“My flight got canceled. I thought I’d bunk here.”

“Ever heard of a hotel?”

“I didn’t think the Fosters would mind. Why are you still here?”

“The Fosters gave me permission to stay while I renovate my shop,” she said in a tone that conveyed she had the owners’ consent.

His hand touched his temple, his finger coming away with blood.

The delicate glass hadn’t been substantial enough to do much harm, but it had left a nice cut. However, the fright he’d given her assuaged any feelings of guilt.

His jaw knotted. “What were you doing, taking on an intruder with some flimsy knickknack? You could’ve been killed.”

She bristled. “You can’t sneak into an occupied house and lecture me on safety measures.”

“I wasn’t sneaking, and I didn’t know it was occupied.”

“Well, maybe you could’ve knocked—or at least called! How’d you even get in?”

“They keep a key under the flowerpot.”

That would’ve been nice to know. “Well, you can put it right back and head to the nearest hotel. I hear the Sunny Daze is very nice.”

“All the hotels are going to be full, Sophie. There’s a storm on the way, remember?”

The storm. He was right. She could almost feel the walls closing in on her. She didn’t want to be trapped in this house with Aiden. This was supposed to be her time. Her empty nest. Even though, okay, it wasn’t exactly her nest.

But she could hardly send him out to sleep on the beach in the rain. She gritted her teeth. “How long?”

“I’ve already rebooked my flight. I’ll be out of your hair by noon tomorrow. You won’t even know I’m here.”

Ha. She’d know where he was every single second.

They stood glaring at each other, neither willing to give an inch.

She couldn’t believe him, barging in here in the middle of the night and scaring her half to death. Practically choking her. She rubbed her throat, aware that beneath the surface, some foolish part of her was glad he hadn’t left after all.

And that only made her grind her teeth.

As did the way his eyes softened as they drifted to her throat. “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m fine. You can take one of the rooms upstairs. And be sure to wash your own bedding before you leave.” She turned to go.

“Wait.” He grabbed her arm. “Don’t move.”

She followed his gaze to the glass fragments on the foyer floor.

“Be right back.” He passed her, the shards crunching under his shoes as he headed toward the kitchen.