“I’m being serious. Sorry you can’t tell the difference.”

There was a pause and then her mother asked, “Why do you always want to have your way?”

“Because it’s my way to have. I’m twenty-five for heaven’s sake. You and Dad need to let me live my own life.”

“We will but not there, and Hugh’s been asking about you.”

“That’s nice. Is there anything else you wanted, Mom?”

“For you to stop being difficult.”

“If wanting to live my life the way I want is being difficult then get prepared for more difficult days ahead. Goodbye, Mom.”

Out of respect Bella didn’t hang up the phone until she heard her mother’s click. And when she did she clicked off and shook her head. Her parents were so sure they had her where they wanted her.

And that possibility bothered her more than anything.

Jason glanced around the room. All of his male cousins had Bella to the side conversing away with her. No doubt they were as fascinated by her intellect as well as her beauty. And things had been that way since she’d arrived. More than once he’d sent Zane dirty looks that basically told his cousin to back off. Why he’d done such a thing he wasn’t sure. He and Bella weren’t an item or anything of the sort.

In fact, to his way of thinking, she was acting rather coolly toward him. Although she was polite enough, no one would have thought he had devoured her mouth the way he had three days ago in his office. And maybe that was the reason she was acting this way. No one was supposed to know. It was their secret. Right?

Wrong.

He knew his family well, a lot better than she did. Their acting like cordial acquaintances only made them suspect. His brother Riley had already voiced his suspicions. “Trouble in paradise with the Southern Bella?”

He’d frown and had been tempted to tell Riley there was no trouble in paradise because he and Bella didn’t have that kind of relationship. They had kissed only once for heaven’s sake. Twice, if you were to take into consideration that he’d kissed her a second time that day before leaving his office.

So, okay, they had kissed twice. No big deal. He drew in a deep breath wondering if it wasn’t a big deal, why was he making it one? Why had he come early and anticipated her arrival like a kid waiting for Christmas to get here?