‘I only ever have a maximum of three dates—and discreet ones at that—with any one woman.’
That was what she thought he’d said. ‘Why?’
He rubbed a hand along his jaw. ‘I can’t risk another kiss-and-tell.’
Zoe bristled. ‘I’ve no interest in kissing and telling.’
‘I’m sure you don’t,’ he said so smoothly it sounded like a line he’d used quite a few times before. ‘But that’s the rule.’
‘Is it negotiable?’
‘No.’
She bit her lip. ‘I see.’
‘If you don’t like it I wouldn’t blame you.’
She wasn’t sure what she thought of it but as she turned it over in her mind Zoe supposed she couldn’t blame him for being wary. Although the way he was only mentioning it now, when she was already reeled in, did seem slightly underhand. ‘Bit late to bring up rules now, don’t you think?’
Dan frowned. ‘Yes, I’m sorry. I should have mentioned it last night. But I wasn’t thinking entirely straight, not that that’s any excuse.’
Zoe grinned. ‘It’s fine. I’m flattered I had you so befuddled. Anyway, why three?’
‘What?’
‘Well, why not two dates, or four, or something? Why three?’
‘I don’t know.’ He shrugged, but Zoe didn’t entirely trust his air of ignorance. Not when to her it seemed pretty obvious.
‘Let me guess,’ she said, tapping her fingers against her mouth for a moment. ‘A three-date limit means there’s no need for the exchange of too much personal information, no need for intimate chit-chat or any of those pesky strings that come with relationships, yet the chances of sex are pretty good.’
‘You make it sound grubby,’ he said, although she noticed he didn’t deny it.
‘I don’t think it’s anything. It’s your policy, not mine. Does it work?’
He shot her a rueful smile. ‘Not all that well, to be honest.’
‘You mean there aren’t that many women after nothing more than a one-night stand with you?’ She grinned. ‘You amaze me.’
‘Why? Aren’t you one of them?’
Hmm. The man was perceptive, she’d give him that. ‘You have a point, although this is strictly a one-off. But if you’re so worried about a kiss-and-tell why not just get them to sign a confidentiality agreement?’
He stared at her for a moment as if the idea of it had never crossed his mind. ‘Would you do that?’
‘Of course, although I doubt anyone would seriously believe you and I would be involved anyway.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because you’re practically a god,’ she said, waving a hand in his direction and then in hers, ‘and I’m...well...not much of a goddess.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ said Dan dryly. ‘Some of the things you did last night were pretty divine.’
‘Yes, well, you were very encouraging.’
Snapshots of what they’d done together last night flitted into her head, and his too she thought, judging by the long seconds of silence that followed.
‘Did you actually see the article about us?’ he asked eventually, yanking her out of her very lovely memories and making her pale with his words.