John Mayer has recently been spotted looking awfully lovey-dovey with Jessica Simpson, but he's wisely keeping his piehole plugged about the state of their relationship. During his appearance last Tuesday at the American Music Awards, the floppy-haired crooner bobbed and weaved when asked about the former Mrs. Lachey, who three months ago denied reports that they were hot and heavy.
 
"The deal is I'm trying to have fun in my life and be a respectful guy," he explained to "Extra." "And I'm having a really fun time in my life."
 
When prodded to comment on Simpson's finer qualities (namely, her hotness level), Mayer responded that she's "a very sweet girl. It's like, I'm happy."
 
He was more verbose with the folks from "Access Hollywood," who questioned him about his lunch date with Jessica at a Malibu seafood restaurant on Nov. 12, during which an eyewitness told Us Weekly, "They looked very touchy-feely. He caressed her back."
 
Mayer, 29, didn't deny shoving shellfish down his gullet with Simpson, 26, but declined to expand on the implications of the outing.

"I went to my library, right? And I started to research the Bill of Rights and I did not technically find anything that said all Americans shall eat shrimp with whoever they like," he teased. "But I found some things that are close enough to infer that I am within my legal rights to enjoy seafood with whomever I choose."
 
And what do loose-lipped insiders say about their quality time together?

"She's taking her time with it," a "Simpson pal" tells Us, with a Mayer source adding, "It's a flirtation. I wouldn't call it full-on dating, but there is a fondness. He doesn't like the attention, but he likes her. He wants to avoid the public scrutiny of last time."
 
Echoes a Mayer mole to People, "They're fond of each other. There's a flirtation." A Simpson source chimes in that they are "enjoying each other's company and seeing how things go. There's no title to their relationship."
 
And it will likely stay nebulous for a while longer as they put that whole "absence makes the heart grow fonder" adage to the test.
 
Not only were they apart for Thanksgiving (Mayer was reportedly in Connecticut with his family, while Simpson was in Texas with hers), but Jessica is due in Louisiana this week to begin work on "Blonde Ambition" with Luke Wilson, who really needs to get a new agent.