When she kissed a trail from his jaw down to his neck, he flinched and set her down. “That was my brother talking. I know better. But that doesn’t make this a good idea.”

“You really are a nice guy, aren’t you?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” he grumbled.

“Well, the fact that you don’t seem any happier about it than I do,” she stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, brushing her body against his, inch by inch, “makes me feel a little better. My ego anyway.”

He stopped thinking the instant she plastered herself against him. It took a moment for him to direct enough blood to his brain to translate what she was saying.

“I’m definitely not happy about it, beautiful. I’m just trying not to be what you think I am.”

She pulled back and looked him in the eye. “Jackson—”

He cut her off before she could continue. “I have a family picnic tomorrow so there’s going to be a lot of people around. But we always have tons of food and good music. You’re welcome to join us. I want you to make yourself at home while you’re here.”

It was asking for trouble but he couldn’t stop himself from taking another kiss, bending her back over his arm until she was forced to cling to his shoulders to stay on her feet. Then, while she was still dazed, he turned and walked off.

There was a cold shower calling his name.

*   *   *   *   *

THE NEXT MORNING, Ridley threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Thank god. Even though she’d been awake since the early hours, she’d been waiting for the sun to rise so she could move around the house. It was bad enough that she was a forced houseguest. She definitely didn’t want to wake her host too early on a holiday.

She stretched and tugged the edges of Jackson’s tee shirt further over her cotton shorts. A warm feeling spread through her as she remembered the look in his eyes last night when she’d asked to borrow something to wear. He had a way of looking at her that made her throat go dry.

The worst part was that she’d not only been restless and itchy after their hot little interlude, but because she’d been so keyed up, she’d heard every noise the house made. Every bump made her think someone was scaling the wall outside her window, every creak in the hallway sounded like footsteps. She’d had to turn on all the lights and ram the chair from the dressing table under the handle of her door before she could even begin to relax.

Even after her makeshift security measures, she’d still spent most of the night staring at the intricate designs in the ceiling. Who would have thought you could create so many different designs with plain white paint?

The thought of seeing Jackson after she’d all but molested him last night was just too embarrassing for words. Not that she didn’t agree with him. Sleeping together would have been a huge mistake. She was only in town for a short time, and he didn’t even know who she really was. But that didn’t mean she liked being turned down. He’d just been so… reasonable. And yes, she was petty enough to hate him for it. She hoped he’d regretted it as soon as he got to his empty bed.

And she really, really, really hoped he’d had blue balls.

“It’s just chemistry. It doesn’t mean anything. Clearly I’m not irresistible since he walked away. Besides, I’m sure I’m not the first girl to borrow this shirt,” she muttered before going to stand in front of the mirror over the antique dressing table. Her appearance made her wince.

Whoa, I look rough.

She immediately headed into the ensuite bathroom. She may not be a supermodel, but she had enough female vanity not to want Jackson to see her with dark circles under her eyes and bedhead.

She took a long, leisurely shower, wishing the whole time she could take the five streams of water coming from the fancy showerhead with her when she left. After wrapping herself in one of the plush towels on the rack, she brushed her teeth and carefully untwisted her hair. It fell in long waves down her back. She was thankful she’d bundled her long hair up on her head to keep it from getting wet since she didn’t have her hairdryer.

“With any luck, Raina will call soon otherwise I’ll look like a hot mess before long. I don’t have my hair dryer. I don’t even have enough clothes.”

Oh crap, the clothes.

She hung her head. She’d completely forgotten about the clothes she’d put in the wash yesterday. They’d been sitting for the better part of a day in the machine, so she’d no doubt have to rewash them before she could put them in the dryer.

“I guess getting up earlier has its uses.” She dressed quickly, pulling on her shorts and the same tee shirt she’d slept in, before opening the door. She peered out into the hallway. A grin tugged at the edges of her mouth. It was more than a little ridiculous how she was creeping around. What would she have done even if Jackson was in the hallway? She squared her shoulders and walked to the staircase.

The early morning sun streamed through the expansive windows in the family room, bathing the beige furniture with buttery light. She couldn’t suppress a sigh as she walked through the room and then through the kitchen to get to the laundry room. It was such a beautiful morning that she could almost forget why she was here. It was the kind of day that just begged for coffee outside on the patio with a bowl of fruit and a good book.

She pulled one of her shirts out of the washer and held it under her nose. It didn’t smell moldy or anything and the clothes hadn’t been sitting for that long. She shrugged her shoulders and pulled an armful out and then bent to throw them in the dryer.