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“So, you’re a ballet dancer,” Tiago said, earning points with her by properly remembering her title. “You must always be counting food segments, too.”
She bit her lip, not wanting to put a pall on the evening.
“Sorry if that’s too personal,” Tiago said quickly. “I don’t have much of a filter.”
“It’s fine,” she told him. “I didn’t answer right away because it’s complicated. Yes, I’ve always had to watch what I eat, but right now I’m using the app to make sure I eat enough.”
He nodded and took a bite of Ardoovian peas, as if to show her he was content to listen.
“I injured my ankle a while back,” she went on. “And while it was healing, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to dance after. Long and short of it is that I ended up trying to lose weight to help the ankle and my career and then I couldn’t seem to stop. I messed up everything and it’s taken me a long time to get well again.”
“That’s a risk in my field too, believe it or not,” Tiago said. “If you come close but don’t make weight you have to forfeit your purse. And if you don’t compete as low as you can go, you end up fighting much bigger guys. It’s an easy way to end your career. Good friend of mine developed bulimia trying to cut weight. He’s recovering now, but it will always impact him. Almost makes you wonder if it’s worth being an athlete.”
“Oh, it is,” Alexis said right away. “At least for me. I’ll take the injuries and the food issues and humiliation any day over working in a cubicle.”
He grinned at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “It’s just… that’s what I always say.”
“Really?” she asked.
He nodded, his dark hair falling over one eye.
She felt a little shiver of something pass between them. It made her warm all over.
They continued their meal in silence. When they had finished, the cider had cooled enough to sip.
She closed her eyes, savoring the rich, sweet flavor.
“So good,” he murmured taking a swig.
“This is really cozy,” she said. “I grew up in the city. We never spent time in a place like this.”
“I grew up in a diner,” he said. “We never hadtimeto relax like this. But somehow, I feel right at home.”
“Me too,” she admitted.
His green eyes twinkled in the firelight, and she couldn’t help thinking about what they were going to be doing tonight.
She had thought before meeting him that sex with a prospective parent, if necessary, would be something to endure. She had decided she would endeavor to get through it calmly, with as much dignity as possible.
“Alexis, Tiago,” Oberon’s voice said. “You solved the labyrinth quickly enough that you have time for a second activity tonight. Would you like to hear more about it?”
Tiago gave her a curious look.
Her eyes went to his sensual mouth, against her will.
“I think we’re good,” he told Oberon slowly. “Ready for bed, Alexis?”
A delicious shiver of awareness went down her spine.
“Yes,” she told him, relishing the way his eyes went slightly hazy with want at that single word.
8
TIAGO
