“No problem,” he said, but his eyes said there would be hell to pay.

Lori led Delilah to the guest room, thankful her sister’s little daughter was demanding her mom’s attention. At least she had a temporary reprieve from the inquisition. She walked back down the stairs and found Jackson waiting for her in the foyer with Kenny in one of his large hands. Her pet appeared totally content and safe. He flashed a business card at her. “I got this from Mabel. I’ll do the spa run this time, but don’t ask again.”

“I won’t,” she said. Besides, she rarely sent Kenny for grooming more frequently than every two weeks. Her sisters would be here only two days. “Thanks.”

He shook his head. “You’re digging one hell of a hole for yourself, Lori.”

She bit her lip. No, she wasn’t. She would make it all work out. She was determined. “Just set up those dates. I’ll surprise you.”

“You’ve already done that,” he said, but it didn’t sound like a compliment.

She smiled. “Save your flattery for a more susceptible woman.”

His lips twitched and his gaze skimmed over her, making her skin feel sunburned. “As if you need any flattery,” he said.

“You’re right. I don’t. But I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate a sincere compliment or even just a positive comment every now and then instead of unrelenting criticism.”

He held her gaze for a long moment. “Okay, you are the most generous woman I’ve ever met. In fact, you’re too-”

“Nuh-uh,” she said, covering his mouth with her hand. “Stop there. That sincere compliment was about to become a criticism. Let me savor the moment,” she said in a half-mocking voice, but underneath it all, his words were a soothing balm over the cactus prickles he usually presented her.

Catching her hand with his, he flicked his thumb over the inside of her wrist where her pulse picked up. “You’re a tough one to figure, Lori. One minute, you’re asking your accountant to find a husband for you. The next, you’re sending cashier’s checks to three women in Tennessee, Virginia, and Oregon.”

Shock raced through her. She thought she’d been so careful to keep those payments concealed. “How did you know about those? I used cashier’s checks.”

“It’s my job to know.”

Her throat closed in panic. “I’m serious, Jackson,” she whispered. “Those women aren’t just counting on my support. They’re counting on me to keep their whereabouts a secret. How did you know?”

“Your trash,” he said.

Lori opened her mouth to scream, but her vocal cords were frozen. She’d thought she’d been shocked before, but she’d never expected this. “My trash,” she finally managed in a voice that sounded weak to her own ears. “My trash,” she repeated. “What were you doing in my trash?”

“Hey, you were going to be the biggest assignment I’ve ever been given. After a few of our discussions in the beginning, I needed to know what I was dealing with. Everyone’s trash tells a story.”

Lori felt violated. She felt so furious, so powerless that she wanted to slap him. “You’re a disgusting person. You call me manipulative and helpless, but you enjoy intimidating me, violating my privacy, and making me feel like crap. You’re disgusting.”

He shrugged. “Fine, call me disgusting. I call it survival. You forced Tilly into an early retirement. You’re not taking me down, too.”

Lori balled her fists. Oh, how she wanted to slap him. Just once, she thought. Her fingers itched. She lifted her hand slightly and eyed his jaw.

He must have read her intent when his gaze caught sight of her hand and the blood that was in her eyes, because his eyes widened like golf balls. “You really think you’re going to slap me?”

“I want to,” she said. “I want to, but that’s one of the differences between one who’s been raised to behave in a civilized, gentle manner and one who has not.”

“Is there a problem with the dog?” Delilah called from the top of the stairs. “You two look a little intense.”

Lori took a deep breath. “No problem. I was just repeating the instructions to Jackson. I’ll be right with you.” She glanced at Kenny, then at Jackson. “Hurt my dog and you’ll pay in ways you’ve never imagined.”

Jackson ignored her, dipping his head toward Delilah. “Nice meeting you,” he said.

“The pleasure’s mine,” Delilah returned in the same flirty voice she’d used to lay men at her feet for years.

Lori opened the front door and resisted the urge to slam the hard frame into Jackson ’s own buns of steel. Closing it carefully, she counted to ten and prayed that her color would return to normal. She could still feel her pulse pounding in her head.

“I like your taste in employees,” Delilah said, descending the stairs with her toddler on her hip. “He’s got a great body.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Lori muttered.

“Is that so?” Delilah asked, stepping in front of Lori. “Then why do you look like a ripe tomato? I saw him take your hand earlier.”

“It’s not what you think it is, Delilah,” Lori said. “Jackson and I don’t have a romantic relationship. He’s temporary.”

Delilah moved closer and touched Lori’s cheek with sisterly concern. “You could use a temporary diversion.”

Lori shook her head. “Not him. He’s a bit too sexist, controlling, and just-” She couldn’t find the right word.

“Hmm,” Delilah said. “But is he any good in bed?”

Lori groaned. “I remember when you kept hounding Katie to take a lover. Sex doesn’t solve all problems.”

“No, but good sex can sure make problems seem easier,” she said, stroking her daughter Maggie’s hair. “And in my case, I sometimes get a bonus.”

Lori smiled at her little niece. “I can’t disagree with that.” She extended her arms. “Your mom gets you all the time. Come to Auntie Lori for a hug.”

Her niece pitched forward, and Lori caught her small body. Maggie wrapped her arms around Lori’s neck and squeezed. Lori felt her heart swell with affection. “You are the sweetest girl in the world,” she said to her niece. “How many are you going to have?” Lori asked Delilah. “Two out and one on the way. Are you going for an even dozen? If so, may I put in an order for one?”

Delilah shook her head. “I’ll pause at three and stop at four.” She studied Lori. “You should get married so you can start making some of your own.”

Lori fought a quick twist of pain at Delilah’s suggestion. Neither of her sisters knew the true extent of damage Lori had sustained from her accident years ago. Delilah didn’t know Lori may not be able to have children.

Lori flashed a teasing smile at her sister.

“I can’t believe my unconventional sister is telling me to get married.”

“Well, on second thought, Harlan left you so much money, you could raise twelve of your own. You could probably afford to just get pregnant through artificial insemination, but where’s the fun in that?”

Geoffrey Taylor heard the chord in his head. It would lead into the bridge of his current musical creation. He heard the sound of a cat screaming in the background, beyond the closed wooden door of his music room, and he tried to shut it out, narrowing his concentration on the beautiful sounds inside his head.

He stretched his fingers into a chord on the century-old grand piano and played. He frowned. Not quite right. It didn’t quite match-

The wooden door burst open. A plump woman with wet orange hair and a wet red face shrieked at him. “Geoffrey, the loo is broken again! We need to get it fixed! Permanently,” his stepsister, Danielle, added.

Geoffrey frowned. He wanted that note, that chord. If he could just get that one chord, it would be enough for now. Holding up his hand and mentally shutting off his stepsister’s shrieks, he continued on the keyboard. Almost there, almost-