He gently pulled away. When I opened my eyes, he was looking at me, smiling. "I figured we could use it to smooth things over."

I nodded, my mind still lingering on the tenderness of the kiss.

He put his arm around my shoulder and exhaled deeply. "The others are at the after party. You can go if you want—no one's gonna hold it against you for having a drink or two—but it's been a long day for me. I'm going to relax in the hot tub."

I sighed heavily, equally exhausted. "I think I'm just going to chill out as well. I'm wiped. Not really in the mood to party."

"Join me then. We'll have our own low-key party."

I glanced at the hot tub. I could practically hear the bubbles calling my name after such a long, emotionally-draining day. "Alright, lemme get changed."

I returned to the sundeck dressed in my bikini. I’d run it under warm water this time, checking to make sure it didn’t bleed color, and thankfully it didn’t.

I saw Jax leaning back in the hot tub, head resting on the edge with a wet hand towel folded over his eyes. There was a drink sitting on the side next to him.

Although we’d made up, I couldn’t help feeling that there were still big problems between us. There was that pesky sexual tension, there was our growing intimacy, and there was my fear of getting hurt. Our make-up kiss had left me feeling even more confused and frustrated about all those things.

I went to the bar to make myself a rum and coke. I was a bit concerned about sharing the hot tub with him, knowing what happened the last time one of us was in it, but seeing him relaxed—almost to the point of sleeping—put me at ease.

I quietly slipped into the hot tub, careful not to disturb him. I watched him for a beat as I sipped on my drink, admiring the curves and edges of his bare torso. His chest was rising and falling in a slow rhythm, the dark lines of his tattoos making intricate swirls on his skin.

As I sighed and leaned back in relaxation myself, I heard his arm lift from the edge and dip into the water. I watched as his hand moved down to his trunks.

What's he doing?

It was hard to see through the bubbles, but his motions looked suspicious. His forearm was flexed, and it was going up and down in short movements. No way. He couldn't be . . .

His mouth opened and a soft groan escaped his lips.

Oh my god! I quickly stood and splashed water at him. "What are you doing?!"

He sat up, pulling the towel from his eyes. "What the f**k?" he said, looking groggy. "What's going on?"

I turned the dial to lower the jets and pointed sternly toward his crotch. "What were you doing beneath the water?"

His brows narrowed. "Nothing. I'm trying to relax. What are you getting so worked up for?"

"You were jerking off weren't you?"

His eyes widened. "Seriously? That's what you thought?" he said defensively. "I was just adjusting a wedge in my trunks. The jets were pushing into it."

"Yeah, sure you were."

He looked at me skeptically. "Wow. Are you really freaking out over a guy masturbating? I guess I don't know you as well as I thought." He reached down to his trunks again and this time I was able to clearly see how he was adjusting the wedge caused by the jets.

"Oh puh-lease," I said, splashing a bit of water at him before I sat back down. "I'm not a prude if that's what you're suggesting. I was just caught off guard that's all."

He leaned back with his hands behind his head, looking amused. "I just have that kind of effect on you don't I?"

My ears perked up. The confidence with which he said those words hit a sensitive spot. Since day one of this tour, I’d been trying hard to conceal how much he actually affected me.

"You so don't have an effect on me," I replied, flashing a smug smile and leaning back in relaxation with my hands behind my head like he did. "At least not anymore."

His brow lifted. "Not anymore?"

"Nope."

He grinned. "Didn't figure you for a liar."

Damn it. I didn’t like how accurate his read on me was.

I took a deep breath. "You know . . . I probably shouldn't tell you this because I know it'll hurt your ego."

His eyes narrowed. "Tell me what?"

"Well, I hate to say this but I've seen you so often now that I've gotten used to you," I said as I idly put my hand against a jet stream to have it massage my palm. The jet felt good at first but after I quickly adapted to the sensation, it lost its soothing effect.

"I don't think so," he said waving his hand dismissively. "You have the same feelings for me as you did that night we first met. Probably more."

I shook my head lightly. "Nope. You know, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. But what they forget to say is: abundance makes the heart grow indifferent. And in this case, it only took about a week."

His mouth curved in displeasure. "I don't believe you."

"Doesn't matter what you believe. Facts are facts." I took a sip of my drink and vocalized my pleasure when I found it tasted better than I expected. "I imagine when you first brought me onto the bus, you thought we'd be honeymooning in Pound Town by now. But all you get is a pre-planned, negotiated kiss every now and then. You must be disappointed."

He blinked rapidly for a moment. "Let's not forget that you're sleeping in my bed."

"Keyword is 'sleeping'. And that's all we're doing. You might even call it 'friends without benefits'."

He held up his hand like a stop sign. "Let me get this straight," he said in a serious tone. "You're saying you've 'friend-zoned' me?"

I was surprised he even knew of that term. I couldn’t imagine a man as desirable as him would ever be put into the friend-zone.

I smiled. "First time?"

He sighed, clearly agitated. For a moment, he seemed to be thinking of something to say but instead he shook his head and reached for his drink. The fact that I was able to make him speechless emboldened me.

"Don't get me wrong," I added, "I think you've still got the Jax Effect but it just doesn't work on me anymore. I'm immune to it."

"You’re beginning to annoy me with your lies," he said. There was a small trace of uncertainty in his voice that I honed in on. I sensed that he cared about me much more than he was willing to admit.

"In fact, maybe it's the other way around," I continued, "I'm the one who has the effect on you."

"On me?" He shifted slightly. "You’re hot, I’ll give you that. But I think you’ve been drinking too much, you’re getting carried away here."

"We both know it’s more than that. You’ve been sweeter to me than you probably realize. The way you kissed me a few minutes ago? I imagine it’s a first for you, going out of your way to please a girl." I flashed him a wide smile. "You might even call it the Riley Effect." With my hand, I motioned a whip then snapped it, making the appropriate sound with my mouth.

"Alright," he grunted, "get out of my hot tub." He pointed toward the sundeck entrance. "I wanted to relax, but you're here stirring up trouble."