He let his gaze drift over her. “Nothing average about you, woman.”

For only a second, she looked moved by the compliment—before she shored up her resistance again. “Unless you explain your motives on occasion, how am I to decipher when I’m being kept in the dark for my own good, versus when you just plain don’t want to share something with me?”

He rubbed his ear. “I dunno.”

“I don’t know, either. But it makes it impossible for me to gauge things.” She touched his jaw. “And that’s a conundrum.”

A woman brushed by in her cart. Though she had what looked to be a two-year-old facing her, she gave him the once over and smiled.

As if to shield him with her body, Alani stepped in front of him and glowered at the poor shopper.

“Down, killer.”

“I suppose you just love all the attention, don’t you?”

“I—”

“Forget it, Jackson.” Refusing to let him reply one way or the other, she indicated their collected groceries, the thick steaks, makings for salad and potatoes. “Do we have everything?”

“Looks like.”

“Great. Let’s get out of here.” She forged forward, expecting him to follow.

“Yes, dear,” he said, mostly to himself because he didn’t want her any more worked up over something as silly as unsolicited attention. He watched the sway of her hips as he trailed her to the front of the store.

“I suppose you can’t help it.”

His attention lifted to her cold shoulder, and he asked with false sweetness, “You talking to me?”

“Yes.” She spared him a look. “I’m being unfair and I know it.” And then even more grudgingly, “Sorry.”

“’S okay.” Actually, it was kind of nice to see her jealous. After all her indifference, this felt like a balm to his pride.

A hand to her forehead, she muttered, “You can’t help it that you’re so good-looking.” She glanced at him again. “And tall.”

Jackson shrugged.

“And…sexy.”

The smile came slow and easy, but his mind remained in turmoil. “Since you’re talking to me again, can I ask for clarification?”

“On what?”

“This whole conundrum thing you mentioned.” To keep making headway with her, he needed to understand. “Are you saying that when it’s better for you not to know something, I should tell you that there’s something I’m not telling you?” He shook his head. Damn it, that even confused him.

But she nodded. “If I know you’re being evasive to guard the end goal—protection-wise—then I won’t think you’re just shutting me out.”

“Wouldn’t do that anyway.” Hell, he wanted to be closer to her. At least for now.

Until he shed the sharp need for her. And that should take…oh, a couple dozen sexual encounters at the very least.

“Oh, please.” They sidled up in line behind an older couple. Lowering her voice, Alani asked, “So you’re willing to open up and tell me anything I want to know?”

Cautious now, afraid of a trap, Jackson said, “Yes?”

“You don’t know if it’s yes or no?”

“Actually, I don’t know what type of corner you’re backing me into.”

“No corner. I’m just trying to establish the parameters of our…association.”

“Relationship, damn it.”

The fiftysomething lady in line ahead of Alani glanced back, then did a double take, and this time she didn’t look away.

Jackson lowered his voice more. “We’ve slept together, and we’ll sleep together again—” at least he hoped so “—so we’re in a relationship.” How far things would go…he didn’t know yet. But he wouldn’t let her deny what they had, just because he didn’t remember it. Shit.

Alani smiled. “Let’s test this theory.”

Even more cautious, Jackson braced himself. “Okay.” And then, “How?”

“I have so many questions about you.”

God, he hated the old introspection stuff. If she was any other woman, he’d just tease her, bed her again and then put a whole lot of space between himself and her curiosity.

But he couldn’t do that now. Not only did he need to stay close to Alani to keep her safe, but he wanted her. Again and again.

“Maybe we could put that off for a bit?”

Demure, Alani said, “Sure, Jackson. There’s nothing I really need to know.”

“Damn it, I didn’t say that.”

“Yet you’re dodging me already.”

He gave a pointed look at the older woman, whose husband more or less dragged her off, and the young cashier who kept sneaking peeks at him. “Dodging eavesdroppers, actually.”

She followed his gaze and scowled. “Unbelievable.”

It was their turn at the register, and while Alani alternately slapped their purchases onto the belt and mean-mugged onlookers, he scanned the parking lot through the massive front windows of the store. Cars rearranged themselves in a continually shifting tide, some leaving, some parking, with pedestrians milling about.

He didn’t see the silver sedan, but then, someone would have to be either a special kind of stupid, or incredibly arrogant, to continue using the same car, especially with it being so identifiable. Not many could afford a hundred-thousand-dollar vehicle.