Drake smiled, deep dimples in his chin tempting me to touch them. Kiss the skin around the indents.

"It does. But you two have a cute town down there. Don't tell me you two don't go there."

Naga rubbed his hand over his head. "We don't get there as much as we'd like to. But tonight, we will."

"We are?" Or did he just mean them?

"We thought we would take you out to dinner."

"What should I wear?"

"Nothing formal in these parts. What you have on is fine."

"What do we do until then?" I asked, not trying to sound so damned sultry. These two were turning me into a needy fool.

"We have some work to do, and we thought maybe you did as well?"

"I do." Not that I wanted to right then. But I also didn't want to keep them from theirs. "I'll set up on the island if that's okay?"

They both nodded. "We thought we would work up here today as well, but no peeking." Naga winked at me.

What would it feel like if they actually touched me? I'd probably catch on fire.

I was wrong about these two, and that fact scared me. I needed them to be cold and icy but instead, they were warmer than my heated blanket in the winter.

"Pinky promise. I'll, um, I'll go get my laptop."

I ran upstairs and felt my heart beating fast. Sure, I could blame it on the sprinting upstairs, but I knew the real reason.

Naga and Drake were already burrowing under my skin in a good way. I'd never felt so thrilled and excited and yet terrified in my entire life.

I was here to win a bet, but the odds were already not in my favor.