It totally wasn’t but she’d look like a clingy psycho otherwise. It didn’t take a genius to see what Anne was doing, and right then she looked like one of those exes who didn’t really want the guy but didn’t want anyone else to have him.

Which was probably totally unfair to think because if he liked her, and everyone else seemed to, Anne was probably a nice person. But it was internal dialog so she could be as catty and unfair as she wanted to be.

He opened his mouth to argue, she could tell he was going to, so she leaned down to kiss him and he grinned and let her, meeting her mouth with his own.

“Now that I’ve satisfied my need to smooch you for the moment, let’s revisit this whole thing about Anne.”

She groaned and got up. “Ugh, let’s not. It’s over. Why are you trying to revive it?”

He unfolded himself to stand—damn he was tall—and headed to her. “There’s no such thing as fine with a women. It’s fine means I’ll kill you in your sleep.”

“Ha. No it doesn’t.” Not that time anyway. She sighed. “Look, this is not a winning conversation for me. I’m not mad, I promise.”

He looked her over carefully and then pulled her close. She tiptoed up to kiss him and he bent his knees to meet her halfway.

She wanted him. Pretty badly, but if they had sex right then she’d be thinking of Anne the whole time. Well, not the whole time. Clearly that was an exaggeration because whatever he was bringing to the table behind his zipper was more than enough to get her total attention.

She pulled back and smiled. “I want to be the only woman in the room when we f**k.”

He paused and sucked in a breath. “You got some mouth on you, Caroline. It’s sexy. I like that you say what you feel and don’t play around. But there’s no one here but me and you. And trust me, when we f**k? It’ll be me and you. For hours.”

“Oh, I know.” She grabbed his c**k through his jeans, squeezing lightly. “You wouldn’t be here in my living room if that weren’t the case.”

“I am not holding feelings for Anne.”

Caroline wasn’t sure if she believed that. But it didn’t matter. She didn’t have the right either way. “That’s not what I mean. I mean, we have some sizzling hot potential between us. It’ll happen, yes it will.” And when it did, she would be the only woman in the room or there’d be no sex at all.

“But it’s late and I just stopped kissing you to take a text from another woman and even though we’re not together anymore and haven’t been for a year and a half, it’s weird and she’s here between us no matter what.”

“You’re really smart as well as sexy.”

He sighed. “I have to work tomorrow. A long, long day. I’d ask you over or out to do something but I’ll be busy until like eleven or so and then I’m passing out. But, I take Sundays off, my one day a week where I sleep in and have breakfast out and play all day. What are you doing?”

“I’m having brunch with my grandparents and siblings after church. I mean after they go. I’m a Quaker and my grandmother informed me that was just pretend faith. So I’m sleeping in and having a bloody mary before I meet them over at their house. Want to come?”

He looked panicked and she laughed. “Teasing. I promise. I wouldn’t do that to someone I hated, much less someone I liked.”

“Come over Sunday when you finish up with them. I’m going to stay in and have a fire, read and watch movies. I’ll leave my door unlocked. Next week will be hectic. I’ve got a harvest and then a new planting will start. I may not be around much. Why don’t you go on and agree so I won’t have to be a whole week without seeing you.”

“You’re going to get tired of me and then what?”

He laughed, but it was quiet and thoughtful. “I’m not sure that’s possible. And it sure isn’t right now. Come over Sunday. Bring a bag if you want to give me a trial run.” He brushed his lips over hers and she followed him to the door.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

“Like I said. I’m sleeping in until at least noon. Then I’m staying in my pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and hanging out all day. Come when you can. I’ll be there for any sort of stress release you might need after several hours with your grandparents.”

He went onto the small landing outside her door. She leaned against it and called out softly. “Hey, Royal?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for defending my honor tonight. At the Tonk I mean.”

He shook his head. “Of course I did. See you Sunday, Caro. Sweet dreams.”

Two days later, Caroline stood on her grandparents’ front porch and knocked. Shep answered with a grin and then he pulled her into a hug. “Hiya!”

She hugged him back, smiling. “Hey yourself.”

He kissed her cheek. “Come on in. You know you don’t have to knock.”

“Well actually I do. You guys lock the door.”

He paused, surprise on his face. “You don’t have a key?”

It took every bit of her self-control but she managed not to snort. “Nope.”

He frowned.

She fished in her pocket and handed him one though. “This is to my apartment. If you ever need to come in for whatever reason.”

“Thanks. I’ll knock though. Just in case you have a gentleman caller.”