She looked away for a moment before her eyes met his again. “I don’t know. I figure staying out of sight is a good idea though. Just in case.”
He looked back at the road. There wasn’t much traffic but they were definitely attracting attention. A blue sedan slowed down as it passed. Jackson lifted a hand in a friendly wave.
“Look, I don’t know the situation, but the idea of you running off alone doesn’t sit right with me. Hiding out at my place would be better than just running off with no plan at all. ”
Raina closed her eyes, her exhaustion so palpable that he knew he’d won.
“Staying does have a certain appeal.”
He turned back to his car, parked haphazardly at the curb behind them. “Let’s go back. At the least, you can sleep on it and then make a decision in the morning with a clear head.”
After a moment, she turned toward the car. He opened the door for her and she sank into the luxurious leather interior. He closed the door gently and went around to the driver’s side. Once he started the car, she turned her head toward him.
“Just so you know, you didn’t win that argument. I’m just too tired to fight anymore.”
He put the car in gear before glancing at her. “Believe me, beautiful, I know that. Let’s save the fight for tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She leaned her head back and looked out the window.
The next time Jackson looked at her, she was sound asleep.
CHAPTER SIX
RIDLEY WOKE SUNDAY morning to a soft tapping sound.
It took her a moment to remember where she was. Gorgeous antique furniture. Silky-soft sheets. She definitely wasn’t at home. The tapping sound started again. She turned her head toward the door.
“Raina? Are you awake?”
The deep voice coming through the door brought it all back. The accident. Agent Graham. Jackson. She pulled the pillow over her head and groaned.
“Raina?”
She threw the covers back. “Just a second!”
After a last ditch attempt to tame the flyaway strands around her face, she went to the door and yanked it open. Jackson jumped back at the sudden movement.
“Good morning. I was coming to see if you were hungry. You crashed pretty hard last night.” His eyes took in her sleep-creased face and wild hair.
I dare you to say something, thought Ridley.
“But if you aren’t ready, that’s fine. I can wait.” He backed up a step.
She sighed. She must look truly feral if he was already backpedaling.
“No, I just need to brush my teeth and I’ll be down. Thanks.” She closed the door softly and grabbed her backpack. She carried it into the bathroom and pulled out her toothbrush. While she brushed her teeth, she inspected her face in the mirror. God, it was even worse than she thought. Not only did she still have creases from the pillow in her cheek but the eyelashes on her right side were stuck together making her look like she was cross-eyed.
Sigh.
“A femme fatale you are not.”
Ten minutes later, she crept down the staircase and stood in the middle of the biggest family room she’d ever seen. A huge wraparound sectional took up one wall and the other was dominated by a massive flat screen television. Despite the bounty of electronics, the room still retained an airy comfort, probably because everything was a different shade of cream or gold.
There was a piano in the corner and she wandered over. To her surprise, instead of the usual book of classics, there were loose pages of sheet music. She picked one up. The lines and notes appeared to have been drawn in pencil.
“Raina?”
She whirled around, the sheet music drifting to the floor at her feet. Jackson stood in the doorway. He held a spatula in his hands.
“There you are. I’m in the kitchen.”
Guiltily, she knelt and gathered the pages from the floor and placed them back on the piano. She wanted to ask about them but figured if she did, then he might decide to ask her questions, too. So she walked through the family room and into the kitchen. Jackson stood at the range, stirring a mound of eggs in a skillet.
“Morning. Did you sleep well?”
Ridley watched him stirring the eggs for a moment before walking behind him to peer through the window into the backyard. “Yeah, I think I may have actually passed out on the bed.”
“Understandable. You like cheese on your eggs?”
She turned to see him holding a bag of shredded cheese. At her nod, he spread a healthy layer on the eggs. Part of her wondered if she was still dreaming. A handsome man was cooking for her in a state-of-the-art, designer kitchen.
This was definitely not her life.
“So, I figure even if the locksmith doesn’t call back today we can just take it easy. I have no plans other than cleaning the grill. You’re welcome to hang out with me outside if you want.” He handed her a plate and fork. They sat side by side at the breakfast bar.
“Sure. I’ll help you.” She took a tentative bite of her eggs. He must have noticed her expression because he grimaced.
“Sorry I’m not a better cook. Eggs are about all I can handle without poisoning anyone.”
Ridley choked back a laugh. “No, they’re good.” After a couple of bites, she looked around. The house was perfectly quiet. “Are the kids coming down for breakfast?”
Jackson ducked his head. “Uh, no. Nick took them for the weekend. They won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Oh, yes. I did overhear something about that yesterday.” She pursed her lips and focused on her food.
He looked back at the road. There wasn’t much traffic but they were definitely attracting attention. A blue sedan slowed down as it passed. Jackson lifted a hand in a friendly wave.
“Look, I don’t know the situation, but the idea of you running off alone doesn’t sit right with me. Hiding out at my place would be better than just running off with no plan at all. ”
Raina closed her eyes, her exhaustion so palpable that he knew he’d won.
“Staying does have a certain appeal.”
He turned back to his car, parked haphazardly at the curb behind them. “Let’s go back. At the least, you can sleep on it and then make a decision in the morning with a clear head.”
After a moment, she turned toward the car. He opened the door for her and she sank into the luxurious leather interior. He closed the door gently and went around to the driver’s side. Once he started the car, she turned her head toward him.
“Just so you know, you didn’t win that argument. I’m just too tired to fight anymore.”
He put the car in gear before glancing at her. “Believe me, beautiful, I know that. Let’s save the fight for tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She leaned her head back and looked out the window.
The next time Jackson looked at her, she was sound asleep.
CHAPTER SIX
RIDLEY WOKE SUNDAY morning to a soft tapping sound.
It took her a moment to remember where she was. Gorgeous antique furniture. Silky-soft sheets. She definitely wasn’t at home. The tapping sound started again. She turned her head toward the door.
“Raina? Are you awake?”
The deep voice coming through the door brought it all back. The accident. Agent Graham. Jackson. She pulled the pillow over her head and groaned.
“Raina?”
She threw the covers back. “Just a second!”
After a last ditch attempt to tame the flyaway strands around her face, she went to the door and yanked it open. Jackson jumped back at the sudden movement.
“Good morning. I was coming to see if you were hungry. You crashed pretty hard last night.” His eyes took in her sleep-creased face and wild hair.
I dare you to say something, thought Ridley.
“But if you aren’t ready, that’s fine. I can wait.” He backed up a step.
She sighed. She must look truly feral if he was already backpedaling.
“No, I just need to brush my teeth and I’ll be down. Thanks.” She closed the door softly and grabbed her backpack. She carried it into the bathroom and pulled out her toothbrush. While she brushed her teeth, she inspected her face in the mirror. God, it was even worse than she thought. Not only did she still have creases from the pillow in her cheek but the eyelashes on her right side were stuck together making her look like she was cross-eyed.
Sigh.
“A femme fatale you are not.”
Ten minutes later, she crept down the staircase and stood in the middle of the biggest family room she’d ever seen. A huge wraparound sectional took up one wall and the other was dominated by a massive flat screen television. Despite the bounty of electronics, the room still retained an airy comfort, probably because everything was a different shade of cream or gold.
There was a piano in the corner and she wandered over. To her surprise, instead of the usual book of classics, there were loose pages of sheet music. She picked one up. The lines and notes appeared to have been drawn in pencil.
“Raina?”
She whirled around, the sheet music drifting to the floor at her feet. Jackson stood in the doorway. He held a spatula in his hands.
“There you are. I’m in the kitchen.”
Guiltily, she knelt and gathered the pages from the floor and placed them back on the piano. She wanted to ask about them but figured if she did, then he might decide to ask her questions, too. So she walked through the family room and into the kitchen. Jackson stood at the range, stirring a mound of eggs in a skillet.
“Morning. Did you sleep well?”
Ridley watched him stirring the eggs for a moment before walking behind him to peer through the window into the backyard. “Yeah, I think I may have actually passed out on the bed.”
“Understandable. You like cheese on your eggs?”
She turned to see him holding a bag of shredded cheese. At her nod, he spread a healthy layer on the eggs. Part of her wondered if she was still dreaming. A handsome man was cooking for her in a state-of-the-art, designer kitchen.
This was definitely not her life.
“So, I figure even if the locksmith doesn’t call back today we can just take it easy. I have no plans other than cleaning the grill. You’re welcome to hang out with me outside if you want.” He handed her a plate and fork. They sat side by side at the breakfast bar.
“Sure. I’ll help you.” She took a tentative bite of her eggs. He must have noticed her expression because he grimaced.
“Sorry I’m not a better cook. Eggs are about all I can handle without poisoning anyone.”
Ridley choked back a laugh. “No, they’re good.” After a couple of bites, she looked around. The house was perfectly quiet. “Are the kids coming down for breakfast?”
Jackson ducked his head. “Uh, no. Nick took them for the weekend. They won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Oh, yes. I did overhear something about that yesterday.” She pursed her lips and focused on her food.
