Jackson grabbed Sarah's chin and pulled her face close to his, growling with clenched teeth, "Get out."
"But…"
"Christ, I need to get a deadbolt. If you had barged in here ten minutes sooner, you would have had yourself quite a show. Have you ever heard of knocking?"
"The door wasn't locked."
"My mistake. Do I need to hang a necktie on the doorknob as well?"
"I'm sorry. I'm just so excited she's home."
Connor appeared at the doorway and spun on his heels upon viewing the scene. He stood with his back to the room. "Sarah, come here this instant."
"But…"
"NOW!"
She obeyed and he gripped her wrist with one hand while reaching for the doorknob with the other, never once glancing back into the room. "Sorry for the interruption. I'll try to be faster next time."
Elisabeth chuckled at the inevitability there would be a 'next time'.
Jackson grimaced as he rose to lock the door. "She's worse than a child." He dove onto the bed and pulled Elisabeth on top of him. "Now, where were we?"
"You were telling me what you did with yourself while I was away."
"Hmm, you sure we weren't doing something sexier?"
Elisabeth slapped his face gently. "No, keep up."
He rolled her to his side and propped up on his elbow. "Very well. Long story short, you will have your commercial zoning by the end of the month."
"What? How on earth did you accomplish that so quickly?"
"I convinced the zoning committee pinheads to have an emergency meeting."
"Didn't you have to notify the neighbors and get them to agree first?"
"Yep." He licked a forefinger and made two check marks in the air. Done and done."
"Oh, my god. You influenced all the neighbors?"
"Actually, I only had to influence two; the old widower across the street and that idiot three doors down."
"So, you used your natural charm on all the women, I take it."
He waggled his eyebrows and crooned, "I still got it, baby."
"My, you have been busy."
"It was either that or go insane with worry. I gave up on sleeping the first night." He rested his forehead on hers. "I'm so glad you're home."
A wave of indefinable emotion coursed through Elisabeth. Jackson's childlike exuberance bubbled through her like champagne tickling her nose. "Me too." She kissed him gently. "Maybe we should go put Sarah out of her misery. She's probably pacing down there."
"Good, she deserves to suffer." He forked his fingers through her hair and asked, "What's the verdict on your nightmares?"
"Ah, your music is a panacea. Not a single one. I slept like a baby."