They pulled into the Mason’s driveway and Jackson left the car running while he jogged up the steps and hit the doorbell. Katie opened the door, juggling a tricycle and a toddler. Jackson grabbed the tricycle before it hit him in the shins and chucked the toddler under the chin. A second later, he came back down the driveway carrying Jase while Chris followed. After he buckled them both into their car seats they continued down the street.
After they entered the house, the boys ran up the stairs, stomping and shrieking. Jackson waited until they were out of sight before grabbing Ridley around the waist and burying his face in her hair.
“Sorry for all the drama tonight. I should have warned you what we were dealing with before we got there.”
She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. She breathed in his earthy scent before turning her face up to his.
“It’s okay. I’m just glad I was there. I really think Kaylee is having a hard time.”
“I’m glad you were there, too.”
Stroking a hand down the side of his cheek, she felt his quick intake of breath. His cheek felt rough against her palm and he turned his head to press a kiss to her fingers.
Ridley sucked in a breath at the look of tenderness that crossed Jackson’s face. She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. There were so many things she wanted to tell him. That she was sorry for bringing up bad memories. That his wife’s accident wasn’t his fault.
That she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
But what if he wasn’t ready to hear it? Things were moving so fast and she had no idea if he would feel the same way. She couldn’t take it if she bared her heart only to realize he wasn’t capable of returning her feelings.
A door slammed upstairs and they jumped apart.
“I guess I should get the boys ready for bed.” Jackson kissed her forehead and then crossed to the stairs. She watched him go, temporarily hypnotized by the sight of his broad shoulders flexing beneath his shirt.
The man didn’t know the effect he had on her. She couldn’t seem to think about anything other than being with him. Making love to him.
That’s because you’re falling in love with him.
There had been no words of love spoken between them, just words of passion. She was old enough and wise enough to know the difference. They’d agreed to a “no-strings” arrangement just to avoid these types of entanglements. And she couldn’t blame him for that. She’d started this knowing exactly what she was getting into. She wouldn’t allow her pride to get in the way of enjoying the time they did have together. She could be cosmopolitan and sophisticated if she had to be. She would act as if it was no big deal and she wouldn’t cry her eyes out over a man who obviously didn’t love her.
But she couldn’t deny that the day he decided he was done with her was going to tear her heart out.
* * * * *
JACKSON CLOSED THE door to his room and let his head fall back against the wood. It had taken a solid thirty minutes to calm Chris down enough to sleep and Jase had gotten out of bed five times after that. When he’d emerged, the door to the guest room was closed.
He changed into sweatpants and sat on the edge of his bed. It had been an eventful day and he was tired. But the idea of climbing into his bed alone didn’t appeal at all.
He hadn’t known how intensely personal it would be to play her one of his songs. Especially something that she’d inspired, not that she knew that. Something had happened back at the studio. It had felt like baring himself in a way that he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
He yanked the covers back angrily and got into the bed. A week. She’d only been there a week and it felt like she was already intricately woven through every area of his life. He couldn’t get in his bed, put his children to sleep or go to the studio without feeling as though she was there in some way.
After ten minutes he got back up. Ridley was surely already asleep and he wasn’t enough of an ass to wake her, he just wanted to see her. He walked down the hallway to her door and knocked lightly before he opened it.
Ridley lay on her back, her long hair splayed out on the pillow like a curtain. One of her hands was flung out to the side and the other was resting on her stomach. He kissed her gently on the forehead and breathed deeply of her scent.
Could he ever get enough of her?
Before he knew what he was doing, he’d crossed to the other side of the bed and climbed in. As soon as he slid beneath the covers, Ridley turned toward him and opened her eyes.
“Jackson. You’re here.” She blinked at him sleepily before scooting closer and burrowing next to him.
Was it possible that he was falling for her?
He was already uncharacteristically possessive around her, as though no one else should ever hear her laugh or see her beautiful smile. It was ridiculous but he wanted to be the only one who made her happy and the only one who brought that smile to her face.
He watched as she took a deep breath and tucked her hand beneath her cheek. Warmth and something he couldn’t identify rose in his chest. This was the first time they had spent the night together without making love and somehow he felt closer to her than ever before.
Although he had long felt the need to stay clear of women in general, with Ridley it was different. He didn’t feel the need to prove himself when he was with her. She was honest and loving, and he knew he could trust her with his life. He found himself wanting to do things for her, for no apparent reason. He wanted to make her feel special and cherished. He just felt at home.
After they entered the house, the boys ran up the stairs, stomping and shrieking. Jackson waited until they were out of sight before grabbing Ridley around the waist and burying his face in her hair.
“Sorry for all the drama tonight. I should have warned you what we were dealing with before we got there.”
She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck. She breathed in his earthy scent before turning her face up to his.
“It’s okay. I’m just glad I was there. I really think Kaylee is having a hard time.”
“I’m glad you were there, too.”
Stroking a hand down the side of his cheek, she felt his quick intake of breath. His cheek felt rough against her palm and he turned his head to press a kiss to her fingers.
Ridley sucked in a breath at the look of tenderness that crossed Jackson’s face. She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat. There were so many things she wanted to tell him. That she was sorry for bringing up bad memories. That his wife’s accident wasn’t his fault.
That she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
But what if he wasn’t ready to hear it? Things were moving so fast and she had no idea if he would feel the same way. She couldn’t take it if she bared her heart only to realize he wasn’t capable of returning her feelings.
A door slammed upstairs and they jumped apart.
“I guess I should get the boys ready for bed.” Jackson kissed her forehead and then crossed to the stairs. She watched him go, temporarily hypnotized by the sight of his broad shoulders flexing beneath his shirt.
The man didn’t know the effect he had on her. She couldn’t seem to think about anything other than being with him. Making love to him.
That’s because you’re falling in love with him.
There had been no words of love spoken between them, just words of passion. She was old enough and wise enough to know the difference. They’d agreed to a “no-strings” arrangement just to avoid these types of entanglements. And she couldn’t blame him for that. She’d started this knowing exactly what she was getting into. She wouldn’t allow her pride to get in the way of enjoying the time they did have together. She could be cosmopolitan and sophisticated if she had to be. She would act as if it was no big deal and she wouldn’t cry her eyes out over a man who obviously didn’t love her.
But she couldn’t deny that the day he decided he was done with her was going to tear her heart out.
* * * * *
JACKSON CLOSED THE door to his room and let his head fall back against the wood. It had taken a solid thirty minutes to calm Chris down enough to sleep and Jase had gotten out of bed five times after that. When he’d emerged, the door to the guest room was closed.
He changed into sweatpants and sat on the edge of his bed. It had been an eventful day and he was tired. But the idea of climbing into his bed alone didn’t appeal at all.
He hadn’t known how intensely personal it would be to play her one of his songs. Especially something that she’d inspired, not that she knew that. Something had happened back at the studio. It had felt like baring himself in a way that he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
He yanked the covers back angrily and got into the bed. A week. She’d only been there a week and it felt like she was already intricately woven through every area of his life. He couldn’t get in his bed, put his children to sleep or go to the studio without feeling as though she was there in some way.
After ten minutes he got back up. Ridley was surely already asleep and he wasn’t enough of an ass to wake her, he just wanted to see her. He walked down the hallway to her door and knocked lightly before he opened it.
Ridley lay on her back, her long hair splayed out on the pillow like a curtain. One of her hands was flung out to the side and the other was resting on her stomach. He kissed her gently on the forehead and breathed deeply of her scent.
Could he ever get enough of her?
Before he knew what he was doing, he’d crossed to the other side of the bed and climbed in. As soon as he slid beneath the covers, Ridley turned toward him and opened her eyes.
“Jackson. You’re here.” She blinked at him sleepily before scooting closer and burrowing next to him.
Was it possible that he was falling for her?
He was already uncharacteristically possessive around her, as though no one else should ever hear her laugh or see her beautiful smile. It was ridiculous but he wanted to be the only one who made her happy and the only one who brought that smile to her face.
He watched as she took a deep breath and tucked her hand beneath her cheek. Warmth and something he couldn’t identify rose in his chest. This was the first time they had spent the night together without making love and somehow he felt closer to her than ever before.
Although he had long felt the need to stay clear of women in general, with Ridley it was different. He didn’t feel the need to prove himself when he was with her. She was honest and loving, and he knew he could trust her with his life. He found himself wanting to do things for her, for no apparent reason. He wanted to make her feel special and cherished. He just felt at home.
