“It does,” I agreed. “But dinner would help me gather evidence.”
This time she did smile, though it was smaller, more cautious.
“You are impossible.”
“I’ve been told that before.”
“I’m sure.”
I waited. That, more than the apology, was probably what made the difference. She noticed that too. I could see it in the way some of the tension left her shoulders.
“When?” she asked.
A ridiculous amount of satisfaction went through me.
“Tonight.”
She gave me a look. “Absolutely not.”
“Tomorrow, then.”
“You’re very confident for a man who has only just stopped behaving badly.”
“I have recovered well.”
“You have recovered suspiciously fast.”
“One of my better qualities.”
She shook her head, but I could already see the decision forming.
“Tomorrow,” she said at last. “Dinner. Somewhere public.”
That last part was telling.
I inclined my head. “Of course.”
“And no ambushing me if I happen to speak to another human male before then.”
I considered arguing that this was overly restrictive, decided it was unwise, and said, “I’ll do my best.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That was not reassuring.”
“It was honest.”
To my surprise, she laughed, that same warm, unguarded sound that had stayed with me since the first day. It settled into me with dangerous ease.
“Tomorrow,” she repeated, still looking faintly unconvinced by her own decision.
“Tomorrow.” I agreed.
She looked as unsettled by wanting to say yes as I had been by asking.
That pleased me a great deal more than it should have.
CHAPTER 5
EMILY
