Anthony put his arm across Maureen’s shoulders and tried to lead her to their bedroom. He was so wide and strong and solid, while she was tall and thin. “You need to sleep.” He led her down the hallway and she tipped, knocking a framed photo collage of the boys off kilter. Anthony looked over his shoulder at Ann. “Back in a moment,” he said.

“I’ll wait outside.”

Ann felt the shock of leaving the air-conditioned house. Outside was dark, the heat as pressing as it was in the middle of the day only it seemed even hotter now with the humidity. The moisture held the smell of the ocean in the air.

The security lights by the garage lit up as she walked past, revealing a furious cloud of gnats. She walked into the yard, unaware that Michael had set up a timer on the sprinkler by the garden to go off at night. It startled her when it turned on and the water shot out, sounding like a pack of hissing snakes. She screamed in surprise and ran to the paved driveway as fast as she could.

“Cooling off?” Anthony said. He had seen the whole scene from the deck. His eyes settled on the damp shirt clinging to her chest. The eerie outdoor light sharpened his already-sharp features.

She looked down. She could see the tiny heart print of her bra through the fabric.

“I was going to suggest another way to cool down.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” He pointed at the green Jeep that sat in the driveway. “My wife won’t ride in it because it’s too rough, but you won’t mind a rough ride, will you?” His question wasn’t a question.

“A ride in the Jeep sounds fun,” Ann said.

He was clearly pleased. “Oh, Ann. You are so uncorrupted, so fresh. I love spending time with you.” He ran his hand down her arm. “After the night I had with Mo’s sorority sisters from Smith and their boring husbands, you’re just what I need.”

Ann smiled. It took so little to please him. She just needed to be who she was. He walked over to the passenger side and put his hand over her hip to help her step in. “Up you go.” He let his hand linger even after she was seated. She liked the warmth, and that electric tingle that shot through her.

When he got into the driver’s seat, Ann said, as if to absolve herself of all her forbidden daydreams, “Is Maureen OK?”

“You’re kind to be concerned.”

“She seemed tired.”

“She can’t hold her liquor. She’s not a hearty Midwesterner like you. I’ll bet you can hold your own.” Anthony sat next to her in the driver’s seat and stared at the windshield. He didn’t put the keys in the ignition right away.