The sound of water splashing in the bathroom on the other side of the wall had him sitting upright, listening. He rose slowly and gently padded down the hall to the bathroom door. It was standing slightly ajar, and as he approached, he could see two feet crossed at the ankles, resting on the edge of the tub. Feminine feet.

Pausing, he called out, “Jewel?”

“Come in, Jack.”

That sensuous voice tempted him to obey, but he hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “How did you get in? The door was locked.”

“Oh, well, what good does it do you to lock your doors, if a window is open?”

No matter his irritation with her earlier lack of commitment, he smiled while he shook his head. “You climbed in my window? Right there on the front porch?”

There was the sound of wet skin sliding on porcelain, and he pictured her sitting up. “Not the front, Jack, the back. Your kitchen window.”

He grinned. “You crawled into my kitchen sink then.”

“You really need to wash a few dishes, Jack.”

At that he laughed. “Yeah, I suppose I do.”

There was a pause, then she said, “You really can come in. I’m taking a fizzy bath; you can’t see anything.”

“A fizzy bath?”

“You bought the tablets for me this morning. They create bubbles in the water.”

Bubbles. Jack’s heart rate picked up as he pushed the door until he could see Jewel’s face over the tub’s edge.

She smiled, and Jack’s heart accelerated to racing. He took another step forward, and he couldn’t help it when his gaze slipped to the water. He quickly spun around. “I thought you said I couldn’t see anything!”

“Did I say ‘anything’?” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I should have said everything. My apologies.”

Jack slowly shook his head. “You’re a scamp, Jewel.”