“Wait, don’t I get to ask a question?”
“You asked what I ate; now it’s my turn again.”
“That wasn’t my question,” she protested. “It was a response to your question for me.”
“It’s still a question.”
Fiona huffed out a breath to signal her annoyance. “Fine, whatever. Ask your question.”
“What’s the first thing you do when you come home from work?”
“I pet my cat, Wanda.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes, but you only asked about the first thing I do, which is pet the cat.”
Amusement tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Splitting hairs, are we?”
“Hey, you started it.” She gave a smug look. Two could play that game. “My turn. Who’s your favorite Marvel character?”
“Deadpool. Yours?”
“She-Hulk. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?”
“Ah, now we’re getting to the truly important stuff.” Clearly enjoying himself, Joe swirled the wine in his glass before taking a drink. “‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen, because it’s impossible to stay in a bad mood while listening to that song.”
He straightened in his chair, a hint of challenge in his eyes. “If you could go back in time and change one thing in your life, what would it be?”
“Oh, that’s a good one.” She paused to weigh the possibilities. Her first impulse was to say she wouldn’t have gone on that first date with Dennis, but who knew where that would have led? She could have wound up with someone who treated her better…or much, much worse. “I don’t think I’d want to change anything because there’s no way of knowing where the butterfly effect would take me. Every experience I’ve had, every person I’ve met, everything I’ve ever done in my life—good, bad, or otherwise—has shaped me into what I am today. I like where I live, where I work.” Her gaze met his, and she felt a flutter in her belly. “I really like my friends. One change, even the tiniest bit, might set me on a totally different path where I wouldn’t be nearly as happy.”
He stared at her for a few long seconds. “You put way too much thought into that.”
“I’m a science teacher; what did you expect? And no,” she added, “that isn’t my next question. It was merely rhetorical.”
He laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him.
Fiona couldn’t tell whether the buzz in her blood had been caused by the alcohol or Joe. At this point, she really didn’t care. It just felt good to be able to relax and enjoy good food, good wine, and even better conversation. “When this arrangement is over, do you think we can still be friends?”
He seemed confused by the question. “Why wouldn’t we?”
“Some people don’t think it’s possible for members of the opposite sex.”
“Some people are idiots.” He drank the last of his wine and set the empty glass on the table. There was wine still left in the bottle, but he made no move to refill his glass. “We’re adults, Fiona. We’re not at the mercy of our hormones. If we want to remain friends after this, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be.”
“I’d like that.” She smiled. “Name one thing that makes you happy.”
His fingers toyed with the stem of his glass while he considered her question. At last, his gaze drifted up, meeting hers, and his eyes warmed with what appeared to be genuine affection. “You.”
Chapter 7
Theirtacticalplanningsessionhad far exceeded Pinto’s expectations.
It wasn’t often that he connected with a woman as quickly—or strongly—as he had with Fiona. But seriously, how could he not? Smart and beautiful, with a sharp sense of humor was his favorite kind of catnip. They’d talked for hours, long after the wine bottle ran dry and they’d switched to plain old water.
Their chemistry was impossible to ignore. It practically crackled in the air between them. Too bad he had no intention of acting on it. It sucked, but his head wasn’t in the right place for that kind of relationship, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. She deserved better than that. She also deserved a lot better than Dennis, so he’d keep his end of the bargain and make sure the asshole left her alone.
“You don’t need to walk me home,” Fiona said as he closed the door to his apartment.
