“I’d never want or expect that. However, we do need to talk about your shameless flirtation with Jared James earlier. Right in front me, too!”

Jenny’s mouth fell open in shock. “I wasn’t flirting with him!”

“Oh Jared,” Alex said in a phony female voice, “come see my lighthouse. Any time.”

“You’ve lost your mind. I was not flirting with him. I knew him years ago at school.”

“Whatever you say. I know flirting when I see it.” Deciding to give her a break, he put his arms around her.

“Get away. You’re being a jerk.”

“I’m teasing you.”

“I wasn’t flirting with him. I wouldn’t do that right in front of you.”

“So you’d do it when I’m not looking?”

“You are an extremely exasperating person sometimes. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Me? Exasperating? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He caught her by surprise with a kiss. “And I know you weren’t flirting with him, but you charmed him nonetheless.”

“That wasn’t my intention. I felt sorry for him when he said he’s nursing a broken heart.”

“That is too bad, but he’s not going to make you his private-duty nurse.”

“Honestly, Alex! What part of I’m not interested in him didn’t you get? For some reason, which is escaping me at the moment, I seem to be interested in you.”

“You are? Really?”

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Was this whole thing a roundabout way to get me to admit something you already knew?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

She shocked the living shit out of him when she gave him a hard shove that landed him on his back on the bed. She further shocked him when she removed her T-shirt to reveal bare breasts and a tight belly. Wearing only the boy shorts that had fascinated him earlier, she came down on top of him.

“That was hot. Seriously hot.”

“Don’t they teach you boys up here in the North not to mess with GRITS?”

“Um, GRITS?”

“Girls Raised in the South.”

Alex cracked up laughing, but his laughter became a moan when she straddled his lap, letting the heat between her legs settle above his erection. “I’m very sorry I messed with you, and I apologize for tricking you into admitting you’re digging me.”

She poked him in the belly. “I don’t think you’re one bit sorry for either of those things.”

“I am! I swear I am!” He held out his arms to her. “Come down here, and I’ll show you how very sorry I am.”

With her hands flat on his chest, she bent at the waist until she hovered just above his lips. “I’m here.”

“So I see.” He framed her face with his hands and kissed her softly yet persuasively.