“You mean Miss Right Now?”
“Funny, but no. And before you ask, no, I don’t have a girlfriend on the side.”
“I wasn’t going to ask that.”
“Yeah, right. I can almost feel your brain poking at mine.” He paused. “You’re still not over high school, are you?”
The accusation made her feel small. Most people would consider it silly to hold onto a twelve-year grudge. Yet he didn’t know the whole of it, and damn it, she deserved some payback. She’d cried. A lot. What had he done but screw Selena Thorpe before throwing her over too?
Resolving to go through with her plans, she shrugged and pretended his suspicion didn’t matter. “Water under the bridge. I thought maybeyouwere holding onto some feelings though.”
He frowned, his eyes a bright blue. “Feelings?”
She was thrilled to see she’d gotten under his skin. “You know, resentment that we split up. Maybe a little annoyed that I didn’t throw myself into your arms the minute I saw you last week.”
He turned around to wash the lettuce in the sink, giving her his back. “Nope. Not even a little.”
Liar. His shoulders were stiff. She smiled to herself. Finally, a chink in his armor she could exploit. And she knew just how to do it.
Ann walked over to him and saw him tense even more. Perfect. He’d been in charge of everything so far, but not anymore. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He felt like an unmoving block of granite.
“Ann?”
“Just a welcome back hug, Jack. Don’t let me stop you from preparing our dinner. I’m starving.”
He ripped the lettuce and rinsed it under cold water, tossing pieces into a colander while she kept her arms around him. She pretended to accidentally shift and grazed a large bulge below his bellybutton.
“Oops. Sorry.”
“Yeah, right.” His deep growl turned her on even more.
Realizing how much fun it was to pull the tiger’s tail, she went for broke. No longer willing to be the one seduced, it was time to turn up the heat and see what Jack was really made of.
She lowered her hands to his waist and moved them under his sweater, grazing his tight belly. Wow, was he warm.
“What are you doing?” He remained unmoving. “Ann?”
“Shh. Keep working. I’m watching how you do this.”
“How? Can you see through my back?” His voice went deeper as she grazed his navel.
“I’m not so great in the kitchen,” she admitted and dared to unbutton his jeans.
The lettuce, she saw as she peeked around him, was caught in his bloodless fingers. She smiled to herself and slowly parted his fly.
Jack, the great big player, didn’t seem able to breathe. “Ann?”
“Shh. Keep working. I’m learning a lot.”
“Fuck me,” he said in a gravelly voice. “What exactlyareyou learning?”
“Tsk tsk. Language, Mr. Bloom.”
His chuckle turned to a groan when she palmed him through his underwear. “Jesus, Ann. You’re killing me.”
“I’m trying to learn how to properly wash lettuce. You’re not helping.”
“Y-you’re…” he broke off when she pulled down his underwear and his cock sprang free.
