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He slid them off, giving her a sideways look. “I don’t do that at restaurants.”
“I know you don’t,” she said. “But it is still relevant.”
“Fine. And?”
“Napkin in your lap. I did notice that you missed that one at the restaurant.”
“I kept it on hand. I’m not gonna drop stuff in my lap like a five-year-old.”
“It goes in your lap.”
“Of all the dumb-ass things. Shouldn’t your napkin go where you need it? I like mine right on the table. That way I can wipe my mouth with it, or my hands.”
“Lachlan, I don’t make the rules. I’m simply enforcing them.”
“Of all the dumb-ass shit.”
“Don’t swear in the presence of a lady.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. That’s right. Except, you are ignoring the fact that you are one of the very few ladies in Pyrite Falls.”
“Yet you swear in front of me all the time.”
“You’re made of hardy stuff,” he said, reaching out to pat her arm. The lingering sensation the touch left behind made her feel uncomfortable.
She wrinkled her nose. “I am nothardy. I’m a lady.”
“Okay. For the purposes of this moment, I will treat you as such. Do I get some tea?”
“Of course.”
She poured him some from the pot.
“Oh. You put the teabag in there?”
“You do indeed, Lachlan,” she said.
“Good to know.”
“Another piece of etiquette.”
“Lucky me.”
“So then we talk about the weather. We never talk about religion or politics.”
He snorted. “I wouldn’t do that anyway.”
“That is true. I’ve never known you to talk about either. You do talk about the weather a lot.”
“In fairness, that is sort of religion and politics for a rancher. What the earth around you is doing.” He chuckled. “And you can’t do much about it. So again, commonalities.”
“Dangerously close to a controversial statement.”
“I take it I’m not supposed to be controversial?”
“Not right at first,” she said. “Obviously, eventually you have to be somewhat controversial, because otherwise how will you ever get to know the person well enough to marry them?”
“Well, see, this is where none of this makes sense. I do a lot of... You know, I don’t really know the women that I... You get the idea. But if I’m going to get to know one, why not open with the most controversial thing you think? See if they still stick around?”
