“I’m so happy for you, Evie, but I have to admit I’m jealous too.” Viola gave me a sheepish smile. “I’d love a little romance in my life.”

“Well, look no further than the Romeo across the street,” I replied quietly so no one else but our table would hear.

Roane groaned. “Ah, angel, you just can’t help yourself.”

I really couldn’t. I shot him an unrepentant smile and turned back to Viola.

Viola’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“Across the street,” I repeated. “A certain someone who uses antagonism to cover how he really feels.”

“Oh, fuck,” Roane muttered.

Viola’s frown cleared and turned to something between confusion and, dare I say, hope. In fact, it was a very similar look to the one on Lucas’s face this morning. “You cannot be serious. Did he say something to you?”

“He didn’t need to.”

She scowled. “What does that mean?”

“It was written all over his face. And he’s way too interested in you. When a guy is indifferent, you know he’s not interested. When a guy goes out of his way to bother you, he’s interested.” I raised an eyebrow at Roane. “Am I wrong?”

He glowered at me, his answer gruff. “No.”

I tried not to be too smug. “See.”

Rolling her eyes, Viola pushed her chair back and stood. “That’s hardly evidence, Evie. Come on, Caro. I’ve got my laptop upstairs. You can show me the house you’re going to look at.”

As soon as the girls had left, Roane leaned into me. “You’re right. She likes him.”

“Told you.”

“Don’t push this.” He curled his hand around my arm, his expression serious. “Just because she likes him doesn’t mean something should happen between them. There’s too much history there. I don’t want Viola hurt.”

His protectiveness was something I adored about him. I kissed the tip of his nose and promised, “I won’t push it. I’m not going to do anything more. I was just . . . planting a seed.”

“Well, let’s hope that seed doesn’t take root under two houses and cause the earth to shift beneath them.”

I grinned. “Very Shakespearean. I think you’re a poet who doesn’t know it.”

Gentle amusement lit his dark eyes, but he said, “I’m serious, Evie.”

“Yes. And I hear you. But you’re also very sexy, so why don’t we stop talking about this and hurry back to the bookstore for a quickie before Caro comes home?”

Roane’s chair screeched across the floor before I’d even finished the sentence, and as he hurried out of the pub, my hand in his, shouts of good-natured but mortifying encouragement followed us.

Normally I’d be disconcerted that an entire pub full of people knew I was about to commence having hot sex with my boyfriend.

My boyfriend.