Kissing her again had been foolish, but Rafe couldn’t find it in himself to regret it. He wanted to do a whole lot more. He wanted to taste the life on her lips again, as corny as that sounded. Jillian had such fire running through her.

It was no wonder she had such vibrant red hair. The red had to be God’s way of warning a man that flame lived in that woman.

After what had to be a good five minutes of kissing her, he pulled back. And looked down at her. “You’re dangerous, Nurse Jillian. Dangerous.”

“Yeah, all the men I kiss say that.”

Rafe believed it.

They left the small room they’d been painting; Rafe thought that had been a really good idea. If they stayed in there together alone for too long, he’d do something completely stupid. Like try to get her out of those ridiculous overalls somehow.

When they came out, everyone else had been gone.

Damn it.

It took another ten minutes for Travis and Lacy to return, and another ten after that for Marcus and Ariella. Ari and Marcus at least brought snacks back with them.

The rest of the afternoon went quickly, but they got a lot accomplished. Lacy overdid it, but with one word to Travis by Rafe, she was scooped off her feet.

That effectively ended the day.

Rafe somehow got roped into driving his little neighbor home—he hadn’t protested Lacy’s assignment too much—and before he could protest, Ari.

Ari took the backseat, Jillian climbed in the front. Nothing Rafe hadn't expected.

Rafe was going to just have to accept the fact that this younger sister was going to be on the peripheral of his life from here on out. It could be worse, he supposed.

The only real problem he had with her now was that he didn’t want to feel so damned concerned and protective of her. She hadn’t asked him to, but he was already starting to feel just that way.

He’d have to think about that.

He got the address from her quickly, and he maneuvered his SUV toward the downtown area. To the multi-story green and white Lucas Tech building. He looked at it skeptically. "You live here?"

"Top floor. The third. I have an apartment there; thanks again. Jillian, I'll see you tomorrow.”

They watched as she walked inside. Then he turned to Jillian. “She lives here?”

“Luc insists. He's a bit overprotective where she's concerned, even though they’ve not known each other all that long. He can be that way. Almost obsessive over his family. His biggest fear is that something will happen to the people he loves. But isn’t that the way it is for all of us?"

"It just seems an odd place for a young woman to live."

"There's another apartment at the back. Her bodyguards use it. She has three that rotate."

"Bodyguards?" He hadn’t noticed any guards following them anywhere—except for the security detail that followed Marcus everywhere.

“Luc, again. He’s nervous someone will find out about her—she’s an open secret, now—and use her to get to him. But she doesn’t like the guards and they keep to where she can’t see them. They are very good at what they do. Better than Houghton’s men—I spot them every time I have to have a guard.”

"Why doesn't he have guards on you all the time?" Rafe would.

"Because we want our freedom as well. Melody married Houghton, not us. And we follow precautions. All of us do. Houghton’s even had a guard on Lacy before." Rafe didn’t know what he thought of that. If it was him, and his family was threatened, he’d want them under guard at all times. Houghton Barratt seemed like a bit of a pushover where his wife’s sisters were concerned. Freedom or not, Rafe would do whatever he could to keep her safe—if she was his.

“Has there been a need?"

"Someone followed Syd for a few days a few weeks ago; it was a disgruntled employee of Houghton’s and it really scared her. Scared all of us. Mel goes nowhere without at least three guards. It drives her nuts, but she does it for him. His mother...well, they never caught the man who killed Houghton’s mother. And Houghton is almost insane over Mel’s safety. Sometimes I think he breathes Mel-air to live. We always have to make sure that Chance has a copy of our schedules and where we’re going to be. Even Lacy; Houghton has had guards on her time or two as well."

They spoke a little longer until he pulled into his drive. Her house was dark. There were no cars in the drive. There were usually at least two. After their discussion, he didn’t want her there alone. Ridiculous of him, maybe, but it was how he felt. "I'll walk you home."

"It's not exactly like it’s all that far away. You can watch me from here."

“Still. Humor me. I’ll stay on the porch until you are safely inside. Just humor me, Jillian.”

“Deal.”

She smiled at him under her porch light, and just like the last girl he’d kissed who wore overalls, Rafe couldn’t help himself.

He kissed her again. Just one more time.