“Either you need to calm down or strip out of those clothes. Because the sexual tension is so thick in this room, I could cut it with a knife.”

I stare at him in surprise, and then I tip back my head and laugh. Can he read my mind? Maybe. But the situation is suddenly so funny to me, I can’t hold in the laughter. I’m being silly. I’m no virgin. And this is Cameron Cox.

He’s right. I need to chill the hell out.

“I didn’t realize I was being funny,” he says at last.

“I’m being ridiculous,” I reply and reach for a tissue so I can wipe the tears from my eyes. “Okay, I’m okay. Whew. Sorry.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.” I chuckle and sip my tea. “How do you like your new house?”

“It’s great. I had to replace the A/C unit two weeks after I moved in, but otherwise, it’s a good place.”

“Is it an old house? I think Maeve mentioned that it was built in the last century. And yes, that makes me sound old, but Maeve is the expert, and she says stuff like that all the time.”

He chuckles and nods. “Yeah, in the 1960s. So things are bound to need fixing or replacing.”

“Are you handy in that area?”

He sips his tea. “Yes.”

“Oh, good. I’m not handy, but this house is relatively new, so I haven’t had much to repair. Is your house haunted?”

He blinks in surprise, then slowly shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so. Do you believe in that shit?”

“I’m Irish. Of course, I do. My old house, the one Joey bought, was haunted. Not with Joey because I’m pretty sure he’s burning in hell, but with something or someone else.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw her.” I shrug. “You know, I realize that although you’ve been in my life for as long as I can remember, I don’t know a lot about you.”

“What would you like to know? I’ll answer anything I can.”

“Well, I know that work is off-limits.”

He raises a brow.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay, do you have siblings?”

“No.”

“Do you see your parents often?”

He sets his mug aside. “Also, no. My parents are pretty shitty. Mom left when I was small, ran off to marry some guy she’d been having an affair with. My dad still lives around here somewhere.”

“Like, here here? On the island?”