TEASE ( A Stepbrother Romance ) By Caitlin Daire

23

Chapter 23

Rayna

Four months later

Bzzt, Bzzt. Bzzt.

I groaned at the sound of my alarm going off, and I threw a pillow at it before closing my eyes and trying to settle back in to sleep some more. No such luck. Once I'd been woken, I was awake for the whole day, so I had no choice but to get up. Groaning again, I reached over to cuddle Jace before I sat up, but my hand only hit the bedsheets and nothing more.

"Jace?" I called out, opening my eyes and finally sitting up.

I couldn't hear him showering or making breakfast, so I figured he'd simply gone to work already. He was always putting in so much effort at the online publishing agency he'd helped his friend start up, and I was so proud of how hard he worked. It just went to show that he'd been a good person all along, and he'd always been capable of doing great things in life all on his own, unlike the spoiled trust fund fuck-up he'd once thought he was destined to be.

Yawning, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and got out, only to almost trip on an enormous basket that was sitting on the floor. It was filled with pink peonies, and there was also a card. Smiling, I leaned down and picked up the card.

'Rayna-you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I love the life we've created. I have a special surprise for you today, but in order for you to find out what it is, you'll need to follow the scavenger hunt clues I've created. Look on the back for your first clue. I can't wait till you reach the end of the hunt, and I hope you won't be too mad at me for going behind your back so much ;)

I smiled and turned the card over to find my clue.

Put a 'v' on room.

The thing you seek can zoom.

Seek not anything higher.

I'm hiding behind the tire.

Easy. There was obviously something hidden behind one of the tires of my car, or at least near there, so I grabbed my keys, raced downstairs and headed into the parking garage before searching under my car. I finally found something taped behind the front right tire, and I pulled it out to see that it was another note. Check the glove compartment ;)

After unlocking the car, I reached into the glove compartment and found a large velveteen jewelry box. I opened it, and I gasped as I saw a sparkling diamond bracelet, matching earrings, and best of all, a beautiful necklace with inlaid diamonds and a sapphire pendant. God, it was all so beautiful! It wasn't even my birthday or any other sort of major occasion, and yet he'd given me such a wonderful surprise just because he loved me.

And speaking of love...every day I spent with Jace was even better than the last, and I knew that'd never change. He was perfect, and I wished I could just marry him right this second so I could officially lock him down for good.

I noticed that there was another note taped to the back of the jewelry box, and I pulled it off and chewed my lower lip as I read it.

Stiff is my spine, and my body is pale, but I'm always ready to tell a tale.

Okay, that was obviously a book, but which book?

I suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Of course I knew which book; it had to be the one that had brought us back together and made us start talking again after weeks of silence, back when our parents had still been married. I headed back into the apartment, raced over to the bookshelf and found World's Over, and as I opened it, a brochure for a local hairdresser and beautician fell out. It had today's date and a time scrawled on it, with a note saying 'Put on your new jewelry and enjoy feeling like a princess for the day!'