Page 34 of Djinn in Love

She smiled. “That sounds nice.”

Jasper grinned back at her and plopped down on the mattress, propping his right foot on his left knee and tugging at the laces of his dress shoes. An ominous creaking sound came from the bed, followed by the high-pitched screech of metal against metal. Jasper’s feet flew up into the air as the mattress beneath him collapsed with a crash.

Veronica rushed forward and knelt next to the destroyed bed. “Oh, my God, Jasper. Are you okay?”

He pushed himself into a sitting position. “I’m fine.”

She bit her bottom lip, trying very hard to suppress the wild urge she had to laugh. “Are you sure?”

He studied her before he asked, “Are you trying not to laugh?”

Veronica pulled her upper lip between her teeth too, fighting to keep the muscles of her face still. Since she didn’t trust herself to speak without giggling, she shook her head.

He sighed and tried to stand up. The mattress beneath him shifted, nearly throwing him off the other side of the bed. His arms and legs went flying as he rolled sideways.

Veronica couldn’t hold it in any longer. A small snort escaped her, then another. Finally, she couldn’t control the laughter. She rolled back onto her butt, wrapped her arms around her waist, and rocked back and forth as she guffawed.

Jasper fought his way to the side of the mattress and basically rolled onto the floor on his hands and knees. The sight of him all but crawling off the broken bed set her off into loud whoops. She covered her mouth with both hands as tears ran down her face, but she couldn’t stop.

When he got to his feet, Jasper reached down, grasped her wrists, and tugged her to her feet.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s not funny. Y-y-y-you could have been hurt.”

He gently pushed her away from the bed, folded it back up, and jammed it back into the cavity in the sofa. “I’m fine. Though I’m beginning to rethink my belief that you were a sweet, innocent woman.”

Veronica covered her face with her hands and snorted again, her shoulders shaking. “I could have told you none of that was true,” she managed to wheeze.

The doorbell chimed, echoing throughout the small cabin. Hoping it was the food he’d ordered, Jasper left Veronica giggling and snorting behind her hands and went to the door.

By the time he’d collected the bag containing their food and tipped the man who’d brought it, she more or less had herself under control.

“I really am sorry I laughed at you,” she apologized again.

Jasper shrugged. “Didn’t hurt my feelings,” he replied. “And it was funny. But I suspect it won’t be so funny when I have to call the front desk for a rollaway bed.”

She frowned. “Oh, no. I can do it.”

“No, I’ll do it while you set the food out on the coffee table.”

Veronica studied the couch, her expression thoughtful. “How about we eat on the bed in the bedroom? I’m ready to prop my feet up and the bed sounds more comfortable anyway.”

Surprised by her suggestion, Jasper nodded.

“Good.”

Veronica took the bag and carried it into the bedroom while he headed toward the phone on the kitchen counter. Before he called the front desk though, Jasper took out his cell phone and texted his mother.

Jasper: I’m onto you.

The business with the pull-out falling apart had his mother’s meddling written all over it. Djinn were notorious as prankstersand grudge holders. He didn’t doubt that his mother’s scheme was for them to share the bed.

Mom: I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Shaking his head at his mother’s reply, Jasper put in a call to the front desk, asking for a rollaway bed and explaining what happened with the pull-out couch. The clerk said someone would be at the cabin shortly with one.

By the time he was off the phone, his mother had texted again.

Mom: What happened?

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