That’s all it was, she reminded herself. Sex. She was on the rebound, and in a way he was, too. Two wounded souls finding comfort.
“Little boy?”
She settled back in her seat, smiling. “Thank you, Alec.”
“You’re welcome. Although I seem to remember it was your idea.”
She gave a gurgle of laughter. “Not that. I wasn’t thanking you for sex.”
“What then?”
“All of it. For not leaving me on my own in London, for staying with me when I was vulnerable, for bringing me here. You were there for me at my lowest point and I’ll never forget that.” She paused, her wicked streak rising to the surface. “And thank you also for the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. I won’t forget that, either.” She gripped the seat as the car swerved across the road. Fortunately they were the only ones on it. “Black ice?”
“No—” his teeth were clenched “—you, in the front seat, talking dirty.”
“I wasn’t talking dirty exactly. I just wanted to tell you it was the best sex I’ve ever had.”
“Well, don’t.”
She glanced at Alec’s profile and saw that his jaw was clenched. “You’re very tense. Are you all right?”
“I was fine until we started talking about sex.”
“We’re not allowed to talk about sex? Is that a British thing? We can do it, but we can’t discuss it?”
“No, it’s an I’m-turned-on-and-if-you-don’t-want-me-to-crash-the-car-you’d-better-shut-up thing.”
“You’re turned on?” She heard his sharply indrawn breath.
“Sky—”
“How turned on?”
“Enough that I’m going to dump you in the snow any moment.”
“Alone, or will you be coming, too?”
He overtook a tractor, his hands tight on the wheel. “You find this amusing, don’t you?”
“A little, but mostly I find it flattering.”
“You’re flattered that I want to dump you in the snow?”
“I’m flattered because you want me and you don’t want to want me. I’ve unsettled you. And it takes a lot to unsettle you because you’re pretty controlled, Shipwreck Hunter.” On impulse she leaned across and kissed his cheek, feeling the roughness of his jaw under her lips. “Thank you for the compliment.”
“It wasn’t—”
“Yes, it was. Don’t spoil it. Now shut up and drive.” Smiling, she settled back in her seat. “I’ll be back on Puffin Island at some point over the next couple of weeks. If you feel like indulging your voracious sexual appetite in another no-strings-attached naked workout at any point, let me know. I’m your woman. On a temporary basis, obviously.”
Oh, shut up, Sky!
She should have just let it go. Allowed it to turn into their secret, something they never discussed again. He was going to think she was pushing for something more.
“You’re coming to Puffin Island?”
“Of course. My friends live there, remember? I visit all the time. This time I think I’m staying with Brittany. Relax. I promise not to send you loving looks or tell them we used up a whole box of condoms in one night.”
“You’ll tell them. You tell each other everything, but maybe you could skip over the condom part.”