“You don't scare me.""Really?" She stared at me over the sharp frame of her glasses."Well maybe a little," I admitted. "Sometimes.""Escellent.No skedaddle.I have a dinner to prepare. My son is bringing home his new girlfriend." For the first time, I saw her look something less than supremely confident. "I don't suppose you know anything about cooking with vegan cheese substitutes?"We shuddered together. "Google recipes?" I suggested."I did.""And?""Maybe we'll take them out to dinner.""Good plan," I agreed, and skedaddled. I had my own dinner out to contend with. I wondered if I could get away with jeans.Probably not.”

“I invited my girlfriend over and made her dinner. I didn’t cook, but I did eat her.”

“She peeked inside the box,then slapped the top back down and glared at me. For a second I wondered if I'd broken some rule of business or cultural propriety. "Homemade?" she demanded."My grandmother."She peeked again,and groaned softly. "I don't know whether I love you or hate you right at this moment." She closed the box firmly. "Of course I'll supervise your article.""The cannoli weren't meant to be a bribe.I just...thought you might like them.""I'm sure I will," she sid crisply, "a great deal.Just as much as I will not like the extra twelve hours on the treadmill." Then her face softened. "Thank you.What a treat. What I started to say about mentoring is that I don't normally do it. Apparently I scare students. But I would be happy to help you however I can."It was my turn to thank her. I added, "You don't scare me.""Really?" She stared at me over the sharp frame of her glasses."Well,maybe a little," I admitted. "Sometimes.""Excellent. Now skedaddle.”

“His dark eyes were on the road ahead, thoughtful. “No. I was hoping to go back to Tucson and see if I could get this hot chick I know to go out with me. I hear she’s in demand, though. She keeps putting me off each time I try to plan something romantic.”“Yeah, well, maybe if you come up with a good itinerary, you could lure her out.”“I was thinking dinner at Joe’s.”I made a face. “If that’s the case, maybe you’d better brace yourself for rejection.”“Red Pepper Bistro?”“Okay. Now you’re in the zone.”“Followed by a long massage in the sauna.”“That’s pretty good too.”“And then indecent things in the sauna.”“I hope you mean you’ll be doing the indecent things—because I more than did my share last night.”Kiyo glanced over at me with a mischievous grin. “Who says I’m talking about you?”

“You will be glad to know that Mary has made something special for dinner.""Something edible, I hope."Her lips twitched. "Absolutely.""Then it's doubly a pity that I don't want dinner this evening." The hunger that roared through him had nothing to do with food."No dinner? But Mary-""Are you hungry?"She gave an odd flicker of a smile. "I couldn't eat anything now if my life depended on it."Her admission relaxed his taut nerves. She was as affected as he was. Good. That's how it should be.”

“It's like when I first saw you at the Diabetic. I went up to you, but really you made the first move.""Shut up!" She remains unconvinced. "How?"I don't answer. I sit still. Then I look at her slyly out of the corner of my eye, before looking away. I look at her again, for longer this time, then drop my eyes. For my final look I stare, and bat my eyelashes provocatively.I must do a good job because Nia laughs. It feels goo to know I can do that."You look like such a dufus in those glasses! It's not sexy at all!" She puts her hand to her reddening face. "Oh. Did I really do that?""It worked, didn't it?”