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."