She thought about telling him that she couldn’t wear it all the time and decided on the truth instead. “The chain broke.”

His dark eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Sorry to hear that. Mind if I ask how?”

“It just broke. I don’t know how. I hoped to take it to a jeweler in Brickell but there isn’t one.”

“Give it to me. I’ll have it fixed for you.”

“It’s upstairs. Shhh.” She held a finger to her lips as a woman’s footsteps filled the silence. Someone went into the kitchen and came out with some kind of snack.

“She’s gone. Which one was it?”

“I couldn’t see,” Mary Beth said. “Anyway, I think our little ruse worked. That was quite a kiss. I wouldn’t mind another.”

“Not here. Not now.”

Would it be whiny of her to ask when? Or just pathetic? Even in the dark, Mary Beth was well aware of the sexual heat under his cool exterior. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Bold as she’d been, playing the role of temptress felt awkward now. Of course, his mother was on the other side of an open window. At least they could talk, if they kept their voices down.

“You do something to me,” she began. “I never got that far with Bobby Joe.”

He seemed to go on the alert. “What do you mean?”

“We tried sometimes. I mean, I did. He wasn’t that interested.”

“That’s not what I was asking. Were you talking about yourself?”

“Well, yes.”

“So when you say you never got that far, you mean that you are . . .” His heavy eyebrows went up, questioning.

“A virgin. So what? That shouldn’t change anything.”

He didn’t seem upset by the news—or her somewhat defensive tone. Just surprised. And curious.

“If you don’t mind my saying so, Mary Beth, you sure don’t act like one.”

“It’s not a life sentence. Just not that usual these days.”

He gave a thoughtful sigh and studied her for a long moment. “I’m not criticizing you for it. But it does mean that whatever happens between us can’t be just a fling. Not for me, anyway.”

“I don’t see why not.”

Parr narrowed his eyes. “You sure about that?”

“Look, being a virgin is just not a big deal to me, Parr. It kind of was to Bobby Joe and maybe that’s why—I’m beginning to think it’s why he cheated on me.”

The conversation from hell was underway. But it had to happen. Mary Beth wasn’t going to quit now.

“Yeah. He wanted someone else, someone he could use and throw away.”