When she heard the rumbling roar of the motorcycle coming down the lane that led to the lighthouse, Jenny grabbed her jacket and put it on, slung her purse over her shoulder and headed down the stairs to meet him.

Filled with anticipation, she stepped outside as he brought the bike to a stop and cut the engine. While he took a good long look at her, she did the same, enjoying the sight of him in a freshly ironed cotton shirt that was rolled up to reveal his tanned forearms, well-faded jeans and the boots he always wore on the bike. His dark hair was messed up from the ride, but the messy look—like everything else—only added to his over-the-top sex appeal. Or maybe it was the fact that she thought everything about him was sexy.

He got off the bike and held out a hand to her. “Those jeans are hot, babe.”

Feeling the now-familiar magnetic pull, she went to him and was thrilled when he wrapped her up in a tight hug. She put her arms around him and held on just as tightly to him.

“You have no idea how badly I needed this,” he said after a long moment of quiet.

“Everything okay?”

He released a deep sigh. “It is now.”

Jenny loved that he seemed to feel better when he was with her, that they brought each other comfort as well as passion and companionship and all the other things they’d found together. But the comfort seemed to be what he needed right now. “You want to talk about it?”

“Later.” He drew back from her so he could kiss her. “I want to enjoy being with you, because I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”

“I’ve been looking forward to it just as much.”

“Well, I promised you a date, so let’s get to it.”

“If it’s not a good night for it, we don’t have to go anywhere.”

“It’s a good night, and it’s going to get even better before it’s over.”

The playful wiggle of his brows was much more in keeping with the Alex she’d come to know. He helped her into the helmet he’d brought for her and showed her where to put her feet.

“It’s probably best if you hold on really tight to me,” he said when she was settled behind him on the bike. “Then there’s no chance you’ll fall off.”

“You’re just saying that about me falling off to get my hands on you.”

“Well, yeah. What’s the point otherwise?”

It was her very great pleasure to put her arms around him and to feel the press of his most-excellent ass against her spread thighs. She was already hot and bothered, and they hadn’t even left yet.

“Ready?” he asked over his shoulder.

“I think so.”

“All kidding aside, hold on tight and follow my lead.” He fired up the engine, and they took off like a shot down the dirt lane that led to the main road.

She’d had very limited experience with motorcycles. A high school boyfriend had had one, but her parents freaked out when they heard she’d been on it and forbade her from ever going with him again. Being the good girl that she’d been at the time, she’d obeyed their directive, which wasn’t hard, because that guy was a moron, and he’d scared the crap out of her with his crazy antics on the bike.

As Alex took her on a thrilling ride on the island’s winding roads, Jenny was glad her parents didn’t know what she was doing, because she absolutely loved everything about it—especially being pressed up against him as he drove. This was nothing like the last time, when she’d been too scared to enjoy the ride. This time was exhilarating and freeing and extremely exciting. But that probably had more to do with the man than the motorcycle.

When they pulled into the parking lot at the Sand & Surf Hotel, Jenny was almost disappointed that the ride was over. Alex got off first, helped her remove the helmet and kept his hands on her shoulders until she got her legs under her.

“How does dinner at Stephanie’s and a movie at the theater sound?”

“It sounds perfect.”

He took her hand and led her inside, where Sarah Lowry was working at the hotel’s front desk.

Owen’s mom noticed their joined hands but thankfully offered only a welcoming smile. “Hi there, Jenny, Alex. How are you?”

“We’re good,” Jenny said. “How are you?”

“Keeping busy,” Sarah said. “Are you having dinner?”

“We were hoping to,” Alex said.

“Go on in,” Sarah said. “I think Steph still has some tables.”

“Great, thanks.”

“I’m looking forward to the shower tomorrow,” Sarah said to Jenny.

“So am I. See you there.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“What’s all this about a shower?” Alex asked as they waited for Stephanie to seat another party.

“I keep meaning to ask you if you want to come. Tiffany and Blaine got married so quickly that we never got a chance to give them a shower, so we’re doing it late tomorrow afternoon at the lighthouse.”

“That sounds like fun for you, but why would I want to go? Isn’t that a chick thing?”

“Usually it is, but here on Gansett, we like to include the guys.”

“You mean you like to torture the guys.”

“Trust me when I tell you, they give as good as they get.”

“I haven’t done anything to deserve that level of torture.”

“You haven’t yet, but you will,” she said with a saucy smile that made him laugh. “There’ll be plenty of other guys, lots of food and beer. What more do you need?”

“Well, when you put it that way… I guess I could try to make it.”

“Yay.”

“I never made any promises.” He gave her a sideways glance. “So you’re ready to take this public with all your friends?”

“I believe I am. Is that okay with you?”

He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “That’s more than okay with me.”

Stephanie approached them, stopping a couple of feet from them to stare when she realized they were on a date. “Okay, so what did I miss?”

“A few things here and there,” Jenny said mysteriously.

“Apparently. Am I allowed to spread this rumor far and wide?”

“Since it’s no longer a rumor, have at it,” Jenny said with a smile for Alex.

“This is the biggest news since Tiffany and Blaine’s three-day engagement.” Stephanie seated them at a table with a view of the sunset and within earshot of the music Owen was making on the deck. “Is this okay?”

“It’s perfect,” Alex said. “Thanks, Stephanie.”

She gave them a rundown of the specials and then left them to peruse the menu after giving Jenny’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze. A waitress appeared at their table a few minutes later with a bottle of champagne. “Compliments of Stephanie,” she said.

Touched by the gesture, Jenny said, “Please tell her thanks from us.”

“I sure will.” The waitress poured the bubbly into crystal flutes and took their order.

When they were alone, Alex raised his glass to her. “Here’s to going public.”

Jenny touched her glass to his. “To going public.”

“You sure you’re feeling okay about that?”

“I’m feeling extremely okay about a lot of things that haven’t been okay for me in a very long time.”

“It makes me happy to hear you say that.”

“You look really nice tonight,” she said. “Not that you don’t always look nice.”

Alex looked down at his shirt. “My mom ironed for me.”

“She did? Really?”

“Yeah. Ten minutes of complete lucidity, during which I got back my mom and then lost her again almost as quickly.”

“I’m sorry. That’s got to be awful.”

“It sucks so bad.” He looked down at the table and then at her. “I acted like an ass with my brother earlier.”

“How so?”

“I…um, well… I was pissed off about what I witnessed when I came into the store after work.”

Genuinely baffled, Jenny said, “What did you witness?”

“You, him, the beers, the nearness.”

Her mouth fell open in shock.

“Before you can assure me there was nothing to be pissed off about, I already know that.”

“But still, that you even thought it…”

“I know. I was way out of line, and the only reason I’m even telling you is because I thought you might like to know that you have the power to make me insanely jealous.”

She stared at him, incredulous. “Because I was talking to your brother and having a beer with him after a long and extremely awful day?”

“Uh-huh. Pretty sad, huh?”

“It’s actually rather adorable, if I can get past the fact that you thought you needed to worry about me messing around with your own brother.”

“I know I don’t need to worry about that with either of you, so let’s get back to the adorable part.”

Jenny laughed and shook her head in amazement. “You were really jealous?”

“Insanely.”

“Huh.”

“What does that mean? Huh.”

“Nothing. I’m just enjoying this for a minute.”

“I never should’ve told you.”

Jenny reached for his hand across the table. “I’m glad you did. I like knowing how you feel.”

“If that’s the case, I’ve got other stuff to tell you.”

“Good stuff?”

“I hope you’ll think so. It feels good to me.”

Jenny wondered if he was hinting at what she thought he was and tried to determine how she felt about that. It didn’t take long for her to decide she felt very good about it, because she was definitely on the same page.

Without exchanging words, they decided to table that discussion for later, and Jenny told him about her day at the store.

“I feel bad that you had to deal with all our irate customers.”

“Someone had to do it, and I think I smoothed some ruffled feathers.”

“Again, that’s above and beyond the call of duty.”

“I don’t mind, Alex. It makes me feel good to think there’s something I can do to help you and Paul.”

“Do you think maybe…” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Tell me. Do I think what?”

He blew out a ragged deep breath. “Paul, David and I are interviewing a nurse tomorrow, hoping she’ll agree to move out here to help us manage Mom’s care. I was wondering if you might have time to sit in on the meeting. I’d love to get your take on her.”

“I’d be happy to.”

“You would? Really? I know it’s a lot to ask—”

She tightened her grasp on his hand. “It’s not a lot to ask. I’m honored that you want my opinion.”

“I just want to do the right thing for my mom, but I have no idea what that is.”

“For what it’s worth, I think that getting a qualified professional to be part of her daily life at this point is the right thing to do. You and Paul can’t continue like this forever, or your health is going to be affected, too. Hopefully this woman will be who you need.”

“Her name is Hope,” he said with a small smile.

“And how perfect is that? My fingers are crossed for you.”

“Thanks, and thank you for coming to the interview.”

“Well, you’re coming to a wedding shower with me…”

He laughed, as she’d hoped he would. “That’s blackmail.”

“I prefer to think of it as quid pro quo. I scratch your back, you scratch mine.”

“I can’t wait for you to scratch my back, but not until after the movie. You’ll just have to keep your hands off me until then.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll see if I can control myself.”

“Don’t try too hard.”

---

Alex was in love with her. He’d more or less acknowledged that fact earlier when he nearly took off his brother’s head for daring to have an after-work beer with her. But sitting across from her as she offered care and concern and support along with incredible sweetness and hot sexiness, Alex knew she was the whole package. She was exactly the woman he’d nearly given up on ever finding, and to think he’d found her on Gansett Island. The irony wasn’t lost on him. If he hadn’t come home to Gansett to help care for his mother, he never would’ve met Jenny.

Now that he had met her and fallen for her, he hoped he could find a way to keep her when his life was in such turmoil at the moment. The addition of full-time nursing assistance to their situation would offer a measure of relief, but he and Paul would still be responsible for their mother—not that either of them would have it any other way.

Still, it was a lot to ask any woman to take on, especially a woman like Jenny, who’d already been through so much in her life. He wanted to make things easy and simple for her, but his life was hardly easy or simple.

After a fantastic dinner at Stephanie’s, they walked to the movie theater at the other end of town. Alex loved walking through the busy downtown area with her hand tucked into the crook of his elbow. He loved the sense of connection he felt to her. He loved that she was easy to talk to, compassionate and understanding of the challenges he faced. He also loved how hot her ass looked in those jeans.

At the theater, they shared a laugh over the one-man show as Alex paid the man in the ticket booth for the tickets, and then the same man moved to the other side of the counter to serve them popcorn. Then he collected their tickets at the door to the theater.

“This place hasn’t changed one bit since I was a kid,” Alex said. “It even smells the same—mildew and popcorn.”

“Folding chairs?” Jenny asked as she took in the ramshackle theater.

“I take it this is your first time at Island Cinemas?”

“Plural? I see one cinema, and calling it that is being very generous. And yes, it’s my first time.”

“Oh, you’re in for a very special treat. Shall we make ourselves comfortable in the folding chairs?”

“That’s an oxymoron.”

“Are you calling me a moron?”

She elbowed his ribs, making him grunt with laughter as he strategically led her to the back row.

“What’re we doing way back here?”

“You’ll see.”

More people filtered into the theater and took seats closer to the screen, leaving Alex and Jenny with the back mostly to themselves.

“I’m beginning to see the method to your madness.”

“Just wait.” He offered the popcorn to her and took a huge handful for himself.

“Didn’t you just eat?”

“I’m a growing boy, and you can’t go to the movies and not get popcorn. It’s un-American.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so.”

The lights in the theater went off, plunging them into darkness. Alex put his arm around her and dragged her metal chair closer to his. At the top of the far left wall, windows allowed in the sweeping headlights of cars coming down a hill into town. The lights illuminated almost everyone in the theater, except for those in the back row.

“You didn’t tell me this was a drive-in theater.”

“That’s part of the charm of the place.”

“It would appear to me that you might’ve done this before.”

“Done what?”

“Commandeered the back row with a date.”

“Are you accusing me of something?”

“Yes, I’m accusing you of being an opportunist.”

“I’m really hurt by that.”

Her laughter delighted him. He enjoyed every second he got to spend with her, no matter what they were doing. She was easy to talk to and quick to laugh, which brought lightness to his life that had been sorely lacking before he met her. Alex was beginning to think that the instant her tomato connected with his back would turn out to be the most fortuitous second of his life.

The movie was a comedy that had been released on the mainland months ago.

Jenny’s eyes were fixed on the screen, while his were on her. He was like a lovesick fool hoping the girl would turn her attention to him rather than the movie. After a particularly funny exchange between the characters, she glanced at him, smiling at the joke, and found him staring at her like a crazy stalker. But he couldn’t help it. If she was close by, he’d much rather look at her than watch a movie he had no interest in.

“Pay attention,” she whispered.

“I am paying attention.”

“To the movie.”

“You’re much more interesting than the movie.” He gave her shoulder a gentle tug and brought her close enough to kiss. Her lips were salty and sweet from the popcorn, and one taste was nowhere near enough.

“Now I know why you wanted to sit back here.”

“May as well make the most of our dark corner,” he said as he went back for more of her.

Her hand on his face was all the encouragement he needed to drop the nearly empty popcorn box to the floor and dive into the tongue-tangling kiss he’d been dying for all night. It only took about fifteen seconds for the kiss to spiral almost completely out of control.

Alex drew back from her, dragged in a deep breath and buried his face in her hair. “Can we please get out of here?”

“But you paid for the movie.”

“I don’t give a fuck about that.”

Because he was holding her so tightly, he felt the shudder ripple through her. She was so sweet and her responses to him so genuine. She made him wish he were a better man, someone more worthy of her—someone more refined than he’d ever be. But she didn’t seem to care that he could be rough around the edges. If anything, his coarse language seemed to turn her on.

“Let’s go.”

Alex launched out of his seat and led her by the hand from the theater, cursing his lack of foresight in leaving the bike parked at the Surf. On the sidewalk, he put his arm around her and steered her back the way they’d come through town. He was so into her that he didn’t notice they were about to slam into someone coming the other way until it was nearly too late.

“Well, isn’t this cozy,” a male voice said.

Alex and Jenny looked up at the same second to see her pink-shirted date from the other night taking a hard look at the two of them together and apparently not liking what he was seeing.

“Linc,” Jenny said. “I… How are you?”

“Not as good as you are, apparently. Is this why you aren’t interested in seeing me again? Because you met him the night you were with me?”

“I knew him before I went out with you, not that it’s any of your business.”

“What kind of game are you playing, Jenny?”

“Wait a minute,” Alex said as his blood began to boil. If he thought he’d been jealous earlier with Paul, that paled in comparison to the rage he felt at Linc’s apparent sense of entitlement where she was concerned. “Am I confused? Does she owe you anything more than a thank-you and goodnight after a date?”

“I never said she did, but—”

“Here’s a big idea,” Alex said. “Don’t finish that thought. We met the day before she went out with you. It was no big deal then. It is now. Let it go, okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Jenny said softly, making Alex want to roar with outrage. What did she have to be sorry about?

“Yeah,” Linc said as he stepped aside to let them pass. “Me, too.”

Alex propelled them forward, more anxious than ever to get back to the bike and get the hell out of town. He desperately needed to be alone with her.

“Sorry about that,” Jenny said.

“Don’t you dare apologize to me.” His unusually harsh words had her stiffening under his arm. He made an effort to soften his tone when he added, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Are you jealous?”

“What do you think?”

“Alex—”

“We’ll talk about it when we’re alone.” Annoyed by the other people on the sidewalk, the cars and mopeds that slowed them down at intersections and everything that stood in the way of what he wanted and needed, he quickened his pace.

“Slow down. I can’t keep up with you.”

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Back at the Surf, he had the helmet strapped on her so fast she didn’t have a chance to protest before he was helping her onto the back of the bike. He was hovering on the edge of control, and he knew it, so he focused all his thoughts on the safe operation of the bike as they headed out of town. Thankfully, it wasn’t far to the lighthouse, and they pulled onto the dirt lane about ten minutes later.

He was off the bike as soon as he parked it outside her door and practically lifted her off the back.

“You’re in a big rush,” she said when he’d removed her helmet.

He took hold of her hand. “You have no idea.”

Inside, they went up the first flight of stairs single file, with Alex in the back, his eyes fixed on the sway of her denim-covered ass. He decided one more flight was too far and directed her to the sofa.

“Wait,” she said. “Where are we going?”

“Right here.” His patience was officially gone, and the need for her in that moment was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. “Right now.” He began pulling at clothes—his and hers.

“Alex—”

“Now,” he said against her lips. “Right now.” He was acting like a lunatic. He knew that, but knowing it didn’t stop him from taking what he needed more than the next breath. Her soft skin and sexy curves made his mouth water with lust as he came down on top of her on the sofa. “Jenny… I can’t wait. I need you.”

Her arms encircled his neck and her knees hugged his hips, providing all the encouragement he needed to sink into her wet heat. With their bodies connected, Alex felt like he could finally breathe again. Even with desire beating through him relentlessly, a sense of calm came over him at knowing she wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her.

He looked down to find her watching him closely, probably trying to decide when he’d turned into a sex-crazed madman. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she smoothed her hands from his shoulders, down his back to cup his ass and keep him lodged deep inside her. “More than okay.”

“You make me crazy.”

“I like you that way.”

He huffed out a harsh laugh at her unexpected comment. “I like you every way, but this way is becoming a particular favorite of mine.”

“It’s been a favorite of mine for a while now.”

After that, there were no words. There was no need for words. Their bodies did the talking for them. What started out urgent became slow and sensual, their hands linked, their eyes locked on each other, their movements perfectly choreographed, as if they’d been lovers for years rather than days.

“Jenny,” he said on a gasp when the pleasure became almost too much to bear. “I can’t…” He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t think of anything other than the need for completion.

And then she blew his mind when she pulled her right hand free of his grasp and reached down to help herself along. Christ alive, he’d never seen or felt anything hotter in his life.

“Now,” she whispered, her body arching into his deep stroke.

Alex didn’t need to be told twice. He gave himself over to the powerful release, losing himself in her, in her sweetness, her sexiness, her incredible kindness. As if they, too, could no longer be contained, the words poured forth. “I love you,” he uttered gruffly against her ear. “It’s too soon, and it’s too much, but it’s true.”

Jenny turned her face into his deep, searching kiss.

He wanted to show her everything he felt for her. He wanted to show her how essential she’d become to him. He wanted to offer her everything, which was when he remembered how little he actually had to give anyone at a time when his family needed him so greatly. The thought was like a pinprick to his euphoria, a deflating reminder of his reality.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Why did you just go rigid?”

“I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

“Why? Is it not true?”

“It’s true, but it also puts a ton of pressure on you when this is so new.”

She looked up at him with incredibly expressive eyes. “Why does it put pressure on me?”

“Because… It’s just… I still have nothing much to offer you beyond that.”

“That is a lot in and of itself, and you have plenty to offer.”

“I don’t want you to feel pressured or weighted down by me.”

She pressed her hips against his, reminding him he was still lodged deep inside her—as if he needed the reminder. “I like feeling weighted down by you—in case you hadn’t noticed.”

He gave her a small smile, because he knew she was trying to make him feel better.

“I love you, too.”

As if he hadn’t heard her correctly, he stared down at her. “You don’t have to say that—”

Her fingers on his lips quieted him. “I’m not saying it because you did. I’m saying it because I feel it. I know what it feels like to be in love. It feels just like this.”

“Jenny,” he said with a sigh, his forehead dropping to her chest.

She combed her fingers through his hair. “You told me you were jealous because I was having a beer with Paul after work.”

“That was stupid. I know that.”

“Hush up and listen to me. Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon with him and Adam, both of them exceptionally good-looking guys who also happen to be very nice, too.”

“I’ll have to take your word on the good-looking part.”

“You can trust me and all of womankind on that. Anyway, as I was saying, I was with them all afternoon and never once in all that time did I look at either of them and think, ‘Whoa, I want him.’”

“That’s very comforting,” he said sarcastically. “Thanks for sharing.”

“Will you shut up and let me finish?”

He laughed at her sauciness, delighted and amused by her. “If I must.”

“When you came in after work, the second you walked in the door, everything female in me woke up to take notice of you.”

Touched by what she’d said, he raised his head to kiss her softly. “Everything in me noticed you, too. It noticed you were alone with my brother and Adam, and I wanted to drag you out of there and claim you in the barn.”

“Oh for God’s sake,” she said with a laugh. “What am I going to do with you? You’re nothing more than a caveman in disguise.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“I feel bad about what happened with Linc before.”

“Why should you?”

“It’s not my way to go around hurting people on the way to getting what I want.”

“He’s not hurt, Jenny. His pride is wounded because a woman he’s interested in isn’t interested in him. There’s a difference between actual hurt and a damaged ego.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“I didn’t like the way he looked at you, as if he had some sort of claim on you. The whole time we were standing there, I wanted to chant mine, mine, mine.”

“You are a caveman.”

“And judging by the heat I’m feeling down below, you like me that way.” His comment made her blush furiously, which had him laughing.

“Stop it.”

Rather than stop anything, he began to move again, wrapping his arms around her legs to open her to his fierce possession. “Mine,” he whispered. “Mine, mine, mine.”

“Yes.” She pulled so hard on his hair that it hurt, but the bite of pain only made him want her more than he already did—if that was possible. “I’m yours.”