Rafe unlocked the door to his home and guided her inside. He sat the plates on the counter and turned to his guest. "Thank you for inviting me. I guess I had to meet them sometime; this was probably the most painless method possible."

"Like I said before, they are good people. It was a good day."

"Congratulations, by the way. I don't think I said that before. I didn’t realize you weren’t already an RN."

"I was only a year behind, you know. It wasn't even because of the dyslexia and dysgraphia. It was other stuff. Life stuff. I spent four months in St. Louis with Mel when she was first shot. She had only a twelve percent chance of walking again. She needed me. Carrie had just given birth to Maddie, Brynna wasn’t capable of being away from home that long, and Syd was far too young. That left me. And then… Money was tight before she was shot, and it got a lot tighter after that. I delayed a few classes and the testing until I had the cash to pay for them. I finished everything up a few weeks ago. Albright delayed me, too."

"However you did it, it's done. And you should be proud. And make sure the change is noted by HR."

"I'm just glad it's done. I’m ready for the next step in my life and my career. Well, I should be getting back home. Helping everyone, now that I know you safely made it across the yard…"

He didn't want her to go. Hell, that was why he had lingered over at the Becks’ house. Not to just talk to his brother.

Because of her. Rafe knew it was crazy. He just hadn’t been ready to say good-night to her yet.

He’d stood there, watching her clean her damned kitchen, and had not been able to look away. The world had seemed to revolve around the redheaded she-devil for a while there. Rafe so wanted to figure out why. "I think they can do without you for a few minutes. I know you’re used to running things over there. Don't you ever take a break?""

"I don't know what you mean." She looked up at him as he flipped on the lights to his kitchen. He kept the living room dark—it allowed a good view of the night sky, and Jillian’s house, still alight.

"I think you know exactly what I mean."

"Well, I think I'd better be going now."

"I thought you were the sacrifice. Afraid?” He knew how she operated now. Stubborn pride and a clear challenge would get her to do what he wanted every single time. Probably from competing with her older sisters her entire life. Travis was the same exact way with Rafe and Marcus.

"I don't exactly see a volcano around here. So, sorry about your luck, big guy, no tossing me in today.”

“I was thinking you meant virgin sacrifice. I was looking forward to that.”

“Hardly. I wouldn’t qualify for that.”

Rafe laughed. It was the humor, the one-liners, and the grumpy little expression on her face that did it. Had him stepping closer than he should have.

"Thank you for inviting me, and for the leftovers."

"I should be going now." Wary brown eyes looked up at him. Before he realized he'd moved again, Rafe was in her space. He tangled his fingers in the red hair that she'd taken down. There had been far too many infants and children around and needing cuddles for her hair to stay up in the clip she'd had it in originally.

The younger kids were fascinated with the red.

Even Katie and Isaac had managed to get a few hugs from Jillian throughout the day. Rafe understood their fascination. It was darker red than her sisters’, and far longer. When loose, it ended a few inches above her waist. It curled gently in soft waves. Had she done it on purpose to make a man's fingers itch to touch?

It certainly had worked with him.

"Been nice seeing you, boss. Heading out now."

"I thought you were the bravest?" Rafe moved closer.

"Bravest, stupidest. What are you doing?"

"Testing a theory." Jillian Beck had been the center of her family, without having to make waves to do it. She had been like a light for them. The one they depended on, the one they looked toward, the one that centered them all. The heart. Did she even realize that?

For a moment, Rafe wanted to feel that heart beating against him. He dropped his fingers from her hair, and slipped one arm around her waist. The other he trailed up her spine, and tangled in the hair at the back of her neck. Gently.

He hadn't forgotten what hell this woman had gone through. The scar on her neck would always be a reminder.

Rafe made a point of keeping himself gentle.

Her eyes widened and he felt the shiver go right through her.

But she didn’t pull away.

Rafe leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. When she didn't kick him or call him a toad, he deepened the kiss. Not too much, just enough…to give them both what they wanted.

At first; she just stood there, and then she kissed him back. Her hands fisted on his shirt, and she clung to him.

Her mouth turned hungry.

The same hunger he felt.

Rafe pulled her even closer. Until she was up on tiptoes and pressed against him.

It still wasn't enough.

She tasted like cake and soda and sunshine and Jillian. Perfect.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her, putting her down on the marble kitchen island, where he could reach her more easily. He leaned in, and felt those perfect legs wrap around him.

He didn’t know who moved next. Someone did.

Before he even realized it, they were practically devouring each other.

When he pulled away, they were both breathing heavily and that tiny little strap that had driven him crazy all day long had been pushed down over her elbow.

As had the matching one on the other side.

The blue bra was silk beneath his palms.

How had that happened? Within seconds, he'd started kissing her, and ended up with her shirt halfway off.

There was just too much heat between them. It burned him, burned her. That was evident in the expression in those eyes of hers.

The bra was dark blue. The flesh beneath it pale, white, and perfect. Rafe’s hand brushed her lightly, through the silk.

She was too much for him. And he knew it.

But before he could say anything, she yelped, hopped off the countertop, and yanked her shirt back into place. "No. Not going to happen. Not with you, not with anyone. But definitely not a man like you. You’re too much. Not right now. Especially right now. No, it's just not going to happen." Before he could say anything else or ask just what exactly about him terrified her, Jillian bolted out the still open front door and was gone.

It was the first time he’d ever kissed a woman and sent her fleeing.

Ever scared her quite that much. What the hell had just happened?

Rafe stepped over to the door and closed it, but not before watching the woman run back to the sanctuary of her own home.

Damn her; Jillian Beck just had a way of getting to him. And he had no clue what to do about that.