Page 36 of Bones

Before I could ask, I caught her wince as she rearranged the pen in her grip.

Shit.

Bolting up from the table, I rummaged under the sink. I didn’t get injured. I couldn’t. But I had an extra first-aid kit from the restaurant tucked away in case a visitor did.

Not that I had visitors.

Finding it, I pulled it out before soaking a paper towel in warm water. I returned to the table to see Aurora tapping the pen on the paper.

I already cleaned it in the shower.

“Well, I’m cleaning it again.” Kneeling in front of her, I ignored her attempts to reach for the warm towel and used it to rub across her scraped to shit palms before going over it again with an alcohol wipe. I knew it had to sting like hell, but she didn’t flinch. Not even when I repeated the process on her split lip and scratched cheeks. “What the hell happened?”

I told you, I fell.

“This is a shit-ton of scrapes for just falling.” I reached for her chin but dropped my hand when she leaned away. “Your face is bruised.”

I fell. A lot. And smacked into more than a couple trees. It was dark.

“Are you hurt anywhere else? Your legs?”

She shook her head.

I didn’t believe her, but since I couldn’t exactly force her to drop her pants, I had no choice but to move on. “Why were you in the woods tonight, Aurora?”

She loudly yawned and wrote again.

That chili was delicious, thank you. But now I’m full and exhausted. Can I go to bed?

“Right, yeah, of course.”

Aurora stood and tried to clear the table, but I plucked the bowls from her hands before she got far. She glared up at me, but I set the dishes to the side. “I got this. Come on.”

She followed me up the spiral staircase and moved right to the sliding glass door that opened to a small balcony. The view in the early morning was good, especially when wildlife ventured from the trees into the yard. But the one in the moonlight was something else. Her hand pressed to the glass, and I wished I’d grabbed the notebook so I could hear—or read—what she thought.

Of all the places I’d lived, that cabin was the only one I’d put thought into. I’d known it was more than just temporary shelterthat didn’t matter. I’d wanted it perfect… I just hadn’t known why.

Now I did.

Looking over her shoulder, Aurora caught me staring at her. Like she knew what I wanted, she breathed on the window to fog it up before using her finger to write.

Wow!

I thought the same, but not about the view outside.

Turning away from her, I grabbed my clothes for the next day as I spoke. “There’s a bathroom through that door. Remote is on the side table if you want to watch TV. Wake me if you need anything.”

I looked at her long enough to see her nod, then got the hell out of there before I did something stupid.

Like kiss her in the moonlight.

CHAPTER SIX

SEVEN DEADLY SINS CHECKLIST

AURORA

I’d started my day ina hotel room beside a man I’d spent six years with.

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