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“Then, what were you doing?”

The worried look on Katherine’s face told Matthew he needed to explain himself. But he didn’t know a polite way to make her understand.“Just working through some pressure.”

“Pressure?”

“You know… pressure.” Matthew glanced down at his lap and then back up at Katherine. He had to repeat the action a second time before she finally got his meaning and burst out laughing. Matthew, on the other hand, turned bright red and got up, heading for the door.

“Don’t go!” Katherine followed him, pleading through way too much giggling.

“It’s notthatfunny,” he said, fighting back a smirk.

“You’re right,” she said, biting her bottom lip. “And I’m sorry.”

“But you still think it’s funny?”

“Only a little.”

“Maybe for you.”

“You’re right. And I promise to stop laughing.” Katherine said, double swiping a finger over her chest. “Cross my heart.”

Even with Katherine still struggling to hold back a laugh, Matthew returned to his side of the table.

“Got anything to drink?”

“Sorry,” she said as if she’d forgotten her manners. “What can I get you? I have water, soda, or beer.”

“I didn’t know you drink beer.”

“Why wouldn’t I? It’s great with Chinese food.”

Katherine took a quick bite of moo shu pork from the takeout box before grabbing the bottle of bourbon and whisking it away with the empty glass tumblers. Then Matthew watched as she took two beers from the fridge and used the edge of the counter to open one bottle for him and the other for herself.

“Here,” she said, reaching out to hand him a bottle. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“I don’t know, maybe it’s you eating Chinese food from the box, having cold beer in the fridge, and your merciless teasing.” He shook his head, taking the beer she was offering him. “Somehow, you never cease to amaze me.”

“And that’s okay?”

“It’s more than okay. I just never imagined you were this real.”

“What do you mean by real?”

“Easy-going. Down-to-earth. No pretense.”

“Oh, well that’s because I’m not worried about being myself when I’m with you. It also means that I trust you. And I can’t be with anyone if I don’t trust them.”

“I feel the same way.”

After dinner, they closed the takeout boxes and put the leftovers in the fridge. Then Matthew tossed out empty beer bottles and dirty napkins while Katherine washed the glassesthat they’d used for drinking bourbon. Each of them went about their tasks with ease and familiarity, working together as a team. The motions between them were so natural it was as if they’d been doing it for years.

“Can’t those wait until morning?” Matthew asked, wrapping his arms around Katherine’s waist as she reached for a dish towel to dry the two tumblers. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for bed.”

“It’ll just take a minute,” she said, then giggled and squirmed at the sound of a low and menacing growl in her ear. “You can wait for me, can’t you?”

“If I have to,” he said, letting her go. “Just don’t make me wait too long.”

Even though they’d been bantering all night, pushing the invisible boundaries they’d set for themselves, a feeling of uneasiness crept down Katherine’s spine.